Offseason Adjustments- Center
Welcome to Part III of my segment on the Knicks offseason of optimism. The Knicks have several major decisions to make at the center position. It Is crucial for the Knicks success to fortify the center position. These decisions will be key to the backbone of their defense and rebounding.
Current Centers
Currently, we have only two true centers, Mitchell Robinson and Nerlens Noel. Taj Gibson filled in admirably last season, but at his size he is more so a forward. Robinson, the neophyte who has a world of potential, seems to always be the one to take one step forward and two steps back. Robinson lacks a true offensive game still outside of catching lob passes. On the defensive end he’s a juggernaut who uses his athleticism to alter shots and rebound with the best. The crafty veteran Noel continues to bring his best and was one of the best defensive centers in the league last year.
Who do we retain?
Mitchell Robinson presents an interesting conundrum; The question now is will he make a full recovery from his most recent injuries? Or will they zap him of his athleticism and render him useless? As of today, Knicks brass has yet to make their decision. At this juncture, they can pick up Robinsons one year option and make this a prove it type of contract to try and motivate him. Signing him to a long-term extension without seeing how he’s recuperated from his most recent bout of maladies would be foolish to say the least. The one year option is the best course of action.
Nerlens Noel also presents a difficult choice. Noel had a excellent season filling in admirably for the oft injured Robinson. Noel brings tenacity and energy on the defensive end but lacks size. Noels performance last year as a starter also upped his price tag significantly. Someone with his skillset will surely command a gaudy contract in the range of four years and 40 to 50 million dollars.
Offseason Big Name Targets: Center
The market features few big-name targets when it comes to centers. The only name out there the Knicks could target would be Jarrett Allen. However, Allen is a restrict free agent meaning the Knicks could pay quite the premium to reel in Allen. If we were to bring in Allen, we would most likely me moving on from Robinson and giving up a lot of our younger players. We may also be forced to take on some bad contracts ala Kevin Love.
Allen brings a lot of weapons to table. He is a dual threat center who plays both sides of the ball. He’s a scoring center who led the league in field goal percentage and will get you double digit rebounds on a nightly basis. Allen’s only drawback is his poor free throw shooting (69% last season). I feel Allen would take our team to another level and would force defenses into single coverage.
He’s still a young player who has a lot of developing to do. There is superstar potential here though. With Cleveland drafting another center in Evan Mobley, the Cavs may be willing to move their young center for the right price. Odds of landing Allen: 5/10.
Alternative Offseason Targets
The remaining centers I will be discussing will only be considered assuming we choose not to bring back both Noel and Gibson. I strongly feel that both Noel and Gibson fit our system the best as backups and odds are both will most likely be resigned for the right price. Either way, lets evaluate the market.
A solid target is veteran Dwight Howard. Over the last two years Howard has showed me two things: He is durable now, whatever he has done to change his workout routine or his diet, it worked. Howard seems healthy for the first time in years. Secondly, he has proven that he is still a force on defense and makes opposing teams work very hard in the post. If we were to part ways with Noel, Howard would not be a bad fit. Odds of landing Howard 5/10.
(Editor’s note: Dwight Howard is signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.)
Another interesting target if we failed to land Howard and we lose out on Noel is Gorgui Dieng. I have been talking about Dieng since his days with the Timberwolves and always felt he was underutilized. Dieng is a durable center who can shoot three, rebound, block shots and has the length to be a disruptor on the defensive end of the floor. Dieng also has a rapport with our coach from his days in Minnesota. Odds of landing Dieng 6/10.
(Editor’s note: Dieng has reportedly signed with the Atlanta Hawks.)
Lastly, if we fail to land any of the other free agents, there is always Javale McGee. McGee, a center who is a stout defender would easily integrate into our system and be able to catch the occasional lob pass. Odds of landing McGee: 2/10.
(Editor’s note: JaVale McGee has agreed to a deal with the Phoenix Suns.)
