Overview
- Knecht scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds and energized Madison Square Garden with a thunderous putback dunk during his Knicks debut on Wednesday in New York’s 135-105 win over the Chicago Bulls.
- The Knicks signed Knecht to a two-way contract after the Lakers waived him in October, and New York created roster room by waiving Kevin McCullar Jr., allowing Knecht to split time with the Westchester G League team.
- Coach Mike Brown praised Knecht as “a scorer, not just a shooter,” and said he inserted Knecht on a late first-half gut feel despite the rookie being listed for zero minutes on his rotation sheet.
- Knecht’s path to a full NBA contract is constrained by the two-way rules that cap him at 50 regular-season games and by salary-cap realities that would require a roster move and roughly a $2.5 million salary to convert his deal.
- Knecht arrives with a mixed recent history—selected 17th in 2024, shuffled into the G League after a failed 2025 trade and reduced minutes in Los Angeles—and his debut gives him a fresh chance to earn consistent minutes if he shows steady defensive growth.