Bruce Brown should be a fan favorite entering training camp as he battles for a roster spot with the Knicks, Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post writes in a subscriber-only story. Brown, Broken Black and James Wiseman all signed non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contracts this week, and it appears there will only be room for one of them on the opening night roster.
Vaccaro recalls that New York had interest in acquiring Brown from Toronto at the 2024 trade deadline. Brown, who spent two seasons with Brooklyn earlier in his career, welcomed a return to the city, but a deal couldn’t be worked out.
“I love New York,” he said at the time. “I hated New York before I lived here, but as soon as I moved here, I loved it. Anytime you want to do something, you can go do it.”
Vaccaro notes that a similar contest for a roster spot took place last year, with Landry Shamet winning and playing an important role in the Knicks’ title run. Brown could follow the same path, as he brings versatility on both ends of the court with a game that Vaccaro describes as “85% Josh Hart.” Vaccaro also states that Brown would provide additional depth in case a wing player such as Miles McBride has to be traded at some point in the season for another backup center.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- At 7’0″ and 246 pounds, former Knicks center Ariel Hukporti will bring plenty of size to the Sixersbut it’s not clear if he’s ready to handle expanded playing time, observes Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. Hukporti has averaged 8.7 and 9.2 minutes per game during his two NBA seasons, but he’s expected to have a much larger role in Philadelphia, especially if injuries limit Joel Embiid’s availability again. Aaronson notes that Hukporti’s rebounding rate is good at 14.6 per 100 possessions, but his turnovers are a big concern at 3.7 in that same span.
- The Raptors landed a star in the Kawhi Leonard trade and helped themselves even more by sending Brandon Ingram’s contract to the ClippersBen Golliver of ESPN states in an offseason recap/early season preview of the team. Golliver believes it was beneficial to move on from Ingram, who is owed $40MM this season and $41.9MM in 2027/28. In the same piece, Zach Kram identifies Collin Murray-Boyles as the team’s X factor, saying he can combine with Leonard and Scottie Barnes to form an elite defensive trio.
- A reunion with center Brook Lopez could make sense for the Netscontends Ivan White of SI. Lopez has a $9.2MM expiring contract, and White suggests that he might become available either through a trade or buyout if the Clippers’ season turns out badly.