The New York Knicks have been hosting a big man battle behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond with a handful of non-guaranteed players.
With opening night just days away, all signs are pointing to James Wiseman winning a roster spot. He’s been talked up plenty and has a good standing with the head coach, Mike Brown.
However, there is one player in the Western Conference who could shake up the situation. As one Philadelphia 76ers insider pointed out, the Knicks “could” bail on James Wiseman in the event the Dallas Mavericks cut ties with Moussa Cisse.
The Knicks Can Threaten The 76ers
Lately, Cisse has been pegged as a trade or cut candidate for the Mavs. Several teams have been linked to the veteran center, with the Philadelphia 76ers recently getting described as a potential landing spot.
“The Mavericks’ Moussa Cisse is another name to potentially file away for the Sixers after the loss to Ariel Hukporti to a season-ending Achilles tear. Cisse’s availability, mind you, likely depends on what Dallas decides to do with its final roster spot,” Jake Fischer wrote earlier this week.
The Knicks already tried that path. When Cisse was a restricted free agent, the Knicks offered a two-year, $4.7 million contract. The Mavericks matched it to retain him. $2.1 million is guaranteed this year, with the remaining $2.5 million non-guaranteed until January 10, 2028.
The 76ers Need Help
Since the Sixers’ plan to bring in ex-Knicks big man Ariel Hukporti didn’t work out due to an unfortunate injury, they are lacking depth behind the injury-prone Joel Embiid.
Adem Bona is a serviceable center, but he’s currently recovering from a foot injury. Beyond that, the Sixers don’t have a true big man on the depth chart.
If Cisse becomes available and the Knicks stick with their original plan, which seems to include Wiseman, then Philly needs the Mavs center to sign a two-way contract. If not, he’ll either walk to another team or force a follow-up move on Philadelphia’s roster, as they can’t add a 15th player until December.