Marcus Landry always wanted to follow in his brother's footsteps into the NBA, and it appears he'll get that wish -- sooner than perhaps even he expected.

The New York Knicks waived Joe Crawford and Chris Hunter on Thursday morning, clearing the way for the undrafted free agent out of the University of Wisconsin to make the opening day roster.

The final decision isn't due until Wednesday, when New York opens the regular season at Miami, but Newsday reports that Landry is all but a lock to make the team.

Notably, Crawford and Hunter had partially guaranteed contracts, whereas Landry had to pay his way to New York in September just to get into scrimmages at the MSG Training Center, Newsday reported.

Despite limited action in the preseason -- Landry averaged 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in just 6.8 minutes per game -- he has made a solid impression.

"If there's a spot open," Landry told Newsday in a lengthy profile that ran Wednesday, "it's a spot I'm going to get."

As a natural post player at 6-foot-7, Landry doesn't fit the NBA mold.

But like his older brother, Carl -- who became a standout at Purdue and then rose from second-round draft choice to a regular contributor for the Houston Rockets -- Landry appears to have carved out a niche.

Versatility has always been one of his strengths; Badgers coach Bo Ryan called Landry and fellow captain Joe Krabbenhoft "stat stuffers" at his introductory press conference on Wednesday, and noted how their presence would be missed in several categories.

Landry led the Badgers in scoring at 12.7 points per game, was second in rebounding at 4.6 per game, led the team in blocked shots (35), was second among the regulars in 3-point percentage (36.7), third in steals (25) and fourth in assists (51).

After starting his career as a power forward, Landry played center the majority of the time last season following the departure of Brian Butch and Greg Stiemsma.

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