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Knicks sign Dalton Knecht to a two-way deal and waive Kevin McCullar Jr.
The former Lakers first-round pick joins the champions days after being waived. McCullar was cut to make room, and assistant coach Chris Jent is on leave.
The Knicks have added Dalton Knecht, the former Los Angeles Lakers first-round pick, on a two-way contract. His agents at Excel Sports Management told ESPN's Shams Charania about the deal on Friday, Oct. 23, only days after the Lakers waived him, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported.
To open the spot, New York waived Kevin McCullar Jr. the same day, according to the team's transaction log on ESPN. McCullar had re-signed on a two-way deal in September. The Knicks' three two-way places now belong to Knecht, guard Jaden Akins and forward Tyler Nickel.
Who Knecht is
Knecht, a 6-foot-6 forward, went 17th overall in 2024 after a standout season at Tennessee. He showed early promise in Los Angeles: over a nine-game stretch in November of his rookie season he averaged 18.9 points on 55.4% shooting, and he finished that year at 9.1 points in 78 games, shooting 37.6% from 3. His second season went the other way, with his minutes cut to 10.2 a game and his scoring to 4.2 points across 54 appearances.
He is 25. Cleveland, Sacramento and Minnesota were also interested, according to ESPN. He has not played for the Knicks yet.
A two-way contract lets a player split time between the NBA club and its G League affiliate, so Knecht's path to minutes in New York runs through a perimeter rotation that already includes Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Landry Shamet and Deuce McBride.
The rest of the roster picture
The move is the second this month at the bottom of the roster. On Oct. 17 the Knicks waived Bruce Brown and kept center James Wiseman, ESPN reported; according to ESPN's Bobby Marks, they were $3.2 million under their self-imposed hard cap at the second apron, which made keeping both difficult. Wiseman has played 10 minutes in three appearances so far behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.
Guard Jose Alvarado is listed day-to-day with an ankle injury and has missed the last two games.
Separately, assistant coach Chris Jent will be away from the team for an undisclosed period for personal reasons, ESPN confirmed on Tuesday after The Athletic first reported it. Jent, 56, worked on Mike Brown's staff in Cleveland. ESPN's report gave no further details.
The full season is on the Knicks schedule.