The New York Knicks have approached the 2025 offseason with discipline. No splashy free agent chases or sudden overhauls. Just a focused effort to deepen the roster while managing the cap space, and retool around their core. Following back-to-back 50-win seasons and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, the front office has prioritized strategic consolidation. That same mentality has shaped the early stages of training camp preparation. With veteran head coach Mike Brown taking over, the Knicks are loading up on versatility and shooting as they look to finalize a roster built for both long-term development and short-term contention.
Quiet doesn’t mean inactive, just ask the nine players they’ve now brought in for camp. These types of deals are common in training camp and preseason, allowing players to compete for roster spots while giving the team flexibility. Exhibit 10 contracts offer a small bonus if players end up with the G League affiliate, while Exhibit 9 contracts provide financial protection for the team. With preseason games in Abu Dhabi just weeks away, New York is getting campy in all the right ways.
On Tuesday, the Knicks made official what insiders had hinted at for days, nine additions to round out their camp roster. Headlining the group is second-round pick Mohamed Diawara, who signed his training camp deal and is expected to land a standard rookie contract before the season. Landry Shamet re-signed on a one-year, Exhibit 9 deal, joining Malcolm Brogdon, who also inked an Exhibit 9. Both are vying for the final guaranteed roster spot, with Brogdon considered the frontrunner. Shamet averaged 5.7 points while shooting nearly 40% from deep last season in New York and remains a valuable scoring option off the bench.
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The Knicks also signed Matt Ryan and Alex Len to training camp deals. Ryan, a floor-spacer with stops in L.A., New Orleans, and New York, is back after being waived in March. Len, the 32-year-old former top-five pick, brings size and familiarity with head coach Mike Brown from their Sacramento days. Tosan Evbuomwan, the former Princeton standout who played 28 games for the Nets last year, also joins on a camp deal. Known for his versatility and G League dominance with the Long Island Nets, Evbuomwan could be in play for a two-way contract.
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Three more young names, Dink Pate, Bryson Warren, and Garrison Mathews, round out the group. All were signed to Exhibit 10 deals, giving the Knicks roster depth in Tarrytown and potentially strengthening the Westchester Knicks. Pate, in particular is one to watch. The 19-year-old wing lit up Summer League, capped by a 20-point, ten rebound performance against the Wizards’ prospects. The Reebok-endorsed prospect was handpicked by Shaquille O’Neal and is on track for a G League-heavy development path.
Westchester acquired Warren’s rights from Sioux Falls last week, just months after he dropped 40-10-9 against the Knicks’ affiliate in the Showcase Cup Final. Meanwhile, Mathews brings a 38.2% career clip from three and finished top-5 in long-range accuracy with Atlanta last year. These moves put the Knicks at 20 players, with room for one more. But that final guaranteed spot might depend on something bigger than camp battles.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ future still clouded by trade buzz
Karl-Anthony Towns’ name isn’t going away. The All-NBA forward, entering his second year in New York, finds himself at the center of another hypothetical blockbuster, this time tied to the Spurs. Sports Illustrated’s Thomas Carelli floated a mega-deal sending Towns to San Antonio in exchange for Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Harrison Barnes, and two future picks. The logic? Cap relief, depth, and future flexibility for New York and a cleaner fit next to Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby.
Towns’ defense was exposed during the Knicks’ playoff exit against Indiana, and the $53 million owed to him this season isn’t making these rumors quieter. That said, the front office isn’t rushing into anything. There’s belief that Mike Brown can unlock more from Towns than Tom Thibodeau ever did. Still, the money is real. The Knicks are now over $200 million committed to Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, Hart, and Towns. And while the East is wide open, there’s only so much flexibility under the NBA’s new cap system.
Inside the building, there’s optimism. Towns averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds last season and was named All-NBA. Zach Lowe suggested that Brown could use him in Sabonis-style handoff actions, unlocking new wrinkles in New York’s offense. Mo Dakhil echoed that sentiment, noting Towns’ potential impact in two-man actions with Bridges and Anunoby. But for that to happen, Towns needs to be more involved. Last season, his handoff usage with anyone not named Brunson was low. That’s not sustainable if the Knicks want to lessen Brunson’s workload and make a real run.
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Jalen Brunson continues to back his big man. “Having him as a teammate has been really fun,” Brunson told Games Hub. “The things that he’s been able to do in a short period of time being a Knick has been amazing.” The chemistry is there. Now it’s about results.
The Knicks have officially brought nine new players into camp and have one guaranteed spot left to play with. Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet are battling for it, but everyone’s watching the bigger picture. If the right offer comes along, Karl-Anthony Towns could be on the move. Until then, the Knicks are loading up, staying ready, and betting that a deeper, better-conditioned version of last year’s squad can push further than the Eastern Conference Finals. Training camp opens soon. And with this much talent, this much money, and this much pressure… something has to give.