The Knicks are expected to have an open position with John Henson, the injured power forward / center,’s ten-day contract expiring on Thursday. According to an NBA source, the Knicks do not intend to give him a second ten-day deal.
The center of the third string, Norvel Pelle, performs on Wednesday when the starter Nerlens Noel was a scratch at the last minute with a single tension that sealed Henson’s fate.
Henson injured his calf on the second day of his contract during a training session with various Knicks players. The 30-year-old NBA veteran never played, but took $ 119,000 from his ten-day pact to rehabilitate his calf. Henson did not undertake the two-game trip to New Orleans and Dallas.
Meanwhile, Pelle had a strong defensive game in the Knicks victory over the Pelicans on Wednesday. Pelle, who played with a dislocated finger he picked up in his Detroit debut, played 13 minutes, blocked a shot from Zion Williamson and scored two inside baskets. More importantly, he was a plus-19.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau did not know much about Pelle when they signed him earlier this month, saying the “scouts” liked him. But he was impressed. Pelle is on his second ten-day contract with the expectation that he will end the season with the Knicks.
“Norvel was great,” Thibodeau said. “He did a lot of extra work. He still finds his way and learns the system. But its length, lap block, the edge protection is great for us. ”
Thibodeau looked at Pelle and Henson as an ‘insurance’ for Noel and the Taj Gibson rugby center. Center Mitchell Robinson, who did not undertake the two-game road to New Orleans-Dallas, is expected to be out for the season with a broken foot.
“These guys did a great job all year,” Thibodeau said. ‘When Mitch went out, Nerlens was ready, went in and did an excellent job. Taj stepped in and gave us good backup minutes. The one thing about Taj that you know is that you can start him, you can bring him off the bench, you can get him situation, he is the same every day. Always ready, always first together. ”
Whether the Knicks use their last position is unclear and they may decide to perform with the trio Noel, Gibson and Pelle.
One power forward the Knicks have considered is Kenneth Faried, the robust rebounder and former Denver Nugget. Faried, 31, who recently played in China, is from Newark. But the knock on Faried is that he is still a weak shooter.