If Mitchell Robinson walks this summer, the Knicks won’t find a perfect stand-in. That’s the hard truth.
Robinson gives them a rare mix of offensive rebounding, rim protection and enough mobility to survive on the perimeter when the play breaks down. There just isn’t a clean copy of that in free agency.
But if New York has to shop in the bargain aisle, Nick Richards is the name that makes the most sense.
Richards isn’t Robinson. He’s much more of an interior big, not the kind of center who can regularly chase wings and guards around the floor. Still, he brings a lot of the same foundation the Knicks would be trying to replace: size, rim protection, rebounding and a job description that fits a backup center role behind Karl-Anthony Towns.
At 28, Richards measures 6'11.5" without shoes, weighs 245 pounds and owns a 7'2.25" wingspan. He has used that frame well as a paint presence, posting a career average of 1.7 blocks per 36 minutes and grading out as one of the better rim protectors in the league.
Basketball Index had him in the 82nd percentile in rim protection in 2025-26, the 98th percentile in 2024-25 and the 82nd percentile in 2023-24.
The rebounding numbers are just as attractive. Last season, Richards landed in the 90th percentile or better in both defensive and offensive rebounds per 75 possessions. Add in his work as a screen setter and pick-and-roll big, and the fit starts to look pretty clean for a Knicks team that may need affordable frontcourt help.
The price tag is what makes this especially interesting. Richards’ market value is relatively low, in part because the Phoenix Suns pushed him down the depth chart in 2025-26 during a youth movement at the position. A mid-season trade to the Chicago Bulls only further lowered the profile, since that team was arguably tanking.
If the Knicks can get him for the veteran minimum, they should be all over it. That would give them a low-cost center who can cover some of the Robinson loss and stabilize the bench behind Towns.
In Other News...
Knicks Just Saw A Major Mitchell Robinson Threat Fade Away
The market around Mitchell Robinson looks a lot quieter than it did a few days ago. Brooklyns decision to re-sign DayRon Sharpe and install him as its starting center takes one obvious suitor out of the chase, and several other teams that had been mentioned as possible landing spots have also started to drift away from the picture.
For the Knicks, that should make the retention conversation feel a little less frantic, at least on the surface. The challenge has not disappeared, though, because keeping Robinson still has to fit inside New Yorks financial guardrails, and that means the front office has to thread a narrow path if it wants to avoid losing a valuable piece while also preserving flexibility for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Suddenly Have A Surprising Backup Plan For A Familiar Problem
Jonathan Isaac suddenly finds himself back in the conversation after the Magic waived him to clear the books following Paolo Bancheros rookie max extension. For a Knicks team that has spent plenty of time chasing defensive versatility and frontcourt size, the move creates an interesting market wrinkle around a player whose value has long been tied to what he can do on that end of the floor.
There is, of course, a clear catch. Isaacs recent injury history and limited availability have been part of the reason his price tag could be much more manageable than his talent might suggest, which is exactly why he may end up drawing attention from teams looking for help without a major financial commitment. For New York, the appeal is obvious enough: a familiar kind of problem in the frontcourt, and a possible answer that would not require a heavy lift. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Hold A Quiet Edge In Their Center Search
The Knicks are keeping an eye on the center market, and Kevon Looney has emerged as a name worth tracking as free agency approaches. League reports suggest the veteran big man is expected to have his New Orleans team option declined, which would push him into unrestricted free agency and immediately put several contenders on notice. New Yorks interest makes sense on paper, especially with the kind of steady frontcourt piece the Knicks are expected to monitor this summer.
Looney also appears to be on the radar of other teams, including Boston and Golden State, which means the Knicks will not be operating in a quiet lane. Still, there is some real familiarity here, and SNYs Ian Begley has reported that the interest runs both ways. If the Knicks are looking for an edge in a crowded center search, this is the kind of situation where relationships can matter almost as much as the market itself. [Read more 🡒]