The New York Knicks have increased their bench depth by adding veteran contributors Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele in free agency.
Even still, the franchise remains somewhat thin with regard to their reserve wing room.
As a result, recent updates have indicated that the Knicks could choose to bring back 24-year-old forward Kevin McCullar Jr. to compete with the likes of ex-Milwaukee Bucks prospect MarJon Beauchamp and others for consistent burn as their backup small forward in 2025-26.
"New York’s team salary cannot exceed the second apron ($207.8 million)," SNY's Ian Begley wrote Thursday.
"They have enough money to sign a rookie free agent (it seems to me that Kevin McCullar is the best candidate for that spot) and a veteran to a minimum deal."
While diagnosing the Knicks' potential options to fill out their roster, Begley suggested that the 6-foot-6 forward and former No. 56 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to the Phoenix Suns may be New York's top choice as a rookie free agent.
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McCullar Jr. appeared in just four contests with the Knicks at the NBA level and averaged 1.5 points along with 2.0 rebounds, though he received more of an opportunity to shine in the G-League as a member of the Westchester Knicks.
In 11 contests with Westchester, McCullar Jr. contributed 11.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 27.8 minutes of action.
The Texas Tech University product's efficiency left plenty to be desired, as he knocked down just 39.3% of his attempts from the field and shot 21.6% from three-point range, but McCullar shined as a skilled and versatile defender.
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