The Knicks’ center situation is already looking shaky, and it’s hard to see how that holds up when the games get bigger.
Karl-Anthony Towns is the starter, but his foul issues have been a problem for years. He has led the NBA in offensive fouls in each of the past three regular seasons, and when he gets into trouble early, New York turns to Andre Drummond. The veteran was brought in this offseason after the Knicks pushed themselves out of the Mitchell Robinson business because of their self-imposed limit at the salary cap’s second apron.
That fallback plan has not looked sturdy. Drummond has already been benched in the Knicks’ young season, and while it’s not clear exactly what Mike Brown has disliked about his play, the film points to a lack of defensive effort in transition. Brown has already called out his team’s effort in that area multiple times through the first seven games.
Behind Drummond is James Wiseman, and that says plenty on its own. The 25-year-old was close to taking his career overseas before New York’s urgency - plus Brown’s past connection to him from their time together with the Golden State Warriors - got him a training camp invite. He made the roster, but when Brown sat Drummond against the Orlando Magic, it exposed the reality of the Knicks’ center depth.
It’s not enough.
That matters because the Knicks built this offseason on the idea that they could move on from Robinson and still stay in the contender mix. Reports around the league suggested New York believed Towns and Drummond could handle the center minutes, and that the third-string spot wouldn’t need to carry much weight.
But Towns’ foul trouble keeps forcing the issue. The Knicks are testing their depth earlier and more often than they probably expected, and that’s before the kind of postseason stretch where plans usually get shredded anyway.
Brown isn’t likely to bench rotation players just to make a point in the playoffs, which makes Wiseman’s struggles less central. Still, injuries happen, and teams have to adjust.
Last season, the Knicks were willing to go into several regular season games without Robinson, valuing the rest more than the chance to win those nights. That luxury is gone now.
With the way this center rotation is built, the Knicks are likely going to need a change before the postseason.
In Other News...
Knicks Keep Getting The Same Jordan Clarkson Question
Jordan Clarkson has already become one of the more curious rotation stories around the Knicks this season. In limited minutes, he has flashed the kind of impact that shows up in the numbers, including a strong plus-minus and net rating, and he gave the team a real lift in a win over the Bulls with 18 points in 17 minutes. Even so, his overall workload has stayed light, with his role still far smaller than the production he has shown in spurts.
For a Knicks team still trying to find consistency, that has kept the same question hanging over the bench: how much more should Clarkson be playing? The coaching staff has been careful with his usage, and the answer has not changed much even as his minutes have been productive. Until that shifts, every strong outing is likely to renew the debate about whether the Knicks are leaving something on the table. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Kolek Is Running Out Of Time To Claim Knicks Role
Tyler Kolek has gotten a real chance to make his case with the Knicks while Jose Alvarado has been sidelined by an ankle injury, and the early returns have been encouraging in the areas New York needed most. His ball control has looked better, and he has handled more playmaking responsibilities with a steadier hand, giving the coaching staff a glimpse of what he can offer beyond simply filling minutes.
The problem is that the margin for error is still thin. Koleks shooting numbers remain a concern, and Mike Brown has made it clear he leans toward veterans and three-and-D pieces once the roster is whole again. For Kolek, the path to sticking in the rotation now comes down to whether the scoring side of his game can catch up before the Knicks have to make a more permanent decision. [Read more 🡒]
New York Playoff Game Ended With A Finish Fans Still Can't Believe
A New York playoff game ended with the kind of finish that gets replayed for years, as Whitesboro stunned Carthage on the final play with a sequence that unfolded in a blur. The winning drive featured a tipped pass, a catch by Landon Pearsall and then a lateral to Connor McDonald, who took it the rest of the way for the touchdown that flipped the game at the horn.
The score sent Whitesboro into the next round of the playoffs, where Auburn awaits, but the ending is what has kept the game in the spotlight. The play spread quickly on social media, and for anyone who saw it live, it was the sort of chaotic, improbable finish that is hard to process even after the highlight has been slowed down and replayed. [Read more 🡒]