The Knicks are still hunting for their third-string center, and the latest name to surface is a familiar one for anyone watching the post-free-agency shuffle: Julian Reese.
Over six weeks into free agency, New York still hasn’t filled that final center spot, and Leon Rose’s front office appears headed toward a training camp competition to sort it out. Reese, 23, was just waived by the Denver Nuggets after being sent there as part of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ multi-team acquisition of Peyton Watson. The Washington Wizards got Tre Mann in that deal after moving Cam Whitmore, and Reese was one of the pieces shipped out along the way.
If Reese is willing to take a non-guaranteed camp deal, the Knicks probably shouldn’t think too hard about it. The Maryland product has flaws, including questions about positional size, but New York isn’t exactly in a position to be choosy. A camp invite carries almost no downside, and if Reese flashes enough, he could even work his way into one of the team’s three two-way spots before the season starts.
What makes him interesting is the way he finished the 2025-26 season. Small samples in March always need a careful eye - tanking teams can inflate the minutes and usage of role players - but Reese’s run with Washington was hard to ignore.
In 13 games, including 10 starts, he put up 11.8 points and 10.5 rebounds in 30.9 minutes per night while shooting 52.9% from the field. He never took a 3-pointer, making his impact strictly inside the arc.
During that stretch, Reese also averaged 4.2 offensive rebounds per game, and that’s where the Knicks’ interest starts to make sense. His work on the glass looks a lot like what Andre Drummond brings, which matters because New York brought Drummond in this offseason to replace Mitchell Robinson. Reese is a different player, but the common thread is obvious: both make their living by chasing misses and creating second chances.
That doesn’t mean Reese is close to Drummond everywhere else. His finishing numbers weren’t perfect - he made just 62% of his shots at the rim, according to Dunks & Threes - and he pulled in a fair number of his own misses. Still, the rebound production stood out, and that’s the trait that jumps off the page.
Defensively, though, Reese would be asking a lot of the Knicks’ structure. His defensive estimated plus-minus during his time in Washington landed in the league’s 17th percentile, per Dunks & Threes, which is well below Drummond’s mark. Even so, New York believes its defensive core - Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Brown’s schemes - can help cover for some of those issues.
That’s why Reese fits as a depth play, not a solution. The Knicks don’t need their third center to be a centerpiece.
They need someone who can bridge the gap behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Drummond, at least to open the season. If that means a camp deal, the risk is tiny.
If it takes a two-way commitment and New York has better options, passing would be understandable.
But if Reese is available and the Knicks can get him in the building, he belongs near the top of the list. He has one clear NBA skill, and this roster is built to let players with that kind of edge make themselves useful.
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