With less than a week left before the NBA regular season opener, the New York Knicks will soon announce their final roster to kickstart their championship defense.
As such, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic thinks Bruce Brown will be completing the group heading into next week's season start.
"I think they find a way to keep him, whether now or later," the Knicks reporter predicted as he appeared on The Putback with Ian Begley.
Bruce Brown to win Knicks' final roster spot?
Bruce Brown signed an Exhibit 9 training camp contract with the New York Knicks.
He is among the veterans competing for the team’s final roster spot.
He appeared in three of the Knicks' preseason games so far, where he dropped five points, four rebounds, and two assists in 18 minutes as a starter in New York's 148-98 road loss against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.
Knicks to work ways for James Wiseman signing?
While he favors Brown to enter the roster, Edwards III also sees the Knicks looking to sign James Wiseman as well.
Like Brown, Wiseman has been competing for the Knicks' roster slot via an Exhibit 9 deal and was also active in the team's preseason runs.
Starting alongside Brown, he dropped 18 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes against the Raptors.
"It feels like Wiseman is the frontrunner," Edwards said about which center will likely make it to New York. "He was the first non-guaranteed player off the bench in their first preseason game and started in Toronto last night.
"That seems like a sign, but it's hard to tell who's been more consistent without seeing practices."
The Knicks currently have 13 players on guaranteed standard contracts. While they can add a 14th player, signing a 15th could push them into the second apron.
If New York pursues both Brown and Wiseman, the team may need to make a trade to accommodate their signings.