The New York Knicks and Jericho Sims have agreed to a three-year contract, while Trevor Keels will sign a two-way contract.
About a week ago (*Bobby Shmurda voice*), Ian Begley reported that the New York Knicks considered signing Jericho Sims to an NBA contract. Yesterday, Shams Charania reported that New York and Sims have agreed to a three-year contract.
Through 41 games, Sims averaged 2.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 blocks, and a 72.2 field goal percentage in 13.5 minutes per game. While Sims’ stat line isn’t impressive, he demonstrated that he could play at the NBA level in his limited minutes. Whether or not he will be a starter or bench player in this league is another story.
Sims has shown promise as a center when it comes to setting screens, rebounding, protecting the rim, and as a switchable defender. But while he’s shown promise, there are still areas for him to improve, like being a reliable scorer, a good passer, and a quarterback of the defense.
Yet with the signing of Isaiah Hartenstein, Jericho is now the third center on the depth chart for the second year in a row (we could say he was the fourth-string center last season, but Nerlens Noel was barely healthy). So Sims will have limited opportunities to get reps at the NBA level with his depth chart position, which is why summer league will be vital for him.
We know that Mitchell Robinson staying healthy for an entire season is possible. But as history is known to repeat itself, we know that Robinson will miss some time, so Sims will need as many reps as possible to stay ready. Of course practice will also help, but nothing compares to game-time experience.
The Knicks could still send Sims down to the G League to get some reps if he isn’t getting them at the NBA level, just as New York did for Miles “Deuce” McBride last season. But that will be determined by Mitch’s health.
Trevor Keels gets the second two-way contract
With Sims signing a three-year contract, there was a brief moment of wondering who would take the vacant two-contract spot on the Knicks’ roster — Freon Hunt has the other two-way contract, which he signed on March 18, 2022. Jean Montero was the first player that came to mind because I thought Trevor Keels would get an NBA contract (like Deuce last season). But instead, as reported by Fred Katz, the Knicks and Keels agreed to a two-way contract.
It makes sense for Keels to sign a two-way contract because his role in the NBA is questionable. But he too will need a lot of reps to figure out how he fits in this league. Before the draft, some draft experts believed he would play as a guard because of his height and role at Duke, while others thought he could be a forward in the league because of his strength, even though he lacks the prototypical forward size — a la PJ Tucker.
What does this mean for Jean Montero and the Knicks?
Jean Montero signed an Exhibit 10 contract, which means he is part of the Knicks’ 20-man roster. So we’ll be able to watch him in summer league, and the Knicks will still be able to evaluate him going into training camp.
Also, since Montero signed an Exhibit 10, the Knicks have the right to place him on the Westchester Knicks, where he can get reps and continue to develop.
Montero is an interesting case because he was considered a fringe first-round pick at times during last season. However, because he got injured during the combine, he couldn’t fully participate in scrimmages which hurt his draft stock. On top of that, coming from Overtime Elite, where the competition is still questionable, may not have been a good indication of how well his skillet could transfer to the NBA level. Granted, Bleacher Report has him as the number one undrafted prospect in Summer League.
With the Knicks set to take the court tonight for summer league, fans should pay attention to the three players mentioned above (and, of course, McBride and Quentin Grimes). And since the Knicks take the court tonight, tune into Knicks Fan Tv Postgame to catch the analysis and overreactions!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out CP and Ian Begley giving their offseason grades for the New York Knicks!
