Knicks waive Landry Shamet, T.J. Warren, Chuma Okeke
The Knicks have cut down their roster a bit as the preseason winds down, announcing Saturday they have waived guard Landry Shamet and forwards T.J. Warren and Chuma Okeke.
Okeke played sparingly this preseason, logging just 18 minutes, while Warren averaged 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.9 minutes per game over three appearances.
Per SNY's Ian Begley, Warren had support from the staff to make the roster, but that was complicated by Shamet's release, so Warren will report to G League Westchester for now.
The complication is that Shamet, who was on an Exhibit 9 deal, dislocated his shoulder in Tuesday's preseason game against Charlotte, and there is optimism he can avoid surgery but the team continues to evaluate the issue, and isn't sure how long Shamet would be sidelined.
An Exhibit 9 contract is a non-guaranteed, one-year deal that protects the team if a player is injured in preseason, as the deal doesn't count against the salary cap until the regular season begins – with only a $15,000 payment due if a player is waived before Opening Night.
That's important for a Knicks team that is hard-capped at the second salary cap apron of $188.9 million because of the Mikal Bridges trade, a number they are about $3.5 million below. If Shamet can return quickly, he can be re-signed and will be paid whatever the pro-rated portion of the $2.1 million veteran minimum is as of the day he signs; if not, the Knicks have that $3.5 million to add another veteran or convert a two-way player.
The Knicks currently have 12 players under contract and can only carry fewer than 14 for 14 consecutive days, meaning they will have to make a move soon; per Begley, the team was expected to convert center Ariel Hukporti's deal prior to Shamet's injury, and they also have rookie Kevin McCuller Jr. and second-year man Jacob Toppin, younger brother of ex-Knick Obi, on two-way deals.
Begley also reports that center Moses Brown, who was on a two-way deal in 2023, will join Westchester, so he could be another option in some format.
