Devastating: It has been verified that the former coach of New York Knicks has died in an aircraft crash. His death has been declared.

With Mitchell Robinson’s return in question, Knicks must embrace small ball

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.