Now-Available Big Man Could Force Knicks to Break Their Vow of Silence

There's reason for New York to jump on this opportunity before it's gone.

This center might tempt the Knicks to finally make another signing. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Leon Rose's strategy for the Knicks' center problem appears clear ahead of training camp. Rather than rush to sign a veteran who's still available, Rose seems to be waiting out other teams' roster crunches and hoping someone more promising shakes loose.

This approach has already resulted in Hunter Dickinson becoming available to New York, and now it officially has another name to consider in Julian Reese. The intriguing young big man has become a free agent after being waived Aug. 28 and going unclaimed, putting a previously unavailable center option on the market.

Considering the preseason is rapidly approaching, this could be a development that finally leads to the Knicks making another signing, rather than opting to stay silent.

Why Knicks should pounce on Julian Reese before it's too late

New York straying away from inking any free agents for all of August certainly makes sense. The team shouldn't commit themselves to an option just for the sake of having another body; rather, the mission should be on optimizing the position.

This reasoning likely is why the Knicks stared at Nick Richards in free agency for close to two months and didn't make a move. The same goes for leaving the likes of Kelly Olynyk and Mason Plumlee still on the market.

However, Reese isn't like those vets. He brings exciting youth to the table after turning 23 years old and making his NBA debut in March 2026. He's also flashed alluring potential after averaging 11.5 points and 10.5 rebounds over 13 games for the Washington Wizards to end this past season.

In the last 40 years, three NBA players have recorded a 20-rebound game within the first five career games:

• Shaq
• Tim Duncan
• Julian Reese 🐢 pic.twitter.com/UYjpdjeSmv

— Inside the Black & Gold (@Insideblackgold) March 6, 2026

Instead of an aging veteran on his last legs, or a player like Richards who's failed to take off after demonstrating promise, Reese presents the exact kind of mold New York has targeted this summer with previous links to Moussa Diabate, Mousse Cissé, Yves Missi and Karlo Matković.

Admittedly, the jury is still out on Reese, who's undersized at 6-foot-9 and benefited from being featured on a tanking Washington team that won just a single game out of his 13 appearances. This skepticism is also reflected by the fact that zero franchises claimed him off waivers.

Yet, this is an opportunity the Knicks shouldn't leave to chance. They're one of the only teams in the league with a remaining need at center, so beating the other squads to the punch is important. They have space both on the main roster and via two-way spots to accommodate Reese, who should be low-cost given his limited NBA track record, so there are no excuses on that front.

If New York drags its feet, another team could suffer an injury to a key reserve, allowing them to aggressively go after Reese and offer a legitimate role. That'd get directly in the way of New York luring Reese with the idea of him being a contender for the third-string job, which isn't the most glamorous role for an ascending player.

The downside here appears minimal, as Reese can't expect much more than a two-way deal or a non-guaranteed contract. Yet there's clear upside for the Knicks, who'd add a young, hustling big who loves to rebound to pad their frontcourt depth. It wouldn't prevent other additions from being made, either, especially if Reese comes in as a two-way player.

Inking him now would also allow Reese to begin preparations for training camp and have a smoother transition on the heels of being dumped, which could set him up to play at the level New York needs behind Andre Drummond.

The fact that Reese is so early in his career also opens the door for him to become a long-term fixture in the Big Apple if all goes well, providing even more incentive to prioritize signing him now, rather than hoping he's still available closer to opening night.

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