The New York Knicks hope to contend for a championship this season. However, they are unquestionably undersized. While they pursued a few big men this offseason, including Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, they ultimately have to run it back with last season's frontcourt sans Isaiah Hartenstein. And considering Mitchell Robinson has not yet been cleared for on-court activity, they might have to embrace the use of non-traditional big men.
The Knicks roster is suspiciously without backup big men. Jericho Sims is the only center other than Robinson on the Knicks' roster with any experience, and that's limited. So, the Knicks are hopefully considering going small. But which players are best suited to fill in as a small ball center? Let's explore.
Precious Achiuwa
The first and most obvious answer is Precious Achiuwa. He's the obvious choice because he's the only member of the Knicks with meaningful experience playing the five spot in the NBA. And his height (six-foot-eight) certainly qualifies him as a small ball center.
But Achiuwa was more than a fill-in last season. After earning his spot in the Knicks' rotation, Achiuwa began really proving his worth. Through 18 games as the team's starting center (with Robinson and Hartenstein both dealing with injuries), Achiuwa averaged 12.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. They might not be All-Star numbers, but they are more than respectable for a guy who failed to latch on with the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors across the previous five seasons. And he gave good minutes in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, too. Specifically, with Robinson out due to another ankle injury, Achiuwa came up big again. As the primary backup in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, Achiuwa averaged 6.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game.
The thing is, Achiuwa may very well begin the season as the Knicks' starting center. We have heard very little regarding Robinson's recovery. And considering his injury history, New York will probably be cautious in getting Robinson back on the floor. So, Achiuwa might not be the only small ball center on whom the Knicks will have to rely.
Julius Randle
Knicks fans have been aching to see Julius Randle as a small ball center for years. Coach Tom Thibodeau has been resistant to the idea. But he is hopefully reconsidering his position on Randle as a center.
Is Randle an ideal center? Absolutely not, especially given his lack of rim protection. But he is strong enough to man the middle with help from his supporting cast. And that supporting cast can offer significant help with OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, etc. helping from the weak side.
Playing Randle at center also alleviates the logjam for Thibodeau at the three/four spots. Thibodeau must delicately arrange a rotation that includes Anunoby, Bridges, Josh Hart, and Randle. And Randle will be essential to the team's offense, as he is one of only a select few players who can create his own shot. Further, playing three of the aforementioned guys together allows for even more offensive firepower and versatility, which is always good — at least offensively.
Additionally, playing Randle at center alongside Anunoby and Bridges results in fewer clear lanes to the rim from opposing wings. And that means less of a need for an intimidating rim protector.
Like Robinson, Randle's status for the start of the season is unclear, too. However, Randle should be back on the court for the season opener on Oct. 22. If he's not back by the first game, he should return very soon after that.
OG Anunoby
Anunoby is another option to play center in small ball lineups. While it may sound even less alluring than Randle at first glance, Anunoby's length (seven-foot-two wingspan) and mobility render him a capable defender of smaller and less dominant bigs. Sure, this is a losing strategy against guys like Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers), not to mention Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic; but it can be enough to ward off some opposing lineups.
While this may seem far fetched, Thibodeau said that had Anunoby not faced numerous injuries last season, he would have given him more opportunities to play small ball center. And considering his above-mentioned wingspan, Anunoby is as good an option as exists on the roster (other than Achiuwa). Remember, Anunoby capably defended Embiid in the 2024 NBA Playoffs in spot minutes, For example, he held the former MVP to five points on one-for-six shooting in five minutes in a Game 4 win. So, while using him too often has major flaws, Anunoby as a small ball center helps in all the same ways as Randle. And it's something the Knicks might have to try.
The Knicks are in great shape entering the 2024-25 season. They must be careful with Robinson, though. And since adding additional fire power before the season is incredibly unlikely, they'll have to make do as is. And that means embracing small ball lineups with guys like Achiuwa, Randle, and/or Anunoby at center. Hopefully the Knicks can embrace the old “bend but don't break” mentality.
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