The New York Knicks pulled another wild move this past Saturday, making you scratch your head and ask, “What just happened?” They officially waived a player a mere six minutes after signing him to an Exhibit 10 deal. Jaden Akins, a 6-foot-4 ex-Detroit Pistons guard, found himself on the chopping block almost as soon as the ink was dry. This lightning-fast move, confirmed by the Knicks’ official X/Twitter PR account at 8:46 p.m., just six minutes after his signing was announced, is part of what seems to be a strange trend for New York. They are continuing to cut ties with NBA hopefuls shortly after bringing them in for training camp deals, like that 6-foot-10 ex-76ers forward who lasted only 12 minutes.
Another Short Stint in the Big Leagues for Akins
This isn’t Akins’ first rodeo with the waiver wire, sadly. The 23-year-old lefty slasher, a Farmington Hills, Michigan native, went undrafted in 2025 after wrapping up a respectable four-year collegiate career at Michigan State. He tried his hand with the Orlando Magic in Summer League, but that didn’t stick, with the organization not moving forward after the offseason event. Then, last October, he snagged an Exhibit 10 contract with the Detroit Pistons, only to get waived less than a week later. Talk about a tough break, right? He ended up competing with the Pistons’ G-League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, during his rookie season in the pros.
The G-League Numbers and the Hard Truth
So, what kind of player are we talking about here? When Akins did get a real chance to play, he put in some serious work with the Motor City Cruise last year. In 14 contests, the dude averaged a solid 16.1 points, dropped 7.6 assists, and grabbed four rebounds per game, not to mention a full 1.0 steals. He was efficient too, shooting 43.8% from the field and hitting 33.7% from beyond the arc. Those are definitely numbers that pop in the G-League, showing he can produce when given the minutes. But the Knicks, man, they’re playing a different game, apparently continuing a trend of signing these NBA hopefuls and then hitting the waiver button almost immediately. What’s the point? Now, after getting cut in a heartbeat, that unproven lefty slasher is looking at another G-League season: this time with the Westchester Knicks, their own affiliate. It’s a brutal reminder of how incredibly difficult it is to stick in the NBA, even after showing out.
For Akins, it’s back to the grind with the Westchester Knicks, hoping to prove he’s more than a quick cut. For the Knicks, they keep rolling with their roster moves, but you gotta wonder what the strategy is here with these lightning-fast waivers. It’s a wild league, folks, and Akins’ journey just got another chapter written, or unwritten, depending on how you look at it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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