The Knicks are still searching for center help, and one name that had been floating around as a possible low-cost answer is now off the board.
On Friday, the Rockets announced they signed Oscar Tshiebwe, the former undrafted center/power forward who had been drawing interest as a budget-friendly option. Spotrac lists the deal as an Exhibit 10 contract, a mostly non-guaranteed minimum deal for one year. For a Knicks team that could use a cheap third-string center, that’s a tough one to watch slip away.
Tshiebwe’s path has been all about squeezing value out of every opportunity. He went undrafted in 2023 and has spent most of his pro career on two-way contracts, but he’s made noise in the G League. The West Virginia/Kentucky big man was the 2024 NBA G League Rookie of the Year and earned back-to-back first-team honors.
His rebounding numbers are what really put him on the map. Tshiebwe led the G League in total rebounds in both 2023-24, when he grabbed 367, and 2024-25, when he finished with 494. His career average of 17.2 total rebounds per game is first in G League history, according to Basketball Reference.
He has also shown enough in the NBA to make a case for a deeper look. In 49 career games, including seven starts, Tshiebwe has averaged 7.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists while shooting 61.3% and playing 15.2 minutes per game. On a per-100-possession basis, that works out to 21.8 points and 20.1 rebounds, which is the kind of production that made him look like a possible fit for New York’s No. 3 center spot.
His late-season run offered the clearest sign yet of what he can do with more runway. Starting four of the Jazz’s final five 2025-26 games, the 6-foot-8, 255-pound big man averaged 15.2 points and 12.0 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per night.
Now, instead of landing in New York, Tshiebwe will get a shot to prove himself with Houston. That leaves the Knicks back in the market for center depth, with Leon Rose and company still needing to find a third-string option before the season gets here.
There are still names out there. The Bucks’ Kel’el Ware would be a strong fit, though a trade would be a long shot.
There has also been some growing optimism that the Knicks could work out a deal with the Pelicans, who have intriguing options in Yves Missi and Karlo Matković. And if New York wants to stay in free agency, veteran rebounders like Nick Richards are still available.
The Knicks do have alternatives. What they don’t have is time to keep waiting.
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