Knicks waive Bruce Brown with James Wiseman set for final roster spot

The New York Knicks waived Bruce Brown on Saturday, leaving James Wiseman in line for the last roster spot they can afford while remaining below the NBA’s second salary apron.

The decision ends a training-camp competition that had narrowed to the veteran guard and the 25-year-old center. New York wanted to keep both, but could not complete a trade to clear the necessary salary, according to reporting from SNY and the New York Post.

The Knicks’ public relations account confirmed Brown’s release Saturday afternoon:

New York chooses another center

Wiseman is expected to join Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond in the Knicks’ center rotation. That need gave him an advantage over Brown, a wing who played every regular-season game for Denver last season.

The Knicks entered camp with five veterans competing on non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contracts. Drew Eubanks, Tony Bradley and Ochai Agbaji were released Thursday. Brown and Wiseman remained, with New York already carrying 13 players on guaranteed deals.

There was room under the league’s roster limit for both men. Keeping them together would have taken the Knicks above the second apron, however, and the organization has sought to avoid that payroll threshold. SNY’s Ian Begley reported that New York explored ways to retain both before Saturday’s decision.

The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported that the Knicks had been unable to find the trade they needed. Brown’s release settles the immediate roster competition without establishing whether another move will become possible later.

Wiseman earns another opportunity

Wiseman’s preseason gave New York something to work with. SNY reported that he totaled 32 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks in 46 minutes across four appearances. His strongest outing was an 18-point, 10-rebound performance against Toronto.

The former No. 2 overall draft pick has had little chance to build continuity in recent seasons. A knee injury interrupted his time with Golden State, and an Achilles tear in his first game with Indiana cost him the 2024-25 season. He appeared in only four games last season.

Brown, 30, brings a much longer recent record of availability. He averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 82 games for Denver in 2025-26, shooting 38.5 percent from three-point range. He also helped the Nuggets win the 2023 championship.

His non-guaranteed contract can be claimed on waivers before he becomes a free agent. Hoops Rumors reported that the waiver process concludes Monday, giving another team a chance to add him before opening night. A future Knicks return would require New York to create the payroll flexibility it could not find this week.