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Knicks Trim The Roster, Add Thomas To The Board

Three roster spots close, a new name joins the boardroom, and the preseason opener is five days out.

37.7Points per game in 3-game streak
By the Knicks Nightly Desk · Friday, October 2

The Knicks waived N'Faly Dante, Toby Okani and John Konchar on October 1, trimming the training camp group five days before the preseason opener at Philadelphia. The same day, the New York Post reported that Isiah Thomas will be appointed to the Knicks' board of directors.

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Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Camp Thins Out

Dante's knee cleared on October 1, and the Knicks cut him anyway, releasing him alongside Okani and Konchar the same day. Akins and Tony Bradley already filled the roster openings camp created, and the group now heads to Philadelphia to open the preseason against the 76ers on October 5, then hosts Washington and Minnesota before a trip to Toronto on October 13.

Thomas Joins The Board

The New York Post reported that Thomas will join the Knicks' board of directors, a business-side move separate from anything happening on the floor. It lands in the same week the roster got smaller and the extension clock kept ticking.

Brunson's Number

Last season, Brunson strung together three straight 30-point games and averaged 37.7 points across that stretch, well above his already strong season mark. That kind of scoring run is the standard this group will chase again once games start counting.

What's Still Open

Towns' extension talks have gone quiet since late September, and McBride has said he's a little disappointed by his own. Neither deal is done, and nothing from camp moved either one forward. The question now is whether either gets resolved before the opener on October 20, or carries into the season.

Why did the Knicks release N'Faly Dante just after clearing him to play?

Dante was marked cleared on October 1, and the Knicks removed him from the roster the same day; no further explanation has been given.

Is Isiah Thomas taking on a new role with the Knicks?

The New York Post reported on October 1 that Thomas will join the Knicks' board of directors, a business-side move separate from the roster.

By the Knicks Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

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