The New York Knicks made two additions with Westchester, not Madison Square Garden, likely in mind.
New York signed guard Jaden Akins to an Exhibit 10 contract before waiving him. The Knicks also signed center N’Faly Dante to an Exhibit 10 deal, adding an intriguing but injured big man to their developmental pipeline.
The transactions may appear fleeting, particularly in Akins’ case, but they serve a larger purpose.
An Exhibit 10 contract allows a team to convert a player to a two-way deal. If the player is waived and then spends at least 60 days with the organization’s G League affiliate, he can receive a bonus on top of his G League salary.
That makes Akins a likely candidate to join the Westchester Knicks if he clears waivers. Dante could eventually follow the same path as he works his way back from a serious knee injury.
Jaden Akins Returns After Knicks Summer League Stint
Akins played three games for New York during the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 11.3 points, two assists and 1.3 rebounds in 23.6 minutes. He scored 21 points in his final appearance against the Golden State Warriors.
The 6-foot-4 guard spent last season with the Motor City Cruise, Detroit’s G League affiliate, averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 35.8% from 3-point range.
Akins also participated in the G League Next Up Game during All-Star weekend.
His defensive background should appeal to the Knicks. Akins earned Big Ten All-Defensive honors during his final season at Michigan State, where he developed into a sturdy point-of-attack defender and secondary ballhandler.
Waiving him does not erase the organization’s interest. It preserves flexibility while giving Akins a clearer route to consistent minutes in Westchester.
N’Faly Dante Gives NYK Another Center to Develop
Dante presents a different type of long-term investment.
The 6-foot-11 center tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in December while playing for the College Park Skyhawks. He underwent season-ending surgery in January and is not expected to be ready for the beginning of the season.
Before the injury, Dante had established himself as a productive G League big man. He averaged 15 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks while shooting 74.4% for Rio Grande Valley in 2024-25. He also appeared in eight NBA games across stints with Houston and Atlanta.
Dante’s game is built around rebounding, screening, rim running and interior defense. Those traits are particularly relevant for a Knicks team that lost Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti during the offseason.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond sit atop the center depth chart, while Drew Eubanks and James Wiseman are competing for another roster spot.
Dante is not an immediate solution to that competition. His signing instead gives the Knicks a chance to supervise his rehabilitation and evaluate whether his size and production can translate once he is healthy.
Akins and Dante may not open the season at Madison Square Garden. Both, however, now have a pathway into the organization through Westchester.
Knicks Sign Intriguing Big Man and G League Star in Late Roster Moves