The Knicks already know the center room needs help, and the usual names keep coming up for a reason. But if New York wants to widen the search, there are a few less obvious options worth tracking as the trade market develops.
Charles Bassey is one of them. The Golden State Warriors aren’t exactly built to part with size, but that can change fast if their season starts to wobble.
Bassey, who is on a minimum contract, could become a movable piece if Golden State decides to cash in on a soon-to-be free agent. He gives the Knicks something they need behind Karl-Anthony Towns: a more dependable finisher at the rim than Andre Drummond, plus a better pick-and-roll partner for Jalen Brunson when Towns sits.
At 6-foot-10, he’s not the biggest center, but he rebounds like it’s second nature, and he has ranked in the 78th percentile or higher of points saved at the rim per 100 possessions four times in six years, including this season. The salary fit is simple if New York is moving Drummond or James Wiseman, both of whom become trade-eligible on December 15.
If the Knicks want to send out Pacome Dadiet with second-round picks, a third team would have to get involved.
Karlo Matkovic is another name that deserves more attention. He has already been linked to New York, though most of the buzz around New Orleans has centered on his teammate Yves Missi.
That might be changing. Matkovic has stepped in well while Missi recovers from a knee injury, and the Pelicans’ version of the starting five with him in it has won the minutes it has played.
His value shows up in the details: running the floor, finishing above the rim, and stretching the floor with his three-point shot. He’s not a defensive anchor, even if his rim-protection numbers are better than expected, but his hands, athleticism and touch make him a fit next to Towns.
New York could match his salary without much trouble, and Dadiet plus picks would work straight up. The Pelicans may be reluctant to move him, but his impending free agency and their long-term path - which has to include starting Derik Queen - could make it easier.
Then there’s Jaylin Williams, who brings a very different profile. Since 2022, only Luka Dončić, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Love, Victor Wembanyama and Williams have averaged at least 10 defensive rebounds and three made triples per 100 possessions.
That alone tells you why he would make sense in New York. He wouldn’t help much on the offensive glass because so much of his game lives on the perimeter, but the spacing and passing are real, and he can share the floor with Towns.
The problem is that Oklahoma City may need him. With Chet Holmgren out for at least the next eight to 10 weeks, the Thunder have reason to keep a big man around, even if injuries to Cason Wallace and Jalen Williams have also left them looking for someone who can dribble, defend and hit threes.
Deuce McBride fits two of those boxes for New York, but the money gets tricky fast. McBride, Dadiet and picks still leave the Knicks short, and a three-for-one deal would be difficult to pull off in season while also keeping the roster workable under the second apron.
Bringing in Jose Alvarado, who becomes trade-eligible on Dec. 15, would help because he can defend, knock down threes and dribble, and his contract would appeal to a Thunder team staring at a second-apron issue next season. Even then, the Knicks would likely need a third team, because Dadiet and Alvarado alone still wouldn’t be enough.
New York could also consider attaching picks to Alvarado, Dadiet and Drummond or Wiseman, or even dangling a first-round swap or Mohamed Diawara, who becomes trade-eligible Jan. 15.
Williams has another cost-controlled year left after this one, and at 24, he would fit both the present and the future.
In Other News...
Knicks Suddenly Have A Trade Opening They Cant Ignore At Center
The Knicks search for a dependable backup center has become one of the more obvious roster questions around the team, especially with the season still taking shape and the frontcourt depth under the microscope. Milwaukees rough start has only added another layer to the conversation, since a struggling club can quickly move from holding firm to listening on pieces that might not fit its long-term direction.
Among the names floating around, Kelel Ware stands out as the more intriguing but less likely target, while Jericho Sims looks like the cleaner fit for New York if the Bucks decide to deal. Sims would come at a lower cost and offers the kind of familiar, straightforward depth the Knicks could use behind their main rotation, but for now it remains more of a possibility than a move. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Brown Is Sending An Early Message With Knicks Rookie Tyler Kolek
The Knicks win over the Nets at Madison Square Garden offered another small but notable glimpse into how Mike Brown is sorting out his rotation early in the season. With New York now 3-4, Brown gave rookie point guard Tyler Kolek a brief look and kept leaning on the kind of depth pieces that can matter as the schedule wears on, while Landry Shamets 22 points helped carry the offense alongside Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby.
Tyler Koleks five-minute stint was the kind of early-season opportunity that can say plenty about a coachs view of a young guard, especially on a roster still settling into roles. Jose Alvarado also made his return and logged nine minutes with a block, adding another layer to a backcourt mix that Brown seems willing to test as the Knicks try to find the right balance behind their top scorers. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Kolek Just Made The Knicks Backup Point Guard Battle Real
Tyler Kolek has turned the Knicks backup point guard conversation into a real one early in the 2026-27 season. His offensive play has stood out, and the assist-to-turnover numbers have backed up what the eye test has shown. Even with Jose Alvarado back from injury, Kolek has kept earning trust, which says plenty about where he sits in the rotation right now.
Against the Brooklyn Nets, that trust showed up in a big fourth quarter. The Knicks gave Kolek meaningful minutes down the stretch, and he delivered the kind of plays that helped push New York into the lead. If this is the way the battle is shaping up, the Knicks may already have a clear answer for who handles the second unit when the game gets tight. [Read more 🡒]