Knicks’ Most Intriguing Summer League Player Isn’t on Their Roster

The defending champion Knicks are coming up on another key offseason event, as their NBA Summer League journey officially begins on Friday. This showcase isn't as big a deal for New York as it is for other teams, considering its roster is accounted for and veteran-heavy.

However, there is a hole behind new arrival Andre Drummond with Ariel Hukporti now gone. That makes Summer League tryout Liam Robbins the player worth paying the most attention to, with the third-string center job fully undecided at the moment.

Liam Robbins worth keeping a close eye on during Knicks' Summer League run

Of course, fans are surely looking forward to seeing Mohamed Diawara, Pacôme Dadiet, and new rookie Tyler Nickel in action. But if Robbins has a strong showing, it might end up being more impactful than anyone else, given the major need to shore up center after two significant exits.

The Iowa native offers an intimidating physical presence as a true seven-footer (with a 7-foot-4 wingspan) and 250 pounds. He left college on a high note, averaging career-bests in points (15.0) and blocks (3.2) per game while adding 6.8 rpg and shooting 36.5% from deep.

He's spent the past two years mostly in the G League, where he's averaged a solid 8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 1.3 bpg. Those aren't the kind of eye-popping numbers required to get an actual NBA run, but they do show steady production and some promise.

Now, Robbins will head into Summer League with a chance to impress New York, which is on the hunt for center help. Notably, he's the only player on the Knicks' roster for Las Vegas that's over 6-foot-10, which clears a pretty large path for him to be prominently on display in the frontcourt during these exhibitions.

With his G League experience and even 13 NBA games played for the Bucks in 2024-25, Robbins also has a leg up when it comes to comfort level in this kind of environment. Meanwhile, he'll be playing alongside and against many players who are new to the league, which could allow him to stand out.

Given his longer college career, Robbins is a bit older, as he turns 27 while New York is playing in the Summer League. But if anything, that could make him more appealing to the Knicks as a possible camp invite, considering their reluctance to trust younger players with legitimate roles.

Of course, any tryout this fall will require a great performance in this summer event. Robbins didn't exactly light the court on fire last Summer League playing for the Wizards, as he notched only 2.2 ppg and 2.2 rpg. This was despite a decent opportunity with 12.4 mpg and five total appearances.

However, with New York's center focus at the top of mind for the rest of this offseason, the team has a huge reason to give Robbins plenty of run. His size, shot blocking and potential floor-stretching has clearly intrigued them enough to earn this Summer League opportunity.

That means this could be the start of Robbins possibly earning his keep with the Knicks. While he is an offensive threat, the big man uses his physical gifts to dominate the boards and frustrate opponents' shots, which is the best way to woo the front office given the elements they're trying to replace in Mitchell Robinson's absence.

Hopefully, Robbins recognizes that reality and focuses on the dirty work. He's got players like Diawara, Nickel, and Dadiet to lean on for offense as well, so he can set his sights on controlling the paint on both ends.

If he does that, there's a legitimate chance he sticks around for New York beyond Vegas.

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