The New York Knicks pulled a move this week that is truly wild, folks. They signed a 7-foot ex-Milwaukee Bucks NBA Cup champion to a training camp deal, and then, a mere 24 hours later, they completely cut ties. We are talking about Liam Robbins, a Vanderbilt product who barely had time to unpack his bags before the Knicks’ official PR X/Twitter account dropped the news Wednesday at 7:18 p.m. It’s a head-spinning turnaround, even for the pre-season roster carousel. What a crazy quick decision!
The Blink-and-You-Missed-It Stint
You gotta wonder what was going through the front office’s mind on this one. Robbins, who signed an Exhibit 10 deal, was in and out faster than you can say “training camp.” And get this, he is not the only one to experience such a swift exit. The Knicks also brought in Igor Milicic on a similar training camp deal only to waive him shortly after. It makes you think about their strategy for evaluating talent right before the regular season kicks off. Are they really giving these guys a fair shot, or simply kicking the tires for a brief moment? This move with Robbins, a player with an NBA Cup ring from his time with the 2021 champion Bucks, felt particularly swift. He averaged only 0.7 points and 0.9 rebounds per game during that lone Bucks campaign, so maybe the numbers weren’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard, but 24 hours? That’s absolutely brutal.
Liam Robbins’ Wild Ride Through the League
This guy has had quite the journey already, even before his lightning-fast stop in New York. Liam Robbins didn’t hear his name called in the 2023 NBA Draft, starting his professional career with the New Orleans Pelicans. He couldn’t quite crack their opening-night roster, which then sent him to their G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron. The 2023-24 season was tough, plagued by injuries for the former SEC Player of the Year. He then bounced to the Portland Trail Blazers’ G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, for this past season. With the Remix, the 27-year-old posted some solid numbers over 10 appearances, averaging 9.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, shooting 49.3% from the field. Those are definitely solid stats for a G League big man. The source clearly calls him a “work in progress,” and suggests another season in the NBA’s developmental league, specifically with the Westchester Knicks, “could do wonders for the unseasoned big man.” It seemed like the Knicks saw that potential, but they simply couldn’t make it work even for a single day.
What’s Next for the 7-Foot Talent?
So, what now for Liam Robbins after this 24-hour whirlwind? He’s still a “work in progress,” as the reporting states, and that G League experience is clearly important for his development. Heading to the Westchester Knicks, their very own G League team, might still be the best path for him to refine his game and get more seasoning. For the Knicks, this quick trigger on roster moves right now clearly shows they are serious about who they bring into training camp as they finalize their roster for the upcoming season. It’s a tough business, a brutal business even, and they are definitely not messing around. We will be watching closely to see who they ultimately keep on the floor and how this roster shakes out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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