The Knicks may already have their top two centers lined up for the 2026-27 season, but the depth chart behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond still looks like a spot worth watching.
That’s where Jonas Valanciunas comes in. New York is being tied to the veteran big man after he was waived by the Denver Nuggets, and the fit makes sense on paper if the Knicks want a more proven third option than Mohamed Diawara.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported on Thursday, a day after Valanciunas was waived, that “NYK was interested in Jonas Valanciunas in ‘24 offseason,” and added, “We had a lot of talks with different teams. New York (was) one of them,” he said then.
“NYK will have solid depth at center if Valanciunas, a former client of Leon Rose, chooses Knicks in his current free agency. He is among centers on their radar.”
Valanciunas also had a brief connection to the Lakers before they moved on. Before signing Kevon Looney on Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania said Los Angeles had interest in bringing Valanciunas in as Walker Kessler’s backup. With the Lakers now out of the picture, New York appears to have a clearer path if it wants to push hard for the 34-year-old.
The veteran center just finished a season in Denver where he played 65 games, averaged 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds, and shot 58.2% from the field while working as the second-unit center. He’s not an elite athlete and comes with limitations on both ends, but he does bring size, experience, and a steady bench presence.
For a Knicks team looking to shore up its center depth, that kind of profile could matter, especially in games where injuries or foul trouble force the bench into bigger minutes.
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