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The Knicks already took their first steps toward repeating the success of their 2026 championship, locking up their bench backcourt to new deals. Unfortunately, they lost a key ingredient to their run as well, with Mitchell Robinson heading to Boston for three years and $47.4 million.
This was a contract value the front office couldn’t match without going into the second apron, a hard line for this offseason.
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With Robinson gone, the Knicks need to fill the hole left at their center position — here are some ways they can do it:
Kevon Looney
Looney is an unrestricted free agent after playing only 21 games for New Orleans last season. He has championship mettle from his 10 years in Golden State, including time spent under Knicks head coach Mike Brown.
He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-9 and is now 30 years old, but is a smart defender and offensive rebounder who sets good screens and can make a couple plays in the halfcourt offense. He won’t wholly replace Robinson — no bench big can — but he’d be a solid veteran pickup who can easily slide to third string if a better option rises up.
Nick Richards
Richards is a free agent who’s closer to the Robinson mold at 6-foot-11 and sporting strong athleticism and rim-running. He’s only 28 and is a New York local who averaged 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds on 52.3 percent shooting from the field in his last 20 games with Chicago last season.
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The Bulls were his third team in two seasons after the Hornets and Suns both traded him. That’s not a shining endorsement, but the right structure could help him find his footing. He’s been linked to the Knicks in the past so it wouldn’t be surprising if they came back around to seal the deal this time.
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (1) reacts to his score against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Andre Drummond
Drummond is a veteran of 14 seasons, spending his last two in Philadelphia having to play almost 20 minutes per game as Joel Embiid‘s backup and stand-in. He would be comfortable in a…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/5-potential-mitchell-robinson-replacements-132848424.html
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Publish date : 2026-07-02 13:28:00
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