The New York Knicks may soon find themselves shopping the bargain bin for a center, and Kelly Olynyk has quietly become one of the more interesting names in that lane.
For now, the free-agent market at the position is thin enough that New York may end up running a training camp competition with a few veteran tryout players if it can’t land a more established option in the next few days. That’s where Olynyk enters the picture, especially after a key development this week made his path to a standard contract a lot murkier.
The Warriors, who had been linked by various reporters as a possible landing spot for Olynyk, used their final regular-season roster openings on guard Brandon Williams and forward Georges Niang. Golden State’s two open spots were filled Tuesday, and both players were targeted over the last month before landing one-year minimum deals. With that move, one of Olynyk’s best remaining chances at a guaranteed spot for the 2026-27 season disappeared.
That leaves the Canadian big man in a tougher spot than he was just a few days ago. At 35 and coming off a career-worst season with the Spurs, he’s now been unsigned for nearly two months while most backup jobs around the league have already been claimed. The leverage he once had is basically gone, and waiting around for a standard deal no longer looks like a winning strategy.
For the Knicks, that could open the door.
New York has a real opening at center, and not just as a body to fill out the bench. The third-string job could actually matter, with the playoffs showing there are paths to meaningful minutes. That makes a camp invitation more appealing for a player like Olynyk, even if it isn’t the clean payday he might have preferred.
There’s no question he has earned a strong NBA reputation over time. He has 57 career playoff appearances and was only a season removed from averaging 8.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, and 2.9 apg across 20.3 mpg. He would bring experience, a steady voice and the kind of role-player instincts that fit neatly in a championship setting.
He also would raise the level of the competition if New York decides to bring in multiple veterans for tryouts. An accomplished player like Olynyk would put the less experienced names on notice and give the Knicks a better read on who deserves the job.
The fit isn’t perfect, though. Availability remains a concern, and his defense is another real question.
Still, if the Knicks can get him on a tryout arrangement, they can evaluate him without any long-term commitment. If it doesn’t work, they move on.
That flexibility matters with preseason play a little more than a month away and Leon Rose needing to add bodies for camp. Olynyk isn’t the flashiest option, but he may now be one of the most realistic ones.
There are still other teams in the mix, including the Heat and Lakers, both of whom are in the center market. But if New York puts a tryout offer on the table, Olynyk could see a path to being the third big for the defending champs, especially with a ring still missing from his résumé and the end of his NBA run drawing closer.
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 Fans Can Still Feel What Losing Donte DiVincenzo Cost
The Karl-Anthony Towns trade that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota still shapes how Knicks fans judge the deal, and DiVincenzo remains the part of the package that can sting the most. Randle is already gone from the Timberwolves, but DiVincenzo has stayed in place and continued to matter enough to Minnesota that his name has not been treated like a throw-in piece of the swap.
Now the contract and roster ripple effects are becoming clearer around him. DiVincenzo is recovering from an Achilles injury and is on an expiring deal, yet Minnesota has reportedly explored moving Josh Green to make room for a new signing rather than parting with DiVincenzo, a sign of how much value they still attach to the guard. For the Knicks, it is another reminder that the price of landing Towns was not just future flexibility, but a dependable backcourt piece they no longer have. [Read more 🡒]