Knicks’ 2nd round gem may steal a roster spot in the end

The New York Knicks may have found something in Ariel Hukporti. The seven-foot center from Germany has been very impressive far in the preseason, and with the Knicks’ issues at the center position, Hukporti could find his way into the rotation fairly quickly.

Knicks’ Ariel Hukporti has been impressive in preseason

The big man was taken with the 58th overall pick in this past year’s draft, which was the last available draft pick in the entire event. Hukporti, 22, spent two seasons playing overseas in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL), where he averaged 7.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across those two seasons.

He is currently on a two-way contract with the Knicks, one in which he signed shortly after being drafted. However, his recent performances in the preseason could get his contract elevated to a standard NBA deal to secure a spot on the active roster.

Entering the preseason, the odds were already in Hukporti’s favor following the injury news that Mitchell Robinson will be out until at least 2025. Behind newcomer Karl-Anthony Towns, the depth at the center position is Hukporti, Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims, which is a capable but also largely inexperienced group of centers.

Hukporti could be the Knicks’ backup center this season

While Achiuwa figures to be the likely backup center, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau experimented with Achiuwa at power forward in their last preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets. The 6-8 big delivered a strong double-double with 20 points and 16 rebounds.

A performance like that could convince Thibodeau to expand his rotation to get some size in the bench unit’s frontcourt, which is where Hukporti could come in. In three preseason games with the Knicks, Hukporti is averaging 5.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in approximately 14 minutes per game.

He has displayed tremendous athleticism inside the arc on both sides of the ball, playing a more traditional big man style to find success. The Knicks could use the size and athleticism that he provides in the second unit, as the center depth overall is very thin behind Towns.

Another strong performance from Hukporti could land him a roster spot

Towns would still play the bulk of the minutes at center given his All-Star status, but Hukporti could be serviceable for roughly 10-15 minutes of action with the bench unit. He seemed to be developing strong chemistry with some of their other reserves, which could help him flourish in the NBA much quicker.

The Knicks play their final preseason game on Friday against the Washington Wizards, where it’s likely that Hukporti sees the floor a good amount for the coaching staff to assess where he potentially fits in the rotation. Another strong performance could put him in a good spot to make the active roster.