Five veteran signings absolutely detonated the Knicks’ training camp this week, turning what might have been a quiet preseason into a full-blown battle for roster spots. We’re talking Bruce Brown, John Konchar, Ochai Agbaji, Drew Eubanks, and James Wiseman all joining on Exhibit 9 deals, and suddenly, as Ian Begley from SNY pointed out, the veteran camp battles are for real. It’s a fight for a backup center spot and a wing spot, and honestly, it sounds like an MMA main event brewing in the NBA.
The Big Man Brawl: Eubanks vs. Wiseman For Backup Center
This is where it gets spicy, especially with Mitchell Robinson having left for Boston. The center depth is open, and these two bigs are going to throw down. James Wiseman, man, what a wild career arc so far. This guy was the second overall pick in 2020 by Golden State, right? He looked promising out the gate, averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds. That’s serious early production! But then, boom, a meniscus injury sidelined him for the entire 2021-22 season. Talk about a brutal setback. He got traded to Detroit mid-2022-23, and you saw flashes of efficiency, hitting 56% from the field for his career, but consistency was a struggle, and opportunities were limited. Then he bounces to Indiana, where an Achilles tear robbed him of most of 2024-25. Across 152 career games (56 starts), Wiseman’s put up nine points and 5.5 rebounds. So, what is it? Is this the moment a truly great talent, snakebit by injury, finally proves his mettle? Or is he just too broken to make an impact? When you’ve got a 6’11”, 240lb prospect like that, you gotta be hyped to find out if he can fill a critical hole.
Eubanks’ Grit Meets Wiseman’s Potential
Standing in Wiseman’s way is Drew Eubanks, an undrafted 6’10” bruiser out of Oregon State. This dude has carved out a solid career since signing with the Spurs in 2018. He’s that efficient, defensive-minded big you love having on your squad, and he’s been all over the league. Four seasons with the Spurs, then Portland where he popped off for a career-high 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds as a starter in 2021-22. He’s bounced around to Phoenix, Utah, the Clippers, and the Kings, showing that he’s a reliable presence. In 426 career games (86 starts), Eubanks has averaged 5.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 15.1 minutes, shooting 60% from the floor. That’s a consistent, reliable rim protector and interior scorer off the bench, which would be massive insurance behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.
This isn’t just a competition; it’s a test of wills. Wiseman’s raw talent and checkered injury history against Eubanks’ proven grit and reliability. Who’s gonna snatch that backup center spot? The next few weeks of training camp are going to be absolutely insane, and we’ll be watching every single drill.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
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