The Knicks spent months hunting for a third center, and Nick Richards kept hanging around the conversation. He had enough going for him to stay on the board: a veteran free agent with some promising stretches in past seasons and one of the better remaining names as the search dragged on.
That’s why his recent deal with the Miami Heat mattered, even if it doesn’t fully shut the door. Richards signed a non-guaranteed contract, so if he gets cut before opening night, New York could still circle back. But if the Knicks truly saw him as a target, it’s fair to wonder whether the pursuit would have looked more aggressive.
Instead, the fit never really lined up. Richards has long been a shaky passer and ball handler, and the numbers underline it: he has 299 turnovers and 172 assists as a pro.
His defense has also been a sore spot, which is a big problem for a Knicks team that has shown, through its interest in Mitchell Robinson, that it will tolerate offensive limitations if the player is a difference-making defender. Richards isn’t in that category.
The production trend doesn’t help his case, either. Over the last two seasons, both his scoring and field goal percentage have gone down. Availability is another concern, since he has never played more than 67 games in a season.
That matters in New York, where the center depth already comes with its own durability questions. Karl-Anthony Towns has been durable as a Knick, but he has played fewer than 75 games in six of his last seven seasons. Andre Drummond has appeared in just 103 of the 164 regular-season games over the past two seasons, and he recently turned 33.
Adding another big with a shaky injury history would have been a gamble. Passing on Richards keeps the Knicks a little cleaner on that front and leaves them more room to keep exploring other options.
There are people who don’t want Miles McBride moved in a trade for a third center, and that view has some logic behind it. If New York goes that route, it can aim higher than Richards.
Signing him now would make that path messier.
Richards does have a role for the right team. If a club needs rebounding and interior scoring more than it needs defense, athleticism, or shooting, he can provide something useful.
But for the Knicks, who are trying to find a center who brings defense, athleticism, and shooting, he simply wasn’t the answer. He doesn’t just miss the mark - he’s almost the inverse of what they need.
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