Losing Mitchell Robinson left the Knicks with a problem that’s hard to patch over. His defense matters, sure, but his real wrecking-ball value comes when shots go up and he starts living on the offensive glass.
That’s why New York’s decision to bring in Andre Drummond stands out. Of the available options, he looks like the cleanest Robinson replacement the Knicks could have found.
Robinson’s offensive rebounding has long been his calling card, and last season he kept that edge even while the Knicks tried to manage his minutes. When he was on the floor, he rebounded 21.2% of New York’s misses, the best mark in the NBA by a wide margin. In limited action, he still averaged 4.2 offensive rebounds per game.
Drummond can’t copy everything Robinson brings, and the gap on defense is obvious. He won’t have the same impact there, and he won’t affect the game in quite as many ways. But on the one area New York needed help most, he still brings real value.
Last season, Drummond played 19.5 minutes per game, almost the same workload Robinson logged at 19.6. In that time, he averaged 3.2 offensive rebounds per game, which ranked sixth in the league.
He also grabbed 14.8% of his team’s misses, a number that landed in the 93rd percentile. Robinson, by comparison, was in the 100th percentile.
That’s the key here: Drummond is not Robinson, but the Knicks weren’t going to find many better answers for the specific job of replacing his work on the offensive boards. Robinson is still the better offensive rebounder.
No question. But Drummond can absolutely help fill that void, and that makes him a useful piece for New York heading into next season.
In Other News...
Knicks Face A Costly Karl-Anthony Towns Decision Soon
Karl-Anthony Towns helped push the Knicks toward a championship, but his future in New York is already shaping up as one of the franchises toughest roster calls. The issue is not his production so much as the math around it, with the Knicks trying to balance one expensive core against the reality of the salary cap and the need to keep enough flexibility to stay competitive.
Towns is eligible for a massive extension, yet the front office may have to decide whether he fits into the long-term picture alongside the other key pieces already on the books. If a new deal does not come together, New York could be forced to explore a trade or let him reach free agency after next season, a possibility that would turn one of the teams biggest strengths into a looming headache. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Still Have One Frontcourt Problem Andre Drummond Doesn't Solve
The Knicks moved quickly to patch the frontcourt after losing Mitchell Robinson, bringing in Andre Drummond to add size, rebounding and some stability inside. It makes sense on paper, especially for a team that has leaned on physicality and rim protection, but Drummond is not a clean substitute for what Robinson gave them defensively. He does not bring the same mobility, and that matters on a roster built around Karl-Anthony Towns.
Robinson and Towns were used together only in spurts, but the pairing gave New York a useful blend of toughness and lineup flexibility when it worked. Drummond does not really solve the bigger issue hanging over the front line, which is finding another big who can share the floor with Towns without compromising the defense. If the Knicks want to keep their options open in bigger playoff matchups, they may still have work to do. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Still Have One Roster Concern Fans Should Be Watching
The Knicks have done most of their summer work, but the front of the roster still has a familiar unfinished feel. They are sitting on 13 players with guaranteed contracts after losing Mitchell Robinson to the Celtics and Ariel Hukporti to the 76ers, then adding Andre Drummond on a one-year minimum deal to help stabilize the center rotation.
Center depth remains the spot to watch, and New York is still looking at ways to shore it up without boxing itself in financially. The club is under the second tax apron by about $3.27 million, and that margin is shaping the way it approaches its last openings, including potential young big men, non-guaranteed options and two-way spots, while unsigned draft pick Tyler Nickel also remains a decision point as he weighs a rookie deal or another year in college. [Read more 🡒]