The New York Knicks made a calculated roster decision last month when they released Kevin McCullar Jr. to make room for Dalton Knecht. Less than two weeks later, both players have found reasons for optimism.
The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday that they signed McCullar to a two-way contract, giving the former Knicks guard another opportunity to establish himself in the NBA.
The move comes one day after Knecht made an impressive Knicks debut, scoring 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds in Wednesday’s 135-105 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden.
For New York, the developments offer an early glimpse at both sides of a roster decision that reshaped the team’s developmental depth.
Former Knicks Guard Kevin McCullar Jr. Signs With Raptors
McCullar became expendable Oct. 23 when New York moved to sign Knecht, the former Los Angeles Lakers first-round pick who had recently been waived.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the Knicks would release McCullar to open a two-way roster spot for Knecht.
The Knicks officially completed both transactions that day.
McCullar, 25, spent two seasons with New York after the organization acquired his draft rights from the Phoenix Suns in 2024.
He was also part of the Knicks team that won the 2026 NBA championship, although his opportunities on the court were limited.
Last season, McCullar appeared in 21 games, averaging 2.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 7.4 minutes.
His production with the Westchester Knicks offered a better indication of his potential.
In 14 NBA G League appearances, including 13 starts, McCullar averaged 16.8 points, 6.2 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks.
Toronto now gets an opportunity to develop the former Kansas standout without committing a standard roster spot.
Dalton Knecht Makes Strong First Impression in New York
The decision to replace McCullar with Knecht already produced an encouraging early return.
Knicks coach Mike Brown admitted he hadn’t initially planned to play Knecht against Chicago.
“Yeah, just a gut feel,” Brown told reporters after Wednesday’s victory. “He’s on my quote-unquote minute sheets. He’s down for zero minutes.”
Brown changed his mind late in the first half.
Knecht rewarded that decision by making his first Knicks basket a putback dunk following Landry Shamet’s missed 3-pointer.
He followed with a step-back 3-pointer before halftime.
The former Tennessee standout finished with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including two 3-pointers, in 16 minutes.
Brown praised Knecht’s scoring versatility while emphasizing that he must continue improving defensively.
“He’s a scorer,” Brown said. “Not just a shooter.”
Knicks See Both Sides of Two-Way Roster Decision
New York’s decision reflected the limited flexibility of two-way contracts.
Teams can carry only three two-way players, forcing the Knicks to choose between retaining McCullar and adding Knecht.
The organization opted for the former Lakers lottery-era first-round selection, whose offensive upside offered a different developmental path.
McCullar, meanwhile, gets a fresh start with a Raptors team that had an available two-way opening.
Neither player’s future is settled.
Knecht must turn one encouraging performance into sustained opportunities under Brown. McCullar still needs to translate his G League success into consistent NBA production.
But the Knicks’ gamble has already given Knecht a promising introduction.
And McCullar won’t have to wait much longer to pursue another chance of his own.
Former Knicks Champion Lands New Deal After Dalton Knecht Roster Decision