Knicks PUSHED To Sign Veteran Center In Free Agency... | Knicks News | The Knicks Recap Podcast

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The Knicks are now being pushed by Sports Illustrated to sign this veteran center in free agency.
We're gonna break down all of these latest reports today.
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The Knicks push to add this center. The Knicks options at the center position are running out. As we start August, the Knicks have already tried to add a number of different centers to this team. Unfortunately, none of those plans worked out. Now Sports Illustrated is pushing the Knicks to sign this veteran center in free agency before it's too late and he's off the market. According to Kent Okado of Knicks Sports Illustrated, he states the following, Fortunately for the Knicks, there is a wealth of big man talent remaining on the free agency market. Like 13-year NBA veteran, Kelly Olynyk, who could be an ideal target to round out Mike Brown's center rotation. According to Sports Illustrated, by getting Olynyk, they'd be able to diversify their center room much more. He may have not played much last season in San Antonio, but as recently as 2024, he was a regular rotation player, providing some nice minutes.
Sports Illustrated continues here by stating, unlike some of the other big man available, Olynyk offers a different offensive profile. Previously mentioned options like Nick Richards and Yves Missy are centers who do little to no damage outside the paint. Olynyk doesn't have that problem. Olynyk is a proven talent at the NBA level. He's played in 842 regular season games, averaging 9.8 points, 5 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 36.9% from deep and 56.9% from 2 point range. Olynyk also boasts 57 playoff games worth of experience.
But even this insider with Sports Illustrated is putting one veteran center's name above Kelly Olynyk's, and that's Nick Richards.
According to Sports Illustrated, while Olynyk makes a lot of sense for the Knicks, Nick Richards is arguably the team's best choice to plug the third string big man spot. The 28 year old is entering his prime years and would provide both size and athleticism off the bench. If Richards can't be enticed by the Knicks offer, then yes, Kelly Olynyk would likely become the ideal addition. After all, landing a veteran big man who can space the floor on a veteran's minimum contract is never a bad thing.
I appreciate the information here by Sports Illustrated, but if I'm being honest, Kelly Olynyk, Nick Richards, neither one of those players deserves to be added to this team for the center rotation to add more center depth. Maybe if there were no other options, nothing else to explore, then maybe I can understand adding any one of these players to the team. But as of right now, in free agency, there are no other players that Knicks should target to add to this roster. Not until they exhaust all of their trade options at this point in time. Because for me, the Knicks answer to their backup center situation has nothing to do with free agency anymore. That ship has already sailed. Right now, the only way to find that answer is via trade. And it's either going to be Moussa Diabate, Yves Missy or Ryan Kalkbrenner. Either one of those players right now are likely on the Knicks trade radar. And they would be more than happy to trade for any one of those players, if the deal is right. But if the opposing team is asking for too much, because the Knicks are the reigning defending NBA champions, and they feel like the only way they can help the Knicks, is if they rob the Knicks of all of their assets, then that's the deal that's likely going to be on the table. But it's not going to be a deal that Leon Rose agrees to.
Leon Rose would never do that to the Knicks. He would not give up all of these assets for a player that's not worth it. That's why right now, the Knicks haven't made any moves. They haven't signed anybody in free agency. They haven't traded for anybody yet. Because they're waiting for the right deal. And they're hoping and praying that if they talk to a number of other teams, then maybe the one team that they really want to trade with, whether that be the Charlotte Hornets or the New Orleans Pelicans, they're going to feel pressure because of those other talks the Knicks are having. And if they feel that pressure, then maybe they'll come down on their trade offer, and that will help the Knicks get a deal done. That's the only thing I'm seeing happening right now, because everything else the Knicks are doing, it's not likely going to land you another player via trade. That's why if you look at all the reports that are coming out, it's already been indicated that the Knicks are looking to make a trade. They are in conversations right now with multiple teams, trying to get a trade off the ground. But we all know there are a few players on the Knicks radar that they absolutely want to trade for. But in my opinion, the main player the Knicks should be targeting, not only for cap purposes, but because their upside is so high and they had a breakout season last season. It's Moussa Diabate. I know I sound like a broken record. I must sound like a broken record. Because every single time we talk about trades, what the Knicks should do, who the Knicks should trade for, every time they give me a new name on the free agency market that the Knicks should go after, I always reject that name and go back to the same exact point I always make. It needs to be a trade and it needs to be for Moussa Diabate.