The New York Knicks' 2025-26 preseason has taken a few unexpected turns, especially after the shocking retirement of 9-year veteran guard and Exhibit 9 contract recipient Malcolm Brogdon on Wednesday.
Even with Brogdon's announcement, New York's front office had plenty of work to do to figure out their next batch of cuts before the start of the incoming regular season.
According to ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel, the Knicks officially came to a decision in an effort to thin out their roster and prepare for the long road ahead in 2025-26.
"The Knicks have waived Alex Len, Garrison Mathews, and Matt Ryan," Siegel shared via X on Saturday evening.
New York's ongoing roster dilemma extended far beyond just Brogdon and his bewildering retirement, as 28-year-old Garrison Mathews made a real case for a guaranteed roster spot due in large part to a fantastic beginning to his preseason stint with the franchise.
Along with the Knicks' incumbent sharpshooter Landry Shamet, the team had to decide between keeping just one of the three guards or conducting a trade (likely to have included Pacôme Dadiet or Tyler Kolek) to open up another spot and allow two of the three to join the regular season roster.
Joining the ex-Atlanta Hawks guard Mathews on the list of cuts, the Phoenix Suns' former No. 5 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft Alex Len was also sent home.
For a Knicks team thought to be lacking in center depth behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, it appears that their newly-minted head coach Mike Brown is ready to give more of an opportunity to their 23-year-old big man Ariel Hukporti to stand in as Robinson's consistent reserve option.
Throughout his 12-year, 690-game NBA career, Len has averaged 6.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.9 blocks while shooting 51.0% from the field and 32.2% from three-point range.
As for the latter of the three cuts in 6-foot-6 forward Matt Ryan, the ex-Los Angeles Lakers wing has struggled to find a consistent spot on an NBA roster since entering the league in 2021-22. Since his NBA debut, the career 40.2% three-point shooter has appeared in 82 total contests across his first four seasons.
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