The Knicks already took their first steps toward repeating the success of their 2026 championship, locking up their bench backcourt to new deals. Unfortunately, they lost a key ingredient to last year’s run as well, with Mitchell Robinson heading to Boston for three years, $47.4 million.
This was a contract value the front office couldn’t match without going into the second apron, a hard line for this offseason. With Robinson gone, the Knicks need to fill the hole left at their center position — here are some ways they can do it:
Kevon Looney
Looney is an unrestricted free agent after playing only 21 games for New Orleans last season. He has championship mettle from his 10 prior years in Golden State, including time spent under Knicks head coach Mike Brown.
He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-9 and is now 30 years old, but is a smart defender and offensive rebounder who sets good screens and can make a couple plays in the halfcourt offense. He won’t wholly replace Robinson, no bench big can, but he’d be a solid veteran pickup who can easily slide to third string if a better option rises up.
Nick Richards
Richards is another free agent who’s closer to the Robinson mold at 6-foot-11 and sporting strong athleticism and rim-running. He’s only 28 and is a New York local who averaged 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds on 52.3 percent shooting from the field in his last 20 games with Chicago last season.
The Bulls were his third team in two seasons after the Hornets and Suns both traded him, not a shining endorsement but the right structure could help him find his footing. He’s been linked to the Knicks in the past so it wouldn’t be surprising if they came back around to seal the deal this time.
Andre Drummond
Drummond is a veteran of 14 seasons, spending his last two in Philadelphia having to play almost 20 minutes per game as Joel Embiid’s backup and stand-in. He would be comfortable in a potential role in New York behind Karl-Anthony Towns and bring high-level offensive rebounding, plus a newly developed three-point shot to the table.
His defense isn’t great and he’ll be 33 before the start of next season, but combined with one of the names above or below could help strengthen their frontcourt depth.
Moussa Diabate
This will depend on Charlotte and New York’s appetite for a trade, but a salary match of Miles McBride or a couple of the Knicks prospects could net them a young promising big via the trade market. The Hornets may play ball given they also employ Ryan Kalkbrenner, Naz Reid and newly drafted Hannes Steinbach.
New York would net a freakish athlete at just 24 years old who averaged 7.9 points and 8.7 rebounds on 63.1 percent shooting in 73 games and 47 starts last season. They’d have to pay him after this season, which could be a risk, but if possible this is their highest upside means of filling the role.
Drew Eubanks
Not the hottest name, Eubanks has spent the last five seasons on six different squads, culminating in a quiet season in Sacramento last year. He’s not the strongest rebounder but can defend and finish nicely, bringing toughness to the frontline.
Eubanks hasn’t been brought up as much as these other names, but could be as effective if not more in making up for some of Robinson’s lost production.
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