The New York Knicks are still without a third-string big man over two months into the NBA's 2026 free agency period. But they don't seem to view their center depth (or lack of it) as a glaring issue.
In the past week, SNY's Ian Begley reported that Leon Rose's front office has been keeping tabs on veteran guard John Konchar ahead of training camp — and that they're high on Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond as a center duo.
Drew Eubanks and Tony Bradley have already been floated as potential participants of a training camp battle ahead of the 2026-27 regular season. If New York opts to go in an entirely different direction, though, they could put some faith in Mike Brown and his coaching staff by betting on them to get the most out of Devin Carter, the 13th overall pick by the coach's Sacramento Kings in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Carter wouldn't come close to replacing McBride, but could help
After Mitchell Robinson's offseason departure for the Boston Celtics, Miles McBride is the longest-tenured player on the Knicks' roster. The 26-year-old guard, however, is entering the final year of his second NBA contract. If Rose's front office has to stay under the second apron going forward, though — which seems to be an organizational mandate — they may have to consider lining up some exit strategies.
Carter was waived by the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer. A free agency flyer on the 24-year-old guard could be the kind of forward thinking the Knicks need to navigate the complexities of needing to pay championship-level rates to members of their championship-winning rotation while simultaneously coming in under the second apron.
The Kings, who aren't necessarily the paragon of winning franchises, effectively salary dumped Carter onto the Hawks' roster earlier this offseason. The move was a low-risk, medium-reward acquisition for Atlanta, who came away with a second-round draft pick and the opportunity to capitalize on another mistake by Sacramento (see: Tyrese Haliburton, Mike Brown, etc.).
It could be the latest in a series of intelligent decisions to cut bait by executives who are correctly guessing that the opportunity cost of keeping Carter around is simply too high. It could also be the latest in an unfortunate series of choices to doubt Carter, who dealt with injuries throughout a rocky rookie season — and ultimately never found his footing on a Kings team that went on to fire Brown days before Carter made his career debut.
The Knicks, now the league's reigning champions, can't afford to take their feet off of the gas. They do, however, have a little bit of leash to play with, now that the 53-year title drought is over, and could potentially get Carter back on the right track. The coach that was there when Carter was drafted, and said he believed in him because of his defensive instincts, could be the guy to help right this ship.
Coming out of the draft, Carter projected as an intriguingly athletic guard with a combination of drive-and-kick efficiency and both defensive skills and tools. Despite his relative lack of height, he presented as a solid rim protector because of his sturdy build, solid 6-foot-8 wingspan, and rim-protecting instincts.
If Brown can get those kinds of contributions out of him, the Knicks would still be without an instant replacement in the case that they can't afford to extend McBride. But between a rehabilitated Carter and incoming-sophomore Mohamed Diawara, they may have just enough talent in tow to make do.
Knicks might be losing Carter to an Atlantic Division rival
After reporting on Friday that the Hawks had waived Carter, Fischer added that the Boston Celtics have interest in signing the Providence product. It would be a shrewd move by Brad Stevens' group, with Carter having the perfect mentor on the roster in Derrick White.
Given that Carter played college ball in Rhode Island, there would certainly be a regional element to his connection with the Celtics' fanbase. The Knicks have a slightly more recent trophy to point to, though, if a recruiting battle breaks out.
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