The Knicks’ center search has already been a messy one, and now Miami might be about to make it even harder.
New York is still looking for help in the middle, but a new report suggests the Heat could be circling two names the Knicks have had in their sights: Nick Richards and Keshad Johnson. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Pat Riley’s front office is considering both players while still sitting on two open roster spots.
That matters for the Knicks because the pool at center has already been thin, and New York has spent the offseason striking out on multiple attempts to solve the problem. The team has gone through trades and signings that didn’t work out, leaving Leon Rose to sift through backup options and keep waiting for the right fit.
Richards and Johnson have both been part of that conversation. Richards is the more obvious short-term answer, the kind of center who could step in right away without requiring a trade.
The fact that the Knicks still haven’t signed him, despite their need, suggests there’s at least some hesitation on their side about him as a player. Even so, at this stage of free agency, he remains one of the best available paths to immediate help.
Johnson brings a different appeal. He’s a high-flying athlete who could give a training camp group a jolt, whether that comes through a straight invite or a two-way deal.
He’s not really the clean third-string center fix Richards would be. Instead, he looks more like a developmental depth piece, which is still something the Knicks could use given how bare the current center group looks.
The problem for New York is simple: if Miami moves on either player, the Knicks lose more leverage. One reason the Knicks have been able to wait this long is that there have been more available big men than there have been meaningful roster spots, giving them the chance to be selective and hold out for someone willing to accept a deal that leaves flexibility later in the season.
That patience could get tested now. If the Heat grab Richards, Johnson, or both, New York can’t assume those options will still be there when opening night arrives. At some point, the Knicks may have to decide whether to act before the board gets thinner.
Still, Leon Rose could choose to stay patient. Missing on Richards or Johnson would sting, but more centers are likely to hit the market in the coming weeks as teams trim rosters and get a clearer picture of who they want to keep. One recent example already popped up: Hunter Dickinson, a seven-foot center and two-way player, was cut by the Pelicans to make room for another player.
That’s the reality New York is operating in now. The Knicks may not be locked into Richards or Johnson, and a trade remains an option, but the offseason resistance they’ve run into from other front offices makes an early deal feel unlikely. For now, the safest play is to keep collecting options.
And that’s why Miami’s interest is such a problem. The Knicks need as many big men to choose from as possible, not fewer. If the Heat sign either Richards or Johnson, New York’s already tricky center hunt gets a lot more complicated before training camp even begins.
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