The Knicks have already added Andre Drummond, but the center search is not done yet. Kevon Looney was the big name tied to New York, and now that he has signed with the Lakers, the pool of available options has gotten thinner.
Nick Richards is still out there, and Jonas Valanciunas could enter the picture if the Nuggets waive him. There’s also the possibility of a reunion with Jeremy Sochan. Another route would be bringing several centers to training camp on non-guaranteed deals and letting the competition sort itself out.
That kind of setup would open the door for a wide range of names, from veterans with playoff mileage to younger bigs looking for one more crack at sticking in the league.
One of the more intriguing possibilities is a five-time All-Star who would seem unlikely to settle for a camp invite. Still, the appeal of New York and a chance to join a championship team could be enough to get the 6-foot-10 big man to consider it.
The 37-year-old played a limited reserve role for Utah last season, but he still averaged 5.8 rebounds in 37 games and shot 37.3% from three. He was once among the league’s best rebounders, and his background as a key piece on a title team would fit the Knicks’ pursuit of another ring.
Charles Bassey would be a much more straightforward camp candidate. The 25-year-old has spent much of his five-year career on two-way and 10-day deals, but he brings energy and strong rebounding instincts. In 28 games with the Spurs in 2024-25, the 6-foot-10 Nigerian native ranked in the 98th percentile in offensive rebounding percentage, per Cleaning the Glass.
Drew Eubanks is another veteran who could fit the mold. He played in 42 games for Sacramento last season, starting 11, and averaged 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds before a torn UCL in his left thumb ended his season in March. The eight-year pro has bounced around six teams and has only appeared in six combined playoff games, so a chance to join something bigger could make New York appealing on a non-guaranteed deal.
Larry Nance Jr. brings a different kind of value. He is no longer the same explosive athlete, and injuries made last season in Cleveland a difficult one.
Even so, he can still hit threes and offer a strong presence in the locker room. A full summer of recovery and the Knicks’ medical staff could help him bounce back, while his Finals experience from 2017-18 would give New York another veteran voice.
Tony Bradley is the kind of depth center teams lean on when the rotation gets thin. He split last season between Indiana and Atlanta and has the profile of a reliable third-string big. He also has playoff experience, and he would not cost more than the minimum.
Mason Plumlee could also be in the mix. The 13-year veteran finished last season with the Spurs after being waived by Charlotte, and he played only 20 games because of surgery on his right groin. Even so, he was a rotation player for the Clippers and Suns not long ago, and his work on the offensive glass could give the Knicks a lift behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Drummond.
Bismack Biyombo, now 33, spent last season as a bench option for Victor Wembanyama. The Congo native has been around long enough to know exactly what he is at this stage, and he could still handle a few regular-season minutes if needed.
Chris Boucher is another name with some history attached to New York. The Jazz waived the 33-year-old after acquiring him from Boston as a salary dump, and nobody claimed him.
He is close with OG Anunoby and was linked to the Knicks during the trade deadline, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. The 6-foot-8 big man can stretch the floor and has shown real production off the bench before, averaging 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in a strong reserve season.
He would also get the added motivation of facing Toronto and Boston.
Dwight Powell has spent nearly his entire career with Dallas, and the 34-year-old remains a familiar face in the league. He has not averaged more than 15 minutes per game since 2022-23, but he knows Jalen Brunson and is still coming off a rebound uptick, finishing last season at 4.1 per game after posting 3.4 and 2.1 the previous two years.
Kelly Olynyk would bring a different skill set. The 35-year-old averaged 3.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in 8.8 minutes over 42 games with San Antonio, but his career 36.9% three-point shooting and long playoff résumé make him an interesting frontcourt fit alongside Drummond.
Moses Brown is the youngest of the group at 26, but he is also the only one who did not play in the NBA last season. The New York native spent time in the G League, signed with a Puerto Rican team in March, and was with the Knicks’ G League affiliate in 2024-25. He has flashed enough in the past to keep getting looks.
Mo Bamba, another New York native, rounds out the list. He appeared in only four NBA games last season for Toronto and Utah and has not logged major minutes since a stint with the Clippers in 2024-25. Even so, the 28-year-old still has the athletic tools that once made him a promising big, which is enough to make him worth a look in camp.
In Other News...
Knicks Reward Landry Shamet With Long Term Deal After Title Run
Landry Shamets value to the Knicks went well beyond the box score during their championship run, where he gave them needed shooting and steady defense at exactly the right time. His best stretch came in the Eastern Conference Finals, when he helped stabilize the rotation and fit neatly into a team that leaned on versatility and timely shot-making all spring.
Now the Knicks have made sure that contribution is part of their longer-term plan. Shamet agreed to a four-year, $24 million contract that gives New York some security without fully locking in every season, and team president Leon Rose made clear the organization views him as more than a short-term piece after the way he helped push the club to the title. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Fans Just Learned How Much Brunson Was Really Dealing With
Jalen Brunson is headed for offseason surgery on his left wrist, a move the Knicks have been able to put off until now because of how deep their run went. The procedure is expected to keep him on the shelf for about two months, but the bigger point for New York is that the team is finally addressing an issue that had been hanging over its star guard as it pushed through the spring.
Brunson is expected to be ready by the start of next season, which matters as much as anything for a Knicks team built around his availability and steadiness. The surgery is meant to prevent the wrist from getting worse and to protect his long-term health, leaving the organization with a brief offseason concern but no reason to believe its centerpiece will miss opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Already Regret This Cost Cutting Draft Decision
The Knicks spent draft night looking for savings, trading back in the 2026 NBA draft to trim rookie costs before bringing back Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet. On paper, it was a tidy bit of roster management, the kind of move that helps a team preserve flexibility while filling out the back end of the rotation. But the cost-cutting approach also meant passing on a couple of intriguing young players who fit obvious needs for a team trying to balance win-now depth with a little long-term upside.
Cameron Carr and St. John's Zuby Ejiofor have both looked the part early in Summer League, which only sharpens the question of what the Knicks gave up by moving back. New Yorks veteran-heavy roster already leaves little room for developmental mistakes, and the ripple effects of that draft-night decision could reach beyond this summer if the team keeps trying to squeeze in more proven pieces around the edges. [Read more 🡒]