Can Chuma Okeke Make Knicks Roster?

The New York Knicks could be bringing back their new forward for more than just training camp.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 3, 2024

Apr 3, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Orlando Magic forward Chuma Okeke (3) during warmups before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are adding to their roster, bringing Chuma Okeke back on an Exhibit 10 deal after he was waived to make room for the Karl-Anthony Towns trade a few days ago.

Okeke, 26, signed with the Knicks back in early August in hopes of catching on with the team during training camp. But now, there's a chance that Okeke could eventually make the 15-man roster ahead of opening night.

The Knicks currently have 12 players signed on guaranteed deals, which gives them three roster spots to work with. Landry Shamet, the only non-guaranteed player who wasn't waived by the Knicks to help facilitate the trade, is likely to make the roster to help fill in for the loss of Donte DiVincenzo.

That still gives the Knicks two spots for the roster, and Okeke could be a candidate for one of those spots. It's clear that the Knicks see something in him if they are bringing him back into the fold, but he'll still need to have a successful training camp in order to make the team. And he's coming in with a confident mindset as he returns to the team.

“I just want my body to feel good,” Okeke said in a recent interview. “Just come to camp and this season just feeling good, feeling confident in my body. I'm just feeling confident mentally because I know I could do it, I know I could shoot the ball, I know how to play defense … I know I could do all the stuff that got me here in the first place but I just got to get right.”

Okeke will join the Knicks in Charleston for training camp and could play in the team's first preseason game on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets.

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Published Oct 3, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.