The Knicks may not be done tinkering with their center rotation, and the next move could be a low-risk one rather than a headline grabber.
Karl-Anthony Towns is locked in as the starter, and after the team signed Andre Drummond, the remaining question is whether New York adds a third center who can soak up minutes when needed. With the Knicks trying to stay under the second apron, a younger option who has not yet established himself in the NBA looks like the more realistic path.
One name that has come up is former Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe, a player who has turned heads with his production in the G League. Jovan Alford put it this way: “If the Knicks want to go outside the box at the third center spot, taking a flier on Oscar Tshiebwe on a two-way deal might not be a bad idea,” Jovan Alford wrote.
“…In 12 regular-season G League games with the Salt Lake City Stars, Tshiebwe recorded 13.5 points and 15.5 rebounds in 29 minutes per game. Then with the Jazz, he averaged 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per game (27 games/six starts).”
At the NBA level, Tshiebwe still has plenty to prove. But the rebounding numbers he’s posted in the G League are hard to ignore, and that kind of upside is exactly why he’s being mentioned as a possible flyer for New York.
For the Knicks, the task is simple: keep making the right moves. They’ve done that before, and the expectation is that they’ll try to do it again.
In Other News...
Adam Silver Just Put The Knicks Title Window Under Pressure
Adam Silver did not exactly hide the leagues intentions when he said shortened title windows are part of the salary-cap design, and that general managers are supposed to be juggling basketball decisions with business realities. For the Knicks, that lands like a warning shot. Their current core has put them in position to chase big things, but the same roster strength that makes them dangerous also pushes them toward the financial line that can make keeping everyone together much harder.
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns sit at the center of that squeeze, with the Knicks trying to map out how long this group can stay intact without triggering the kind of penalties that force painful choices. The front office may be able to keep the window open only by asking for sacrifices somewhere, whether that means contract flexibility, roster reshuffling, or losing a useful piece along the way. The challenge is not just building a contender in the present, but finding a way to avoid the cap trap that could make the next round of decisions even tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Drummond Already Sounds Like A Knick Defending Captain Brunson
Andre Drummond is barely into his Knicks tenure and already sounds like he understands the room he walked into. Signed to fill the backup center role left by Mitchell Robinson, Drummond brings a different look to New Yorks frontcourt, with his calling card still centered on offensive rebounding and physical work around the basket.
The fit, though, comes with the usual tradeoffs. Robinsons touch near the rim has long been a strength for the Knicks, while Drummonds value has more often come from extra possessions than finishing efficiency, so the comparison is not a simple one-for-one swap. Even so, Drummond has already shown a willingness to publicly back Jalen Brunson in the kind of way that tends to play well with a fan base that has embraced its captain. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Fans Finally Got The Brunson Update They Needed
Jalen Brunsons offseason has already taken a turn that matters to the Knicks, even in the wake of the championship celebration. The guard had surgery on his left wrist shortly after the title run ended, and any time a lead ballhandler is dealing with a hand or wrist issue, the early stages of recovery tend to draw extra attention from a team that will lean on him heavily again.
There is reason for optimism around Brunsons path back, especially with the way similar offseason injuries can go in the NBA. The comparison to Jalen Williams serves as a reminder that these situations can become tricky if the recovery stalls, but so far Brunsons outlook appears to be the more encouraging one, which is exactly the kind of update Knicks fans were waiting to hear. [Read more 🡒]