THE The New York Knicks hope to challenge for a championship this season. However, they are undeniably undersized. While they pursued some great men this offseason, including Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, they must ultimately come back with last season’s frontcourt without Isaiah Hartenstein. And considering Mitchell Robinson has not yet been authorized to carry out any activity on the groundthey may have to resort to non-traditional tall men.

The Knicks’ roster is oddly devoid of big-name backups. Jericho Sims is the only center other than Robinson on the Knicks’ roster with experience, and it’s limited. So the Knicks are looking to go small. But which players are best suited to replace a small 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 significant experience as a fifth-stringer in the NBA. And his height (6’4″) certainly qualifies him as a small-ball center.

But Achiuwa was more than a backup last season. After earning his spot in the Knicks’ rotation, Achiuwa started Really proving its worth. Through 18 games as the team’s starting center (With Robinson and Hartenstein both injured), Achiuwa averaged 12.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. Those may not be All-Star numbers, but they’re more than respectable for a guy who failed to catch on with the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors over the previous five seasons. And he also provided solid minutes in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Specifically, with Robinson out with another ankle injury, Achiuwa once again had a big performance. 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 fact is, Achiuwa could very well start the season as the Knicks’ starting center. We haven’t heard much about Robinson’s recovery. And given his injury history, New York will likely be cautious about Robinson’s return to the court. So, Achiuwa might not be the only small-ball center the Knicks will have to rely on.

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) warms up before a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden
© John Jones-Imagn Images

Knicks fans have been eager to see Julius Randle play center for years. Coach Tom Thibodeau has been reluctant to do so. But he hopes to reconsider his stance on Randle as a center.

Is Randle an ideal center? Absolutely not, especially given his lack of protection around the rim. But he is strong enough to occupy the center with the help of his supporting cast. And that supporting cast can provide significant help for OG AnunobyMikal Bridges etc. helping on the weak side.

Playing Randle at center also helps relieve Thibodeau of the three/four position clutter. Thibodeau has to carefully organize a rotation that includes Anunoby, Bridges, Josh Hart, and Randle. And Randle will be essential to the team’s offense, as he’s one of the few players who can create his own shot. Plus, playing with three of the aforementioned players allows for even more offensive power and versatility, which is always a good thing — at least offensively.

Additionally, placing Randle at center alongside Anunoby and Bridges reduces the number of open lanes to the basket for opposing wings. And that means there’s less need for an intimidating basket protector.

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Much like Robinson, Randle’s status for the start of the season is also unclear. However, Randle is expected to be back on the court for the season opener on October 22. If he’s not back for the first game, he should return very shortly after.

OG Anunoby

Anunoby is another option to play center in small-sided lineups. While that may seem even less appealing than Randle at first glance, Anunoby’s size (7” wingspan) and mobility make him a capable defender against smaller, less dominant bigs. Sure, it’s a losing strategy against guys like Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers), let alone Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic; but it can be enough to fend off some opposing lineups.

While it may seem far-fetched, Thibodeau said that if Anunoby hadn’t been dealing with a lot of injuries last season, he would have given him more opportunities to play small-ball center. And given his aforementioned wingspan, Anunoby is as good an option as there is on the roster (aside from Achiuwa). Remember, Anunoby ably defended Embiid in the 2024 NBA Playoffs in spot-up minutes. For example, he held the former MVP to five points on 1-of-6 shooting in five minutes in a Game 4 win. So while there are major flaws in using him too often, Anunoby as a small-ball center helps in the same way Randle did. And that’s something the Knicks might have to try.

The Knicks are in great shape for the 2024-25 season. They should be wary of Robinson, though. And since they’re unlikely to add power before the season, they’ll have to make do with what they have. And that means adopting small-time lineups with players 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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