OAKLAND -- Tony Wroten will not play with the New York Knicks this season but the team hopes that he can part of its future.
The Knicks formally announced the Wroten signing Wednesday, and league sources say that the contract is a two-year deal with the second season (2016-17) partially guaranteed.
Kurt Rambis said that Wroten, who has played just eight games since last February due to an ACL injury, will not play or practice with the team.
“This was more to garner his rights and put him situations where we can look at him this summer,” Rambis said.
The Knicks medical staff and trainers will presumably work with Wroten for the remainder of the season to prepare him to play with the team in the Las Vegas Summer League.
The structure of Wroten’s deal will allow the Knicks to monitor the guard over the summer and keep him on the roster if they feel he is a fit. If they don’t believe he is a fit, New York can release Wroten and would have to pay him only the portion of his 2016-17 contract that is guaranteed. That amount is unknown.
“We’ll get an opportunity to work with him over the summer and see what he can bring in summer league and retain his rights so that he’s somebody that we can possibly look at in the future,” Rambis said.
The 6-foot-6 Wroten underwent surgery to repair a partially-torn right ACL last February and hasn't played much since the injury. He averaged 8.4 points, 2.5 assists and 3.6 turnovers in eight games for the Philadelphia 76ers this season before being waived to make room for Ish Smith. Last season, prior to his injury, Wroten averaged 16.9 points, 5.2 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals per game for the Sixers.