After the New York Knicks lost their season opener, they are already bringing in reinforcements. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the team has signed former Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knechtto a two-way contract. Knecht also reportedly received interest from the Minnesota Timberwolves on a two-way before signing with New York. SNY’s Ian Begley reported that forward Kevin McCullar Jr.was waived by the Knicks to make room for the two-way spot. Here’s what this means for the Knicks going forward.
The Knicks Add Experience to Their Two-Way Options
Signing Knecht in favor of McCullar is an improvement on the depth options the Knicks have. Though both are in their third seasons in the league, Knecht has much more NBA experience than McCullar. Knecht has appeared in 132 regular season games compared to McCullar’s 25. Jaden Akins and Tyler Nickel, the Knicks’ other two players on two-way contracts, are rookies. Neither was active for the opener on Tuesday, but McCullar was active and received his championship ring with the rest of the squad.
Now, Knecht will be a much likelier option to receive playing time as a wing when in need for offense than the likes of the two rookies. Akins and Nickel are currently with the G League affiliate Westchester Knicks, where Knecht will likely spend some time playing as well if the team doesn’t feel that he’s needed for injury relief.
Knecht Is Worth Taking a Flyer On
Knecht was waived before the Lakers’ opener, debuting the new big three, as he’d failed to earn preseason playing time. He also apparently stagnated in his sophomore season in 2025-26. Knetch was sent to the G League‘s South Bay Lakers last December.
However, there is still a player in there. He was the 17th overall pick in 2024, meaning there is still plenty of time to turn his career around. And taking Knecht on by using a two-way spot on him is a low-risk move that has a chance to pay off.
Knecht has shown some promise in his career to become a solid NBA player, especially in his rookie season. In the 2024-25 season, Knecht appeared in 78 games, recording a 57.6% effective field goal percentage, which was above league average.
He also averaged 9.2 points over 19.2 minutes per game in that stretch. He saw his production cut in half last season, averaging just 10.2 minutes and 4.2 points per game over the 54 games he appeared in.
A major reason for the cut in minutes was his struggles on defense. Knecht had defensive box plus/minus scores of -1.7 and -1.6 in his first two seasons. That could become problematic for the Knicks if they wind up having to rely on him. However, it is by no means impossible for him to still improve defensively, as he is only 25 years old.
The Last Word
There are multiple high-quality players in the league that have been on two-way deals. Knecht’s former teammate Austin Reaves started his career on a two-way, and now he is the number two option for the Lakers. Alex Caruso made himself a key contributor off the bench for two championship-winning teams after being on a two-way. And Knethc’s new teammate Jose Alvarado also started his career on a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. These are all high-quality NBA players who have made considerable impact in the league.
Though these types of rises out of two-way contracts are very rare, players of the likes of Reaves, Caruso, and Alvarado all prove that there is a path to making an impact in the league. This signing gives both Knecht and the Knicks a great opportunity to create a Lazarus story in him.
Featured Image: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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