Knicks’ 25-year old center could end nomadic NBA journey with homecoming | Sporting News

Year after year, Moses Brown has shown what he can do at Summer League and in the G-League. However, NBA teams have only ever taken a flier on him.

Since going undrafted out of UCLA in 2019, the 25-year-old has spent the last five years bouncing from team to team while mostly toiling on two-way contracts in the G-League.

The 7-foot-2, 258-pound big man has signed four 10-day contracts, been traded twice and suited up for five different G-League teams. In 150 career games (44 starts), Brown has played for the Blazers, Thunder, Mavericks, Cavaliers, Clippers and Nets, averaging 5.2 points and 5 rebounds in 11.9 minutes.

Last Wednesday, it was announced that the New York Knicks were signing the local product to an Exhibit-10 contract as the team continues to beef up its organizational front-court depth. Brown, who is no longer eligible for a two-way contract because of his four years of service time, was waived the following day and is likely ticketed for the Knicks’ G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks.

Signing with the Knicks is a homecoming of sorts for Brown. The Queens, New York, native was a standout at Archbishop Molloy High School.

Getting a look at Brown suggests that the Knicks are looking more towards development with the forever-work-in-progress center who just celebrated his 25th birthday on Sunday.

With Mitchell Robinson injured and Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa both on expiring contracts, the Knicks could hope to develop Brown into a rotational center for the future.

With a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Brown has the size and physical tools to be a rotational player in the league. He is a freak athlete known for his high energy, athleticism, and active rebounding. He goes after every opposing shot, attacks the glass with ferocity, and does well as a rim runner. He has a strong motor and can throw his weight around while playing under the rim.

Despite the tantalizing flashes of potential there are reasons on both sides of the ball why he hasn’t been able to find job security. Brown can’t create his own offense, with his looks mostly coming from pick-and-roll lobs. He possesses a shaky defensive IQ, and because of his spotty focus, has lapses in pick-and-roll coverages.

Brown’s most promising NBA season came in 2020-21 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 43 appearances, including 32 starts, Brown put together career highs of 8.6 points and 8.9 rebounds in 21 minutes per game. He became the second player in franchise history to collect 20+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ blocks in a game. He finished the season with twelve double-doubles and recorded some gaudy stat lines:

• 24 points, 18 rebounds and seven blocks against the Clippers
• 21 points and 23 rebounds against Boston
• 20 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in Chicago
• 20 points and 12 rebounds against Toronto
• 19 points and 12 rebounds versus Memphis
• 18 points and 12 rebounds against Golden State

The Thunder rewarded Brown with a multi-year deal, albeit one that carried non-guaranteed years that made him an interesting trade chip. That offseason, he was dealt along with Horford to the Celtics for Kemba Walker. A month later, he was shipped to the Mavericks for Josh Richardson.

Since then, Brown has bounced around, both in the NBA and G League, occasionally seeing playing time when his teams’ starting centers got hurt, but never for long.

What’s so intriguing about Brown is that he has always produced. Per 36 minutes, the journeyman’s NBA numbers translate to 15.7 points, 15.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. In 52 G-League games, Brown has averages of 15.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 22 minutes a night.

Brown has had a winding road to finding a home, but at least for now he will continue trying to show that he’s more than just a curiosity in New York.

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