The New York Knicks cleaned up entering the final phase of free agency, signing several veterans to join their ranks just two weeks before the commencement of training camp. They’re well above the 15-man roster limit with the start of the regular season just around the corner, but they’ve been purposeful in encouraging the various journeymen to fight for the final spot.
Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon, Matt Ryan, Trey Jemison III and Alex Len were among the most notable names whom the Knicks threw a few non-guaranteed deals to, veteran role players who don’t demand much from the coaching staff as plug-in contributors. With both well-traveled guards in Shamet and Brogdon considered likely to stick around, fans and analysts are starting to submit their guesses for who’s most likely to get axed.
Len seems like the most straightforward chopping block candidate of the bunch, even if the Knicks have plenty of time to decide which direction they want to turn. They only have one available spot for that veteran cluster, and already have to go out of their way to keep multiple for the regular season. If more youthful alternatives like Ryan and Jemison are fighting uphill battles, the Len cause is optimistic at best.
The longtime reserve center’s coming off of a partial season stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, getting very little burn as an intended reserve in a high-leverage situation. He’s never wowed anyone since getting picked fifth overall in the unexceptional 2013 NBA Draft, but he’s made a dozen-year-long career out of remaining available to contribute steady dirty work.
Feb 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Alex Len (27) warms up before a game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images / Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
Len was a halfway-decent rotational defender and rim-runner for his first decade in the pros, but if his last few stops have proven anything, it’s that his productive days are behind him. He’s largely benefitting from a league that’s short on backup bigs, a problem that most teams find themselves struggling to deal with midway through the 2020s.
The Knicks, however, do not share in that dilemma. All-Star scorer Karl-Anthony Towns, potential fellow-starter Mitchell Robinson, second-string center Ariel Hukporti and recent signee Guerschon Yabusele make for a rock-solid big man room, limiting opportunities for anyone else to join the platoon.
At least Jemison is only in his mid-20s; Len’s demonstrated time and time again that he struggles whenever he sees minutes, and the deep Knicks won’t have many of those to spare.
