Knicks Roster Guide
How an NBA roster is put together, and the players whose numbers no Knick will wear again.
Need the current roster? Rosters change through trades, signings and injuries all season, so we don't copy it here. The official, up-to-date list is at nba.com/knicks/roster.
How NBA rosters work
- Standard contracts: a team can carry up to 15 players on standard NBA contracts during the regular season, subject to league minimums.
- Two-way contracts: up to three additional players can be on two-way deals, splitting time between the NBA club and its G League affiliate. The Knicks' G League affiliate is the Westchester Knicks.
- Active list: on game nights, a set number of players are active and the rest are listed as inactive. Injury reports are released before each game.
- Offseason: teams may carry more players (up to 21 total) between the end of the season and the start of the regular season, including training camp invites.
Positions in plain English
| Position | Abbr. | Typical role |
|---|---|---|
| Point guard | PG | Primary ball handler; sets up the offense |
| Shooting guard | SG | Perimeter scorer and shooter |
| Small forward | SF | Wing who scores and defends on the perimeter |
| Power forward | PF | Frontcourt player; rebounding, spacing or interior scoring |
| Center | C | Rim protection, rebounding, screens and finishing |
Modern lineups are flexible, so you'll often see labels like "G/F" or "F/C" for players who cover more than one spot.
Retired numbers
These numbers hang in the rafters at Madison Square Garden. For the stories behind them, see our Knicks history guide.
| No. | Honoree | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Walt Frazier | Guard on the 1970 and 1973 championship teams |
| 12 | Dick Barnett | Guard on the 1970 and 1973 championship teams |
| 15 | Dick McGuire | Guard in the 1950s and later Knicks coach; shares No. 15 |
| 15 | Earl Monroe | "The Pearl", guard on the 1973 championship team; shares No. 15 |
| 19 | Willis Reed | Center and captain, Finals MVP in 1970 and 1973 |
| 22 | Dave DeBusschere | Forward on the 1970 and 1973 championship teams |
| 24 | Bill Bradley | Forward on the 1970 and 1973 championship teams |
| 33 | Patrick Ewing | Center, the franchise's all-time leading scorer when he left in 2000 |
| 613 | Red Holzman | Coach of both championship teams; 613 is his career win total with the Knicks |