Knicks Decision For Final Roster Spot Down To 2 Players: A Former Champion & A Former 2nd Overall Pick

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectAs the NBA season gets set to tip off next week, it’s time for teams to trim their rosters and hand out those final contracts. For the NBA champion New York Knicks, it appears to be down to a decision between two veterans for the 14th spot on the roster. But do they go with a former champion in guard Bruce Brown, or a former No. 2 overall pick in center James Wiseman?According to insider Sean Deveney of heavy.com, “it looks like it won’t be good news for former Denver Nuggets champion wing Bruce Brown.” Nothing against Brown, but the Knicks have a crowded backcourt, and they are “mostly worried about center depth behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.”The 33-year-old Drummond was signed this summer to back up the six-time All-Star Towns, but they would still be in need of another big for their rotation at the ‘five’. If they feel that Wiseman can give them a little something, they could avoid hitting the open market and spending on a free agent like Kevin Love, perhaps. And while NBA rosters can be 15 players deep, the Knicks are expected to stay at 14 due to being perilously close to the dreaded and restrictive second apron. They have room for only one more minimum contract. James L. Edwards III wrote in The Athletic on Tuesday:New York needs a third center and will likely use the 14th roster spot to address it. James Wiseman has been the first big man on a training-camp deal who Brown has tapped to check into games, with Drew Eubanks and Tony Bradley falling behind. The Knicks should strongly consider adding Bruce Brown to the main roster given his championship experience and positional versatility, but all signs point to the team keeping a center right now.James Wiseman, with only 5 NBA games in over two years, has the edge for last Knicks roster spotWhile Wiseman does provide some athleticism up front that was lost with the defection of Mitchell Robinson in free agency, teams haven’t exactly been able to count on him during his disappointing NBA career. In fact, major injuries have pretty much wiped out three of Wiseman’s six seasons. The 25-year-old played only four games last season and one game the year before as he was recovering from surgery to repair a torn left Achilles tendon. The injury took place almost exactly two years ago, in October of 2024. As Edwards notes, playing Devil’s Advocate, “one could argue the third center should be a veteran coaches know they can rely on in the event Towns and/or Drummond get into early foul trouble or an injury occurs.” Wiseman is anything but a “reliable” option at this point, having played just five games in the last 2 1/2 years. Nevertheless, the need for size tells him that Wiseman will be the choice for that final roster spot. ESPN’s Bobby Marks agrees; Wiseman is the choice for him, as well.Bobby Marks says he would give the Knicks 3rd center roster edge to James Wiseman:"I would rather take a flyer on a player like that … who showed potential here. Because at the end of the day, for teams that have high payroll, you've got to kind of find those … diamonds in… pic.twitter.com/4vswPq7RRy— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) October 11, 2026“I would rather take a flyer on a player like that … who showed potential here. Because at the end of the day, for teams that have high payroll, you’ve got to kind of find those … diamonds in the rough.”Both Brown & Wiseman, incidentally, got the start in the Knicks final preseason game on Tuesday night, against the Toronto Raptors. Related HeadlinesIndiana Pacers Will Miss Playoffs Again in 2026-27? NBA Insider Offers Grim ProjectionMiami Heat Get Very Worrisome 2026-27 Season Prediction From Prominent NBA InsiderBears’ Montez Sweat Suspension Suddenly Creates a Massive OpportunityRead more at Sportsnaut