Knicks' Ariel Hukporti: Upgraded to two-year contract
Rotowire
The Knicks converted Hukporti from a two-way contract to a two-year standard NBA contract Monday, Shams Charania of ESPN reports. The second year of the contract is a team option.
The No. 58 overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, Hukporti has appeared in four of the Knicks' first five games of the season, missing his lone field-goal attempt while pulling down seven rebounds and blocking four shots across 29 total minutes. The Knicks had opened the campaign with only 12 players on the 15-man roster, but because league rules require teams to have at least 14 players on standard contracts for no more than 28 days during a season, Hukporti was upgraded from his two-way deal to help fulfill the roster requirement. While the fact that he's been moved off a two-way deal means he won't be restricted to the amount of games in which he can be active for the Knicks, Hukporti still looks to be on the outside looking in for a rotation spot, even while fellow big men Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) remain sidelined. Jericho Sims appears to have at least temporarily settled in as the Knicks' preferred backup center behind Karl-Anthony Towns.
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Knicks' Ariel Hukporti: Signs two-way deal with NYK
Rotowire
The Knicks signed Hukporti to a two-way pact on Monday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
The final pick of the 2024 Draft secured a two-way deal with the Knicks, and he will likely spend most of his time with their G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks. Hukporti played overseas with Riesen Ludwigsburg in the German Bundesliga and spent time in the Australian NBL in 2023-24. Across 43 games in both leagues in 2023-24, the 22-year-old averaged 8.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across 17.7 minutes per game.
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Knicks' Ariel Hukporti: Last pick in 2024 NBA Draft
Rotowire
Hukporti was selected with the No. 58 overall pick by the Knicks in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Hukporti has been playing overseas with Riesen Ludwigsburg in the German Bundesliga and spent time in the Australian NBL before that. The 22-year-old center is a classic big -- a screen-setter who can finish at the basket and protect the rim. He's full of energy and looking to make hustle plays. It seems unlikely he'll see meaningful minutes as a rookie.
