Knicks waive Bruce Brown and keep James Wiseman for title defence

The New York Knicks have waived Bruce Brown and retained James Wiseman ahead of the 2026-27 regular season, making a late roster choice that preserves their centre depth as they begin the defence of their NBA title. Source 1Source 4

What happened

The Knicks made the move on 17 October, waiving Brown to secure a roster place for Wiseman before the regular season. Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4 Brown and Wiseman had been competing for the place during training camp and preseason, alongside Drew Eubanks, Tony Bradley and Ochai Agbaji. Source 2Source 4 Brown had joined New York in mid-September on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 training-camp contract. Source 2Source 4

Wiseman is set to be converted to a league-minimum contract after winning the competition for the place. Source 1Source 4 The 25-year-old appeared in all four Knicks preseason games, averaging 8.0 points and 4.3 rebounds. Source 1Source 4 His preseason included an 18-point, 10-rebound performance in 24 minutes against the Toronto Raptors. Source 4

The decision comes after Brown, 30, played all 82 regular-season games for the Denver Nuggets in the previous campaign and averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal. Source 3 New York also explored possible trades involving Pacome Dadiet or Tyler Kolek in an effort to retain both Brown and Wiseman, but no transaction was completed. Source 3

Why it matters

Wiseman is expected to function as the Knicks’ third centre behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, giving the club a defined third option at the position. Source 1Source 3Source 4 That depth has added significance after the Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics in free agency during the summer. Source 1Source 4

The choice was not solely a basketball decision, with salary-cap rules meaning that keeping both Brown and Wiseman would have pushed New York above the second apron. Source 2Source 3Source 4 The organisation opted to avoid that threshold, and the waiver therefore settles a roster question while establishing its preferred frontcourt order for the opening of the season. Source 2Source 3Source 4

For a team entering the campaign as defending NBA champions, the move makes Wiseman’s preseason contribution more consequential: he moves from a training-camp battle into an expected place in the regular rotation. Source 1Source 3Source 4 Brown’s departure removes a veteran who had been durable across the previous regular season, but it allows the Knicks to keep the centre whom they selected for the final roster place. Source 2Source 3

What’s next

The Knicks are scheduled to open their title defence on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. Source 4 Wiseman’s expected role as the third centre will begin to take shape once the regular season starts, behind Towns and Drummond. Source 1Source 3Source 4

Brown could be claimed off waivers by another club as early as Monday and, if that happens, may be available for opening night. Source 3

Notes

New York’s reported trade exploration did not result in a deal, leaving the waiver as the mechanism that allowed the club to retain Wiseman while avoiding the second apron. Source 3Source 4 The available reporting identifies Wiseman as the expected third centre, but does not set out his exact minutes or game-by-game role once the season begins. Source 1Source 3Source 4 Brown’s immediate destination is unresolved because a waiver claim remains possible rather than confirmed. Source 3