ESPN New York reports that the Knicks were considering waiving the guaranteed contract of Travis Outlaw, to keep rookie Travis Wear.
The New York Knicks are strongly considering parting ways with veteran forward Travis Outlaw, league sources told ESPNNewYork.com on Saturday.
Outlaw is owed $3 million this season. If the Knicks released him, they would still owe him his full salary. They also could dump him on another team via a trade.
Getting rid of Outlaw via release would open up a roster spot for another player. There is a possibility that spot would be filled by Travis Wear.
Wear, whom the Knicks signed to a non-guaranteed deal, impressed the team in training camp and the preseason.
via Sources: Knicks may cut Outlaw, keep Wear - Knicks Blog - ESPN New York.
SNY.TV reports that the Knicks have decided to go ahead with the move. Wear went undrafted last June, finally landing on the Hawks' summer league team before signing with the Knicks in preseason.
The move means New York will eat the $3 million guaranteed contract of Outlaw, putting the veteran on the free agent market if no team claims him off waivers. The 6-9 forward averaged 5.7 points last season for Sacramento before being traded to New York.
Outlaw will likely wind up somewhere as teams like the Pelicans and Lakers have severe problems at the 3-spot. Outlaw would be an ideal fit with New Orleans, who really just needs a capable body who can shoot from the outside. Outlaw shot 35 percent from three last season.
Wear was impressive in preseason, and it's a big sign of how much the Knicks want to go young that they would just swallow that $3 million. Wear could wind up being waived as a non-guaranteed contract and spending time with the Knicks' D-League team in Westchester, or just assigned there outright. Along with Cleanthony Early and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, the Knicks are slowly moving towards being a younger squad developing talent.
