Knicks Have Unlikely Candidate to Replace Starting Center

The New York Knicks will look to replace some of Isaiah Hartenstein's value in an unconventional way.

Apr 3, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) makes a move to the basket as Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) defends during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks need to rethink their system after losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency.

The loss gives the Knicks a big need at the center position, and the way that they will have to replace him has yet to be determined.

Even though he isn't a center, the Knicks should gain some value lost from Hartenstein with the acquisition of Mikal Bridges.

"This is where the Bridges trade, an under-discussed element of it is, he's a big talent injection, in terms of just all-around talent, including offensive creativity," Lowe said on the "Bill Simmons Podcast." h/t Sporting News writer Scott Davis. "What he did in Brooklyn, at least the first half-year he was there — he fell off a little last year — that was, like, legit secondary creator on a good team stuff. If that carries over, they have a little more leeway in terms of what they can get.

"You mentioned Hartenstein and what they can't replace from him. Defensively, he was amazing, but his passing, his floater game, he was a release valve for them offensively. [The Knicks], in theory, should miss that less with Mikal Bridges there as a secondary, third creator."

The Knicks cannot be the same team that they were last year with Hartenstein no longer manning the middle. It will take some adjusting, but they will have to operate under a new set of circumstances. Adding Bridges to the mix gives the Knicks a lot of talent and even more defense on the perimeter, which is a massive plus.

Bridges on the court will force teams to plan differently against the Knicks than last year, and New York has to embrace that change. Clearly, they want to given how much they traded for Bridges in the first place, but desire and execution are two very different things.

If the Knicks don't adapt to their new surroundings, they will fall behind quickly in the Eastern Conference standings.

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