Decision Day for Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Wednesday marked an important deadline for players with non-guaranteed contracts.

As most of these contracts become fully guaranteed by Saturday, teams that wished to cut a player had to act by Wednesday to clear waivers before that deadline.

The Knicks kept Kevin McCullough Jr. and Trey Jemison III, both on two-way contracts, as well as Landry Shamet, who had a non-guaranteed deal at the minimum veteran salary. This means their contracts will be guaranteed.

In contrast, Tosan Ebubuomwan was waived by the Knicks despite being on a two-way contract.

This move opens up another two-way contract opportunity for the Knicks, which they need to finalize by March 4. Or perhaps it just provides some financial relief.

McCullough and Jemison didn’t participate in the Knicks’ recent 123-111 victory against the Clippers. Still, they seem to hold some potential roles in coach Mike Brown’s strategy. It’s worth noting that two-way players aren’t eligible for the playoff roster, so if the Knicks want them in postseason play, they’ll need to switch them to standard contracts.

Shamet, who sprained his shoulder in late November, opted for rehab over surgery. This created a tough choice for the Knicks: either waive him for immediate needs or keep him, bearing in mind his return adds some depth down the line.

The Knicks had a deadline to evaluate his rehab progress before making their decision. It seems they preferred to wait and see rather than risk losing Shamet’s contract to someone else.

Ebubuomwan didn’t get much playing time with the Knicks, featuring in just five games last season, all during garbage time, leaving him scoreless. On the flip side, he averaged 17.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in six G League appearances with the Westchester Knicks.

In total, he averaged 7.4 points and 3.6 rebounds over 50 NBA games after going undrafted in 2023 following a standout career at Princeton.

Jeff Van Gundy’s Return

Former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy returned to the sidelines at Madison Square Garden for the first time since November 20, 2006, when he last coached the Rockets.

Currently an assistant with the Clippers, Ty Lue praised Van Gundy’s determination and work ethic before the Clippers’ game against the Knicks, noting his early morning routines and focus on preparation.

Also, noted filmmaker and Knicks fan Josh Safdie, whose film Marty Supreme is currently in theaters, joined the MSG Network production team for that night’s game.