Knicks Open The Title Defense Tomorrow Night With The Roster…

By the Knicks Nightly Desk · Monday, October 19

The Knicks finished their cuts over the weekend and open the 2026-27 season Tuesday against the 76ers. Hart is the lone injury name, and the Towns extension still hangs over the building.

Knicks Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Cuts Are Done

Bruce Brown was placed on waivers Saturday. ESPN reported that the Knicks are keeping James Wiseman, and the New York Post reported that Brown's exit cleared Wiseman's roster spot. Dink Pate came and went the same day. Tony Bradley, Ochai Agbaji and Drew Eubanks were gone by Friday.

Tuesday At The Garden

The banner season starts Oct. 20 against Philadelphia, on NBC and Peacock. New York has had four days of rest. The Sixers have had three and are on the road. Nick Nurse's team went 45-37 last season with a net rating of minus 0.1.

Sixers Watch

Tyrese Maxey averaged 28.3 points last season. Joel Embiid scored 26.9 a night but played only 38 games. Anfernee Simons is day-to-day with a hamstring problem, and Ariel Hukporti is out with an Achilles injury.

Hart And Towns

Josh Hart is day-to-day, with Tuesday listed as his target date. The Knicks cannot afford to lose him early. Karl-Anthony Towns said Oct. 11 that he was very disappointed the extension talks were paused. Nothing has been reported since. Will the opener change the tone?

Bottom Line

Payroll sits at $227.7 million, over the second apron, and the front office just spent a week making the math work. Now the product has to justify it. Boston on Oct. 23 is the first real test after Philadelphia.

When do the Knicks open the 2026-27 season?

The Knicks open Tuesday, Oct. 20, at home against the 76ers. The game airs on NBC and Peacock.

Is Josh Hart playing in the Knicks opener?

Hart is listed day-to-day, with Oct. 20 as his estimated return date. His status for tip-off has not been settled.

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.