Knicks' 5 Most Realistic Targets on Day 1 of Free Agency

Feb 11, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Kevon Looney (55) looks on against the Miami Heat during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

After Monday night's re-signing of Landry Shamet, the Knicks are expected to have about $8 million left before going over the second apron. They'll need to spread that out over the remaining four open roster spots.

Barring any major trades or James Dolan lifting his mandate to stay below the second apron, the Knicks will have slim picking when it comes to free agent options. But there are still a few solid candidates to fill out the rest of the roster.

Ariel Hukporti

This isn't a flashy name fans will get excited about. But as things stand right now, it still seems like one of the most likely options. The Knicks did not extend a qualifying offer to Ariel Hukporti Monday night, which made him an unrestricted free agent. That doesn't rule out the German center, though.

I say that because giving Hukporti the qualifying offer would've meant giving him a deal worth $2.66 million. If they allow him to hit free agency and agree on a minimum deal with him, it could be worth a bit less at $2.45 million.

It's not a big difference. But it's a difference nonetheless, especially for a team looking to save as much money on the margins as possible. New York will do its due diligence and survey the market for free agent and trade options. But if they can't find a backup center who is a very clear upgrade, they may just bring Hukporti back given the mutual familiarity.

Jordan Clarkson

Jordan Clarkson is another boring name for some, but there's been buzz that a return is very much a possibility. The veteran guard made $3.6 million this past season and may be okay with coming back for a similar number.

That being said, Clarkson isn't a lock to return. He has a lot more draw than Hukporti does. If a team wanted to bring Clarkson in to bolster their bench and add some veteran leadership, they could offer him more than the Knicks could.

And while Clarkson seemed to enjoy his time as a Knick, he is coming off a season in which he just averaged the fewest minutes per game (17.8) in his career. Clarkson may want to seek out an opportunity where he can have a larger role.

That being said, a reunion still seems likely as the reserve guard liked being a Knick, and the Knicks liked having him.

Kevon Looney

The Knicks need a backup center badly. Which is why Kevon Looney is the one external name that has been the most linked to the Knicks. He made $16 million over two seasons in New Orleans, but could very well take a minimum to get back to in a winning situation.

The Knicks could bring Hukporti back and still go after Looney and have a platoon situation which could help make up for Mitchell Robinson's departure. Or they could say goodbye to Hukporti and rely on Looney to be the exclusive reserve center.

Regardless of the direction the Knicks want to go, Looney is a veteran center who knows what it takes to win at the highest level. And he knows head coach Mike Brown very well from his time in Golden State.

If the Knicks look externally for a Mitchell Robinson replacement, Looney currently looks like the most probable option.

Andre Drummond

Andre Drummond isn't the defender Robinson is. Nowhere even remotely close to it. And if you want proof of that, look no further than the 2026 playoffs when the Knicks relentlessly attacked Drummond's defense (or lack thereof).

But what Drummond can do, is grab offensive rebounds. The unrestricted free agent is the only player in the NBA that can confidently say he's in the same tier as Robinson when it comes to securing his team's misses.

He was third in the league in offensive rebounds per-36 minutes and is second all-time in offensive rebounds per-36. His defense will inevitably lead to a lot of frustrations. But if the Knicks want to maintain the high level of offensive rebounding, which they partially built their offense around, then Drummond could be the answer.

Nicolas Batum

The Cllippers declined their team option for Batum on Monday, making the veteran wing an unrestricted free agent. Batum will turn 38 years old in December but there's still a solid bench contributor left in that aging body of his.

He's shot 39.9% or higher from three in the last three seasons, and is a connective passer who's always had high basketball IQ. And while he isn't the defensive stalwart he used to be in Portland, Batum is still a serviceable defender who can guard a few different positions.

Batum did make $5.7 million last season, but he's at the point in his career where taking a minimum to secure a ring before he hangs 'em up is very much in the cards.