The Knicks wanted to keep Bruce Brown. They’re keeping James Wiseman instead, with the payroll leaving little room for both.
New York announced Saturday that it waived Brown, putting Wiseman on track to claim the team’s 14th roster spot and serve as the third center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.
The Knicks had space on the roster for both veterans. Keeping both, however, would have pushed their salary above the second tax apron, a line owner James Dolan has insisted the team won’t cross.
The front office reportedly explored trades involving Pacome Dadiet or Tyler Kolek to make the numbers work. No deal materialized before Brown’s release.
Brown, 30, had a productive season with the Nuggets last year, appearing in all 82 games and averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal. He shot 47.5 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.
His versatility and non-guaranteed minimum contract could make him attractive on waivers. A team with sufficient room under any applicable hard cap could claim him Monday and have him available for opening night.
If Brown clears waivers, a return to the Knicks later in the season remains possible, though they would need to create financial flexibility.
Wiseman, meanwhile, is the last remaining player from New York’s five-man group of veteran camp invitees. The Knicks previously waived Drew Eubanks, Tony Bradley and Ochai Agbaji.
The former No. 2 pick now gets another opportunity to establish an NBA role. Brown heads back onto the market despite having supporters in the organization that just released him.
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