With the New York Knicks releasing two-way guard Luca Vildoza after he sustained a foot injury that kept him of the Summer League and Training Camp, the team announced a new signing on Friday.
The Knicks will bring in guard Tyler Hall, who spent three games with the Summer League team, averaging 7.9 points per game. He posted two points, shooting 33.3% from the field, and tallied one rebound per game. Spending the last two seasons with the Westchester Knicks, Hall averages 10.1 points last season, including 2.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds. He shot nearly 42% from the field and 41.5% from three-point range, attempting 6.7 shots per game.
Hall is actually a solid player out of Montana State University, and at 6’4″, 209 pounds, he will be vying for a roster spot over the next few weeks.
Hall has a tall task ahead of him to make the roster, and after going unselect in the 2019 NBA draft, his work ethic is proving to present opportunities. While it is unlikely he makes the final cut, he could receive a bonus of up to $50K if he returns to the Westchester Knicks this season and spends at least 60 days with the G-League club.
It’s unfortunate the team had to part ways with Vildoza after offering him a solid contract, but ultimately they had to cut ties with his injury requiring surgery.
“You gotta make roster decisions this time of the year, and so availability is a big part of it,’’ Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said Sunday. “And we feel that the guys who are here, those are the guys that are fighting it out for that last spot. But he’s a good player and we wish him well.
In the meantime, the Knicks are off to a hot start in the preseason, scoring 125 points against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, led by Julius Randle and RJ Barrett.
The Knicks will take on the Washington Wizards on Saturday evening at 7 PM, and with Randle projected to be OUT of the contest, expect a healthy dose of Obi Toppin.