Needing to add another player to get up to the league minimum 14-man roster, the New York Knicks converted Trevor Keels’ two-way contract into a 10-day deal on Thursday.
Keels, the 42nd overall pick in the past NBA Draft, averaged 14.9 points, 3.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds for the Westchester Knicks in the G League before his call-up.
With their rotation set and their salary cap hovering near the luxury tax territory, it did not make sense for them to go after a veteran in the buyout market.
The Knicks are roughly $2.5 million below the luxury tax after acquiring Josh Hart at the trade deadline and Julius Randle earning his All-Star bonus. They could further dip to $1 million below the luxury tax due to playoff incentives should they advance.
Keels’ 10-day contract will set the Knicks back for only $58,493 in prorated salary, whereas a veteran would have cost them from $105,522 (at least 2 years) to as much as $167,003 (10+ years). After the deal expires, they can sign Keels again to a second 10-day contract.
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