The New York Knicks announced signings of five veteran players to Exhibit 9 contracts ahead of training camp. It was made official on Wednesday that the team picked up Drew Eubanks, Bruce Brown, Ochai Agbaji, James Wiseman, and John Konchar, now making use of 18 of their 21 available roster spots.
It’s another mixed assortment of talent for Leon Rose‘s front office, the same group that brought Malcolm Brogdon, Garrison Mathews, and Landry Shamet in for a similar competition, at this same time, last year.
While New York certainly has a need to address with regard to their depth at center, and lack of a third-string option, one of these veterans stands out from the rest. Konchar's experience, defensive instincts, and overall feel for the game should set him up to impress head coach Mike Brown — the same way Shamet did last summer. Konchar may not be able to protect the rim, but he might just have the best chance to make the reigning champions' roster (so long as he shows out in training camp).
Konchar's skillset can shine in Brown's system next to Brunson, Towns
Konchar's potential fit in New York isn't as much about how his skillset matches those of Knick stars like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, but rather those of more complementary players like Josh Hart. If the Purdue Fort Wayne product winds up making the final roster, his strengths would specifically complement the weaknesses of the Knicks' two biggest stars — and vice versa.
Last season, Konchar played in 56 regular season games for the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz. He averaged just 14.5 minutes of playing time in 30 games with the Grizzlies. He played much more in Utah, though, averaging 5.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in 26 appearances (including seven starts).
He certainly wasn't a floor-spacer on either squad; in Salt Lake City, he took 2.3 jump shots per game from behind the 3-point arc and made just a quarter of them. However, the other ways in which he impacts the game allowed head coach Will Hardy to keep putting him on the court.
Will Hardy calls John Konchar a winning player pic.twitter.com/83Zzkw6CF7
— JP Chunga (@JP_Chunga) February 27, 2026
It's a small sample size, but Konchar's Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus across both teams graded out in the NBA's 87th percentile last season according to NBA-front-office-favorite Dunks & Threes. While that metric is typically most accurate for centers, Konchar's high rating across two different schemes, coaches, and sets of teammates jumps off the page.
Whether he's a guard, wing, or something in between, Konchar finds ways to mitigate his lack of a 3-point shot by impacting the game — on both ends of the court — in other ways.
He has an incredibly high motor, which has made it incredibly easy for his compatriots from several locker rooms to root for him. And his decision-making, a trait that continues to become increasingly important amid crazes for information and optimization, should impress Brown's staff.
Simply put, Konchar has stuck around in the league for seven years as a 35% 3-point shooter on low volume. The reasons for that are about to stand out in training camp as the reigning-champion Knicks look to capitalize on every available advantage. They're going to need them, given the size of the new targets on their backs.
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