The New York Knicks technically have two open roster spots, but their organizational view of the second apron as a hard salary cap only leaves them room for one more contract at the veteran's minimum rate. From the standpoint of roster balance, the most glaring need is at the center position. Currently, the team has Andre Drummond set to back up starter Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns has led the league in offensive fouls for three straight seasons. He and Drummond are 30 and 33 years old, respectively. And unless the Knicks legitimately plan on deploying OG Anunoby as a small-ball center during the regular season, they should be looking to add to that room of bigs.
Brown has hinted at giving Anunoby a look under the rim, but has been much more open about the Knicks' need for a big man. The team initially brought Drew Eubanks and James Wiseman to training camp. After things mutually fell through with John Konchar, they added Tony Bradley to the mix as well. And while SNY's Ian Begley says Eubanks is the "safest" play, New York may want to consider taking a risk — and going with Wiseman, instead.
Knicks can't afford to play it safe if second apron hard-cap plans continue
Begley made clear on SNY's The Putback that it wouldn't entirely shock him if New York ultimately chose Wiseman, but that Eubanks' experience makes him the favorite should the Knicks choose a more conservative route.
If experience is what's helping Eubanks stand out most, though, New York might want to consider putting themselves out there a bit more.
The 29-year-old had the best defensive season of his career in 2023-24 as a member of the Phoenix Suns. He graded out in the NBA's 60th percentile of Estimated Defensive Plus-Minus that year. And according to Dunks & Threes, his D-EPM ranked in just the sixth and 11th percentiles over the past two seasons.
The Knicks clearly aren't picking from the league's best rim protectors. They offered unsigned veterans a chance to compete for a roster spot, likely not the most enticing reality for prospective free agents. Especially given that New York is hoping not to have to rely on whoever lands their final roster spot, it was likely a tough sell for Leon Rose's front office.
If the Knicks are going to continue to treat the second apron as a hard cap, though, settling for "safer" plays could be exactly how the rest of the league overtakes them. Wiseman has never produced a strong D-EPM rating of his own. He is also, however, just 25 years old.
Bradley could very well wind up being the choice down the middle, with a bit more youth than Eubanks but more NBA experience and proof of concept at the level than Wiseman. The likely reality, though, is that New York winds up needing to look elsewhere for depth, regardless.
If the plan is to bring a center in, at least for a few months, before potentially looking for other solutions on the trade market, going young could be the move. Especially when the "safer" alternatives were still unsigned that late in the offseason, themselves.
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