We hate to deter you from consuming preseason games but let’s be honest about their significance: They’re like the layers of plastic packaging covering new toys.
You sort of understand their purpose but really just want to get through them without blood or aggravation.
That’s certainly true for the Knicks, who return the same rotation as last season, plus Donte DiVincenzo. Tom Thibodeau takes the exhibitions more seriously than most, but it will require a dramatic development to alter the regular-season game plan.
The real important battle of this opening month — which includes preseason games but is especially determined by the closed-door training camp sessions — is for the final roster spots. Livelihoods are at stake. Even minimum contracts in the NBA represent life-changing money.
The Knicks, by the way, have potentially three spots to fill. That’s 20 percent of the roster. Not insignificant.
As it stands, they have 12 guaranteed contracts and need at least 14 by the start of the regular season. They can add a 15th player.
“It’s going to be a tough call,” Thibodeau said. “Those guys have been here for a good chunk of the summer and fall and worked extremely hard. We’ll see how it unfolds. We still have a little more time to go. But they’ve been terrific. Hopefully, we’ll be able to keep some of those guys for our G-League team. I like who they are, I like how they practice, I like how they compete.”
A possibility is converting one or more of the two-way players — Dylan Windler, Nathan Knight and Jaylen Martin — into standard NBA contracts. That would open up more two-way spots. But for the sake of this article, let’s assume the Knicks pick from their group of six non-guaranteed players.
At least two will make the cut. At least three will be cut.
“That’s probably the worst part of the job,” Thibodeau said.
A look at the Knicks’ options:
RYAN ARCIDIACONO
Certainly a favorite to reclaim a roster spot. He’s a positive locker room presence and part of the Villanova crew with important support from Jalen Brunson. And just so you understand what’s at stake: Arcidiacono signed an Exhibit 9 contract that would pay $2.53 million if he makes the cut, according to Sportrac.
DAQUAN JEFFRIES
Thibodeau has lauded Jeffries repeatedly, giving us the sense he’d prefer to have the 26-year-old wing on the roster. “I believe he’s an NBA player,” Thibodeau said a year ago. The coach kept Jeffries at the end of last season, even giving him two playoff appearances in garbage time. Jeffries is another front-runner for a roster spot.
DUANE WASHINGTON JR.
The 6-foot-3 combo guard played most of last season with the Westchester Knicks and latched on to the senior club at some point, representing another player appreciated by Thibodeau. At 23, he’s younger than the other options and a dark-horse candidate for a guaranteed deal.
ISAIAH ROBY
Carries the most NBA experience by far on this list and was guaranteed $400,000 by the Knicks last season so that he would compete for a spot this year. But Roby struggled at summer league and it’s worth noting that Thibodeau hasn’t referenced him once as a backup power forward option, instead citing Josh Hart, Jericho Sims and RJ Barrett as possibilities.
CHARLIE BROWN JR.
Earned his training camp invite with a stellar summer league and has been a fringe NBA player for four years. As a Philly native and former St. Joe’s player, there’s at least a geographical connection to the Leon Rose-William Wesley front office.
JACOB TOPPIN
Very curious path to training camp. Not viewed as an NBA prospect out of Kentucky and went undrafted before the Knicks reportedly agreed to sign Toppin on a two-way contract. Then the Knicks traded his brother, Obi, and the reported two-way deal became a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10. He missed summer league because of a “minor injury,” the Knicks said, and he wasn’t made available to the media at the final day of camp in Charleston. It’s tough to know what to make of Obi’s younger brother.
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