With LeBron James signing in Philadelphia, it felt like the last major piece of a wild offseason. For the Knicks, their rotation has been long settled, with the team doing little but retaining their championship core early, signing Andre Drummond as a replacement for Mitchell Robinson, and drafting a couple of new prospects.
But there are still some straggling questions before we enter training camp.
Here’s three we’ll need answers to before New York kicks off its attempted repeat run…
Who gets the last roster spot?
The Knicks have one open roster spot they can fill using a minimum contract without encroaching on the second apron. They already took a shot at signing restricted free agent Moussa Cisse, but the Mavericks matched their offer sheet.
Third-string center is their biggest need, with options like Nick Richards, Tony Bradley, Drew Eubanks, and Kevin Love still available. They could bring back Jeremy Sochan as a small-ball five, or live with OG Anunoby sliding up a position more often to take a swing at a better player elsewhere.
Bruce Brown, Bradley Beal, Russell Westbrook, Nicolas Batum, and DeMar DeRozan are still free agents, but New York has yet to be linked to them. Signs point to a big, and the question remains which one ends up in the blue and orange.
Who gets the two-way deals?
Along with the last roster spot, the Knicks get three two-way slots to fill. These are often granted to developmental prospects or fringe veterans, but a couple may be up for grabs in New York’s case.
Their two rookies — Tyler Nickel and Jack Kayil — impressed enough at Summer League to warrant two-way deals. However, Kayil is more of a project and would be deep behind a packed guard rotation. Combine that with the earlier reports of the Knicks wanting to stash him overseas, and it’s possible somebody else gets his spot.
Depending on Kayil, there’s still one or two two-ways to fill. One option is bringing back Kevin McCullar Jr., whom the Knicks drafted in 2024 and saw sparse minutes last season.
They could also return other members of their 2026 championship squad, like Dillon Jones or Trey Jemison III. Another option is bringing in new blood from this year’s Vegas Summer League squad like Liam Robbins, another center.
How will Karl-Anthony Towns’ extension talks play out?
The Knicks have already shown an aversion to going into the second apron by allowing Robinson to walk, and now they’re faced with another tough decision. Towns, a key piece of their championship run, is due for an extension worth up to $68 million annually, with an October deadline and player option for 2027-28 looming.
New York will obviously want a haircut off a maximum offer to retain flexibility and the rest of this core, especially with a new Jalen Brunson payday coming shortly after. How does Towns react to that, and is there middle ground when he could be looking to maximize value on possibly his last large contract in the NBA?
Fans better hope they can come to a resolution, as the alternative means potentially losing him to free agency as soon as next summer. Worse yet, it could serve as a distraction during this season, which could end in the Knicks trading him instead of risking losing him for nothing, much like they did with Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley.
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