Report: Nathan Knight to Sign Two-Way Deal With the New York Knicks

Anil Gogna of notradeclause.com reports that the New York Knicks are planning on signing 25-year-old forward Nathan Knight to a two-way contract.

This will be the third two-way contract of Knight’s young career. The 6-foot-10 forward went undrafted in 2020 and signed a two-way deal with the Atlanta Hawks. After one season in Atlanta, where he averaged 3.8 points in 33 total games, Knight went on to sign another two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. After showing flashes of his tremendous athleticism, the team decided to extend him to a 2-year, $3.8 million contract extension, with that second, 2023-24, season being a team option.

Knight struggled to find a consistent role in Minnesota as he backed up both Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid. It became even harder for him to sniff consistent playing time after Minnesota’s acquisition of Rudy Gobert. Through the two seasons he resided with the Wolves, Nate averaged 3.7 points in both seasons and only appeared in one more game during the 2022-23 season. Despite his low numbers, the upside is obvious — he was a guy who gave it his all every time he stepped on the floor.

However, being that he was about the fourth big-man option on the Wolves and the team dealing with some pretty strict salary cap issues, it seemed like a matter of time before Knight found himself on a different team.

What Can Knick Fans Expect?

As New York’s roster currently sits, the team isn’t in need of another forward/center as they already have Mitchell Robinson, Jericho Sims, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Isaiah Roby. However, Knight fits Head Coach Tom Thibodeau’s playstyle — high intensity, physical, run-and-gun offense, and the ability to play with force on the defensive end. If Knight can scratch some consistent playing time with the big league club, he will need to cut down on his fouls, or Thibs will run the risk of losing his voice completely.

I had, and still do have, some very high expectations for Nate. The Syracuse, New York native has a chance to do some great things with a big market. Hopefully, the cards will align correctly and give him the ability to prove his worth.