The New York Knicks temporarily filled the 15th spot on their roster by signing P.J. Tucker to a 10-day contract. When the first one ran out, he signed another. The CBA doesn't allow teams to sign a player to more than two 10-day deals, so the Knicks had a decision to make when Tucker's second expired.
The soon-to-be 40-year-old missed one game before New York signed him to a two-year, $3.7 million deal with a $3.5 million club option in 2025-26. Some fans complained about the Knicks' decision to give Tucker a standard deal, considering he isn't the player he once was. New York was drawn to him because of his leadership and playoff experience, and he left a mark during his two 10-day contracts.
Tucker played only two minutes for the Knicks before signing a standard deal, which happened during his first 10-day stint. Tom Thibodeau put the veteran in during garbage time in an embarrassing loss to the Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs. Tucker hadn't played since then entering Thursday's matchup against the Pistons.
P.J. Tucker plays meaningful minutes in Knicks' game against Pistons
New York is without OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson in Detroit. The Knicks will secure the third seed in the East with a win over the Pistons. The two teams will play in the first round if Detroit secures the sixth. Thursday's game isn't necessarily a first-round preview, considering New York is down key players.
The Knicks being shorthanded paved the way for Thibodeau to put Tucker in during the first quarter. He checked in for Karl-Anthony Towns at the 5:16 mark, and less than a minute later, he secured an offensive rebound from a missed Precious Achiuwa three-pointer. The rebound resulted in a made three from Miles McBride to give New York the 24-22 lead.
Tucker signed with the Knicks after not having played in a single NBA game all season. The assumption was never that he'd play rotational minutes, but instead be a trusty vet. However, it's nice knowing he can step in and play when needed.
The Pistons are a physical team, and Tucker is a physical player. It doesn't matter how old he is -- he's going to play hard. His play led the Bucks to winning the 2021 title, and the Knicks hope that his guidance will help them do the same in 2025.