The New York Knicks are doing what they can to ensure a repeat of their NBA championship in 2026-27, but they’ll have to do it without a major piece of their bench.
The longest-tenured Knick, Mitchell Robinson, left in free agency this summer — inking a new contract with the Eastern Conference rival Boston Celtics.
It was a casualty of owner James Dolan’s mandate to stay under the second apron, and while Leon Rose has done his best to work under that, it did mean losing Robinson.
Now, the Knicks have Andre Drummond backing up Karl-Anthony Towns, but as things currently stand, those are the only two centers they have under contract.
Who can New York find to serve as their third center, and would allow them to stay under the second apron?
Knicks Could Go After Mason Plumlee in Free Agency
One veteran center the New York Knicks could look to target this late in the summer is veteran Mason Plumlee, who just wrapped up his 13th NBA season.
Heavy’s Adam Taylor was the first to float the former first-round draft pick as a Knicks option.
“Mason Plumlee is another big man who is on the free agency market right now. At 36 years old, there’s no denying that his career is winding down. Therefore, Plumlee could potentially be convinced to slot into the tail end of the Knicks center rotation for a season,” wrote Taylor.
“Plumlee would bring over 800 NBA games’ worth of experience to his role. He would likely be open to operating as a depth piece on a contending roster, especially as a championship has eluded him throughout his career.”
Plumlee most recently split time with the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs this past season, and while he didn’t play much, he was a valuable veteran presence on the bench, particularly for San Antonio.
In 20 games and three starts, the former Duke standout averaged 8.6 minutes per game and recorded 1.6 points per game along with 2.7 rebounds.
Maybe he can’t be the prolific defender and offensive rebounder Robinson was for the Knicks, but he can certainly fill in for Ariel Hukporti, who departed for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason.
Knicks Need a Cheap Option as a Third Center
One of the biggest factors that could draw the New York Knicks to Plumlee is his price.
At this point in the 36-year-old’s career, he won’t sign for anything more than the NBA’s veteran minimum — which shakes out to roughly $2.8 million to $3.5 million.
With one roster spot remaining, the Knicks could put the finishing touch on their roster with one last center.
Somehow, even with Dolan’s second apron mandate, New York has found a way to maintain a good chunk of their championship core.
Their guard and wing depth remains pretty much the same, while the center position is the only one in flux.
Drummond will do his best to fill in for Robinson on his $3.9 million salary, but New York still needs insurance.
Maybe Plumlee can be that insurance policy for the Knicks.
Knicks Could Target Free Agent Center For Final Veteran’s Minimum Spot