Ron Baker was one of the top undrafted players, and the Knicks scooped him up quickly.
They probably didn’t realize just how much they’d need him.
New York’s rotation point guards are Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings, who both carry unsettling injury histories. Additionally, Rose missed most of the preseason while successfully defending himself in a rape lawsuit.
The Knicks can’t afford to go without a third point guard, and Chasson Randle’s injury left Baker.
But because the they have 15 players with guaranteed salaries – Baker isn’t one – the Knicks had to waive Lou Amundson, who just signed a guaranteed deal. New York also waived Randle, J.P. Tokoto, Damien Inglis and Cleanthony Early, none of whom had fully guaranteed salaries.
Oct. 21, 2016 – NYK announced today that the team has waived Randle, Tokoto, Amundson, Early & Inglis. The roster now stands at 15 players.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) October 21, 2016
Other candidates with guaranteed salaries who could’ve been waived: Sasha Vujacic, Marshall Plumlee and Maurice Ndour.
The bigger mystery than why the Knicks chose Amundson to waive is why they gave him a fully guaranteed contract in the first place.
