The Knicks’ search for center help isn’t done yet, and Nick Richards has a real chance to come back into the conversation.
New York has already moved quickly after losing Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics, first pivoting to Andre Drummond and then adding Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado to strengthen the bench. Even with those moves, Leon Rose and the front office still need more size, and the market is getting thin fast.
Kevon Looney is now headed to the Los Angeles Lakers, while Jonas Valanciunas is strongly considering a return to Lithuania and the EuroLeague after being waived by the Denver Nuggets. With fewer proven options available, the Knicks could circle back to a name they’ve already had on their radar: Richards.
The 2021 first-round pick by the Charlotte Hornets finished last season with the Chicago Bulls. After arriving from the Phoenix Suns at the trade deadline, his role grew sharply. His minutes jumped from 9.1 per game to 22.4, and he responded with 9.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and .9 blocks while shooting 52.3% from the field.
There’s also some data behind the appeal. Basketball Index has Richards in the 98th percentile in Defensive Rebounds Per 75 Possessions, the 96th percentile in Offensive Rebounds Per 75 Possessions, and an 82nd percentile rim protector.
"Two names league sources brought up in connection to the Knicks as possible replacements for Robinson are Nick Richards and Kevon Looney."- @BrettSiegelNBA https://t.co/yZIFNYHTS3 pic.twitter.com/MyN9gYDIyk
For New York, the fit is pretty straightforward. As a third big, Richards wouldn’t be asked to carry much of the offense. The Knicks would want him cleaning the glass and protecting the rim when called upon, while the team’s scoring options do the heavy lifting elsewhere.
A role like that would likely mean fewer minutes than he saw in Chicago, and probably something closer to the time he logged in Phoenix. Still, the appeal of New York matters, and the fact that he remains unsigned suggests he’s not exactly buried under offers.
Even if a third-string job isn’t the glamorous outcome, it would come with something valuable: a spot on a title favorite. And among the players still available, Richards stands out.
There’s also a clear reason the Knicks may be comfortable revisiting him. They were linked to Richards around last season’s trade deadline, when Robinson was working back from an ankle injury and the team was trying to upgrade its center depth. Guerschon Yabusele was on the roster then, and New York was exploring ways to get a better option at the position.
At one point, some trade ideas had the Knicks sending Yabusele to Phoenix for Richards, but the Suns ultimately moved him to the Bulls for Dalen Terry.
That history matters because it shows the front office has already done its homework on Richards. If the Knicks do make the move, he’d arrive as their third big with a chance to push Andre Drummond for the main backup job if things break right.
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