Knicks sign Bruce Brown to Exhibit 9 deal, and roster battle grows

The Knicks have added another veteran to what is beginning to resemble an open audition for one available job.

New York signed Bruce Brown to an Exhibit 9 contract, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported. The team subsequently announced the move.

An Exhibit 9 is a non-guaranteed training camp deal that limits the Knicks’ financial exposure if Brown is injured before the regular season. In other words, he has a chance to make the team. He does not yet have a place on it.

Brown, 30, owns eight years of NBA experience and helped the Nuggets win the 2023 championship. He has averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists while playing for six franchises.

Last season, Brown appeared in all 82 games for Denver, averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The Knicks also recently agreed to deals with John Konchar and Drew Eubanks. New York has only 13 guaranteed standard contracts and likely will carry 14 players because of its proximity to the second apron.

That leaves Brown, Konchar and Eubanks potentially competing for one opening, although positional need could work in Eubanks’ favor because the Knicks are thin behind centers Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.

New York has also explored Gabe Vincent, Duop Reath and James Wiseman while filling its preseason roster. So the Knicks are creating options. Lots of them.

Brown brings championship experience, defensive versatility and the ability to play multiple roles. Now he has to prove New York needs him more than it needs another center.