In his first seven games with the New York Knicks, the biggest difference between Andre Drummond and Mitchell Robinson on the offensive side of the court has been clear. The team's new back-up center has made 54.8% of his shots from within five feet of the rim thus far. That figure is in the NBA's 16th percentile through Tuesday, according to Dunks & Threes.
This isn't new for Drummond, the 33-year-old reserve center who's failed to make more than 58.5% of his attempts at the rim in each of the last three regular seasons. Drummond has also yet to show close to the same pick-and-roll chemistry with Jalen Brunson that Robinson had; he hasn't had nearly as much time to develop a rapport with the guard, but his lesser ability as a finisher is likely playing a role as well.
Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers mitigated Drummond's lack of touch around the basket by having him take about a quarter of his field goals from behind the 3-point line. While he cashed in on those looks at a 35.6% rate, it shouldn't be something Knicks head coach Mike Brown relies on amid his team's quest to defend their 2026 NBA Championship.
Drummond, a proficient offensive rebounder, gets himself plenty of chances around the basket. Going into Wednesday night's game against the Chicago Bulls, Drummond was averaging 2.7 offensive rebounds. To help the Knicks make the most of them, he needs to prioritize making sharp kick-outs to shooters over getting floaters or unsure hooks up.
Drummond can earn Brunson's trust with smart reads in Brown's offense
The Knicks' organizational decision to treat the salary cap's second apron as a hard cap forced them to let Robinson walk to the Boston Celtics. They reportedly had interest in Kevon Looney, who Mike Brown coached on the Golden State Warriors, but ultimately wound up signing Drummond to a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum.
At 33, Drummond likely won't be displaying much development as a scorer around the rim. The alternative is for the big man, especially as he gets more comfortable with his new teammates in Brown's system, to begin excelling at the passes Robinson used to feed New York sharpshooters like OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet.
It's Brown's job to make sure that the Knicks' best shooters are in position to hurt defenses from behind the 3-point arc. The coach speaks often of the importance of his team's spacing principles with regard to offensive flow and rhythm. Now, it's time to help his new second-string center understand how to take advantage of them.
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