New York Knicks news: Knicks re-sign Early, could stay or be used as trade asset

Bringing back one of the younger faces of the franchise, the New York Knicks have re-signed Cleanthony Early last week.

After initially being waived by the Knicks, Shams Charania tweeted that the Knicks were indeed bringing back the small forward. Now on his third year in the league, Early will also play his third year with the Knicks and he is hoping to make an impact on the team.

Picked up by the team in the second round of the 2014 draft, Early went back and forth from the first team to the D-League.

It is still unsure what his future holds with the team. He could yet again be brought back to the D-League to develop, or he could be used as an additional trade piece for another big-named player.

In his two years with the Knicks, Early has not yet made a big impression. However, he has shown glimpses of what he could bring to the table. He averages 4.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and shoots 35 percent from the field.

If he can be given enough playing time to develop, or play under the guidance of someone like Carmelo Anthony, then Early can develop into a dependable player.

According to Fan Sided, there are many reasons to be delighted that the Knicks re-signed Early. After all, he is already familiar with the system. With the Knicks bringing in a lot of new players, team chemistry will definitely be a question but Early will know how their system works and can help out.

If he ends up being used as a trading piece, Early can also develop his skills. He might get more playing time as he gains more confidence.

Being only 25 years old, Early can absorb as much as he can and that would definitely be a good sign for him as he can be an asset for any team. The sky is the limit for Early, whether in the Big Apple or elsewhere.