The Knicks may be sending a pretty clear message about how they want to handle the center spot: maybe they’re not in any rush to add one at all.
For most of the offseason, the assumption has been simple enough. New York would eventually bring in a third center, whether before training camp or at some point before opening night. But that plan looks a little less certain now, with the team showing enough confidence in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond that it could be willing to roll with just those two.
In his latest mailbag for SNY, Ian Begley put it plainly: “The Knicks do not currently have a third center,” he writes, “but there is a strong degree of confidence internally in the Karl-Anthony Towns-Andre Drummond duo at the position.”
That doesn’t guarantee the Knicks are done looking. But it does suggest the urgency might not be as high as many expected. And if New York decides to stay with that setup, Mike Brown may have to lean harder into lineups without a traditional big man.
There’s a reason that possibility makes sense. Towns is Towns - a star at the position - and Drummond is about as solid a minimum-salary option as a team can hope for.
Even so, that pair doesn’t magically solve the reality of an 82-game season. Players miss games.
Rest days happen. Injuries happen, too.
Then there’s the matchup problem. Drummond can still help, but there are nights when he may not be the best fit.
He has never matched Mitchell Robinson’s mobility, his post defense, or his presence around the rim. And now, at 33, he’s not suddenly getting quicker or more versatile on that end.
Without another backup center waiting in the wings, New York could be pushed toward more stretches with OG Anunoby, Mohamed Diawara, or even Josh Hart serving as the de facto 5. Those groups wouldn’t be the Knicks’ everyday identity, but even a small increase would matter.
Last season, the Knicks played just 86 total minutes without a center in the regular season and playoffs combined, and the results were not especially strong. That number could rise in a hurry if the 14th roster spot goes to another player who isn’t a center.
And the clues aren’t exactly hiding. Big men such as Tony Bradley and Drew Eubanks are still on the radar, but the Knicks have also reportedly shown interest in John Konchar, a shooting guard.
They were among the finalists for Ben Simmons as well, and whatever else Simmons is, he’s not a center. That fits the same broader theme.
There’s also the way some of the conversation around the roster is already shifting. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post has been talking about the importance of Mohamed Diawara getting stronger so he can potentially handle stretch 5s.
None of that proves the Knicks are definitely moving toward a more centerless approach. But the signals are there, and they’re adding up.
In Other News...
Andre Drummond Suddenly Carries A Bigger Knicks Responsibility
Andre Drummond arrives in New York with a familiar rsum and a new layer of pressure. The veteran big man has long built his value on rebounding, defense and the kind of physical presence that can change the tone of a game, and the Knicks are counting on those traits to help stabilize the frontcourt around Karl-Anthony Towns.
The timing matters because the opening in the rotation is bigger now, even if the exact job description is still taking shape. Drummond has produced career averages of 12.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, but the Knicks need to find out how much of that can still translate when the minutes and the responsibility both rise. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Have A Cheap Answer To Their Center Problem
With two roster spots still open and the search for frontcourt help dragging into free agency, the Knicks are still looking for a workable answer behind their centers. One name that has surfaced is Kelly Olynyk, the veteran big man who spent last season with the Spurs and could offer New York a steady presence, some size and the ability to soak up occasional minutes in the middle without forcing the club into a bigger swing.
Olynyks path is not entirely in New Yorks hands, though. He was recently in Paris working out with Victor Wembanyama and Spurs teammates, which suggests San Antonio has reasons to keep him around and leaves the Knicks waiting to see whether their target is actually available or whether they will need to keep searching for a cheap fix at a position that has been hard to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Delicate Roster Decision Before Camp Opens
With training camp approaching, the Knicks are still sorting through the edges of a roster that already has plenty of size in the middle. Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond give New York a clear baseline at center, but the front office is still weighing how to use its final standard roster spots, and veteran big man Tony Bradley is among the free-agent names being considered, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
There is also some longer-term business to manage before camp opens. The Knicks have been in regular communication with Miles McBrides representatives about a possible contract extension, but salary-cap pressure has made a resolution uncertain, adding another layer of delicacy to a preseason stretch that already has the roster squeezed in a few different places. [Read more 🡒]