The Knicks’ center search just got a little clearer.
With Jonas Valanciunas now off the board, New York has one fewer name to consider as it looks to add depth behind Karl-Anthony Towns and newcomer Andre Drummond. On Wednesday, it was reported that the veteran big will skip another NBA run and instead join Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas for the 2026-27 season.
Valanciunas had been one of the more talked-about free agent possibilities for the Knicks, even if the fit was debated. Some saw the move as too much of the same - another sluggish, unathletic center in a room that already has its share of size. But the need for help at the five made the connection easy to understand.
Now the focus shifts elsewhere, and Nick Richards looks like the cleanest answer if New York wants to address the position through free agency.
Richards brings a lot of the same traits the Knicks have valued in their bigs. He’s a long 7-footer who screens hard, rebounds, protects the paint and runs the floor for easy finishes at the rim. In other words, he fits the kind of gritty center profile that can survive in a rotation without needing touches to matter.
The production has been there, too. Over the last four seasons, Richards has averaged 8.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while shooting 61.8 percent from the field.
He also showed this past season that he can still give a team real minutes when the opportunity opens up. After moving out of a crowded center group in Phoenix via a midseason trade to Chicago, Richards put up 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds, along with just under a block, in 20 games with the Bulls.
The 28-year-old has been linked to New York for a while, and that interest could make even more sense now. If the Knicks are determined to add another center before training camp and are looking for a minimum-scale deal, Richards stands out as one of the most practical options left on the market.
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Knicks Still Have One Big Question Behind Towns And Drummond
The Knicks have already dealt with a notable shakeup in the middle, losing Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti from their championship group before turning to Andre Drummond on a one-year deal. That move gives New York a veteran body behind Karl-Anthony Towns, but it also leaves the front office still sorting out how much depth it wants to carry at center as the season approaches.
One possible answer is Trey Jemison III, who spent last season on a two-way deal and flashed enough defensive upside to stay on the radar. He played limited minutes, but his size, rim protection and rebounding fit the kind of insurance the Knicks could use if they want another big who can absorb regular-season minutes without forcing a larger role. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Suddenly Sit At Center Of Two Massive East Storylines
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There is also a more immediate concern closer to home for New York. Jalen Brunson recently revealed he played through a wrist injury during the Eastern Conference Finals and ultimately needed surgery, a reminder of how thin the margin can be in a playoff series that ends the season. With the Knicks still measuring themselves against the top of the East, Brunsons health looms as one of the quieter but most important storylines hanging over everything else. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Suddenly Face A Tough Choice They Did Not Expect
The Knicks offseason has already been busy enough with the usual free-agent housekeeping, but Jack Kayil has added a wrinkle they probably did not see coming. After sorting out a contract issue overseas and getting to the United States, the rookie has looked comfortable in Summer League, flashing enough skill to make himself part of a real roster conversation rather than just a developmental afterthought.
What makes it interesting for New York is the shape of the roster around him. Mitchell Robinson is gone, Ariel Hukporti is now in Boston and Andre Drummond arrived on a one-year veteran-minimum deal to help stabilize the middle, so the Knicks are not exactly short on questions at center. Kayils two-way upside and perimeter touch give the front office something to weigh against the safer path of adding more size, and the decision could say a lot about how aggressively the team wants to balance now and later. [Read more 🡒]