The Knicks are signing free agent veteran forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, increasing their roster to 18 plus the pair of two-way guys.
The New York Knicks are signing former second-overall 2012 NBA Draft pick forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to a training camp invite deal. ESPN’s Bobby Marks first reported the one-year contract.
The New York Knicks are signing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to a one-year contract, a source tells ESPN.
Kidd-Gilchrist gives New York someone who can guard multiple positions. He was one of the better defensive players that was still on the free agent board.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 28, 2020
Steve Popper of Newsday reports it’s an Exhibit 10 training camp invite.
Kidd-Gilchrist, a former No. 2 overall pick, is signing with Knicks as ESPN reported. But hearing it's an Exhibit 10 deal with training camp invite. Knicks have their 2-way deals filled now, but can make moves – waive, trade someone to make room.
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) November 28, 2020
As it stands, the Knicks roster has ballooned (including the pair of two-way contracts) up to 20 players. The maximum allowed during training camp and preseason in the NBA is 20 before the league stipulates trimming down rosters to 15 plus the two-way (G League) players when the regular season starts.
Here’s the Knicks’ roster as currently stands:
Backcourt
- Jared Harper (TW)
- Frank Ntilikina
- Elfrid Payton
- Myles Powell (E10, R)
- Immanuel Quickley (R)
- Austin Rivers
- Dennis Smith Jr.
Wings
- R.J. Barrett
- Ignas Brazdeikis
- Reggie Bullock
- Alec Burks
- Jacob Evans III
- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (E10)
- Kevin Knox
- Theo Pinson (TW)
Bigs
- Nerlens Noel
- Julius Randle
- Mitchell Robinson
- Omari Spellman
- Obi Toppin (R)
The Knicks will have to waive or trade several players to slim down the roster to the 15 plus two-way players. The likely candidates would be Spellman and Evans (acquired in the Minnesota Timberwolves trade for Ed Davis), Powell, or Kidd-Gilchrist.
Kidd-Gilchrist, 27, spent seven and a half seasons with the Charlotte Hornets (née Bobcats) coming out of Kentucky. The veteran forward waived by his longtime franchise back in February 2020 before signing with the Dallas Mavericks and appearing sparingly in six playoff games.
In his last productive season during the 2018–29 campaign with the Hornets, Kidd-Gilchrist averaged 6.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 18.4 minutes per game, primarily coming off the bench in 64 appearances. He shot 47.6% from the field, 34.0% from three, and 77.2% from the free throw line, per Basketball-Reference.
Kidd-Gilchrist also joins the Knicks as both a former Wildcat and a CAA client, two areas garnering much scrutiny due to the perceived preferential treatment by the Madison Square Garden decision-makers. Kidd-Gilchrist joins Randle, Noel, Knox, and Quickley as Kentucky products and joins Toppin, Payton, Rivers, Powell, and Pinson in sharing professional representation.
The Knicks will start training camp on December 1st, first with a limited number of players allowed in the practice facility. Their preseason schedule was announced the other day; New York will travel to Detroit to play the Pistons on December 11th and 13th and return to MSG to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 16th and 18th.
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