Knicks’ Patience at Center Already Looks Like It Could Pay Off

Playing the long game might prove very fruitful.

The Knicks just need to wait out preseason cuts. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A lot of names have come across the Knicks' table this offseason as they search for center help. One who likely drew some consideration was Micah Potter after the Pacers released him on July 8.

However, Potter was subject to waivers before New York could add him to its roster, and the Trail Blazers (who would've had higher priority with a worse record) decided to claim the big man, ending those immediate hopes.

But Potter remained someone for the Knicks to keep an eye on after a strong 2025-26 season, and the fact that he could prove to be a poor fit moving to a new team, especially as Portland aggressively reshapes its rotation.

Well, it turns out Leon Rose might just be in luck. NBA insider Jake Fischer is reporting the Blazers are bringing in competition to challenge Potter (who's on a non-guaranteed contract) for one of their final roster spots. In fact, that process began earlier this week, as Portland signed ex-New York reserve Jeremy Sochan, who has small-ball center capabilities.

This suddenly creates significant optimism that the Knicks will be able to add quality center help in the coming weeks, as waiting and seeing where the chips fall with preseason cuts now looks like a truly viable path.

Knicks could have Micah Potter (or another center) fall into their laps as they wait teams out

New York's lack of noise in the frontcourt since signing Andre Drummond has certainly generated some anxiety. Trades seem impossible right now for the defending champs, while the free agency market is basically barren. The team's long-shot attempt at signing Moussa Cissé also (predictably) failed.

This has made many wonder whether the Knicks would rather go into the preseason without anyone signed to the final roster spot they can afford. This way, they could not only keep the trade dream alive, but also potentially scoop up a big who gets cut they like more than the currently available free agents.

That approach is a risk, as New York won't know who ultimately is let go or who forces their team to keep them after being a cut candidate. However, it also maximizes the Knicks' range of outcomes, since a lot could change on the center front by the end of September.

Potter already inching closer to his exit with the Blazers only speaks to this being a savvy strategy. Even though Portland liked him enough to claim him off waivers, the reality is he would always be a flyer with his non-guaranteed contract. There are other bigs in similar situations as well, so this may have added to New York's belief that it could still profit even by sitting on its hands.

Micah Potter should be a top release candidate target for the Knicks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If Portland does ultimately believe it best to end the Potter experiment early, the Knicks should be ready to pounce. The Wisconsin product is fresh off his best NBA season, notching personal highs with 9.7 ppg and 5.0 rpg while averaging 19.3 minutes across 47 appearances for Indiana.

With just 36 career blocks over 111 contests, Potter isn't someone who will replicate the defensive force Mitchell Robinson was. But he clearly is focused on making an impact on the boards, and his skill on the offensive end would be a great complement to what Karl-Anthony Towns brings.

Potter's 1.5 apg this season hints that he could be a nice secondary playmaking option on the second unit as well. He is also starting to become someone who stretches the defense, knocking down an impressive 43.6% of his threes in 2025-26. His attempts from deep have increased over each of the last three campaigns, too, so he seems set on becoming a real threat beyond the arc.

Though Drummond is a strong main backup to Towns, New York needs a third big capable of stepping up in times of need. Opponents will hunt Towns as he becomes more important to the Knicks' game plan as they look to defend their title, so foul trouble is bound to pop up, especially in the playoffs.

Drummond also played just 63 games this past season, and he was at only 40 contests the year before that. He's not getting any younger as he enters his age-33 campaign, so New York can't just settle for the third-string job.

The fact that the role remains vacant is an obvious signal that the Knicks are declining to do just that. They could bring in someone like Kelly Olynyk or Mason Plumlee if they wanted to call it a day. Instead, by exercising some restraint, they're putting themselves in a great position to land a player with more upside who could be cut or traded in the preseason, like Potter.

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