Over six weeks into free agency, the New York Knicks are still without a third-string center. It's becoming increasingly clear that Leon Rose's front office plans on deciding their final roster spot with a training camp battle.
By getting in on the Cleveland Cavaliers' multi-team acquisition of Peyton Watson, the Washington Wizards got to swap Cam Whitmore for Tre Mann. As part of the deal, they sent 23-year-old Julian Reese to the Denver Nuggets, who immediately waived him.
If Reese, a strong rebounder (and brother of three-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese), is open to a non-guaranteed camp deal with the Knicks, they shouldn't hesitate to bring him in. The Maryland product has his weaknesses, with positional size included, but New York isn't in a position to be particularly picky. There's close to no risk in a non-guaranteed camp offer. And if he does well enough, they could make him one of their three two-way signings ahead of the season.
Reese closed the 2025-26 season incredibly strong
It's always important to take NBA statistics accrued in the month of March with a grain of salt. Teams (like the Wizards) start their tanking efforts, leading to a plethora of role players seeing the court for a disproportionate amount of minutes — and being trusted with the fate of a disproportionate amount of possessions.
At some point, though, the data has to matter. And in 13 appearances (10 starts) last season, Reese made the most of his opportunities. In 30.9 minutes per game, he averaged 11.8 points and 10.5 rebounds on 52.9% shooting. He didn't attempt a single 3-pointer, impacting the game from the inside-out instead.
Julian Reese is averaging the most offensive rebounds per game by a rookie since Hakeem. pic.twitter.com/9zouPry8pA
— Real App (@realapp) April 10, 2026
Reese profiles kind of similarly to Knicks' main backup in Drummond
Reese would definitely be in a much smaller role on the Knicks — when Brown has him playing one at all. If it's not the end of a blowout, one way or the other, one of Karl-Anthony Towns or Andre Drummond will either have to be injured or in foul trouble for Reese to see any time on the court.
It's the team's offseason acquisition of Drummond to replace Mitchell Robinson, though, that makes Reese stand out as an intriguing prospect for the Knicks' title defense. It may even just be for some part of the start of it.
Reese averaged 4.2 offensive rebounds per game in that stretch for the Wizards. The way he did it, though, highlights at least two ways in which he's similar to Drummond. He rebounded a good deal of his own misses, making just 62% of his shots (NBA's 45th percentile) at the rim according to Dunks & Threes.
But, like with Drummond, Reese's nose for rebounds (even if they're the result of his own troubles finishing in front of the basket) is ultimately what shines through. The Knicks clearly think that they have the defensive infrastructure in Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Brown's schemes to compensate for Drummond's shortcomings on that end of the court.
Reese would really put that to the test. His defensive estimated plus-minus in his time with Washington landed in the league's 17th percentile, according to Dunks & Threes, which is far worse than anything Drummond has ever put on the board. He might just need to help hold the Knicks over, though.
Knicks don't need their third-string center to start in the 2027 Finals
Simply put, whoever the Knicks choose as their third center to close the 2026 offseason does not have to be someone they're relying on — to that same extent — later on in the season. The roster that won the 2025 NBA Cup in Las Vegas wasn't the exact same roster that won the 2026 NBA Championship in San Antonio.
The same might end up going for the Knicks' defense of those two titles.
New York can find a center later on in the season, whether it's via an early-season trade or later on at the deadline (or in the buyout market). They just need someone to back Towns and Drummond up to start the season. If Reese doesn't have better offers from anywhere else, and accepted a training camp invite from the Knicks, New York would be in a great situation.
If it takes a two-way commitment to get Reese in the building, and the Knicks have other options in mind, it could be understandable for them to pass. If they don't, though, it might be time to move Reese near the top of their list.
He has a standout skill, and these Knicks excel at helping players with those kinds of abilities shine.
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