Mindaugas

Kuzminskas

The move gives the Knicks 12 players with guaranteed deals. Although Kuzminskas is not expected to crack New York’s initial rotation, we’ll keep an eye on him in training camp.

He recently signed a multi-year deal with Turkish team Darussafaka Dogus, so the Knicks will have to buy him out. Kuzminskas is a 26-year-old, 6'9" SF, and the Knicks could certainly use some more depth at the three. He averaged 11.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 20.5 minutes per game last season in the Spanish ACB, but he’s obviously not a lock to even make the team.

“He’s an athletic, big wing who can guard multiple positions, so that gives him a chance to play in the league,” Fraschilla said. “He’s always been a below-average outside shooter. But he’s athletic and he’s got a great motor. He’s not exactly Jonas Jerebko, but he’s in that mold. … He’s athletic, he runs, he can jump and can guard 3s and small-ball 4s. He’s got a really good motor; he’s a solid, quality guy who can fit right in and he’ll play hard every day. If he can turn into a Jerebko, this would be a steal for the Knicks. At worst, it’s a good gamble and it fills out the roster.”

“A good shooter from the outside, can shoot the 3-pointer, runs the court well, makes the passes you’d expect of a knowledgeable player,” Jackson said of his new acquisition. “He can play the 3. Jeff [Hornacek] even mentioned he’s talented enough to play a guard role. He’s going to be a process but we like what we see.’’ Kuzminskas isn’t expected to be in the rotation right away, but a strong camp could change things. It’s important to take these preseason quotes with a grain of salt.

He banged knees with Nikola Vucevic and had to go back to the locker room. He was able to walk back to the locker room under his own power and it didn’t look too bad. If he does need to miss time, the Knicks could use more Lance Thomas and Mindaugus Kuzminskas. We should have an update after the game. Kuzminskas is a speculative add in deep leagues.

With Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles) sidelined, Kuzminskas played a career-high 30 minutes and was efficient. This is the same injury that kept Porzingis out of three games in December, so Kuzminskas could see some extra run if Porzingis misses any more time. If that is the case, he can be considered an enticing DFS option at a very cheap price.

Thomas got the start for the injured Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles), but was inefficient and outplayed but Mindaugas Kuzminskas. If Porzingis remains sidelined, Thomas will continue to play significant minutes, but can be left on the waivers in standard leagues.

The Knicks still want to play Kristaps Porzingis at the five, so there should still be some minutes for Kuzminskas tonight. We’ll let you know how he fares, but most of his owners should be planning on cutting him.

The Knicks are in a similar position as they were on Wednesday with Noah out for that game against the Wolves. Somewhat surprisingly, Marshall Plumlee picked up some extra run while Kyle O’Quinn and Mindaugus Kuzminskas also saw some added playing time. Noah is day-to-day and could play Sunday against the Kings, so the aforementioned bigs only have very short-term boosts.

He cooled off considerably after a 14-point game on Wednesday. Kuzminskas also had a tough time on defense, which isn’t uncommon for a rookie. His playing time should take a hit once the Knicks get some bodies back.