Knicks waive Antetokounmpo, 4 others
The New York Knicks trimmed their roster from 20 to the regular season limit of 15 on Friday, cutting an intriguing prospect in the process.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo, the older brother of Milwaukee Bucks youngster Giannis Antetokounmpo and a second-round pick of the Knicks in 2014, has been waived. Joining him are Darion Atkins, DaJuan Summers, Travis Trice, and Wesley Saunders, meaning Langston Galloway is the one player without a full guarantee to crack the roster, as expected.
It's a disappointing turn for Antetokounmpo, who landed stateside for the 2013-14 season and entered the 2014 draft as a D-League product.
Selected 51st overall based on his length and energy, the 23-year-old spent the entirety of last season in the D-League as well. In 97 games over two seasons there, he's averaged 12.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks, flashing some of the same statistical versatility as his younger brother, if less actual talent.
He also earned All-Defensive second team honors and participated in the Slam Dunk Contest, projecting him as a potentially entertaining, high-effort 15th man. Those player types are valuable, particularly to push the intensity of practices, but the Knicks obviously felt more comfortable maximizing their talent instead.
Antetokounmpo played sparingly in the preseason, grabbing four rebounds in 13 scoreless minutes. He averaged 6.4 points in 15.1 minutes at summer league, enough to earn him a small guarantee of $75,000 on his training camp deal. What he'll do from here is unclear but it will almost certainly involve a trip overseas, as Antetokounmpo's agent was clear in July that his client wouldn't forgo international opportunities to play a third consecutive D-League season.
Atkins, Saunders, Trice, and Summers all saw infrequent preseason action, too, and are all potential options as D-League affiliate players in Westchester if they clear waivers. Saunders was a capable scorer at the college level, Atkins a defensive stud, and Trice a March Madness standout, and all three are 23 or younger.