The Knicks got a close look at a big man they might have liked to keep for themselves.
With New York sitting $3.27 million below the second apron after re-signing Jordan Clarkson earlier this week, the roster math is tight but still workable. The Knicks can squeeze in one more veteran minimum contract and remain with $824,000 in space, or they can add a rookie like second-round pick Tyler Nickel and keep $1.92 million available. That financial picture also makes it clear how close they would have been to fitting Tarris Reed Jr., whose cap hit would have landed around $3.18 million if New York had taken him 25th overall last month.
Leon Rose’s draft approach was built around saving money and adding future draft capital, and that part of the plan made sense. The Knicks couldn’t have known that Jose Alvarado, Mohammed Diawara and Landry Shamet would later agree to team-friendly extensions. By passing on the first round and collecting five future second-round picks, Rose gave the front office room to maneuver and extra ammunition for a bigger swing on the trade market later on.
That flexibility may prove useful, because replacing Mitchell Robinson on the cheap has not been simple. Andre Drummond, a 14-year veteran, is in the mix on a minimum deal, and the Knicks are still searching for one more dependable center after Robinson and Ariel Hukporti both moved on in free agency.
It’s easy to understand why Reed would have appealed to Knicks fans. The 22-year-old UConn center is built for the ugly parts of the game: he’s physical, relentless and a force on the boards.
New York got a firsthand look at him Saturday in Summer League against the Spurs, and he delivered a steady line in San Antonio’s 70-49 win. Reed played 23 minutes, finished with nine rebounds, four of them offensive, and added five points, two assists and a steal.
It wasn’t a fireworks display, but the effort and upside were there.
In San Antonio’s opening game in Vegas, Reed posted 14 points and 10 rebounds, including four offensive boards, in 21 minutes. That matchup also brought him face-to-face for the first time as a pro with St.
John’s product Zuby Ejiofor, who was taken 23rd by the Hawks. The two had spent the last two years going at it in the Big East, and both were clearly on the radar for Knicks fans during the draft process.
Reed’s Summer League work has also come with some rust, which makes sense since he hadn’t played a game since the NCAA championship in April. Last season at UConn, the St. Louis native averaged 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 blocks across 35 games.
Dan Hurley recently described how Reed evolved from a raw athlete into someone ready for a long run in the league. “Getting that guy to play with an identity, a dominance around the basket, becoming a great screener, rim protector, rebounder,” Hurley said on an ESPN Summer League telecast (h/t @StorrsCentral).
“Getting him to do things that aren't very sexy at a championship level, it's made him a guy who played in the Final Four and became a first-round pick. It was a brutal process, but it was worth it in the end.”
That description fits the parts of Reed’s game that matter most. He does the work that doesn’t show up in the flashiest clips: rebounding, screening, rim protection and paint defense. He’s also flashed real feel as a passer, especially from the top of the arc.
The Spurs plan to pair that physicality with Victor Wembanyama, and Reed looks like one of the more underrated rookies who could help right away. For Knicks fans who had their eye on him, that makes Saturday’s look a little more painful.
Given New York’s financial situation and the thinning market for centers, there’s a case that Reed should have been the pick and the rest sorted out later. But with the franchise already having won the title, the debate is left to time: whether passing on the UConn big man eventually becomes a regret.
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