The New York Knicks have completed a rush of five signings of players to Exhibit 9 contracts. In short order, New York announced deals for Ochai Agbaji, Bruce Brown, Drew Eubanks, John Konchar, and James Wiseman that will see them join the defending champions at training camp.
With two roster spots remaining and a need for both wing depth and a third center, each of the five players brings something to the table that the Knicks wisely covet.
Agbaji, Brown, and Konchar will seemingly compete for a roster spot as wings who could help resolve New York's absence of ideal depth. OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart form an elite starting trio with defense and versatility factored in, but the proven wings who offer size or scalable defense is admittedly thin.
Along the interior, Eubanks and Wiseman will seemingly have a chance to prove that they can be the ideal third option behind a new-look pairing at center.
5. James Wiseman
James Wiseman is the epitome of untapped potential as a former No. 2 overall draft pick with the physical gifts to be a special player. As he approaches his sixth season, however, one can't help but wonder how much he'd offer the Knicks in 2026-27.
There's no way around how intriguing the thought is of Wiseman benefiting from the Knicks' culture, coaching staff, and veteran leadership, but up to this point, he hasn't shown enough to be ranked higher.
Wiseman played just four NBA games in 2025-26 and appeared in one in 2024-25. Five appearances in two seasons is a tough sell when one considers how erratic he already was, pretty as his career per-36 averages of 17.2 points and 10.6 rebounds may be.
Wiseman easily has the highest ceiling of any player on this list, but it's been quite some time since he played regular NBA minutes—and the results were already polarizing before then.
4. Drew Eubanks
The Knicks need a third center behind starter Karl-Anthony Towns and backup Andre Drummond. They simply don't need a third center more than they need wing depth. As such, the two bigs are the lowest-ranked players here.
Though Wiseman has the higher ceiling of the two centers joining the Knicks at training camp, Drew Eubanks has the benefit of actually playing NBA games on a consistent basis in recent years.
Eubanks has appared in 103 games over the past two seasons. During that time, he compiled averages of 13.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 0.7 steals per 36 minutes. That only scratches the surface of why he's a valid candidate to make the roster.
In 2025-26, Eubanks ranked in the 97th percentile in screen assists per 75 possessions, which suggests he can be an asset for Jalen Brunson on offense. He also ranked in the 96th percentile in rim protection and the 99th percentile in post defense.
Eubanks may not have the same upside as Wiseman, but he's the more proven player who may actually get NBA minutes if the Knicks sign him.
3. John Konchar
Here's where things get tricky. No one disputes the intangibles that John Konchar brings to the table, but he's one of three potential signings who operate along the perimeter and have the credentials to pat themselves on the back as high-level contributors.
As a lackluster three-point shooter and a defender who's fairly situational in his results, one just can't help but question if Konchar is truly above the others on this list.
Konchar finished the 2025-26 regular season ranked in the seventh percentile in perimeter isolation defense, per Basketball Index. He also shot 28.3 percent from beyond the arc. It was the third time in four years that Konchar has shot 33.9 percent or worse from beyond the arc.
In saying that, Konchar is the proverbial glue guy. He's a solid off-ball defender, does well against the pick and roll, and makes the hustle plays that would unavoidably fire Madison Square Garden up. In many ways, he's an ideal backup for Hart in terms of crashing the glass and sustaining the energy and intensity that the Knicks' unorthodox starter brings to the table.
For as valuable as Konchar can be in that role, his competition in that slot is a player in Brown who has arguably done it at a higher level for a longer time with a more well-rounded skill set.
2. Ochai Agbaji
Without question, the most difficult player to rank. At his best, Ochai Agbaji is everything the Knicks need. He's a 3-and-D wing who can match up against scorers at multiple positions with his 6'5" and 215-pound frame, as well as his 6'10.25" wingspan. He can also space the floor with impressive efficiency.
Unfortunately, Agbaji's jump shot fell apart in 2025-26—and it's unclear if he'll be able to get it back for the 2026-27 campaign.
Agbaji is an excellent on-ball defender, which instantly increases his value on this list. He finished in the 94th percentile in perimeter isolation defense and the 99th percentile in off-ball chaser defense in 2024-25, per Basketball Index, and finished in the 84th and 61st percentiles in 2025-26.
Though the declines are a bit alarming, he remained one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA and an above-average off-ball defender despite his shooting woes and a mid-season trade. The question is: What kind of shooter is he really?
Agbaji shot 35.5 percent from beyond the arc in 2022-23, 29.4 percent in 2023-24, 39.9 percent in 2024-25, and 26.6 percent in 2025-26. If he can reach the peaks and avoid the valleys, he can be a critical contributor for the Knicks in 2026-27. The uncertainty is the reason Agbaji isn't No. 1.
1. Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown is a fairly polarizing player due to the fact that injuries robbed him of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. He appeared in all 82 regular season games for the Denver Nuggets in 2025-26, however, and is effectively a more efficient Konchar.
In 2025-26, Brown's averages translated to 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 offensive rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 three-point field goal made per 36 minutes on .475/.385/.762 shooting.
As an NBA champion who played a key role, Brown also has invaluable postseason experience. He's not only been on the court for key playoff games, but stepped up on both ends of the floor during the Nuggets' 2023 title push.
Brown admittedly isn't the same player he was back then, but he's still strong in his role. In 2025-26, he ranked in the 62nd percentile or higher in perimeter isolation defense, ball screen navigation, rim deterrence, and defensive positional versatility, per Basketball Index. He also finished in the top third of the NBA in one on one shot making efficiency.
Compounded by his rebounding ability and playmaking, Brown checks boxes that toe the Hart line of unorthodox versatility. That makes him an ideal backup wing for a team in need.
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