Andre Drummond Quickly Easing Worries in 1st Days with Knicks

The New York Knicks finally found their answer on how they will replace Mitchell Robinson, as they reportedly signed veteran center Andre Drummond to a one-year, $3.9 million contract on Friday.

Given the remaining free agent options on the board, and the Knicks striking out in their pursuits of Yves Missi and Marvin Bagley III, getting Drummond on a cheap one-year deal isn’t a bad pickup for the reigning champs.

Now, Drummond isn’t the same type of big man as Robinson, as he won’t be playing above the rim and won't provide much rim protection. And that may cause some anxiousness among the fanbase, which has grown accustomed to Robinson’s style of play over the years.

However, Drummond is already taking a great first step in quelling those fears in his first message to Knicks fans as he departs from Philadelphia. "To the Knicks fans, I know what this city expects, and I'm ready to embrace it. I'm coming in with gratitude, hunger, and a mindset to work. Let's make this chapter special," the veteran center said in an Instagram post (h/t SNY Knicks).

Andre Drummond releases a statement thanking the city of Philadelphia and addresses Knicks fans, as well:

"To the Knicks fans, I know what this city expects, and I'm ready to embrace it. I'm coming in with gratitude, hunger, and a mindset to work. Let's make this chapter… pic.twitter.com/mYRHZ4lHK7
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) July 4, 2026

Andre Drummond is already making good first impression on Knicks fans

If you’re a Knicks fan, you should love the mentality that the 32-year-old Drummond is walking in with, as this team will have a bullseye on its back this upcoming season. And not to mention, the backup center spot will be under the microscope with Robinson joining the Boston Celtics this offseason.

Drummond won’t be catching many lob passes from Jalen Brunson this upcoming season, but he’s always been a great rebounder, and one could argue that he’ll be an upgrade in that regard over Robinson.

In his last two years with the Sixers, Drummond averaged 8.2 rebounds per game, including 8.4 this past season. For his career, the Mount Vernon, New York native is averaging 11.9 rebounds per game, including 7.8 on the defensive glass.

Meanwhile, Robinson averaged 8.8 boards per game this past season (4.6 on defense, which was the second-highest mark of his career), but only 5.5 in the postseason. As for his career average, Robinson has grabbed eight rebounds per game, which is still pretty solid.

However, when you look at the offensive side of the floor, Drummond has expanded his game a little bit by adding a three-point shot, which is something Robinson doesn’t have. This past season with the Sixers, Drummond shot a career-best 35.6% from beyond the arc on 1.4 attempts per game.

In fact, 80% of Drummond’s three-point attempts came from the corner, where he made them at a 36.1% clip. If he can do that this upcoming season, it will give defenses something else to think about when Karl-Anthony Towns is off the court, as the opposing center will have to step out on the perimeter.

With Robinson, opponents didn’t have to worry about that. Their main job was to keep him off the board, not give up an easy basket in the paint, and, if possible, send him to the line.

That being said, Knicks fans hope that Drummond lives up to the words in his message on social media. New York still doesn’t have a third backup center on the roster, but even if they do eventually add one, there will still be a lot of pressure on Drummond to fill in the void left by Robinson.

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