Then there was one.
Knicks Have Only 1 Roster Spot Remaining After Series Of Moves
On Sept. 16, the New York Knicks made a series of moves to refine their 2025-26 roster, signing center Trey Jemison III to a two-way contract (h/t SNY reporter Ian Begley). The Knicks will also be signing 2024 No. 56 pick Kevin McCullar Jr. to a two-way contract, per Begley. McCullar, who New York acquired in a draft night trade with the Phoenix Suns, spent his rookie season on a two-way contract as well.
McCullar had a standout college career, playing at Texas Tech and Kansas. He was a two-time All-Big 12 selection and broke out as an All-American in his graduate year. Yet, he hasn’t lived up to expectations in the NBA. To be fair to him, a season-ending injury he suffered in 2023-24 prevented him from playing until March 2025. However, due to OG Anunoby‘s injury history, he could very well be called up to play important minutes in 2025-26.
Knicks and Trey Jemison III have reached agreement on a two-way contact, per SNY sources. Jemison III, a 6-11 270-pound big man, gives the Knicks added front-court depth. Knicks will enter training camp with one open two-way spot. Kevin McCullar Jr. is expected to come back on a…
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) September 16, 2025
Jemison has been in the league a little bit longer than McCullar after going undrafted in 2023. He’s also more well-traveled, as he’s already on his fifth NBA team. However, he hasn’t signed a standard contract either. With that being said, he’s also hoping to jump start his career. A gargantuan big man at 6-foot-11 and 270 pounds, Jemison may have even more of a chance of seeing the floor than McCullar due to how injury-prone their center group is.
Wait, No Dink Pate?
After these moves, the Knicks have only one two-way roster spot remaining. That spot won’t be going to undrafted rookie Dink Pate. Pate, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract on Tuesday, was waived the same day.
In 2023, Pate became the youngest professional basketball player in U.S. history at 17 years old after signing with the now defunct G League Ignite. After spending 2024-25 with the Mexico City Capitanes, the 6-foot-8 playmaker was not among the players selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. However, he was called up by the Knicks to play for their Summer League team.
In Las Vegas, Pate averaged 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, shooting 50.0 percent from 3. Based on those numbers, New York’s decision to release him is somewhat of a head-scratcher. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that Pate shot 40.0 percent from the field in the 2K26 Summer League exhibitions. Though he was a Rising Stars Challenge participant in 2024-25, he wasn’t particularly efficient in the G League either.
After two seasons, Pate was averaging 9.4 points per game on 38.9 percent shooting from the field (27.6 percent from 3). That aligns with his performance at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, as he shot 30.8 percent from the field (25.0 percent from 3) in the scrimmage portion. He has a multi-faceted skillset and NBA-level physical tools, but that doesn’t mean he’s NBA-ready.
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