New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Duane Washington Jr. Signs Two-Way Deal With Knicks

October 24th, 2023 at 6:40am CST by Arthur Hill

OCTOBER 24: Washington’s two-way contract with the Knicks is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

OCTOBER 22: The Knicks plan to bring back Duane Washington Jr. to fill their open two-way slot, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY (Twitter link). The 23-year-old combo guard was waived Saturday along with three other players.

New York converted Dylan Windler from a two-way deal to a standard contract on Saturday, creating the vacancy. Washington must go through waivers before being re-signed, but once that happens, the team will have a full roster with 15 standard deals and all three of its two-way spots filled.

Washington joined the Knicks on a two-way contract in late February, but didn’t see any game action. He was waived in July and then re-signed to a non-guaranteed training camp deal five days later.

Washington spent time with the Pacers and Suns after going undrafted out of Ohio State in 2021. He holds career averages of 9.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 79 career games.

Maxey, Quickley, Williams Among Players Who Didn’t Sign Extensions

October 23rd, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

An unusual number of players who were eligible to sign rookie scale extensions prior to Monday’s deadline inked new deals. A total of 14 players received rookie scale extensions in 2023, blowing away the previous single-year record of 11.

However, nearly half of the 27 eligible players didn’t sign a contract and thus will head to restricted free agency, if they are extended qualifying offers by their respective teams after the season. Otherwise, they’ll be unrestricted free agents next summer.

Perhaps the biggest name on the list is Sixers star guard Tyrese Maxey, though that comes with an asterisk. The Sixers front office and Maxey mutually agreed to put off an extension so that Philadelphia could maximize its cap room next summer.

Immanuel Quickley and Patrick Williams are two of the other big-time names on the list who didn’t reach agreements with their teams. While the Knicks and Quickley’s reps — as well as the Bulls and Williams’ reps — held extension talks as the deadline neared, they couldn’t come to terms on the numbers.

Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn (Raptors), Saddiq Bey (Hawks), James Wiseman and Killian Hayes (Pistons), Kira Lewis (Pelicans), Chuma Okeke (Magic), Isaac Okoro (Cavaliers), Aleksej Pokusevski (Thunder) and Obi Toppin (Pacers) are the other eligible players who didn’t sign extensions.

A full list of the players who did, or did not, sign rookie scale extensions this offseason can be found here.

Knicks Convert Dylan Windler To Standard Contract

October 21st, 2023 at 11:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks have converted Dylan Windler from a two-way deal to a standard contract, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. The contract covers one season and is non-guaranteed, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. It’ll be worth the minimum salary.

The Cavaliers selected Windler with the 26th pick in the 2019 draft, but he missed his first season with a leg injury and was never able to carve out a consistent role, averaging 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 84 games. He dealt with injuries through much of that time and appeared in just three games last season.

Cleveland opted not to give Windler a qualifying offer this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent. The 27-year-old small forward signed with New York in July after spending his first four NBA seasons with the Cavaliers.

Windler will get a chance to revive his career in New York after earning a roster spot. He appeared in just one preseason game, going scoreless in about six minutes of action.

The Knicks now have 15 players on standard contracts, including DaQuan Jeffries and Ryan Arcidiacono, whose deals are also non-guaranteed. The team also has a two-way opening after converting Charlie Brown and Jacob Toppin to two-way contracts earlier today.

Knicks Notes: Barrett, Quickley, Robinson, Randle

October 21st, 2023 at 9:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

RJ Barrett expects to benefit from the experience of representing Canada in this summer’s World Cup, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Barrett was one of the top scorers for the Canadian team as he helped lead his nation to a third-place finish and its first-ever medal in the event.

Instead of easing into the preseason after an active summer, Barrett hasn’t slowed down, Popper adds. He played in three of New York’s four games and led the team in both scoring and minutes per night.

“I feel great, even in the preseason games,” Barrett said. “We’re getting back to learning how to play together and stuff. But with just conditioning-wise and everything, I feel really good. So I’m excited.”

There’s more from New York:

Jalen Brunson is impressed with the way Immanuel Quickley has been able to separate basketball from business, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Monday is the last day that Quickley can sign a rookie scale extension, but Brunson said it’s not distracting him from his work on the court. “That speaks to Quick’s character,” Brunson said. “… Quick has been coming in every day to do his job. He’s had a great attitude, and I was in a similar position when I was in Dallas. He’s mentally ready to go. And that’s all you can ask of him. He’s been a true professional. I just know he’ll stay that way.”
Mitchell Robinson was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable preseason for the Knicks, Botte adds in another story for the Post. New York was uncharacteristically bad on defense, surrendering 125 points per game while dropping its final three contests. However, Robinson provided a steady presence in the middle with four blocks and seven steals in four games. He also averaged 10.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per night while shooting 80% from the field.
In an interview with MSG Network this week, Julius Randle explained why he played through a left ankle injury in the playoffs that forced him to undergo arthroscopic surgery in June, relays Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. “It is frustrating but if I’m out there I’m not having any type of excuses,” Randle said. “Regardless, at the end of the day, we failed, I failed. And at the end of the day I had to get surgery, but what it allowed me to do, is it allowed me to slow down, to take a step back, to reevaluate, not just myself, the team and everything. It allowed me to sit back and say, ‘All right, now that your pity party is over and you’re upset about losing and not being at your best or whatever it is, now how do you get better?’”

Knicks Release Diakite, Goodwin, Roby, Washington

October 21st, 2023 at 3:55pm CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks have waived Mamadi Diakite, Brandon Goodwin, Isaiah Roby and Duane Washington Jr., the team announced (via Twitter).

Diakite, Goodwin and Roby were all signed to Exhibit 10 contracts, which means they could receive a bonus worth up to $75K if they spend at least 60 days the Knicks’ NBA G League affiliate in Westchester.

Washington, on the other hand, was signed to an Exhibit 9 contract. That means he would not be eligible for a bonus if he clears waivers and plays for the Westchester Knicks in 2023/24.

All four players have NBA experience, but were unable to make the Knicks’ regular season roster. Diakite, a 6’9″ forward/center who was born in Guinea, has appeared in 49 NBA games with the Bucks, Thunder and Cavs over the past three seasons.

Goodwin, 28, is a 6’0″ point guard who played 133 regular season games with the Nuggets, Hawks and Cavs from 2018-22. He was out of the league last season.

Roby, 25, spent most of last season with the Spurs, appearing in 42 games and averaging 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per night before being released in early March. He spent his first three NBA seasons with Oklahoma City.

Roby signed a multiyear contract with the Knicks on the final day of the 2022/23 regular season that was non-guaranteed for ’23/24. He was recently cut, cleared waivers, and re-signed; now he has been waived again to secure his Exhibit 10 bonus.

A 6’3″ guard who went undrafted out of Ohio State in 2021, Washington spent the past two seasons with the Pacers, Suns and Knicks on two-way deals. He never actually played a game for New York, which waived him in July before re-signing him to a non-guaranteed training camp deal.

By waiving the four players and converting Charlie Brown Jr. and Jacob Toppin to two-way deals, it appears as though DaQuan Jeffries and Ryan Arcidiacono may have made the Knicks’ opening-night roster. Both players were on non-guaranteed camp contracts.

New York is now down to 17 players under contract, with all three two-way slots filled.

Knicks Convert Charlie Brown Jr., Jacob Toppin To Two-Way Deals

October 21st, 2023 at 3:26pm CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks have converted Charlie Brown Jr. and Jacob Toppin to two-way deals, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The moves are official, per NBA.com’s transactions log.

Both players were signed to Exhibit 10 contracts, and New York had a couple of open two-way spots after waiving Nathan Knight and Jaylen Martin. That means no corresponding moves were necessary in order to promote Brown and Toppin.

Brown, 26, has appeared in a total of 41 NBA regular season games for the Hawks, Thunder, Mavericks, and Sixers since 2019, but wasn’t in the league last year, having spent the season with Philadelphia’s G League affiliate. He averaged 13.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game for a Delaware Blue Coats team that won the 2022/23 G League championship.

Following his stint in Delaware, the 6’6″ wing caught on with the Knicks for Summer League play in July. He was a standout in four games in Las Vegas, averaging 19.8 PPG and 6.3 RPG with a shooting line of .547/.375/.800.

Toppin, meanwhile, went undrafted in June out of Kentucky. The 6’9″ forward averaged a career-best 12.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game for the Wildcats as a senior in 2022/23, earning a starting role and averaging 31.4 MPG in 33 appearances.

Interestingly, it was initially reported that Toppin would receive a two-way contract, but he actually signed an Exhibit 10 deal. Now, the 23-year-old has wound up on a two-way deal after all.

According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, Toppin impressed head coach Tom Thibodeau with his defense during preseason action (Twitter link). Toppin is the younger brother of former Knicks forward Obi Toppin, who was traded to the Pacers this summer.

Knicks Re-Sign Isaiah Roby To Exhibit 10 Deal

October 21st, 2023 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

After clearing waivers on Friday, free agent forward/center Isaiah Roby has re-signed with the Knicks on an Exhibit 10 contract, the team announced today (via Twitter).

Roby signed a multiyear deal with New York on the final day of the 2022/23 regular season. The 25-year-old spent most of last season with the Spurs, appearing in 42 games and averaging 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per night before being released in early March. He spent his first three NBA seasons with Oklahoma City.

Roby’s multiyear contract was non-guaranteed for 2023/24, but he remained in camp with the Knicks as he vied for a spot on the 15-man regular season roster. By waiving him on Wednesday, New York signaled that he wouldn’t claim one of those spots, but bringing him back on an Exhibit 10 deal suggests the team wants to keep him in its system. Roby is eligible to be named an affiliate player for the Westchester Knicks in the G League.

If Roby had been owed more than $75K in guaranteed money when he was cut by the Knicks, he would’ve been ineligible to play for Westchester, but his salary was entirely non-guaranteed.

He’ll likely be waived again later today, putting him on track to join New York’s G League team, where he’ll receive a $75K Exhibit 10 bonus if he remains with the club for at least 60 days. The Knicks have a pair of two-way slots available, but Roby is ineligible for a two-way deal due to his four years of NBA experience.

And-Ones: Zagars, Media Rights, October Deadlines, More

October 21st, 2023 at 8:11am CST by Tristan Tucker

Latvian guard Arturs Zagars is out for at least five months due to a knee injury, Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews reports (Twitter link). As detailed in a piece from Eurohoops, Zagars suffered the injury on October 14 while playing in Lithuania’s top league.

Zagars received NBA interest through the summer following a standout FIBA World Cup performance for Latvia. The 23-year-old guard averaged 12.4 points, 7.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game and set a tournament record with 17 assists in his team’s final contest. He ultimately wound up signing a three-year deal with Turkey’s Fenerbahce in September and they loaned him to the BC Wolves of Lithuania, with whom he suffered the injury.

As confirmed by Eurohoops and Urbonas, Zagars suffered an MCL injury and will undergo surgery and continue rehab in Istanbul under Fenerbahce’s medical staff.

There are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

ESPN and TNT are considering signing new media rights deals with the NBA that include fewer games per season, according to The Wall Street Journal (hat tip to RealGM). Such an agreement would allow the league’s two main broadcasting partners to continue working together at an affordable amount. It would also put the NBA in position to explore creating a packge of games for one or more streaming services, with both Amazon and Apple already expressing interest.
The NBA’s extension and roster cut-down deadlines are looming, and ESPN’s Bobby Marks (ESPN+ link) broke down every rookie extension and veteran extension candidate, as well as all remaining roster decisions ahead of the season. Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels and Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley are the major rookie extension candidates to watch, Marks notes, though Maxey likely won’t get a new deal. Many of the veterans facing an October 23 deadline for a contract extension, such as the Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo, are also unlikely to extend because they can earn more money by waiting until the offseason.
In another piece exploring the NBA’s October deadlines, Danny Leroux of The Athletic further breaks down the upcoming dates to note. Leroux points out the deadline for decisions on third- and fourth-year team options on rookie contracts is also approaching on October 31.
With the tip of the NBA season just days away (October 24), Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype provided a team-by-team look at which players are the most likely to earn consideration for the league’s end-of-season awards. Raptors forward Scottie Barnes gunning for Most Improved Player and Kings guard Malik Monk in the running for Sixth Man of the Year are among Gozlan’s most intriguing picks. Interestingly, Gozlan believes the Pelicans‘ best chance at earning end-of-season recognition is if Zion Williamson enters the MVP conversation.

Knicks Waive Knight; Sign Diakite, Goodwin

October 19th, 2023 at 4:18pm CST by Rory Maher

4:18pm: Knight has officially been waived. The Knicks have also signed free agents Mamadi Diakite and Brandon Goodwin to Exhibit 10 contracts (Twitter links). New York now has 20 players under contract.

4:09pm: The Knicks are waiving big man Nathan Knight, league sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link).

As Katz notes, Knight was signed to a two-way contract, and New York also recently waived Jaylen Martin, so the team now has a pair of two-way spots open.

Knight, who starred in college at William & Mary, has played in 108 NBA games over the past three seasons after going undrafted in 2020. He spent his rookie season with the Hawks on a two-way deal and spent the past two seasons with the Timberwolves.

The Wolves had a minimum-salary team option on Knight for the 2023/24 season but turned it down and opted not to issue him a qualifying offer, so he became an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He signed a two-way deal with the Knicks a couple weeks later.

The 26-year-old forward/center holds career averages of 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per night.

Isaiah Roby, Jaylen Martin Waived By Knicks

October 18th, 2023 at 4:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks have waived forward Isaiah Roby and swingman Jaylen Martin, the team announced (via Twitter).

Roby, 25, signed with New York on the final day of the 2022/23 regular season. He spent most of the season with the Spurs, appearing in 42 games and averaging 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per night before being released in early March. Roby spent his first three NBA seasons with Oklahoma City.

Martin signed a two-way contract with the Knicks this summer after going undrafted out of the Overtime Elite League. His departure leaves New York with an open two-way slot as the others are currently held by Nathan Knight and Dylan Windler.

Roby got into two of the team’s three preseason games and averaged 8.0 PPG and 2.5 RPG. Martin made one three-minute appearance during the preseason.

Neither player had any guaranteed money for this season, so the moves won’t cost the Knicks anything. The team is down to 19 players on its roster, with 12 fully guaranteed contracts.