Once a Knick, always a Knick. Once a Knicks champion, always a Knicks champion.
That goes for everyone, from the vaunted starting five to the three two-way players on the 2025-26 Knicks roster. Center Trey Jemison III was one of their two-way guys last season. He is now a free agent.
After signing him to a two-way deal in August, the Toronto Raptors waived Jemison on Wednesday. New York has been looking for a third center all offseason.
Fans can point to him as a familiar option, but the Knicks also had plenty of time this offseason to bring him back and never did.
Training camp battle may take away need for a third center
Turning 27 on November 28, Jemison spent all of last season on a two-way deal with New York. He appeared in only 13 games with the NBA club, averaging just 1.0 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.8 minutes. He played in more than twice as many games for its G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks.
Undrafted in 2023 after two college seasons at Clemson and three at UAB, Jemison has already played for five NBA teams in three years. Along with the Knicks, Jemison has also suited up for the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Now available after being waived by Toronto, Jemison could be an option for the Knicks to bring back. At 6-foot-11, Jemison would be their break-glass-in-case-of-emergency center. He did suffer a hand injury with the Raptors, but it is not believed to be serious.
New York is in the midst of a training camp battle among veterans on non-guaranteed contracts for a roster spot. James Wiseman is set to make the team, thus lessening the need for another big man.
(Drew Eubanks was also involved in the training camp battle, but he tore his pectoral muscle and was waived. Tony Bradley, another option, was also waived on Thursday.)
The Knicks could add Jemison on another two-way deal, but they had a chance before the Raptors signed him. They kept all three two-way spots open for most of the offseason but kept only one two-way player from last season, Kevin McCullar Jr. They also recently signed second-round pick Tyler Nickel to a two-way deal.
Jaden Akins would be the most likely candidate for the Knicks to waive to create a two-way opening. He’s also almost four years younger than Jemison, and New York just scooped him up after seemingly being impressed by his Summer League performance.
Jemison will always be an NBA champion with the Knicks. While there’s certainly a nonzero chance he returns, don’t expect him to be a Knick once the regular season begins. The timing just doesn't seem right, and Jemison will most likely be staying around in Toronto.
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