The Knicks still have a hole to plug before training camp, and Taj Gibson suddenly looks like a familiar, practical answer.
New York already brought in Andre Drummond to cover for Mitchell Robinson, but the front office’s early efforts to fill the backup center spot behind him haven’t landed yet. After reported trade talks for other reserve bigs went nowhere, and after a run at Moussa Cissé was matched by the Dallas Mavericks, the Knicks have been pushed back toward the kind of training camp competition Landry Shamet won a year ago.
Then Wednesday brought another veteran center onto the market. The New Orleans Pelicans waived Gibson, who had been traded by the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday in part to clear room for the addition of Bennedict Mathurin.
For the Knicks, Gibson is hardly a stranger. He’s known both around the organization and in the locker room.
At 41, he isn’t the kind of move that fixes everything. But he could help solve the most obvious problem on the roster, at least for the moment.
That matters because Ariel Hukporti is gone, and with him went the team’s emergency depth at the position. Hukporti wasn’t a major part of the championship run as the third-string big, but he did give Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns important minutes of relief in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
In the closeout win that ended the Knicks’ 53-year title drought, Hukporti played only two minutes. He finished with one rebound, one assist and one block. His recovery and block of former Knicks big man Luke Kornet at the rim stood out as the biggest plays of his career so far.
Drummond should fit in Brown’s system, but there’s still plenty of uncertainty around how the move will actually play out. And in an Eastern Conference this competitive, every game matters if the Knicks want the homecourt advantage they’ll need to defend their title. Brown simply needs more size and reliability underneath the basket, especially with Towns prone to piling up offensive fouls.
That’s why New York has reportedly been keeping tabs on Drew Eubanks, and why Gibson makes sense as another option in the same lane. Rose is still searching for a way to finish the roster, and Gibson could be the next name he seriously considers.
Of course, whoever the Knicks add does not have to be their third-string center in the 2027 NBA Finals. There will be chances to upgrade that spot later, including before the trade deadline. But if Gibson is the pick, the Knicks would probably still need another answer down the line.
For now, though, Rose only needs someone who can handle the job in the short term. Gibson’s steady veteran presence could do that.
By playoff time, New York will hope it doesn’t need anything from a third-string center at all. But injuries happen, no matter how good the training staff is.
There’s also the question of how the deal would come together. Would the Brooklynite be open to competing for the role on an Exhibit-9 contract in training camp? Would the Knicks sign him without making the 17-year veteran battle younger, less experienced players for a job in the New York market?
Those are the decisions Rose’s front office has to make, and they may determine whether Gibson returns to the Knicks for a third stint.
If he doesn’t fit, Julian Reese remains on the board. The 6-foot-9 forward is still available and would be worth a training camp look. He wasn’t a strong defender in limited action last season, but he was an excellent rebounder, which sounds a little like Drummond.
Gibson turned 41 in June, and Reese is 23. That may make the Maryland product the better long-term swing. Either way, the Knicks need to make a move soon, with training camp across the league set to begin on September 29.
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Knicks Still Have One Possible Center Option Worth Watching
Nick Richards next stop is already drawing attention in New York. The veteran center signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Miami Heat, a move that gives Miami plenty of flexibility before the season begins and keeps Richards in a bit of limbo as training camp approaches. For the Knicks, it is the kind of situation worth monitoring, especially with the need for extra size behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.
Richards has a track record that still makes him interesting if he reaches the open market again. Injuries cost him significant time last season, but before that he had already shown he could handle meaningful minutes and help on the glass during his run with the Charlotte Hornets. If Miami decides to move on, New York could be one of the teams watching closely for a chance to add another backup center option. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Need Veteran Insurance Before Their Next Roster Move
The Knicks are still navigating a roster puzzle that could stretch beyond one clean move. With limited cap space and only a few spots to work with, New York has been weighing veteran insurance as it looks ahead to a potential trade for a young center, and Bruce Brown has emerged as a logical fit on the margins of that plan.
Browns appeal is obvious for a team trying to stay flexible. He is an unrestricted free agent, has made clear he likes New York, and brings the sort of dependable experience that can help cover the edges while the front office keeps hunting for bigger upgrades. The tricky part is finding the right sequence of moves, since any path to adding a center could force the Knicks to make uncomfortable choices elsewhere on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Still Have One Bench Decision That Could Shape Their Depth
With training camp and the roster picture still taking shape, the Knicks have one more move to make before they can call the group complete. They already have 13 players under contract, and the front office has some room to work with as it looks for a final addition that can help balance the bench. The need is pretty straightforward: more depth somewhere, whether that comes in the form of a backup center, a reliable shooter from the perimeter, a younger piece to develop, or an experienced voice for the locker room.
The tricky part is that those needs do not all point to the same kind of player, which is why this last spot matters more than it might seem. New York has to decide whether to lean into size, shooting, or versatility, and the choice could shape how usable the second unit looks on a night-to-night basis. It is the kind of quiet roster call that can fade into the background in August, then loom much larger once the games start for real. [Read more 🡒]