3 Former Knicks that NY can bring back with the Hardship Exception
Former Knicks Player #2 — Noah Vonleh
Next up is Noah Vonleh and in a 2018-2019 season that featured a lot of frustration surrounding the New York Knicks, Vonleh is actually one of the players that I wish got a better chance in NY. Coming out of Indiana, Vonleh was the 9th pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets before spending his second year with Portland Trail Blazers.
Despite being expected to breakout, Vonleh never averaged more than 4.9 in a season throughout his first four years in the league. With the Knicks however, Vonleh had his best season of his career to date averaging 8.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest.
The power forward made a career high 57 starts that season as well implementing himself with a larger role on a struggling Knicks team. Vonleh was not brought back at the end of the season and ended up on three different teams in three seasons playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, and Brooklyn Nets.
With Obi Toppin unavailable, I don’t think it hurts at all for New York to give the journeyman a 10-day contract. Currently on the Shanghai Sharks, I think Vonleh would welcome the opportunity to return to the NBA to a team where’s had some increments of success, including a career high 22 point performance one game against the Nets.
Look, he’s not the best replacement out there, but definitely worth taking a gamble on if the team is looking for someone else to give minutes to. If it doesn’t work out, they don’t have to give him another contract and he could potentially find a spot on another G-League roster.