The Knicks don’t need a headline-grabbing move to address their center problem. They need someone who can hold the fort when Karl-Anthony Towns sits, and right now that need is getting harder to ignore.
New York’s depth behind Towns has been shaky, with Andre Drummond providing rebounding but limited finishing at the rim and defense, while James Wiseman has done little with the minutes he’s received and could even be a cut candidate. That leaves the Knicks looking for a more dependable answer, and an early-season trade market may already be forming.
The Bucks are the team to watch. As of Tuesday, Milwaukee is 1-6 and one of seven teams in the league with only one win. With their season drifting in the wrong direction, they look like a club that could start selling sooner rather than later.
That’s where Kel’el Ware enters the picture. His mix of rim protection, shooting, and youth would make him an appealing target for Leon Rose and the Knicks’ front office.
If New York is willing to move on from Miles McBride and feels good about its guard depth, Ware could be the kind of swing that changes the look of the bench big rotation. He’d give the Knicks a new dimension immediately and could grow into the primary backup, with Drummond eventually sliding into a third-string role.
There’s a catch, though. Ware was one of the key pieces Milwaukee got in the blockbuster summer deal that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo out the door, and the Bucks just exercised the fourth-year options on his rookie-scale contract.
Giving up a 22-year-old with a high ceiling for McBride, who is older, on an expiring deal, and offers more of a high floor than a high ceiling, may not fit the direction Milwaukee is headed. If the Bucks are moving toward a retool or a full rebuild, Ware is the kind of player they’d usually want to keep.
If Ware is off the table, the Knicks still have another path. Jericho Sims is there, and he’s a name New York already knows.
The former Knick has appeared in just three games this season and logged only 23 minutes, but he has long been a serviceable depth big. He’s never been a dynamic player, and his ceiling is well below Wiseman’s, but he can rebound and protect the paint, which is exactly the sort of steadying presence the Knicks need if they’re trying to win now.
Sims would not solve the backup center issue on his own, but he would bring more stability and a higher floor. If New York doesn’t want to move McBride, doesn’t want to chase Ware, or simply can’t pry Ware loose from Milwaukee, Sims becomes a practical fallback.
He’d also come cheaper. The source suggests he could be had for Pacome Dadiet and a second-rounder or second-rounders, or possibly for Tyler Kolek and a second-round pick. Kolek, in particular, could appeal to Milwaukee because he’s been surging lately and fits the Bucks’ timeline, especially with another year still left on his deal after this one.
There’s also the familiarity factor. Sims already knows the team and knows what it means to play in New York, which matters in a city where additions can go sideways fast. It’s not the flashy route, but it might be the one that makes the most sense if the Knicks want a reliable third-string center who can step in when Towns gets into foul trouble and Mike Brown doesn’t want to lean too hard on Drummond.
The sooner New York acts, the more time it would have to work someone like Sims into the mix before the playoffs. And with the Bucks already flashing as a possible trade partner, this is a situation worth keeping an eye on.
In Other News...
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 telling glimpse into how Mike Brown is approaching his rotation early in the season. With New York now 3-4, Brown gave rookie point guard Tyler Kolek a short run and showed enough trust to keep him in the mix, even as the game leaned on more established contributors to steady things.
Landry Shamet led the scoring with 22 points, while Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby helped carry the load as the Knicks continue sorting out their depth. Jose Alvarado also returned and logged nine minutes, adding a block in his first action back, but the bigger takeaway was Browns willingness to give Kolek a real look as New York keeps shaping its backcourt picture. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Be Reaching A Breaking Point With Mikal Bridges
The Knicks got the win over Brooklyn, but Mikal Bridges night was a reminder that not everything is clicking in New York just yet. Bridges managed only six points on 1-of-7 shooting and was limited to 16 minutes, an outing that fit the broader concern around his early-season form. Head coach Mike Brown acknowledged the slump and said Bridges needs to lean into the parts of his game that have made him valuable.
What makes the stretch more notable is how far Bridges current production has dipped from what he delivered last season, which has naturally raised questions about his role and fit. For a Knicks team trying to build consistency, getting him back on track matters beyond one box score. The hope is still there that he can rediscover his rhythm, but the margin for patience is getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hart Sees One Early Knicks Strength That Could Matter Most
The Knicks left Barclays Center with a 103-90 win over the Nets, and the most encouraging part for Josh Hart was not the final score so much as where the help came from. With the starters going through a rough shooting night, New York leaned on its second unit, and Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek were among the reserves who helped steady the game and keep the offense moving.
Hart pointed to that depth as an early strength that could matter as the season wears on. For a team that expects its top group to carry a heavy load, getting a real lift from the bench in a game like this is the kind of sign that can change how the Knicks navigate tougher stretches ahead. [Read more 🡒]