Ariel Hukporti will have to prove himself at every step of the way. That's how it works for a guy the New York Knicks picked late in the second round in 2024.
The next step on that journey is Las Vegas Summer League, and it's even more important for Hukporti than you might think.
That's because he has the most foreboding contract setup in the entire NBA.
We'll let The Athletic's John Hollinger explain it:
Welcome to the most provisional roster spot in the league. Hukporti has a non-guaranteed deal worth $1.98 million, but at the moment has total roster security because keeping the 2024 late second-rounder is the only way the Knicks can stay below the second apron.
Alas, that job security is only for a few months. Take a closer look at Guerschon Yabusele’s deal for just south of the taxpayer midlevel exception: It left the Knicks enough wiggle room to not only sign a veteran into their 14th roster spot but also to waive Hukporti before his guarantee date in January and sign a veteran for the second half of the season.
If New York cuts him in January, waits the maximum 14 days to fill the roster spot and signs a vet for the rest of the season, I have the Knicks clearing the bar with enough room to also sign a veteran to their 15th roster spot on the last day of the season. (Alternatively, the Knicks could also send cash to another team to take Hukporti off their hands and then backfill the roster spot with a veteran, something they can do as early as December.)
So basically, Hukporti has until the end of December to make his case to stick around.
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It won't be an easy regular season for Hukporti to prove anything, given the Knicks still have Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
So how he plays this summer could go a long way toward determining what the Knicks do with the young big fella once January rolls around.
It's an hourglass turned over and ticking on Hukporti. It's up to him to try to flip it back the other way.
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