Losing Mitchell Robinson to the NBA free agency market wasn’t totally shocking for the New York Knicks. As one of the top backup centers in the game, it was clear that Robinson was going to get paid, with the idea of increasing his role.
The Knicks are still strong at the center position up top with Karl-Anthony Towns. They attempted to fill the void of Robinson by signing the veteran center, Andre Drummond.
In a recent roundup of free agency grades for the Knicks, the Drummond addition landed the worst assessment on paper with a “C.”
New York Knicks Get ‘Downgrade’ Warning After Adding 14-Year NBA Vet
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty ImagesPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 23: Andre Drummond #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during a game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Wells Fargo Center on December 23, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
“A historically good rebounder who can fill Robinson’s shoes in that department. He has a tad more on-ball skills than Robinson and may be able to hit cutters in the half-court in some ‘hub’ actions,” Knicks On SI’s Scott Davis wrote.
“The downgrades in defense, finishing around the rim, and physicality will be apparent, however. The question is whether Drummond can be half as good as Robinson on the whole while costing a fifth of the price.”
The Knicks signed Drummond to a one-year deal. According to Spotrac, his contract is worth $3.8 million. Last season, he earned $5.0 million with the Philadelphia 76ers.
As for Robinson, he went for $47.3 million over three years on the open market. He won’t see free agency again until 2028 at the earliest.
Andre Drummond Right Now
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 04: Andre Drummond #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the first half against the Detroit Pistons at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 04, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The 32-year-old center has two All-Star nods on his resume. However, he hasn’t been in that conversation since he was on the Detroit Pistons in 2018.
Since he played a star role in Detroit, Drummond has bounced around as a reserve center. He spent two years with the Chicago Bulls, and the other two with the Sixers over the past four years.
During the 2025-2026 season, Drummond averaged 6.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and under 1.0 block per game. His numbers are very similar to Robinson’s.
On one hand, Robinson was more efficient offensively and played better defense. However, Drummond showed more range than ever, hitting 35.6% of his threes, averaging 1.4 shots from deep per game. Maybe that’s a development that intrigued the Knicks for their bench.
Either way, Drummond won’t have as much on his plate in New York. Playing for the Sixers as Joel Embiid’s backup, Drummond had to start 48 out of 103 games he played over the past two years.
Being behind Towns, Drummond could get the opportunity to be a true backup on a team that has proven to have a championship-winning system in place.