The Knicks may have to solve their center depth problem the hard way: by taking a look at veterans still sitting on the market and letting training camp sort out the rest.
With more premium options apparently off the table, New York could turn to a low-cost competition for its third-string center spot. In that group, Chris Boucher stands out as a name worth watching.
Boucher brings a couple of things the Knicks can use right away. He has real veteran mileage, and he has been around winning. He was part of the 2018-2019 Golden State Warriors’ championship run in a minor role, then did the same a year later with the 2019-2020 Toronto Raptors.
He also gives New York some flexibility. Boucher has experience at center and power forward, which matters for a roster that has seen Josh Hart and OG Anunoby deal with injuries. He could help cover some minutes if coach Mike Brown wants to manage his veterans and keep them fresher for the playoffs.
And the risk is pretty limited. The Knicks would get a chance to see what Boucher has early in the preseason, and even if he doesn’t stick, the move would at least give them more time to sort out the roster before opening night.
Last season, though, things went sideways for Boucher with the Boston Celtics. Injuries played a part, and he also had to leave the team for undisclosed personal reasons.
He appeared in only nine games and didn’t produce much when he was on the floor, averaging 10.9 minutes, 2.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and .03 assists. His move to the Utah Jazz was simply a salary dump, and he was later waived, which left him watching the rest of the year from home.
Still, a healthier version of Boucher would give the Knicks a chance to buy low on a player coming off a rough season. New York has already been searching for center depth after Mitchell Robinson left and they signed Andre Drummond, and a deal like this would likely be about getting something closer to what Boucher offered the 2024-2025 Toronto Raptors.
That season, he played 50 games and averaged 17.2 minutes per night while scoring 10.0 points per game. It was his first time averaging double figures since 2020-2021, when he finished eighth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. He also posted averages of 4.5 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.5 blocks.
Boucher has been in the league long enough to know what a winning locker room looks like, and that matters for a team with championship ambitions. There’s also a natural connection with Anunoby from their Raptors days, which could help his case if the Knicks decide to make a move.
In Other News...
Mike Breen Identified What Defined The Knicks Under Finals Pressure
Mike Breen stepped into the SNY broadcast booth during a Mets game and used the moment to reflect on the Knicks championship path, zeroing in on the mental side of their 2026 NBA Finals run. What stood out to him was how the group handled pressure as a unit, with playoff-tested veterans and willing role players helping the Knicks absorb the stress of an NBA Finals stage that can rattle even the most talented teams.
Across the first two games against the San Antonio Spurs, New York had to play from behind and still found a way to settle in and make winning plays late. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart each had their turns carrying the load, but Breens point was broader than any one performance: the Knicks title push was built on collective sacrifice, and that showed up every time the game started tilting the wrong way. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Veteran Big Search Just Got More Interesting In Portland
Portlands backcourt depth took a serious hit with Shaedon Sharpe expected to miss six months because of a torn meniscus, and that kind of injury ripple can alter more than just the rotation. For a Blazers team already juggling its roster, the pressure now falls on the front office to make sure every spot is doing real work, especially after claiming center Micah Potter off waivers.
Potters situation is the one worth watching from a Knicks perspective. Portland is over capacity and already has two centers ahead of him, which could make him the odd man out if the Blazers need to clear room elsewhere. If he becomes available, New York has reason to look closely, because the Knicks still have a need for a veteran big man. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Suddenly Look Like A Real Landing Spot For Kelly Olynyk
Kelly Olynyk is still on the market, and the pool of obvious landing spots has narrowed after Golden State used its final roster openings elsewhere. That leaves the veteran big man weighing a familiar kind of late-summer uncertainty, with a handful of teams still in the mix and the chance of a standard contract looking slimmer by the day.
The Knicks, though, suddenly stand out as a place where Olynyk could actually compete for a spot rather than simply wait for one to open up. A training-camp invite or another non-guaranteed arrangement would give New York a low-risk look at a player who could fit into its center depth, and for Olynyk it would create a real path to stick around if he can make the case on the floor. [Read more 🡒]