Knicks Decline Billy Garrett Jr.'s Team Option

The G League shooting guard played in four games at the end of this past season for the Knicks, but New York won’t bring back Billy Garrett.

In unsurprising news, the New York Knicks are declining to exercise guard Billy Garrett Jr.’s team option, first reported by The Athletic’s Michael Scotto.

The DePaul University alum played four years in the Big East, averaging 13.1 points and 3.5 assists per game, before declaring for the 2017 NBA Draft. Garrett Jr. would play for New York’s G League affiliate team, the Westchester Knicks, the past two seasons and was invited to play for the Knicks’ Summer League squad last year in Las Vegas.

The shooting guard averaged 14.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per contest in 98 games played for the DubKnicks (RealGM).

Garrett was promoted to the big-league roster at the beginning of April following Westchester’s G League playoffs elimination. The 6-6 guard appeared in four of New York’s final five games, scoring 6.5 points per game and shooting 40.7% from the field (Basketball-Reference).

As Scotto comments, clearing Garrett’s potential cap hold for next season was not unexpected considering the Knicks intend to offer multiple maximum contracts to impending free agents. Marc Berman of the New York Post reported on Monday that New York is only willing to offer max contracts to Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, or Kawhi Leonard, however.

The chance to sign Irving is rapidly diminishing for New York, if recent rumors are to be believed. The Brooklyn Nets have been courting the soon-to-be former Celtic point guard, and all indications point to a union between Irving and the Nets coming over the horizon of free agency.

As for Durant, the injured two-time Finals MVP could team up with Kyrie—whether they land in Brooklyn or Manhattan. The two reportedly were planning to vacation together following the conclusion of the postseason, but KD’s Achilles rupture buoyed the joint travel expedition.

Garrett is just one of possibly multiple roster casualties as the Knicks crawl into free agency with rather receding hopes to sign big name players compared to two months ago.

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