Knicks Must Bolster Center Depth amid Isaiah Stewart, Nick Richards NBA Trade Rumors

The New York Knicks made a valiant run during the 2023-24 NBA playoffs but ultimately fell short against the Indiana Pacers because of injuries.

Julius Randle suffered a season-ending shoulder injury before the postseason, while Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic were both lost during the playoffs.

OG Anunoby then suffered a hamstring issue in Game 2 against Indiana, and the depleted Knicks were ultimately worn down by Indiana in seven games.

Before the injury bug became a monster, though, New York was playing like a cohesive team capable of making a run to the Finals. That’s the hope for the upcoming season, especially after the addition of Mikal Bridges, but injuries are already a concern for the Knicks.

According to The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III, Robinson is unlikely to return to the court following ankle surgery until December or January. That’s a problem, both because of his importance to the team and because of New York’s lack of center depth.

Isaiah Hartenstein departed for the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency, leaving the Knicks with little at the position. Precious Achiuwa re-signed on a one-year $6 million deal, Jericho Sims is still on the roster and Randle can play center.

With Hartenstein and Robinson on the mend, though, it’s imperative that the Knicks improve their center depth sooner than later.

According to Edwards, that is part of New York’s plan.

“New York has spent a good portion of the last few months scouring the league to address its lack of depth at the position, according to league sources,’ he wrote.

Edwards mentioned Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart as a potential trade target “the team has shown interest in trading for.”

In a separate article, Edwards reported that the Knicks have also had Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards “on their radar” this offseason.

Stewart and Richards are sensible targets for New York. Both could add quality defense to the position, and the former could bring some additional range to the offense—he made 38.3 percent of his three-point attempts last season.

Trading for a center like Stewart or Richards would be complicated, of course. The Knicks are over the luxury tax and cannot take back more salary than they send out in a deal. Richards has a cap hit of $5 million this season, while Stewart is set to earn $15 million.

New York would also likely need to include a quality player, like backup guard Miles McBride to get a deal done. The team lacks enticing tradeable draft assets after the Bridges deal, but it is owed the Pistons 2025 first-round pick (top-13 protected).

However, a trade might be the Knicks’ best option. They have an open active roster spot and the mid-level exception, but the center market is down to the likes of Moses Brown and JaVale McGee.

The Knicks may find more options closer to the February 6 trade deadline, but Robinson will hopefully be back by then.

One way or another, though, the Knicks need to improve their center depth now. Otherwise, they will likely have a lot more riding on Robinson’s return than they would like.