The New York Knicks have assembled a roster that is worthy of challenging the Boston Celtics for Eastern Conference supremacy. The Knicks brought in Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets and re-signed OG Anunoby, giving them two of the best perimeter defenders in the league. However, these moves came at the cost of Isaiah Hartenstein, the center who stepped up admirably in the playoffs, as he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency.
Hartenstein's departure leaves the Knicks very thin at the center position. Mitchell Robinson is still around, but he has an extensive injury history, which means that relying on him to last for the entire regular season and a potential deep playoff run may not be the best idea. Behind Robinson, Jericho Sims is the only other center on the roster, so it's safe to say there is a need for the Knicks to acquire another center so that they can shore up their depth at this spot.
However, the Knicks front office may not be content with acquiring just any center. In fact, they are looking to acquire a cost-controlled center who could emerge as the team's starter for the long run. Among the centers that are reportedly on the Knicks radar are Houston Rockets' Alperen Sengun and Detroit Pistons' Jalen Duren.
The Knicks have also been the team that's been linked the most to Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler. Kessler is a 22-year-old big man who has been one of the best shot blockers in the NBA despite only being in the league for two years. However, the Jazz's trade price has been prohibitive, which means that the Knicks may have to look towards other trade targets of theirs to fill their need for another center.
Alas, Sengun and Duren may be even more ambitious targets for the Knicks than Kessler is. But whatever the case may be, don't expect the Knicks to enter the 2024-25 season with their roster as presently constructed. They are not afraid to be aggressive, and with them being out a ton of first-round picks due to the Bridges trade, expect them to continue going all-in.
Better luck next time in your Alperen Sengun pursuit, Knicks
Sengun is the Rockets' franchise cornerstone. That alone will prevent any trade from happening, even though the lack of a rookie contract extension from the Rockets might cause rumors of a potential move to grow louder and louder. But at the end of the day, the Rockets are not offering Sengun an extension for the sole purpose of preserving cap space in their continued pursuit of a superstar to expedite the team's contending timeline.
Sengun is one of the most versatile offensive centers in the NBA; the Rockets have built their offense around him, and Sengun has delivered by stuffing the stat sheet night-in, night-out. He averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game last season, acting as the Rockets' own version of Nikola Jokic or Domantas Sabonis, an offensive hub on the post who makes life easier for his teammates with his unselfishness and scoring ability in the paint.
Sengun will only be turning 22 years of age on July 25, and he's already putting up numbers that made him worthy of All-Star consideration this past season. He's posting numbers that are comparable, if not better, than what Jokic and Sabonis were putting up at the same age. So no, Sengun will be off-limits to the Knicks, especially when they don't have too many trade assets left after they already made their big move.
Jalen Duren, more style than substance
Jalen Duren has made a habit of stuffing the points and rebounds column over his brief NBA career. At his best, he is an unstoppable 20-20 machine due to how relentless he crashes boards and how easy he makes scoring in the paint look due to his elite athleticism. But the Detroit Pistons have not won much with him as the team's starting center, and that is no accident.
Duren doesn't quite have the grasp yet of what it means to be a defensive anchor for a team. In fact, there is a 26-minute compilation posted on Twitter (X) of Duren playing poor defense due to his lack of positioning knowhow, substandard defensive awareness, and an overall lack of a sense of timing in contesting shots in the paint.
The Knicks may be better off looking elsewhere for a quality backup center, as the price that it would take for them to pry Duren from the Pistons will not be worth it.
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