Not sure if anyone is as anxious as I am when it comes to whether the New York Knicks are going to be “ok” or not with Mitchell Robinson missing the next 4-6 weeks while he recovers from a fractured hand.
Nerlens Noel is a great temporary replacement and Taj Gibson is a consummate professional who prides himself on defense, so the Knicks should be fine in Robinson’s absence. The fact remains, the Knicks are trying to make the playoffs this season and they can ill afford any lapses in playing at as high a level as they have been since the beginning of the year. They don’t have 2 or 3 superstars that can give them 30 or 40 points on any given night, so therefore they need to be locked and loaded for 48 minutes of every single game moving forward.
(Editor’s note: This was written before our very own Julius Randle exploded for 44 points against the Atlanta Hawks)
I’ve personally explored the idea of the Knicks making several different trades to try to bolster the 5-spot while Mitch’s hand heals up but realistically, any move the Knicks make must be a calculated one. They must not make the same mistakes as previous front offices by jumping the gun and making crummy decisions on the fly out of desperation. While trades are a lot of fun to watch play out, New York should stay the course and only make a move when they’re on the “winning side” of the deal.
The Knicks should sniff around and see what these free agents still have to offer
Another idea to help the Knicks’ center rotation may be looking to the free agency pool. While trading may bring back a far superior talent in return, grabbing someone in free agency should be the way to go as it would cost nothing but a little bit of cap space and a roster spot. A veteran free agent would also come in and be able to contribute from day 1 as the player would most likely have a decent amount of experience in the league and would force both Noel and Gibson to step their games up a bit.
Here we’ll explore 3 potential Knicks free agent signings.
The Knicks could look to see what Dewayne Dedmon has left in the tank
Dewayne Dedmon is arguably the best player on this list, which says a lot.
Since coming into the league in 2013 as an undrafted free agent, Dedmon has bounced around the league a ton. He spent his first 3 seasons splitting time between the NBA and the G-league as he further developed his game. Finally, in the 2016-17 season, Dedmon got a chance to carve out a valuable role for himself with the San Antonio Spurs and mustered up 5 points, 6.5 boards, and a little less than a block per game on 18 minutes per contest. In 2017, Dedmon signed with the Atlanta Hawks where he really began to turn things up a notch. Dedmon went on to average 10 points and 8 rebounds per game in the 2017-18 season while developing a trait that most big-men in the league do not possess — a 3-point shot. The following year, Dedmon pretty much replicated the previous season’s numbers to prove the production was not a fluke.
Since then, he’s fallen from grace a bit but can certainly provide the Knicks a solid, veteran presence at the center position while stretching the floor. The former USC Trojan would also bring decent rim protection and above-average rebounding to the Knicks’ frontcourt rotation in Mitchell Robinson’s absence.
While Nerlens Noel is playing incredibly well right now, especially on the defensive side of the ball, the Knicks could realistically take a flier on Dedmon.
Should the Knicks look to rekindle this old flame?
Hey there, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal, ol’ friend!
The former Defensive Player of the Year award winner and former Knickerbocker returns home for one last hoo-rah! In three seasons with the Knicks from 2011 to 2014, Chandler was a tremendous rim protector, rebounder, and flourished in the pick-and-roll game with Raymond Felton. Us Knicks fans will never forget the magic aura the team had during that 2012-13 season.
Since his tenure with the Knicks, Chandler has moved around the league with stops back in Dallas, Phoenix for a few seasons, and then 2 pit-stops in Los Angeles with the Lakers and lastly Houston.
There were rumors earlier this season that Tyson Chandler would possibly reunite with the New York Knicks before the team opted to sign coach-favorite and also former Knickerbocker, Taj Gibson. While Chandler is pushing 40 years of age, he can still contribute on the floor as yet another big-bodied, defensive-minded center who can also help in coaching up the young pups on the Knicks bench. He’s still a great screener, brings defensive intensity on every single possession, and excels in taking charges which will only lead to more offensive possessions for a Knicks team that’s struggling on that side of the ball.
I for one am a huge fan of this idea, if not for the sentimental value alone. Even if Chandler only lasts on the team for a month and some change, I know I’ll be watching every single minute he plays back in the orange and blue. #knickstape
Could the Knicks switch it up and grab a center known for his shooting?
The former 2nd round pick from Turkey and 12-year NBA veteran is not your prototypical center by any means, but then again, what about today’s NBA could be considered “prototypical” by basketball purists.
Realistically, Ilyasova is more of a sharpshooting, stretch-4 but the man is listed at 6’9 and weighs just as much as Tyson Chandler at 235 pounds. He can go toe-to-toe with other team’s bench unit bigs without much of an issue. I’m actually surprised he’s remained a free agent this deep into the season, as he, along with the rest of this bunch is an experienced NBA vet and has shot 37% from deep on his career. He’s also a solid rebounder with 6 boards per game and a great free throw shooter.
The one thing anyone who has even the slightest understanding of basketball and has watched even just one Knicks game this year would agree to is that the team needs shooters…..badly. Not only does Ersan Ilyasova bring a great shooting presence, but would also be a tremendous help to a guy like Obi Toppin, as Obi is a power forward who can also play a little bit of small-ball center. Ilyasova would definitely help to improve Toppin’s 3-point shooting because while they are very different in skillsets, they essentially play the same position in today’s more modern version of the game.