The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks have suddenly landed in the same free-agency lane, and the destination is a familiar one: backup center help.
For San Antonio, the search is about moving on from Luke Kornet after a playoff run that exposed the limits of that setup. Kornet had his moments during the regular season, but when the postseason arrived, he didn’t hold up. That leaves the Spurs looking at an upgrade as they try to sharpen the roster for next season.
The Knicks are chasing the same position for a much more urgent reason. Mitchell Robinson is gone after signing a three-year, $47.4 million deal with the Boston Celtics, and Ariel Hukporti also departed for the Philadelphia 76ers. That has left New York without a backup center behind Karl-Anthony Towns.
So yes, both teams are shopping for size. But they’re not shopping from the same place.
San Antonio at least has some internal possibilities. In the 2026 NBA Draft, the Spurs added Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintaince, UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr., and Duke’s Maliq Brown. If one of those players develops into a real center option - Reed looks like the likeliest candidate - then the Spurs may be able to answer the question without going back to market.
New York, on the other hand, is staring at a blank spot. There isn’t a backup center on the roster right now, which makes the Knicks the more desperate team in this search.
The Spurs may still want to add another big man. The Knicks simply have to.
In Other News...
Spurs Still Have One Roster Problem Tobias Harris Didnt Solve
Tobias Harris gave the Spurs another layer of depth and versatility, but he did not answer every question on the roster. San Antonio still has a clear hole behind Victor Wembanyama, and the front office knows the backup center spot needs more than a stopgap if it wants to keep the rotation balanced over the long haul.
Luke Kornets postseason stint is part of why the issue remains unfinished, and the Spurs now have two open roster spots to work with as they look for a better fit. Whether that comes from a veteran, a younger big or some other avenue, the next move at center matters because Wembanyamas minutes will have to be managed carefully during the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Fans Are Going To Hate This New 2028 Pick Twist
The Celtics latest draft-pick haul in the Jaylen Brown trade is already drawing attention for its sheer volume, but the real intrigue is buried in the fine print around a 2028 first-rounder. Boston is also picking up a 2031 unprotected first and several second-rounders from Philadelphia, and the rest of the return is tangled up in a web of pick swaps involving the Clippers, Sixers, Celtics and Spurs. For San Antonio followers, the key piece is obvious: the Spurs own 2028 first-round slot is part of the machinery shaping how Bostons side of the deal could ultimately shake out.
What makes this even messier is that Bostons 2028 positioning may not stop with the picks already in the trade. There is reported language suggesting the Celtics could also swap into any additional 2028 first-round pick Philadelphia acquires later if that pick ends up more favorable, though it is still unclear how much of that wording will survive NBA review. For now, the structure leaves more questions than answers, and the Spurs connection to the whole thing is one more reason this deal may not be fully understood until the league signs off. [Read more 🡒]