Knicks join the Dalton Knecht chase, though they have no open two-way spot

The Knicks are among the teams with interest in free-agent wing Dalton Knecht, Ian Begley reports. Begley notes that the former first-round pick is still eligible for a two-way contract.

Jake Fischer had previously reported that Sacramento, Minnesota and Toronto were considering Knecht for a two-way spot. Each of those teams has an opening. New York does not: Kevin McCullar Jr., Tyler Nickel and Jaden Akins already hold its two-way deals.

Knecht, the 17th pick in the 2024 draft, averaged 9.8 points and 2.8 rebounds on .461/.376/.762 shooting in 78 games as a Lakers rookie. Last season his role shrank. He averaged 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.2 minutes over 54 games, shooting .455/.342/.727.

The Lakers waived Knecht on Monday. Facing a roster crunch, they chose to carry his $4.2 million salary as dead money after the front office could not find a suitable trade.