Karl-Anthony Towns’ early foul trouble has put a bigger spotlight on the Knicks’ center situation, and it’s not a problem New York has solved yet.
The offseason search for a backup big was supposed to help cover for the loss of Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics, but five games in, the Knicks are still juggling answers. Andre Drummond has been uneven, and behind him sits James Wiseman, who has barely been used and has not given the team much reason to lean harder on him.
Wiseman has logged just 10 total minutes so far. His biggest opportunity came against the Magic, when he got seven minutes with Drummond on the bench. The result was rough: 0 of 5 from the floor, one turnover and two rebounds.
That kind of outing can point in one of two directions. It might mean Mike Brown is still sorting through his rotations and wants to see how Wiseman fits once he settles into the system.
Or it could mean the Knicks simply don’t trust him after that longer look against Orlando produced very little. At this point, the second explanation looks more likely.
The recent back-to-back only strengthened that sense. Brown used Wiseman for just one minute in the first game, then didn’t play him at all in the second. That stood out even more because the Knicks looked sluggish against the Bulls and could have used fresh legs.
Brown also briefly went with OG Anunoby at center this season, which says plenty about where the staff is willing to get creative. The five-man group of Anunoby, Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, Landry Shamet and Deuce McBride has shared four minutes, and it posted a 122.2 Defensive Rating in that small sample.
By comparison, the lineup Wiseman has played with most often - Hart, Brunson, Clarkson and Shamet - has only been on the floor for three minutes together and produced a 16.7 DEFRTG.
The pattern is hard to miss. Against the Bulls, Wiseman never got off the bench while Anunoby handled some time at center. Against the Pistons, the Knicks’ first win of the season, Wiseman checked in only during garbage time and played 1:13.
That leaves New York operating like it has only two centers. When Towns went to the locker room clutching his wrist against the Bulls, it had to send a jolt through the team and the front office. If something happens to Towns or Drummond, and especially Towns, the Knicks would be in real trouble.
That’s where the roster stands for now, especially with James Dolan saying he did not want to go over the second apron. Brown may give Wiseman another chance down the line, but unless the big man shows more than he has so far, the Knicks may keep looking for a third center they can actually trust.
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