Man, talk about a gut punch. The New York Knicks, fresh off a championship, just watched their backup center, Mitchell Robinson, walk right over to the rival Celtics. Losing an excellent rotation big always stings, but Robinson was the longest-tenured player on that squad. To leave after bringing a title home, and for *them*? That’s rough. But here’s the wild part: I’m actually starting to think their frontcourt could end up even better this season. Yeah, I said it.
Andre Drummond Is Gonna Surprise Folks
First up, the Andre Drummond addition. Now, Robinson was elite on the glass, no doubt. But Drummond gives the Knicks another elite rebounder. Offensively, he’s a whole different beast. He doesn’t finish above the rim like Mitch could, but Drummond is a quicker decision-maker as a passer. Plus, the dude’s a far superior free-throw shooter, hitting over 60% for two years straight. And get this: he’s even started shooting spot-up 3-pointers. Last season, Drummond drained 32 of his 90 shots from deep! That’s an incredible development for a guy who used to be one of the most hackable players in the league, kinda like Robinson still is. Nobody’s confusing him with Karl-Anthony Towns, but these new skills give Coach Mike Brown some serious options with his backup units. Drummond can screen and roll, spot up in the corner, or run handoffs. Robinson was more of a run-and-dunk guy. Look, Mitch was a way better defender, offering rim protection and even stepping out on the perimeter, like he did late in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against Victor Wembanyama. But Robinson only averaged 13.9 minutes in the playoffs, down from 19.6 during the season, mainly due to injuries and those free throw woes. Drummond won’t need to play big minutes either, but his versatility is a game-changer.
Coach Brown’s Playbook Is Full of Wild Cards
Then there’s Mike Brown, the mad scientist. Playing through Towns was key to the ring, sure, but Brown also leaned into some wild combinations. Remember Game 4 of the Finals? He rode Jalen Brunson and Jose Alvarado together during the greatest comeback in Finals history. Earlier in the season, he closed out a win over Philadelphia with OG Anunoby at center against Joel Embiid after Towns fouled out. Brown never hesitates to do something different, which is exactly why he replaced the always-stubborn Tom Thibodeau. Why not give those looks even more time during the regular season? I wanna see a sprinkle more of Anunoby as the small-ball 5. It would let the Knicks switch more screens and put five shooters on the floor, stretching defenses to their breaking point.
The Rookie Who Could Be Their Secret Weapon
And keep this on the low, but Mohamed Diawara? The Knicks faithful kept quiet online all year about him, not wanting his impressive flashes to blow up. But there’s something serious worth developing in him. The dude shot 37% from 3 as a rookie! That, combined with his ridiculous 7-foot-4 wingspan, gives him serious versatility on defense. We could see him playing power forward next to a big this season. It’s clear the Knicks frontcourt, despite losing Robinson, has some intriguing new looks ready to roll out.
This team is still cooking, and with Brown’s willingness to experiment and some new faces bringing fresh skills, this season’s Knicks frontcourt could be deeper and more unpredictable than ever before. Get ready.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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