Why the Knicks Re-Signing Kevin McCullar Jr. Makes Sense

A butterfly flaps its wings, an end-of-the-bench two-guard becomes a hero

Kevin McCullar's late reunion with the Knicks shouldn't be a big surprise. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Trivia question: what do Miles McBride, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby all have in common? Besides being a few of the few people alive to win an NBA title as New York Knicks, they’re the only current Knicks who’ve been on the team longer than Kevin McCullar Jr.

Shortly after the 2024 draft, when Phoenix selected him in the second round, McCullar Jr. signed a two-way deal with the Knicks. Just before the 2025-26 season, he did so again. Now, shortly before the 2026-27 campaign, McCullar Jr.’s done so a third time. For a player on such seemingly shaky ground, there’s something about him that keeps him on their radar.

What Kevin McCullar brings to Knicks in third stint as two-way player

While competitors like Tyler Nickel are hoping to show the team what they can do at the professional level, McCullar Jr. has had a few shining moments in his limited exposure. 

In late December, the Knicks endured a tough stretch of games, winning five of seven but all were incredibly close. The penultimate win was a game in Atlanta when Josh Hart wasn’t available. In 24 minutes off the bench, McCullar Jr. produced 13 points, eight rebounds (four offensive), three three-pointers, two assists and two steals, helping New York to the win. 

In the season finale, all the starters rested except Mikal Bridges, who played 23 seconds to keep his games played streak alive. McCullar Jr. played more than 20 minutes for just the third time as a pro, scoring a career-high 14. Opportunity has been few and far between for the 25-year-old, but when it’s knocked he’s answered.

McCullar Jr. brings size (6-foot-6) and upside to a wing spot where New York can never have enough depth. He was expected to earn a first-round selection out of Kansas, but a knee injury late in his final season kept him out of the NCAA Tournament and caused him to slip to the second round. The Knicks coaches and medical teams have invested in his health and his outside shot.

His combination of familiarity, upside and production in limited doses could prove the edge if the last roster spot comes down to McCullar Jr. and someone like Ochai Agbaji, a more proven pro but not one who’s done anything for New York.

If to this point McCullar Jr. has only really been tested as a last resort, that alone could give him an edge in making the 2027 Knicks. Even small comforts feel better than risking an unknown. McCullar Jr. is younger than Agbaji and Bruce Brown and a little bigger than both. The Knicks want a roster of sure things. McCullar Jr. may offer them that and be useful, especially if Mike Brown wants to scale back the minutes of Hart and Bridges in the aftermath of a long playoff run.

Last year the Knicks finished third in the East, one game ahead of Cleveland. That December game in Atlanta McCullar Jr. helped them win could have been the difference between a postseason run that opened with the Hawks and 76ers versus the Raptors and Pistons, two more physical, defensive sides; Detroit swept the Knicks in the regular season, winning by 15, 31 and 38 points. The Knicks went on to sweep the Sixers by 39, six, 14 and 30.

The biggest questions facing New York's title defense are impossible to miss. Is the team complacent? Will the failure to extend Karl-Anthony Towns sour months of seemingly immaculate vibes? What will they do to address the glaring hole at backup backup center?

Don’t overlook McCullar Jr. You never know when a two-way signing in the fall will lead to an unlikely win in the winter that makes a difference in his team’s fate come spring.

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