The Knicks signed Trevor Keels to a 10-day contract

The New York Knicks had to add a player to their roster Thursday — they dealt three players away in the Josh Hart trade, and league rules mandate they keep 14 players on their roster — so they signed rookie Trevor Keels to a 10-day contract.

Keels had been on a two-way deal with the Knicks this season after they selected him in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft. He played one minute with the big squad early in the season.

To be honest, I hadn’t been following Keels much during the G League season. I know he missed some games with an injury. He has appeared in 17 games with Westchester, averaging 14.9 points on 43.2 FG% (37.0 3P%), 3.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds. Apparently he has been doing better of late.

The move comes as a bit of a surprise, as there had been some rumblings that fellow Knicks two-way contractor DaQuan Jeffries might be the guy to receive a deal. They still have one opening on their 15-man roster, so they still have options.

The 19-year-old Keels is very young, so perhaps the Knicks value giving the final roster spot to a promising kid who is willing to learn. They already have a couple of “veteran presence” guys on the bench in Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose.

Welcome to the big club, Trevor!