GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Considering all the basketball players across the world who have the potential to play in the NBA, you might be hard pressed to find two guys less likely to be in the league right now than Marcus Landry and Jonathan Bender.
The 6-foot-7 Landry (pictured) was an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin who was the last man to make the Knicks roster out of training camp.
The 6-9 Bender hadn’t played an NBA game in four years before the Knicks brought him and his creaky knees out of retirement.
Yet the Knicks chose not to waive either player at Wednesday’s 6 o’clock deadline, which means their contracts are now guaranteed for the season.
The Knicks could still cut them at anytime but would have to pay them.
For a young guy like Landry, who has three children and a wife back home in Milwaukee, that means a lot.
“Great,” Landry said Wednesday at practice before he knew his status. “I can’t even explain it. It’s a dream come true.”
He added: “Great benefits, so it’s all good.”
The Knicks have 15 players on their roster, including the retired Cuttino Mobley, whose $9.5 million expiring contract president Donnie Walsh says he’s not trying to trade.
FREE THROWS: Danilo Gallinari (sore right shoulder) did not practice Wednesday but head coach Mike D’Antoni expects him to be ready Thursday night for Charlotte.
“He’s got a little bit of a shoulder pain, but it’s just for precautionary reasons. Tomorrow [Thursday] he’ll play,” he said.
(Photo of Landry courtesy NBA.com)
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
