Outside of their pair of selections in the 2026 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks made just one addition in the wake of their NBA championship victory. Thus far, their offseason has been headlined by their Mitchell Robinson replacement signing in 32-year-old center Andre Drummond.
With the pool of available centers drying up, the Knicks' lack of a third-string center is becoming slightly more dire by the day. They won the title with potentially the single-best backup big man in the NBA, who now plays for the Boston Celtics. And as talented as their starter may be in Karl-Anthony Towns, last year was his third straight leading the league in offensive fouls.
New York needs big man depth, and their failed attempt at signing Moussa Cissé as a restricted free agent shows exactly where the center market is almost a month into free agency. Trading incoming third-year guard Tyler Kolek for that center, though, could solve that problem. And the Knicks already have a plug for that next leak, with Jack Kayil waiting in the wings.
Did Jack Kayil solve the Knicks' center deficit in Las Vegas?
If the Knicks can find a team that would like to tango with regard to a swap of Kolek and a reserve big man, it'd certainly leave a hole at guard. Kolek consistently shined in big moments last season, even when the team was going through rough stretches. However, New York knew they had championship-level aspirations and opted to scoop up a veteran hand at the deadline.
Leon Rose's front office didn't seem comfortable standing just one injury away from Kolek determining their fate in the playoffs. They went and acquired Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans for two second-round picks — a justification in itself of their seemingly-annual draft-night trade shenanigans — who starred in two games throughout the NBA Finals.
With Kolek heading into his third season as a professional, he should be even more ready to step up when needed. However, the team's 39th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — Jack Kayil — looked better than expected in Las Vegas. If the Knicks' scouts think he's ready for primetime, Mike Brown is certainly the kind of coach that wouldn't be afraid to give him some run. Mohamed Diawara just parlayed a fearless rookie season into a four-year extension with the reigning champs.
Are the Knicks up to something ahead of training camp?
Kayil's standout NBA Summer League performances, once they got him clearance to play after their first game, felt like a tease. The guard can't sign any sort of non-guaranteed contract within a year of a buyout from Mega Basket, taking a two-way deal out of the question. And with the Knicks likely needing to use that last roster spot on a third big man, Kayil seemed like a lock to be playing in Serbia.
Dealing Kolek, however, would open up room for Kayil — and could address New York's lack of depth at center. It's just an option for Rose's front office, but smart basketball minds online are beginning to inquire.
Knicks Film School's Jeremy Cohen asked a simple question on Thursday regarding Rose's roster being the only one in the NBA without a single two-way player under contract: are the Knicks up to something?
At current time, the Knicks are the only NBA team with just 13 signed players on their roster. They also have yet to sign either of their draft picks OR fill their 2-way spots.@theCohencidence wonders… are the Knicks up to something? pic.twitter.com/bwtLTXYOXc
— 🏆 KNICKS FILM SCHOOL 🏆 (@KnickFilmSkool) July 30, 2026
New York has a deficit at center, a surplus at guard, and room on their roster to play with. Cohen points out that the solution could be right in front of fans — where it's been all along.
While it would certainly pain those fans to part ways with Kolek, who quickly became a local favorite, the Knicks have a title to defend. The Eastern Conference doesn't look like it plans to do them any favors, either.
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