In 1990, John Starks was trying to earn a place with the New York Knicks when he attempted to dunk over Patrick Ewing during practice. The attempt went badly. Ewing knocked him down, and Starks twisted his knee. The injury complicated his roster situation, and the Knicks ultimately kept him around. Starks went on to become an All-Star and one of the most memorable players in franchise history.

More than three decades later, the circumstances around NBA roster cuts have changed, but the uncertainty facing players on the margins has not. A preseason opportunity can disappear in a day, and a team’s decision may have as much to do with injuries, contracts and roster limits as a player’s performance on the court.

That pressure is now playing out in New York. Sixteen players were waived across the NBA on Thursday, October 15, as teams moved closer to opening night, with the Knicks making three cuts of their own. But New York’s bigger story is what comes next: Drew Eubanks’ injury has reshaped the team’s frontcourt plans, and the Knicks now face a financial puzzle involving James Wiseman and Bruce Brown. As SNY’s Ian Begley reported, “The only remaining question is: will there be room for Bruce Brown?” Wiseman and Brown have survived the preseason cuts, but keeping both could require New York to trade a player on a standard contract without taking salary back.

The Roster Clock Is Running Out

The October 15 transactions came just four days before the NBA’s opening-day roster deadline. Teams had until October 19 at 5 p.m. ET to finalize their rosters, leaving front offices to weigh immediate basketball needs against contract rules and financial restrictions. The deadline also meant that players on the edge of a roster had little time left to make their case.

The Knicks waived Ochai Agbaji, Tony Bradley and Eubanks. Elsewhere, the Atlanta Hawks waived Giorgi Bezhanishvili, the Brooklyn Nets released Ben Humrichous, and the Charlotte Hornets waived Wyatt Fricks and DaJuan Gordon. The LA Clippers moved on from Fletcher Loyer, while the Los Angeles Lakers waived Jahmir Young and the Miami Heat released Ian Schieffelin.

The Philadelphia 76ers waived Duke Miles and Saint Thomas, the Utah Jazz waived Taylor Funk and Chance Moore, the Sacramento Kings signed and waived David Muoka, and the San Antonio Spurs waived Jon Elmore. Sacramento’s conversion of Leaky Black to a two-way contract was a separate transaction, not a waiver.

The list may look like a wave of players losing their jobs, but the transactions did not all mean the same thing. Some players were released from training-camp deals, while others were signed and waived as teams arranged their G League affiliate rights. That difference matters, because a waiver does not always mean a team has given up on a player’s development.

Why the Knicks’ Decision Is More Complicated

Eubanks’ situation was different from a routine training-camp cut. He suffered a torn pectoral muscle during the October 13 preseason game against the Toronto Raptors, in which he recorded eight points and two rebounds in 15 minutes. The injury was expected to sideline him for an extended period, leaving New York to reconsider its center options just days before the season.

Agbaji’s release had a different context. He was on a non-guaranteed training-camp deal, and his preseason opportunities had been limited. He played about 10 minutes against Minnesota and another 10 against Toronto, scoring no points in the latter appearance. Bradley, meanwhile, had signed an Exhibit 9 deal, a training-camp contract that allowed the Knicks to evaluate him without guaranteeing his salary.

The financial difference between those contracts is important. Releasing a player on a non-guaranteed deal can help a team preserve roster and salary flexibility, while an Exhibit 10 agreement can offer a route to the NBA team’s G League affiliate. The three Knicks moves should not automatically be read as three identical judgments on a player’s ability.

New York’s remaining frontcourt decision makes that even clearer. With Eubanks sidelined, the Knicks had another reason to consider their center depth alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond. Wiseman offered another option at center, while Brown brought veteran experience and the ability to defend across positions.

Wiseman’s Big Night Versus Brown’s Experience

Wiseman gave the Knicks a clear reason to keep evaluating him against Toronto on October 13. He started the game and finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes, shooting seven-for-eight from the field. It was the sort of performance that could strengthen a player’s case when a roster spot is still available.

Brown’s case was different. He recorded five points, four rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes against Toronto, shooting two-for-four from the field, including one-for-two from three-point range. Those numbers did not match Wiseman’s scoring output, but Brown’s value was not limited to one preseason box score. His veteran experience and defensive versatility gave the Knicks another kind of option.

The financial picture complicated the choice. According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the Knicks would need to trade a player on a standard contract without taking salary back if they wanted to keep both Wiseman and Brown while staying below the second apron. That makes the decision about more than comparing two players. New York must also decide whether Brown’s experience is worth making another roster move.

Wiseman’s performance gives New York a strong reason to keep him, particularly with frontcourt depth in focus after Eubanks’ injury. Brown offers a different kind of value through his experience and defensive versatility. The Knicks’ challenge is figuring out whether they can retain both without taking on additional salary in a trade.

For Some Players, A Waiver Is a Route Forward

The other transactions show why a waiver list needs more context than a count. Several players were on Exhibit 10 deals, which can help NBA teams direct prospects toward their G League affiliates while retaining a path for development.

David Muoka’s move was one example. The 6-foot-10 center, who was born in Hong Kong, played college basketball at Lamar and UNLV and earned Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2021. He became the first Hong Kong-born player to sign an NBA contract when he agreed to a short-term deal with Portland in 2024.

In 2025–26, Muoka appeared in 45 NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament and regular-season games for the Long Island Nets, averaging 5.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 17.7 minutes per game. Sacramento signed him to an Exhibit 10 deal and waived him on October 15. Stockton had already acquired his returning-player rights earlier that month, giving the 6-foot-10 center a route to continue his development with the Kings’ G League affiliate. Under the reported arrangement, he could earn a bonus of up to $91,000 if he remains with Stockton for at least 60 days.

Humrichous also had a route to continue developing. The 6-foot-9 forward was part of Illinois’ team that reached the 2025 NCAA Final Four. In his final college season, 2025–26, he averaged 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 36.1% from three-point range. Brooklyn waived him on October 15, with reporting indicating that the move was intended to secure his rights for the Long Island Nets.

Those paths do not guarantee another NBA appearance. They do, however, show why a waiver is not always the end of a player’s professional opportunity. For teams, these deals can help maintain a development pipeline; for players, they can provide a chance to keep working toward another call-up.

The Final Cuts Tell Only Part of the Story

The NBA’s roster rules make these decisions more complicated than they appear. Teams can carry larger groups during training camp, but they must trim down to a maximum of 15 standard NBA contracts, with up to three additional two-way players. The deadline leaves front offices balancing immediate rotation needs against financial restrictions and longer-term development plans.

These transactions also show why a waiver is not always the end of a player’s professional journey. Some players can continue developing in the G League, while teams retain flexibility to revisit their options later.

The Knicks’ situation puts the other side of the process on display. Eubanks’ injury changed the team’s options, Wiseman made a strong case in preseason, and Brown’s experience remained attractive. But the second-apron rules meant that keeping Brown could require another roster move.

The 16 waivers show how quickly the NBA’s roster picture can change in the days before opening night. But in New York, the bigger question remains unanswered. Wiseman has made a strong case for a roster spot, Brown brings experience the Knicks could use, and Eubanks’ injury has made frontcourt depth even more important. With the financial rules limiting their options, the Knicks may have to make one more difficult decision before the season begins.