The injury-plagued New York Knicks are exploring the depths of their roster as they face stiff competition from other Eastern Conference playoff contenders for homecourt advantage in the NBA playoffs’ opening round. With this in mind, the Knicks have announced via their official Twitter/X account the signing of forward Mamadi Diakite and shooting guard DaQuan Jeffries to new 10-day contracts.
Diakite had previously participated in New York’s 2023 team training camp before joining their G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks. In six games with Westchester, he averaged 13.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. Recently, he was on a two-way deal with the San Antonio Spurs, who waived him two weeks ago.
Standing at 6’9″, Diakite, a power forward/center, was undrafted out of Virginia in 2020. He excelled in the G League, earning All-NBA G League First Team honors with the Lakeland Magic before eventually securing a standard contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, contributing to their championship victory in 2021. Throughout his career, he has had stints with various teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, and most recently, the Spurs and the Knicks this season. In 52 NBA games over four seasons, he has averaged 3.3 points and 2.4 rebounds, while his G League statistics have been notably stronger.
Jeffries, a 6’5″ swingman, was initially with the Knicks on a non-guaranteed standard contract but was released in December. He rejoined the team last month on a 10-day deal. Undrafted out of Tulsa in 2019, Jeffries has had experience with multiple NBA teams, including the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and Memphis Grizzlies. In 14 games with Westchester this season, he has averaged 22 points, showcasing his scoring ability. Throughout his NBA career spanning four seasons, he has averaged 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 60 games, with his time in the G League during the 2022-23 season.
