The New York Knicks’ final roster decision has put two very different NBA stories side by side. One is an unceremonious exit, and the other is a redemption. Bruce Brown, a Denver Nuggets champion, is leaving NY after publicly criticizing the league’s CBA. Meanwhile, the former No. 2 pick, James Wiseman, is getting another chance to establish himself.
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The timing of these stories adds an uncomfortable situation to the roster battle. Even if there is no evidence that Brown’s comments determined the Knicks’ choice.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on X that the Knicks are waiving Brown: “The New York Knicks are waiving Bruce Brown, sources tell ESPN. James Wiseman is set to make the Knicks ‘ regular-season roster as a reserve center.”
Brown had been in camp on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract, giving NY flexibility as it assessed its final 15 players. His comments about the CBA came after a preseason game, when he said:
“I’m sure there is. The new CBA is good for max guys, new free agents, and rookie extension guys. The middle guys, it kind of sucks for us. There’s not a lot of people getting that full mid-level.”
The NBA didn’t let Brown’s comments go unanswered, though it didn’t explicitly address the guard. Its Communications department took to X with a statistical response, defending the league’s salary structure and pointing to continued growth in players’ earnings.
The league cited nearly $1.3 billion in salary growth. It roughly accounted for a 30% increase across player tiers since the introduction of the second apron.
But those figures did little to settle the debate over how the CBA affects veterans who fall outside the league’s highest-paid bracket. The second apron restrictions have also made it harder for high-spending teams to manage their rosters.
With the Knicks adamant about not crossing their threshold, Brown has fallen prey to the system.
Bruce Brown’s brief Knicks audition, however, didn’t give the team much on-court evidence to justify keeping him. Across the three preseason appearances, he averaged 12.6 minutes and scored 11 points in total. He also recorded no steals or blocks in 28 minutes.
Those numbers don’t erase the value he has brought as a versatile defender in his previous stints. Especially during the Nuggets’ 2023 championship run. But the Knicks offered little momentum in a short tryout. He does have the resume of a championship recipe, but it just wasn’t enough for the Knicks.
James Wiseman, on the other hand, made the most of his opportunity.
The former Warriors center averaged 8.0 points and 4.3 rebounds across four preseason games, highlighted by an 18-point, 10-rebound performance against the Raptors. He shot 7-of-8 from the field in that outing, giving the Knicks an encouraging glimpse of what he could offer as a reserve big. In a competition for the final roster spot, his ability to convert opportunities around the basket strengthened his case.
The opportunity also carried significance for Wiseman personally.
A torn left Achilles tendon sidelined him for the entire 2024–25 season, and he struggled to establish himself in the NBA after returning. His representatives explored opportunities in Europe over the summer, but Wiseman continued working toward another NBA opportunity, including competing in the Miami Pro League, before signing a training-camp contract with New York.
The Knicks gave him another chance to establish himself in the league, and he did enough to earn a place on their regular-season roster.
For New York, the decision is primarily about frontcourt depth rather than a guarantee of regular minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond remain ahead of Wiseman in the center rotation, leaving the former second overall pick as an additional option if injuries or matchup needs create an opening.
He still has to show that he can defend consistently and stay available. A productive season is an opening, not a guarantee.
Bruce Brown’s release and Wiseman’s promotion underline how narrow the margins can be for players competing for the final roster spot. The Knicks have made their choice, but the reasons should not be reduced to Brown speaking out without further evidence.