Thanasis Antetokounmpo To Join D-League

AUGUST 20TH: Antetokounmpo has agreed to play in the D-League for the Knicks affiliate this season, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.

AUGUST 15TH: Antetokounmpo has decided to turn down all the offers he has received from European teams, and intends to attend training camp with the Knicks, reports Enea Trapani of Sportando.

AUGUST 13TH: Italy’s Sidigas Avellino is one of four European teams to make offers to Antetokounmpo, but he’s put them all on hold until he has more clarity on his chances to make the Knicks this season, sources tell Sportando’s Enea Trapani.

AUGUST 7TH: Knicks 2014 second-round pick Thanasis Antetokounmpo is deciding between opportunities in Spain and Italy or heading to New York’s D-League affiliate in Westchester, sources tell Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). The Knicks reportedly drafted Antetokounmpo with the 51st overall pick with the intention of stashing him overseas rather than signing him for this season, though a D-League arrangement would probably fit the bill, too.

The Knicks have agreements with 15 players, as our roster counts show, and when they keep the newly acquired Quincy Acy as planned past August 15th, the date his non-guaranteed deal becomes fully guaranteed, at least 14 of their players will have some kind of guarantee. It’s not clear whether their deal with 34th overall pick Cleanthony Early contains a guarantee, but he probably has the edge for a roster spot over Antetokounmpo, simply judging by their respective draft positions. French big man Louis Labeyrie is the third 2014 second-round pick under Knicks control, but he also seems destined to remain outside the NBA for next season.

New D-League rules this year allow teams to keep the D-League rights to their draft picks, even if they don’t sign them to NBA contracts. Previously, Antetokounmpo would have been subject to the D-League draft, in which any NBA team’s affiliate could have picked him.