Knicks Should Keep a Close Eye on Clippers After LA's Center Trade

The Knicks are far from the only team looking to shore up the back end of their depth chart as the free agency craziness slows down. On Tuesday, the Clippers added another frontcourt option in a trade with the 76ers, acquiring big man Johni Broome from Philadelphia.

Suddenly, the Clippers have more than a few players who spend a significant amount of time at center. That opens the door for a move here in the coming months, and New York would stand to benefit.

Knicks should watch Clippers in case they have a center they'd part with

Every time the Knicks have looked at or attempted a big swing this offseason, they've come up short. From being rejected in their pursuit of Yves Missi to exploring Moussa Diabate but nothing coming of it, and even signing Moussa Cisse to a qualifying offer that ultimately was matched, New York has fewer premium backup center options to turn to at the current moment.

This could lead to Leon Rose making a move on the margins that still have upside, whether with a trade or a potential signing of a smaller name. That makes any team with centers to spare one to watch, and Los Angeles needs to be added to that list with Broome's arrival.

While Brook Lopez is locked in as the Clippers' clear starting center, the team now has a stockpile of depth behind him. LA drafted two towering rookies in Baba Miller (No. 36 pick) and Narcisse Ngoy (No. 57) this year, though the latter may be heading to college in an unprecedented situation.

At the very least, Miller will join a frontcourt that just added young center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser through the draft as a first-round pick only one season ago. There's also the 6-foot-8 Isaiah Jackson, who's played an estimated 89% of his minutes at center over his five-year career.

Yanic Konan-Niederhauser rookie stats
when playing 17+ minutes:
(8 games)

11.0 PTS (70/33/81)
7.3 REB
0.9 AST
0.3 STL
2.1 BLK

+9.0 per game🔥 pic.twitter.com/jTrtoqaQPd
— clippa twitta (@clipfullyloaded) May 27, 2026

Lopez, Miller, Niederhäuser, and Jackson already made up a stable of bigs for the upcoming season. LA even agreed to sign rim-protecting center Jamarion Sharp to a two-way deal just over a week ago.

Broome adds yet another player hoping to see the floor at the position. Someone seems bound to be squeezed out, causing the Clippers to let a center go either through a release or a trade as the pecking order becomes clearer.

From the Knicks' perspective, that means keeping tabs on this situation overall. Especially in case Niederhäuser, Miller, and/or Broome fall out of favor, as they'd be intriguing end-of-bench additions given their lower costs.

Niederhäuser showed promise in a limited role as a rookie this past season, averaging 4.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg and 0.7 bpg across 10.3 mpg. His banner performance in March—which featured 11 points, nine rebounds and a whopping four blocks—is the kind of outing that'd make him an exciting addition for New York.

Given the Clippers invested a first-round pick in him, they clearly like his potential. But drafting Miller and trading for Broome could indicate Konan Niederhäuser hasn't locked up any main backup job yet. As long as he doesn't break out in a huge way as an NBA sophomore, there's always a chance LA is open to dealing him if the Knicks put multiple picks on the table.

Miller likely isn't going anywhere anytime soon as an incoming rookie. But Los Angeles will have a better idea of how much it covets him a few months into the season, so New York could see an opportunity present itself down the line.

Miller was already an intriguing draft consideration for the Knicks this year after notching 13.0 ppg and a Big 12-leading 10.3 rpg in 2025-26. He also averaged at least 1.1 blocks over his final three collegiate seasons, plus 3.7 assists as a senior, giving him multiple alluring skills while also standing 6-foot-11.

Finally, Broome has some built-in job security as a new arrival. But a sudden team switch also makes him vulnerable in case he doesn't make a good first impression on his new front office.

Broome's rookie year was mostly just a blip on the radar with only 11 games played and a total of 55 minutes. However, he did grab a combined 16 rebounds in his minuscule playing time, including seven on the offensive end, which is a reason for optimism when theorizing about how he could help New York.

Broome also put together a prolific senior year in college (18.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.1 bpg) that cannot be ignored when considering what kind of player he could turn into in the NBA with dedicated development.

It's wise for the Clippers to load up on young bigs with upside and skills that complement an aging starter in Lopez. But this hoarding could also become untenable with so many mouths to feed and potentially other roster needs popping up during the campaign.

As the Knicks exercise patience with their remaining hole at center, this will allow them to see how the landscape unfolds leading up to opening night. That waiting may pay off with teams like the Pelicans, Hornets, and now the Clippers having big men New York could pounce on if circumstances change between now and the trade deadline.

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