The New York Knicks have signed forward Nathan Knight to a two-way contract. Knight, 25, went undrafted out of the College of William & Mary in November 2020. The 6-foot-10 forward inked a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks ahead of his rookie 2020-21 season.
In 33 games off the bench with the Hawks, the Syracuse native averaged 3.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 8.5 minutes per game while shooting 37% from the floor, 18.2% outside the arc, and a career-best 80% at the foul line. In Atlanta’s 100-82 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Mar. 14, 2021, Knight scored a season-high 16 points.
Per multiple NBA betting sites, the New York Knicks hold 15th-ranked odds to win next season’s championship in 2024. A few sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Knicks sign Nathan Knight pic.twitter.com/p5MPEO07Y2
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) July 21, 2023
In August 2021, Nathan Knight signed a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The forward averaged 3.7 points, a career-high 2.3 rebounds, and 7.2 minutes per game while shooting 51.1% from the field, 30.8% from downtown, and 73.3% at the free throw line.
Additionally, in Minnesota’s 108-103 win over the Boston Celtics on Dec. 27, 2021, Knight recorded career highs of 20 points and 11 boards in 30 minutes as a starter. Along with logging four assists, one steal, and one block, he finished 8-of-11 (72.7%) shooting from the floor and drained two 3-pointers.
New York Knicks sign former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nathan Knight to a two-way contract; the undrafted wing joins fellow two-way signees Jaylen Martin and Duane Martin Jr.
In July 2022, Nanthan Knight signed a two-year, $3.83 million contract with the Timberwolves. The forward appeared in 38 games off the bench with Minnesota in the 2022-23 season. He averaged 3.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 7.7 minutes per game. Plus, the forward shot career bests of 56.8% from the field and 36.4% from deep.
Furthermore, in Minnesota’s 113-104 victory against the Houston Rockets on Jan. 21, the wing posted a season-high 19 points in 25 minutes off the bench. Knight also ended his outing with four boards and three steals while shooting 5-of-9 (55.6%) from the floor and knocking down two 3-pointers.
Since Knight fell short of tallying career-high numbers in his third NBA season, the Wolves declined his $1.99 million team option in June for the 2023-24 season. Although his scoring production rivaled that of his first two seasons, Knight’s shot accuracy broke new ground. He averaged a career-best true shooting percentage of 65.5%.
Beyond excited for this opportunity, ready to give my all to this organization. https://t.co/K3oYbIe2Ba
— Nathan Knight (@nateknght) July 21, 2023
Meanwhile, forward Jaylen Martin and guards Duane Washington Jr. and Trevor Keels occupy the Knicks’ other two-way spots. Under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, the maximum number of two-way players per team increased from two to three.
At this juncture, the Knicks cannot pull the qualifying offer to Duane Washington Jr. According to the league rule, teams cannot pull a qualifying offer after July 13 without the player’s consent, per Fred Katz of The Athletic.
If Washington Jr. were to pick up the qualifying offer and returned on a two-way contract, the Knicks would have to immediately release one of their four two-way signees, which would give that player $75,000 guaranteed.
Two-way salaries do not count against a team’s total cap or tax allocations. Two-way deals can still be converted into standard contracts. Of course, two-way players in the Big Apple are assigned to New York’s G-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks.
