The New York Knicks signed small forward Troy Williams to a 10-day contract and Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker discusses Kristaps Porzingis’ return from an ACL tear.
According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, the New York Knicks have signed Troy Williams to a 10-day contract. Williams was recently released by the Houston Rockets.
Free agent Troy Williams is signing a 10-day contract with the New York Knicks, league sources said. Williams decided among several interested teams since release from Houston last week.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 20, 2018
This is another low-risk move from the Knicks front office in the wake of the trade for Emmanuel Mudiay. The 23-year-old is a young, athletic forward which is something the Knicks have lacked this season. 10-day contracts are extremely low-risk moves that essentially amount to an extended tryout for players.
This parallels GM Scott Perry’s recent comments about the organization’s desire to give the younger guys more opportunities. Williams will get an opportunity to show the coaching staff what he can do.
The Knicks can sign Williams to two 10-day contracts before either letting him go or signing him for the remainder of the year. Smart move by the front office to take a flyer on Williams with little else left to play for this season.
Jabari Parker’s Empathy for Kristaps Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis is on the long road to recovery from his ACL tear, but the good news is that he isn’t the first one down this path. Jabari Parker has torn his ACL twice and had some words of encouragement for KP.
According to Gary Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, Parker said, “But I know what he’s going through. It’s really tough. I wish him nothing but the best and, if he ever needs anything from me, I’ll be there for him.” Parker would go on to offer some words of encouragement to Porzingis by saying, “Just train your body and, most importantly, train your mind because the spirit and soul are in charge of the vessel.”
Wise words from Porzingis’ counterpart. The recovery and eventual return won’t be easy, but if recent history is any indication, it’s possible.
