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Three veterans competing for Knicks' last roster spot
The New York Knicks still have one roster spot up for grabs ahead of the 2024-25 season. On Sunday, the team signed veteran forward Marcus Morris Sr. to an Exhibit 9 contract that is a fully non-guaranteed deal unless he makes the opening night roster on Oct. 22
Morris will compete for the final spot with veteran guard Landry Shamet and former Magic forward Chuma Okeke, two other players who signed non-guaranteed contracts with the Knicks recently.
The three veterans will battle it out at the Knicks' training camp, which officially gets underway on Oct. 1. If neither of the three make the final 15-man squad, the Knicks have the option of keeping a spot open to not just save money but allow for more roster flexibility at the trade deadline.
Morris likely has the best odds of making the final cut.
For starters, he has a history of thriving in a Knicks uniform. During the 2019-20 season, he averaged a career-high 19.6 points after signing with New York as a free agent. However, at the time, the franchise was in rebuild mode and therefore shipped him off to the Clippers for a sizeable haul of players and picks. Now, he returns to a Knicks squad that is a legitimate championship contender.
Furthermore, Morris could shore up a Knicks frontcourt plagued by injuries and inexperience. While Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle have been perennially hurt the last few years, the likes of Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims are largely unproven, especially in postseason basketball. To make matters worse, the Knicks didn't necessarily replace the void left by departing big man Isaiah Hartenstein.
On the flip side, Shamet — a career .384 shooter from three — could be an invaluable addition to a Knicks bench that lacks consistent shooting beyond Donte DiVincenzo. As for Okeke, the 27-year-old forward has shown flashes of being an adept perimeter defender in his pro career but his paltry shooting numbers (.383 FG%) have made it challenging for coaches to keep him on the court. Of course, he could still impress Tom Thibodeau at training camp and make the final cut.
The Knicks could finalize the roster before their preseason opener against the Hornets on Oct. 6.
More must-reads:
- Checking in on early 2024-25 roster battles
- The 25 most legendary shooters in basketball history
- The '2024 NBA playoff PPG leaders' quiz
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Pistons Predicted to Send Tobias Harris to Nets for Former Champion Forward in Offseason Trade
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Padres Officially Release Veteran After Disappointing Season
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Palworld Studio Adds Another 'Exciting Game' to Its Growing List of Hits
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Carlos Alcaraz Sends Huge Warning to the Rest of the Tour Regarding his Rivalry with Jannik Sinner
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Seventy players qualified for the first round of the playoffs at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, but only 69 will tee it up at TPC Southwind this week. That's because Rory McIlroy, who ranks second in the FedEx Cup standings behind only Scottie Scheffler, is skipping the first playoff event to prepare for the BMW Championship and Tour Championship. The PGA Tour isn't thrilled with his contentious decision. Peter Malnati, a PGA Tour pro and player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, told Golfweek he's "very concerned" the new playoff format allows top players in the standings to skip playoff events. "I think there is stuff in the works, and I'll leave it at that," he said. The PGA Tour must make changes because McIlroy won't face any repercussions for skipping the FedEx St. Jude Championship. As the No. 2 player in the FedEx Cup standings entering the postseason, McIlroy is guaranteed to qualify for the Tour Championship. Before this year, he would've been incentivized to improve his spot in the standings because of the advantage the starting strokes format gave the No. 1 player. That's no longer the case. This year, the Tour Championship will operate like every other tournament on the PGA Tour schedule. There will be no starting strokes advantage for the top players, so every player from No. 1 to No. 30 will have an equal chance to win the $10 million prize. It doesn't matter where McIlroy resides in the standings. It just matters that he makes it to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, and he's already locked up his spot in the season finale. Why spend a week in scorching-hot Memphis when you could stay home and prepare for the tournament that actually matters, right? The new playoff format will make the Tour Championship more entertaining for fans, but it renders the other two playoff events irrelevant for the PGA Tour's top players. The Tour must make playoff events mandatory to prevent other stars from following McIlroy's lead.
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