LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 7: Kenny Wooten #41 of the New York Knicks handles the ball during the game against the the Phoenix Suns during Day 3 of the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League on July 7, 2019 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
New York Knicks waive trio of players to trim roster
With the preseason’s conclusion, the New York Knicks officially cut back their roster to 16 players, waiving three players on Saturday.
The New York Knicks entered the preseason with 20 players, one of which on a two-way contract; this was the maximum number of players they could have, including for the preceding training camp.
However, with Friday’s exhibition finale against the New Orleans Pelicans, it was time to cut back the roster. Amir Hinton, likely set for New York’s G League team, was already waived from the roster. Three others followed him.
Per a team announcement Saturday, the Knicks officially waived Lamar Peters, VJ King and Kenny Wooten. Each were on non-guaranteed contracts, but, like Hinton, they could have a one-way ticket to Westchester, given an Exhibit 10 contract’s incentive to stay with the parent team’s G League team.
Hinton, Peters, King and Wooten all played for New York’s summer league team, taking supporting roles to the main roster players like Mitchell Robinson, RJ Barrett and Kevin Knox. As a result, they signed for training camp and stuck on the roster for the preseason; however, none of those four players received playing time.
The G League grants ample on-court opportunities, though, with a wide-open roster and a chance to establish themselves.
Kadeem Allen is the Knicks’ only two-way player, so it is possible that one of those four recently-waived talents becomes the second two-way player. The organization does not have to fill this spot, but the extra depth can become necessary down the line due to injuries or trades.
Two-way players can stay on an NBA roster for a maximum of 45 days. Otherwise, they must return to the G League.
So it is not impossible for any of these players to join the Knicks at some point. The roster is full, and they arguably do not need the extra depth right now, but situations change quickly, and someone could have the chance to play an NBA game in 2019-20.
