The New York Knicks and free agent forward Chuma Okeke have agreed to a contract, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
Okeke, who is set to turn 26 years old on August 18, was one of the better forwards remaining on the open market late in NBA free agency. After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Orlando Magic, Okeke is now set to embark on a new journey. Unfortunately, the forward's time with the Magic was riddled with injuries, which is why he was searching for a new opportunity this offseason.
While the Magic had spent a lot of time developing Okeke and working on his defensive abilities, they were active in free agency. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cory Joseph are two veterans who joined the Magic in free agency, and Tristan da Silva was the organization's first-round pick to essentially replace Okeke.
In a total of 189 games with Orlando, Okeke averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 38.3 percent from the floor. His three-point shooting has been a topic of discussion, as the forward has only shot 31.8 percent from deep for his career.
There is certainly upside that exists with the 6'6″ forward, which is why the Knicks are taking a swing at him.
Knicks, Chuma Okeke join forces
The Knicks have made it their mission to retain most of their talent from this past season, as well as add versatility and athletes to their bench. In addition to bringing back OG Anunoby and trading for Mikal Bridges, the Knicks also expanded their bench with Keita Bates-Diop, Cam Payne, and rookie Tyler Kolek. The team also recently re-signed big man Precious Achiuwa for depth behind Mitchell Robinson at the center position.
Overall, the Knicks have put themselves in a position to contend against the Boston Celtics at the very top of the Eastern Conference.
It is definitely unlikely that Okeke will join the Knicks and become a focal point in their rotations, but he was a first-round pick for a reason. Okeke has shown flashes of great defensive instincts, and his ability to fill multiple positions makes him a unique late-free agency signing for the Knicks.
With their backcourt filled and the Knicks having plenty of talent on the wing, it made sense for them to add a versatile forward like Okeke, who could turn out to be a steal once he reports to the team and works on his craft in training camp before the start of the 2024-25 season.
Whether or not Okeke will be on the team's opening-night roster is yet to be seen.
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