Knicks Just Had Salt Rubbed in Their Yves Missi Trade Wound

One of the Knicks' first bumps along the road this offseason at center was their rejection of a trade for Pelicans big man Yves Missi. In fact, New York liked him so much that it tried "multiple times," per NBA on Prime's Chris Haynes, to land the third-year pro.

Landing Missi could've changed the entire trajectory of the Knicks' offseason, but instead they're left without a sorely needed third center and unappetizing options available to fill that hole.

All of this makes the Missi strikeout sting, but that pain only became worse on Thursday, as Missi starred in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers for Cameroon. He dominated his way to 24 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and one thunderous dunk.

“OH MY GOODNESS”

Pelicans center Yves Missi, who the Knicks “feverishly tried to trade for” earlier this summer per @ChrisBHaynes, dominates with 24 & 9 + 4 blocks in Cameroon’s 78-62 World Cup Qualifier win over David Fizdale’s Nigeria today pic.twitter.com/FZAXZVBtJu
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) August 28, 2026

It was the kind of display that showcased Missi's clear potential, which made him a prime target for the Knicks in the first place. It also serves as an unfortunate reminder of the real predicament New York is in while trying to maximize its upside at backup center.

Failed Yves Missi trade looms over Knicks' current center problem

There is a legitimate world where the Knicks traded for Missi around the draft and then entered free agency with a better plan of attack. He could've been treated as their main Karl-Anthony Towns backup, or been part of a 1-2 punch with a veteran they signed in the first hours of legal tampering.

Instead, New York operated in the dark, with Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti's returns being unclear. After both players' surprise departures, Leon Rose had to play catch-up and didn't sign Drummond until several days into free agency, which likely played a part in delaying the third center spot being addressed.

It's not Rose's fault the Pelicans didn't want to play ball on Missi. He made the right move to chase a young big with upside but limited NBA production, who should've been available for a price that worked for the Knicks.

Yves Missi reboun — Knicks are still feeling the effects of Yves Missi trade miss. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Regardless of why New Orleans turned New York away, the effects are still being felt to end August.

Rather than having a third big locked in, the Knicks have been forced to explore any means necessary to land a third center with more promise, including trying to trade for Missi's teammate (Karlo Matković), plus making a desperate offer to restricted free agent Moussa Cissé that was matched.

Each failed effort to add a big just puts New York in a worse position from a negotiation standpoint, as every front office around the league can see how big a focus this is for Rose. That likely means stiffer prices the Knicks can't meet if they want to still keep their championship-winning core intact and maintain some draft capital to use around the trade deadline.

Plus, being turned away on Missi ahead of free agency caused New York to miss out on the initial rush, as it then had to see what would shake out with Robinson and Hukporti. They could've had Missi and then chased someone like Branden Carlson, Nikola Vučević, Thomas Bryant or Kevon Looney much earlier and had a better chance at signing them.

By the time the Knicks agreed to a deal with Drummond on July 3, many of the free agents worth signing were already off the table. Sure, Nick Richards was available all the way until he signed with the Heat earlier this week, but that was just one option, and clearly New York wasn't that high on him.

Now, the Knicks are left with the scraps. Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell, Mason Plumlee and Bismack Biyombo aren't talents that will change how a season goes. The one player who potentially could raise the ceiling is Ben Simmons, but he's just as likely to burn New York.

Seeing Missi star on the court reflects that the Knicks had the right idea in their center search. They've chased upside and potential with their targets.

But as opening night approaches, a sobering reality looms: New York might have to settle for an unexciting vet that every other team has passed on, rather than having a promising talent that could alter the short- or long-term.

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