The Knicks have been hunting for a replacement after losing Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics in free agency, and the name at the top of their list appears to be New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi.
But New York is running into a wall.
NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Thursday afternoon that the Knicks have made repeated pushes to land Missi, only to be turned away each time. The Pelicans, according to Haynes, view him as a core piece and have made it clear he’s not available.
Missi checks a lot of the same boxes Robinson did for New York. At 6-foot-11 and 22 years old, the Belgium native was the No. 21 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of Baylor, and his value has been built on the kind of work that matters around the rim: offensive rebounding and shot blocking.
He showed that promise right away as a rookie, earning All-Rookie Team honors after averaging 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
His 2025-26 season was a different story. Injuries and ineffectiveness dragged him down to 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Even with that dip, the Pelicans don’t seem eager to move him unless the Knicks are willing to put a major piece on the table. And that’s where the deal gets complicated, because New York probably isn’t in the mood to sacrifice a key contributor just to make it happen.
If there’s a path here, it may require a third team to step in and help bridge the gap. Without that kind of help, the Knicks could wind up missing on a player they clearly want.
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Boston is suddenly better positioned to enter the chase after adding fresh draft capital in the Brown deal, and the Celtics now look like one of several East teams that could try to make a serious push. Philadelphia, Toronto, New York and Detroit are also part of the conversation, which only underscores how complicated Murphys market could become for New Orleans if the bidding starts to build. [Read more 🡒]