Fresh off their first championship in five decades, the New York Knicks don’t need any major roster changes this offseason. Even so, with team owner James Dolan set on not going over the second apron, they may be forced to make a few adjustments to the supporting cast.
Notably, with backup center Mitchell Robinson likely on his way out, the Knicks are thinking about additions to the frontcourt, and they already have a few names in mind: Nick Richards and Kevon Looney, who they believe could provide equal value.
“Assuming that the Knicks do not cross the second apron and lose Robinson in free agency, there will be a massive void in their frontcourt to fill behind Karl-Anthony Towns,” reported Sigel. “Ariel Hukporti is a player New York is high on, but the team will immediately look at low-cost options on minimum deals to fill their No. 2 center spot. Two names league sources brought up in connection to the Knicks as possible replacements for Robinson are Nick Richards and Kevon Looney.”
Robinson is currently the longest-tenured Knick, having just completed his eighth season with the team. Drafted 36th overall in 2018, he rose to prominence in New York as a defensive and rebounding specialist. This past season, in 60 games for the Knicks, he averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game on 72.3% shooting from the field.
While the Knicks prefer to keep Robinson, he’s likely to seek a higher salary than the $12.9 million he was owed for 2025-26. For team owner James Dolan, it’s just not worth keeping Robinson if it means sending his team over the second apron and handicapping their long-term flexibility.
As far as replacements go, they could do worse than Nick Richards. The 28-year-old big man (who is a free agent this summer) has a similar skillset to Robinson, and he should provide an identical impact off the bench. In 48 games this season, he averaged 5.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on 51.2% shooting and and 27.8% shooting from three. Best of all, he only made $5 million in 2025-26, making him a more affordable alternative than Mitch.
Of course, the Knicks could also look toward New Orleans, where Kevon Looney makes an ideal trade candidate. As a three-time NBA champion, he knows how to deliver under pressure without overshadowing his teammates. He may be limited offensively, but Looney is someone who does all the dirty work while leaving nothing left on the table. After averaging 2.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 41.7% shooting and 15.4% shooting from three this past season, he found his place on the Pelicans, but it’s unclear if they will accept his $8 million team option this summer.
For now, it’s all just a waiting game for the Knicks, and it’s anyone’s guess what might happen. But after making history with this roster, it wouldn’t be smart to lose key role players without finding viable replacements. Whether it’s Looney, Richards, or someone else entirely, the Knicks will fill the void by Robinson’s inevitable departure. What they won’t do is cripple their roster-building capabilities by overpaying for easily replaceable players.
