NEW YORK — The New York Knicks front office is never one to let an upside talent slip through the cracks without doing due diligence. Fresh off their opening night contest which they dropped to Philly, reports have surfaced that the Knicks are exploring a potential two-way contract deal for a former first-round pick. Knicks linked with Dalton Knecht reports surfaced via SNY Insider Ian Begley, shortly after the sharpshooter cleared waivers following his release by the Los Angeles Lakers. While standard roster spots are tight in Gotham, taking a low-risk flier on a big-bodied wing with legitimate scoring punch offers the exact kind of opportunistic roster building that Leon Rose and his staff thrive on.
Why taking a flyer on Knecht makes total sense for New York
When the Lakers cut ties with Knecht to reconfigure their depth, it opened up a unique window across the league. Because Los Angeles remains on the hook for his guaranteed $4.2 million salary, he is fully eligible to sign a two-way deal with a new club without carrying any real cap burden for his new landing spot. For New York, bringing in a 6-foot-6 movement shooter who dominated college basketball with his pull-up shooting and off-ball movement adds immediate depth to their development pipeline. Knecht showed flashes of elite scoring stretch during his rookie campaign, and pairing his offensive toolkit with New York’s player development system gives him a clean slate to rebuild his stock.
Navigating the two-way roster crunch at Madison Square Garden
Adding Knecht to the fold does require a minor housekeeping move in the Knicks’ developmental ranks. NBA teams are limited to three two-way contract slots, and New York currently has all three filled with Kevin McCullar Jr., Tyler Nickel, and Jaden Akins. If the Knicks decide to finalize an agreement with the 25-year-old, the front office will need to waive or convert one of those existing two-way players to clear a spot on the secondary roster.
Given Knecht’s pedigree as a former top-20 selection and his proven ability to heat up from beyond the arc in a hurry, making room for a low-cost option is a gamble well worth taking as the season gets underway.
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