The Knicks still have work to do in the frontcourt, even after adding Andre Drummond.
New York’s roster is largely set up well elsewhere, with enough guards and versatile wings to support a deep rotation. But Mitchell Robinson’s departure this summer left the center spot thinner than the Knicks would like, and with the East getting tougher, the team is still exploring ways to add another big.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that New York has looked at two young centers as possible trade targets: the New Orleans Pelicans’ Yves Missi and the Charlotte Hornets’ Moussa Diabate. The Knicks currently have a 13-man roster, which gives them room to make another move, but with just $3.2 million in salary space before the second apron, they would need to be careful about how they do it.
Diabate is the easier fit to understand. The Hornets center brings energy, athleticism, and real two-way upside, the kind of profile that could slot cleanly into the Knicks’ rotation.
He turned in a small but meaningful breakout last season, averaging 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game while helping Charlotte in a big way during the second half of the year. At 24, he looks like a player who could handle a larger role.
From a cap standpoint, New York could make that happen by moving Mohamed Diawara’s $2.6 million contract and taking on Diabate’s $2.4 million hit. That would keep the Knicks flexible enough to still add minimum-salary players.
If they wanted to make the offer more appealing, they could also send Diawara with a second-round pick. The issue is whether Charlotte would want Diawara at all, especially with its own need for another big man.
Missi brings a similar kind of appeal, but the path to getting him is different. New Orleans has more depth in the frontcourt, with Derik Queen leading the group, which makes the Pelicans a slightly more realistic trade partner on paper. Missi, like Diabate, is a young athletic center with defensive upside who could help fill the Robinson role in New York.
His numbers last season were modest, but they still stood out: 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Playing time was inconsistent, which dragged down his production, but the tools are obvious.
To get Missi’s $3.5 million cap hit, the Knicks would need to take back a little more salary than they send out. A package built around Pacome Dadiet, who is on a $2.9 million deal, plus an unprotected second-round pick would leave New York roughly $600,000 over what it sends out, enough to still fit one more minimum signing.
Even so, the Pelicans may not be willing to move him. Reports indicate New Orleans wants to keep both Missi and Queen in the frontcourt, which leaves the Knicks in a familiar spot: looking for help, but not finding an easy trade path.
That could push New York back toward the free-agent market. Drew Eubanks and Kevin Love have recently come up as possibilities, and SNY’s Ian Begley also mentioned Tony Bradley as a name on the team’s radar. Begley wrote:
“One other note on free agent signings ahead of training camp: veteran center Tony Bradley has also been a player on the Knicks’ radar. The Knicks do not currently have a third center, but there is a strong degree of confidence internally in the Karl-Anthony Towns-Andre Drummond duo at the position.”
Bradley spent the 2025-26 season with the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks, putting up 4.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 54.7% from the field. He would be a reasonable minimum-level option, though the Knicks may still keep looking for something better.
For now, New York has a few paths to consider, but none of them look simple.
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Knicks Still Have One Clear Roster Need Before Camp Opens
The Knicks still have one obvious item to clean up before training camp opens, and it sits right in the middle of the floor. With Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond in place, New York is thin behind them after Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti departed in free agency, leaving the front office with a clear need for another center to round out the depth chart.
Leon Roses group has been keeping tabs on options, with Tony Bradley on the radar as a possible camp addition and Drew Eubanks also among the names being considered. For now, the target is straightforward: find a third-string center who can help stabilize the start of the season, even if the bigger roster picture still could shift again before the trade deadline. [Read more 🡒]
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Olynyks path remains a little murky, though, because he was recently part of offseason workouts with Victor Wembanyama and other San Antonio players in Paris. So while he fits the profile of a useful depth add for New York, the Knicks may have to wait and see whether he stays with the Spurs or becomes available for a move to Manhattan. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Could Find A Needed Defensive Wing In Memphis Cuts
Memphis is facing a roster squeeze as it works to trim down to 15 players, and that kind of late-summer cleanup can create an opening for teams watching the waiver wire. One name worth tracking is Micah Peavy, a defensive wing who spent last season with the New Orleans Pelicans and has earned attention more for his work on that end of the floor than for what he brings offensively.
For the Knicks, that profile fits a very specific need as they continue sorting out the back end of the roster. Peavy has reportedly drawn interest from New York as a possible add, with the path potentially starting on a training camp arrangement before any longer-term role comes into view. It is the sort of low-risk swing teams make when they are looking for size, energy and defense without having to pay a premium for it. [Read more 🡒]