The Knicks have claimed former Celtics forward Anton Watson off waivers, filling their last remaining two-way contract slot, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Watson, 24, was waived by the Celtics on Sunday. A rookie forward selected with the No. 54 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Watson had signed a two-way deal with Boston in August but has yet to make his regular-season NBA debut.
In his time with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s NBA G League affiliate, Watson showcased solid performances across 37 games (34 starts) in both the Tip-Off Tournament and the regular season. He averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 29.9 minutes per game.
A product of Gonzaga, Watson played five seasons for the Bulldogs, where he notably posted career highs of 14.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game during his final season.
The Knicks’ move to claim Watson follows their decision to waive Matt Ryan and Jacob Toppin on Sunday, which created the opportunity to add Watson. New York had already filled one of its two open two-way slots by signing MarJon Beauchamp earlier on Tuesday.
Tuesday marks the deadline for teams to sign two-way players.
New York (40-20) entered Tuesday in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, trailing the Cavaliers and Celtics, respectively.
