Wise, once No. 2 overall, he will provide frontcourt depth for the reigning NBA champs
Oct 17, 2026
at 6:20 pm ET
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1 min to read
The New York Knicks finalized their roster for the 2026-27 season on Saturday, releasing veteran Bruce Brown to keep former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman on the regular season roster.
Wise has regularly led the Knicks in preseason games, averaging 8.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in four appearances in the preseason. After seeing Mitchell Robinson walk in free agency to the rival Boston Celtics, New York needs to bolster its center rotation behind Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Knicks signed Andre Drummond in free agency to be their new backup, but needed more depth and signed Wiseman in a $9 deal (training camp contract), which will now turn into the league’s minimum deal that puts Wise back on the roster with the opportunity to contribute for the first time in a few years.
Wise has played in just five games over the last two seasons in Indiana, and while he will be a depth player in New York, he could see some regular season action as they consider running minutes coming off the ball.
Prior to No. 2 strength has not been a regular rotation player for the Warriors since 2023-24 in Detroit, when he averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in 63 appearances. Wise on the defensive side, the first plans to try and build a future for the season were competing in the present, but he struggled to produce at a high level and had a defensive streak from entering the league.
The Knicks will be hoping he can provide some size in the reserves when he is called up to the spot duty this season after Mike Brown impressed enough in the preseason to keep him on the roster.
As for Brown, he hopes he’ll find an opportunity elsewhere after the layoff. Brown played in all 82 games last season with the Denver Nuggets, averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.