Knicks Releasing Bruce Brown Hints at Several Plans for Their Roster

When Bruce Brown was a DNP in the New York Knicks’ preseason finale Thursday, it seemed innocuous. His was the most-accomplished name in the lot competing for one of the last spots on the team, a valued rotation player on a title-winner only three years ago. The Knicks were focused on the future, not some game that doesn't count. Nothing surprising there.

What is surprising: Saturday the Knicks waived Brown.

With James Wiseman appearing to have secured the 14th roster spot, moving on from Brown raises a few questions about what the Knicks might do next.

Miles McBride, Pacome Dadiet seem safe now

The Knicks have more depth at the wing than they do point guard, power forward and center. Still, Brown felt like a natural fit, given his ability to play and defend just about every position. Maybe the Knicks prefer the upside of Mohamed Diawara and Pacome Dadiet to Brown, who’s more reliable but perhaps more redundant than the youngsters. 

Brown is essentially Josh Hart-lite, a jack of all trades who can make three but isn't a fearsome outside shooter. He’s also nearly 10 years older than Diawara and Dadiet without any of the athleticism or upside.

With the second apron hanging over everything they do, the Knicks can now move forward in the hopes that Diawara or Dadiet do enough in their minutes the next few months to reward the franchise’s faith in keeping them—or compel another team to move for them. If the Knicks feel they need to add a veteran during the season, they still can.

Removing Brown from the equation adds magnitude to everyone who’ll play on the wing. Miles McBride is the most accomplished of the bunch.

He seemed a lock to be traded by now, but with the apron restrictions and the sudden uncertainty about extension negotiations with a third of the active roster, the Knicks may have changed their thinking and decided losing him for nothing, like they did Mitchell Robinson, will be worth the pain if he helps them go back-to-back.

Bruce Brown's release allows Knicks to keep trade options open

There’s been quite a bit of buzz of late about Tyler Kolek being sent elsewhere. He’s one of the only Knicks who offers upside, cost-control and team-control (a team option on his contract for 2028).

His path to meaningful minutes is blocked by Jalen Brunson and Jose Alvarado, the latter having signed a three-year deal last summer. With Karl-Anthony Towns able to play point-center and growing emphasis on OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges running more of the offense, Kolek’s most obvious avenue to helping the 2027 Knicks repeat might be heading elsewhere in order to acquire a more now-ready veteran.

Could New York have seen what happened in the preseason opener, when former Knick and current Sixer backup big Ariel Hukporti was lost for the year with an Achilles tear, and decided it's better to hold onto Kolek for now to use as trade bait later?

He could've been dumped to free up a spot for Brown since he's just a luxury as a third-string point guard. But keeping Kolek allows him to be put on the table to acquire an impactful veteran rental if an injury strikes at any point this season, which is the smarter move than committing to Brown at this moment and needing to get rid of Kolek as a result.

This way, New York keeps Kolek in its backpocket, giving Leon Rose a real tool to break out in case of emergency—sacrificing that to sign Brown amid his questions likely wasn't worth it.

The second apron continues to impact the Knicks

Towns went public with his surprise and dismay over being asked to take a pay cut. Hart sounded no more thrilled to be playing the season without an extension. McBride knows his worth and knows he’ll never get it in New York. All because of the second apron. Brown couldn’t have been clearer expressing his feelings for it.

“The new CBA is good for certain players, right?” he told reporters on media day. “Max guys, top free agents and maybe rookie-extension guys. But other than that, like the middle guys, it kind of sucks for us.”

Brown would know: after helping the Nuggets win it all in 2023, he signed a two-year deal with the Pacers for $45 million. After that, Brown, only 28 at the time, returned to Denver, to earn less the last two years combined than Dadiet’s 2028 option.

The 2026 Kumbaya Knicks have a different energy heading into 2027. A year from now, we could be talking about losing KAT in free agency, trading Hart and damage control with Brunson, also due for an extension soon. People think Victor Wembanyama is the biggest thing to hit the league in years. Even a dude with an 8-foot wingspan’s got nothing on the terrifying reach of the second apron.

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