The Knicks currently have just one open roster spot. Many believe it should go to a third center in case Karl-Anthony Towns or Andre Drummond suffers an injury.
With little left in free agency, a trade could also be a way to acquire one. Pacôme Dadiet is the first name fans point to as someone who should be dealt, but he doesn’t exactly have a lot of trade value. The next player usually mentioned is Miles "Deuce" McBride — who does.
The soon-to-be 26-year-old has been playing on a very cheap deal, which expires after next season. His new market rate could cause New York to enter the dreaded second apron. That being said, the Knicks are trying to repeat. The numbers show how well the team performs with McBride on the court, and trading him for a third center isn’t the right decision with stakes this high.
The team just performs well when Deuce is on the loose
Now the longest-tenured member of the team, McBride—other than in a few games—didn’t shoot with the accuracy expected of him in the playoffs.
He admitted in an interview with Knicks Film School's Jonathan Macri at Fanatics Fest that he was gutting it out during the playoff run, after missing nearly two months of the regular season with a sports hernia. It looked like he may have reinjured himself after returning, but he didn’t miss any time.
Perhaps that’s part of the reason his outside shot wasn’t always on point. Despite that, the Knicks still outscored their playoff opponents by a whopping 141 points in the 333 postseason minutes McBride played. New York won his minutes by 20.2 points per 100 possessions, which is higher than when he was off the floor during the Knicks’ historic championship run.
In the regular season, the Knicks were 10.2 points better per 100 possessions than their opponents with Deuce on the court. The club also performed significantly better in both the regular season and playoffs in 2024–25 with McBride on the floor.
The on/off numbers do point out that the Knicks are better served with McBride playing at shooting guard rather than as the primary ball handler. With Jalen Brunson, Jose Alvarado, and Tyler Kolek providing additional depth, it shouldn’t be an issue to play McBride at a position that benefits the team.
Even if his shot isn’t falling, McBride is a dogged defender. Listed at 6-foot-2, he would probably be an All-Defensive-caliber player if he were a couple of inches taller. Still, he never makes life easy for whoever he’s guarding.
Yes, McBride could leave after next season, with the Knicks getting nothing in return. New York is trying to go back-to-back, though, and Deuce should be valued more than a third center. Even if he signs elsewhere, the Knicks’ front office has earned the trust needed to believe that it will do what’s necessary to ensure his loss stings less.
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