The day after the New York Knicks traded for Karl-Anthony Towns, the team waived Marcus Morris Sr. and Chuma Okeke. The Knicks re-offered Morris a training camp deal, but he turned it down. Morris will have a higher chance of making another team's final roster. New York waived Morris and Okeke so the KAT trade would work financially.
According to The Athletic's James L. Edwards III, the Knicks extended the same camp invite to Okeke. Unlike Morris, Okeke accepted. The guard will participate in the remainder of training camp.
Sources: Chuma Okeke will return to the Knicks on a camp deal after being waived as part of the KAT trade.
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) October 2, 2024
Okeke re-joins Landry Shamet as the other player on a non-guaranteed deal. The Knicks traded Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves and could use another guard on the bench. Shamet has the edge over Okeke, although the forward could impress.
Knicks re-sign Chuma Okeke to training camp deal after KAT trade
The 26-year-old was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. You might remember Okeke from the two years he spent at Auburn. He was named to the 2019 NCAA Midwest Regional All-Tournament Team. He poured in 20 points and 11 rebounds to upset North Carolina.
Okeke spent his first four seasons in the league with the Magic. Last season, he averaged 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game (47 contests), shooting 35.7% from the field. He also averaged a career-low 9.2 minutes per game, so the writing was on the wall that he wouldn't return to Orlando.
His best season in Orlando was in 2021-22, when he averaged a career-best 8.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game, shooting 37.6% from the field and 31.8% from three.
Wings are hot commodities in today's NBA, but what could hold Okeke back from earning a roster spot is his shooting. He's a career 31.8% shooter from deep, which isn't ideal.
The Magic didn't extend a qualifying offer to Okeke, making him an unrestricted free agent. On Aug. 1, he signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Knicks.
Even after the KAT trade, frontcourt depth is an issue for New York. Mitchell Robinson will miss the first few months of the season. Julius Randle is in Minnesota, so the starting power forward will likely be Josh Hart. The Knicks acquired Keita-Bates Diop in the Mikal Bridges trade and he's on a guaranteed deal.
It will be interesting to see how the rest of training camp and the preseason games play out. Hopefully, things will work out for Okeke, even if that's not in New York.