13 Players the New York Knicks held onto for too long

8. Carl Braun

Braun is one of the all-time great Knicks, so throw shade on this selection if you wish. The Hall of Famer is sixth in franchise history in win-shares and was a five-time All-Star. He lost two of his prime seasons to military service, but that did not stop Braun from being one of the greatest players of the 1950s. He was an elite scorer that rarely missed a game.

Why did he make this list? Braun started showing signs of slipping in 1958-59 as his minutes dipped to 27 per game. The 6’5 guard was 31 years old, and he finally missed significant time in 1960 for the first time since his military service. The Knicks still held on, and his production dipped further. New York finally waived him in 1961, and Braun played his final season for the Celtics where he won his first championship.

The Knicks cut ties with him, but it was at least two years too late. Braun was one of the league’s best players for more than a decade, and New York should have tried to sell high when he began to decline. Instead, they held onto the legend until they were forced to waive the 33-year-old.

Carl Braun became a Wall Street broker in his retirement, and he died in February 2010 at 82 years old.