The Kyle O’Quinn Era is over in New York.
The Queens product agreed to terms on a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Pacers, an NBA source confirmed. The Knicks’ burly backup center got a small raise after opting out of his Knicks contract that would have paid him $4.25 million next season.
According to a source, the Knicks stayed in close contact as they could have re-signed him and gone over the cap. They are set with their three centers — Enes Kanter, Luke Kornet and Mitchell Robinson. But Knicks brass liked O’Quinn’s outsized personality in keeping players loose during his three seasons.
Kornet became the NBA’s second two-way G-League contract player to sign to a main roster, officially signing his one-year, $1.6 million pact.
“It’s awsome,” Kornet said. “I had some great opportunities last year. I’m looking to earn every single minute. I want to play and contribute.”
Said David Fizdale: “I like Luke. He’s a heckuva skilled big. You know what you’re getting with him. He can stretch the floor to 3. He’s got great hands. He’s a very good basketball player from the standpoint of IQ. He’s a very good passer. He runs the floor extremely hard. He understands how to play in pick-and-roll.”
O’Quinn expected a bigger package to leave his hometown team, but finally gets a real shot at advancing to the playoffs. In O’Quinn’s six seasons, he has never made the postseason — with Orlando or the Knicks. He is said to be close with Indiana’s Victor Oladipo from their Orlando days.
The Post has learned Michael Beasley has yet to hear from the Knicks since free agency opened July 1.
When combo forward Mario Hezonja agreed to terms on a one-year, $6.5 million deal that day, Beasley fell completely off the radar. Beasley had been invited by team president Steve Mills and coach David Fizdale on a float for the Gay Pride parade days before free agency. The Knicks still have a $3.4 million bi-annual exception and still could have signed Beasley to a $3 million non-Bird exception.
“He’s disappointed with the Knicks, though he understands that they are going young,” said one NBA source who has spoken to Beasley.
Indeed, one of the Knicks’ philosophies is adding unproven talent and seeing coach David Fizdale mold them. Hezonja is 23 and was largely a disappointment in his first three seasons with the Magic.
Fizdale had Beasley in two Miami stints when he was an assistant coach. Another source indicated the Knicks were primed on adding with their midlevel exception either a young player with upside or a veteran who’d be a good influence on their younger players.
Had Hezonja turned them down for a two-year deal from Portland, the Knicks may have inked 33-year-old veteran forward Anthony Tolliver, whom Fizdale, Mills and GM Scott Perry all spoke to July 1. Tolliver, a 43-percent 3-point shooter, signed a one-year, $5.75 million deal with Minnesota instead, returning for a second stint.
Beasley, 29, proved a prolific scoring option this past season, averaging 13.2 points on 50.7 percent shooting, averaging 5.6 rebounds in 22 minutes after signing for the $2.4 million veteran’s minimum.
After four practices, the Knicks open their summer league schedule Saturday at 6 p.m. at UNLV against Atlanta and Trae Young, who struggled in the Utah summer league. It will mark the debut of small forward Kevin Knox, the Knicks’ own lottery pick.
“No pressure on him at all,” Fizdale said. “I don’t know what he’s going to give us. I just know I’m happy that he’s ours. I want him to get the nervous energy out, have fun, play and let every game be a learning experience for him. He has no pressure on him but to learn what the heck the NBA is about and have a whole lot of fun doing it.”