Andre Drummond cannot rely on his hands around the rim anymore. The numbers show a clear problem that the New York Knicks must fix immediately. Just 54.8% of shots from within five feet were made by the 33-year-old center across his first seven games. That figure sits in the 16th percentile of the entire NBA, per Dunks & Threes data cited by Daily Knicks. This is not a fluke. In each of the last three regular seasons, Drummond has failed to hit more than 58.5% of his rim attempts. The team lost Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics, and the replacement simply does not finish at the same clip. If Mike Brown wants to defend the 2026 NBA Championship, he needs a new plan for his backup big man.
The Passing Solution
Drummond is a great rebounder, but he must turn those boards into points for others. He is averaging 2.7 offensive rebounds a game heading into Wednesday night’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls. Instead of forcing floaters or weak hooks, he needs to kick the ball out to shooters. The Knicks roster features sharpshooters like OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet who can punish defenses from deep. Daily Knicks reported that the 76ers previously mitigated his lack of touch by having him shoot threes, but that is not the answer now. Brown spoke often about spacing principles and offensive flow. The coach must teach his new second-string center how to use those principles. Smart reads in the offense will earn Drummond the trust of Jalen Brunson.
Why The Old Ways Fail
They passed on Kevon Looney, even though Brown coached him on the Golden State Warriors. At 33, Drummond likely will not develop much more as a scorer around the basket. The alternative is for him to excel at the passes Robinson used to feed. About a quarter of his field goals came from behind the arc for the Philadelphia 76ers last season. He shot 35.6% on those looks, but relying on that now would be a mistake. The team needs to defend their title, and a slow offense hurts that goal. Drummond must prioritize making sharp kick-outs over trying to score himself.
Brown Demands Better
Mike Brown has already shown he will bench anyone who does not meet his standard. In the third game versus the Orlando Magic, he benched Andre Drummond for the second half. He also benched Mikal Bridges three times in the first seven games. The depth on the roster allows Brown to be this harsh. Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson have outperformed starters, giving the coach options. Shamet posted averages of just under 10 points per game alongside field goal and three-point shooting percentages of 43.8% and 45.7%, respectively. He even scored a season-high 22 points on Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Brown can only be as hard on his starters as his depth allows. If Drummond cannot make the right pass, he will sit.
