Knicks to waive ex-Hawks sharpshooter

The New York Knicks are waiving Garrison Mathews, according to Ian Begley of SNY. Mathews played in the Knicks’ first four preseason games but did not in Friday night’s victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

New head coach Mike Brown told reporters after the game that he “went in wanting to play 10 guys.” Brown added that he “played the guys [he] just wanted to take a look at,” like rookie Mohamed Diawara, who started.

Mathews was one of three veterans the team signed ahead of training camp, alongside Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon. New York had one roster spot available, but it was expected that both Shamet and Brogdon would make the cut.

The team was going to need to trade or waive two players to make room for both veterans. Mathews was expected to be waived as an unfortunate casualty of roster constraints. The team was looking to make a deal involving one of their younger players to open the second spot. Complications arose when the market for the players the Knicks preferred to move proved dry.

Those circumstances changed drastically when Brogdon announced his retirement on Wednesday. It left New York just one player over the limit ahead of Saturday’s deadline to waive players without guaranteed contracts. They will be at the limit, but not above it, after Mathews’ reported departure.

The sharpshooter made 59% of his corner 3-point attempts last season, playing for the Atlanta Hawks. Mathews, 28, has shown he can fill a role on an NBA roster.

It seems Mathews will wait for that exact opportunity. He said recently there was “no chance” of him committing to a G-League roster in wait, per Stefan Bondy of The Post.

The Knicks still have time to make trades ahead of the 2025-26 season. Brogdon’s unexpected retirement, however, did cut the number of tough decisions they’d need to make imminently in half. Mathews was a tough cut, per Begley, but a necessary one.