5:55pm: The signing is official, the team’s PR department tweets.
11:59am: The Knicks have reached an agreement with second-round pick Kevin McCullar on a two-way contract, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
The 23-year-old small forward out of Kansas was selected with the 56th pick in this year’s draft. He was held out of Summer League due to a knee issue.
McCullar earned first-team All-Big 12 honors last season while averaging 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists as a super senior for the Jayhawks. In 2023, he was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive team and earned third-team all-conference honors. He played three seasons at Texas Tech before transferring to Kansas in 2022.
New York will have a two-way opening left after McCullar’s deal becomes official. Ariel Hukporti is also on a two-way contract with the Knicks. The team also still has a two-way qualifying offer on the table for Jacob Toppin.
McCullar is among a handful of 2024 draft picks who are still without a contract. Utah’s Kyle Filipowski, Atlanta’s Nikola Djurisic, Indiana’s Enrique Freeman and Golden State’s Quinten Post still remain unsigned.
Jacob Toppin is also a RFA for a two way contract, so it is possible he will be the third Knicks spot
McCullar and Hukporti are two players that should be on the team. After the all star game. Both are older mature players. And we can use both of them. Like them both a lot. NYK
I hope this kid turns out better than Knox. They seem like similar players.
Seems like they have quite different games. Dadiet may be the new Knox, I’m afraid
He’s not ready. He’s all upside. Has 2way potential. Good size. Thibs loves positional size players. Can cover 2-3 positions. And are loads to cover on offense.
From all I’ve read. He’s suppose to be a lot like Hart. He’s actually bigger.
KM and Knox came from opposite ends of the basketball universe (street vs privilege), and will enter the NBA with completely different expectations (top 10 FRP vs bottom 5 SRP) and at completely different stages of their development curves (5 years of college v a UK one and done). To drive that home, there is less than a 2 year age difference between the two.
KM played his first 2 seasons for Chris Beard, and his last 2 for Bill Self. Whatever his talent level, he knows how to be coached hard and how to respond to it. If he has to play before he’s ideally ready, he won’t be overwhelmed.
link to mmsport.minutemediabeta.com
Valancunias is a workable deal. At 30 mill for 3yrs. Makes a decent tandem with Mitch. I wouldn’t mind this. But it will have to wait …..,