The New York Knicks are one of the best teams in the NBA, but they are far from a perfect product.
The Knicks are still trying to pick up the pieces after losing Isaiah Hartenstein as a free agent to the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims at the center position, but they represent an obvious weak spot for the Knicks.
Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes raises questions about the Knicks’ depth at center.
“New York can get creative with Julius Randle at the 5 when it needs to and Thibodeau is willing to make some defensive concessions. OG Anunoby has the weight to take on opposing centers, but probably not on a full-time basis. His value against wings is also too high to waste on big men,” Hughes writes. “If Robinson can last a larger portion of the season than he has of late, that may not be an issue. But if recent trends continue, New York will either have to sign someone else or spend a significant portion of the year as a small-ball team.”
The Knicks can operate as a small-ball team, but could run into trouble when playing against teams of enormous size like the Milwaukee Bucks or Orlando Magic.
There aren’t many options on the free agent market right now, or this issue would be resolved by now. However, once the season begins, the Knicks will have options through trades, and that could put New York in a better situation as it heads into the final stretch of the season.
However, if the Knicks can stay afloat, they will be poised for continued success and can make improvements in other areas of their roster where there is still a need.
Don’t forget to bookmark the New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film analysis and more!
