There’s a new body in the Knicks’ rotation, and his name is Matt Ryan.
The Knicks signed Ryan, their developmental team Westchester Knicks’ first-overall pick in the 2024 NBA G-League Draft, to a contract in the wake of the injuries that hit the roster to start the season, and the 6-7 forward appeared in his third game of the season when New York hosted the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
Ryan, a 40.8% career three-point shooter, added depth to a team in desperate need of able bodies after injuries to Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery recovery), Precious Achiuwa (hamstring strain) and Landry Shamet (dislocated shoulder) ravaged the roster ahead of the season-opener in Boston against the Celtics.
Ryan played in nine minutes in the Knicks’ 111-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, then made an early appearance in Wednesday’s matchup against the Bulls. He went 1-of-2 from downtown in his Knicks debut — a landslide victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 8 — then didn’t score in his second appearance against the Sixers but made an impact in spurts, particularly when he drew a charge on Joel Embiid, who lost control coming down the lane.
“I thought Matt Ryan gave us some good minutes,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said after his team’s fifth victory of the season.
Thibodeau explained why Ryan, who joined the roster on Nov. 5, hadn’t played in many games until recently. He has become the ninth man in Thibodeau’s rotation: behind starters Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Brides, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, and alongside key second unit members Miles “Deuce” McBride, Cameron Payne and reserve center Jericho Sims.
“I almost [put Ryan in] last game,” Thibodeau said in Philadelphia. “He just got here and because we’ve had six out of seven on the road, so there hasn’t been a lot of practice time. So to put him out there and not know — it’s gonna take a little bit of time to get him up to speed. But he’s smart and he’ll pick it up pretty quickly. So it’s good to have that.”
The Knicks need as much help as they can get.
Payne recently returned from a hamstring injury, but the Knicks were forced to waive Shamet — who was on a non-guaranteed Exhibit-9 contract — at the end of the preseason after his shoulder injury. Robinson isn’t expected to return to the rotation until late December or January, and Achiuwa is on the mend, but a return date has not yet been provided.
Shamet’s injury put the Knicks in a bind because of his abilities as a floor-spacer and perimeter defender.
Ryan helps with the floor spacing, and he has the length and tenacity to help in spurts on the defensive end.
***
Towns said Anunoby is the funniest player on the team, and shortly after, Anunoby unintentionally proved it with a hilarious moment in the visiting team locker room at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday.
Towns, who was addressing reporters after the victory, turned to Anunoby and shouted, “Right OG?”
Anunoby, who was having a separate conversation and wasn’t paying attention to Towns, looked over and said: “Oh yeah, for sure,” drawing laughter from Towns and the reporters who knew Anunoby had no clue what Towns was talking about.
***
Hart recorded his first triple double of the season with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against the 76ers. It was less than a month ago that the versatile Knicks forward said he was lost and trying to find his rhythm during the preseason, when he only scored two points through four exhibition games.
Hart joked after the victory in Philadelphia: “I’m still lost,” he said with a laugh. “I’m still lost. Still trying to find my way, man.”
