Free agent Trey Burke has signed a contract with the New York Knicks, the team announced Wednesday afternoon. This move brings the team’s roster count to 15 players.
The #Knicks have signed point guard, Trey Burke. Welcome to New York, Trey! #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/cnwN88Xwgr
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) October 11, 2017
“I think my skill set will help this team a lot, my ability to be able to make plays for others and for myself,” Burke said after signing with the Knicks. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity. I can’t wait.”
Burke spent time this offseason working out in New York, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley. Burke is also reunited with former Michigan teammate Tim Hardaway Jr.
“It means a lot,” Burke said when asked about the significance of reuniting with Hardaway. “He’s a guy who’s helping me a lot right now in this transition, helping me learn everybody’s names, helping me learn my way around the city. Just to have another guy you already have a close friendship with from college, it’s nothing but a plus. I’m looking forward to playing with him as well as everyone else.”
Burke has bounced around the league since being drafted ninth by Minnesota in 2013, making stops with the Jazz, Wizards, and now the Knicks. He holds career averages of 10.6 points and 3.6 assists.
For the Knicks, adding Burke means further crowding an already jammed point guard rotation featuring Frank Ntilikina, Ramon Sessions and Jarrett Jack. With Ntilikina the Knicks’ guard of the future and Sessions expected to be named a starter, Burke will likely compete with Jack for a roster spot in the backcourt.
ESPN’s Ian Begley suggests Burke isn’t a strong candidate to make the regular season roster at the moment, and that the team holds his G League rights should he be waived.
