11:05am: The Knicks have officially signed Roby, the team confirmed in a press release (Twitter link).
9:32am: Roby is getting $400K for the last day of the 2022/23 season, reports Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). If he had received a minimum-salary deal, Roby would have been paid just $10,932 for the day, but New York was able to give him significantly more than that using a leftover portion of the team’s room exception.
Roby’s minimum salary for next season will be non-guaranteed, Katz adds.
8:40am: The Knicks have agreed to sign forward/center Isaiah Roby to a contract that covers the rest of the season and runs through 2023/24, agents Zach Kurtin and Mark Bartelstein tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Wojnarowski reports that the deal includes “significant” guaranteed money. It’s unclear whether that money will apply to this season’s cap hit (using the remainder of New York’s room exception) or if a portion of Roby’s ’23/24 salary will be guaranteed.
Roby, 25, spent most of the season with the Spurs after being claimed off waivers from the Thunder last summer. He was released just over a month ago when San Antonio needed a roster spot to accommodate its addition of Sandro Mamukelashvili.
In 42 games (11.3 MPG) this season as a Spur, Roby averaged 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per night, with a shooting line of .432/.300/.488. He was more effective in 2021/22 in Oklahoma City, averaging 10.1 PPG and 4.8 RPG on .514/.444/.672 shooting in 45 appearances (21.1 MPG) for the Thunder.
As we noted earlier today, the Knicks entered Sunday as one of three teams with a 15-man roster spot open, so no corresponding move will be necessary to make room for Roby. The Lakers and Rockets are the other two teams that still have openings on their standard rosters.
Because Roby was waived on March 3, he won’t be eligible to participate in the playoffs this spring.
Does the “rest of the season” just cover today or is he playoff eligible? I’d assume he’s not since he was waived after March 1 but if that’s the case then I can’t think of any other reason to do this now other than wanting a head start on signing him before the offseason.
Ineligible for the playoffs (added a line to the story to clarify that).
Thank you! I figured they probably just wanted to sign him now while they still could before the offseason but I appreciate the clarification
I’m glad he gets another chance
Why?
#1, to rest a couple starters, #2, to get first crack at a look at him next training camp. They’ve got a commitment from him by signing him. Summer League also.
Well it’s nice to get that 400K payday lols. Knicks must think he’s worth looking at. Cause he’ll be eligible for SL. Or they can use him a trade at draft.
If you look at his OKC numbers. They look decent. Don’t know why they let him go. I’m all for finding players and giving them a chance. Knicks have never done this before this administration came on. So it’s good to see for fans.
This is a smart signing but I’m a little surprised they would sign someone who can’t be on the playoff roster, considering the Knicks are making a playoff push
Who dat?
Personally, I think this is a better signing than the Lakers adding Thompson. Adding a vet that had been out of the league for the season isn’t going to see playtime in the playoffs unless something catastrophic happens. Getting a few looks at a younger player is the better move for a team that while in the playoffs, is not going to win the title this year.
Thompson can be a physical defender against other bigs which is something the Lakers lack and could find useful in the post-season even if it is just for a few minutes. When just one defensive stop could be the difference in winning a game/series it doesn’t hurt to have options on the bench.
Roby’s contract is just a way of using some remaining $$ of the room exception in an amount that still keeps them under the tax line. Basically, it’s an optional contract for next season and they’re paying 400K (from this year’s money) for that option. They did something similar (for a few million dollars, when they were under the floor) with Luca V a couple of years ago.
For a guy like him (coming off 4 years of being paid an NBA salary), a team that signed him as a FA to a training camp contract before next year would almost certainly have to give him some guarantee (which would come from next season’s money). Might not be 400K, but this comes from this year’s money and locks him up through the summer.