The New York Knicks are moving fast to fix their frontcourt depth before the season starts. According to reports, the team will waive veteran center Drew Eubanks after he tore a pectoral muscle. This injury ends Eubanks’ bid to earn a roster spot, and the move leaves James Wiseman as the clear favorite for the job. It is a tough break for a player who just signed a non-guaranteed deal in September to compete for the final spot.
After Mitchell Robinson joined the Boston Celtics and Ariel Hukporti moved to the Philadelphia 76ers, only two centers remained for the Knicks at training camp. Now, they are down to one healthy option behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond. Eubanks was an eight-year veteran, but his injury forces the team to look elsewhere. The team has not yet officially announced the waiver, but the report from Charania on Thursday is specific. This situation leaves Wiseman and Tony Bradley as the only candidates for the last minimum-salary spot.
Wiseman Looks Like the Clear Choice
His size and athleticism have already distinguished James Wiseman from the competition. He had a strong showing in Tuesday’s game, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds on 7-of-8 shooting. That performance came in just 24 minutes during a loss in Toronto. Before the injury to Eubanks, Wiseman was the player to beat because of his history with head coach Mike Brown. The coach has made it clear that the job is not a big one. “If one of those guys makes our team, at least right now, they may not even play seven minutes — you know, seven straight minutes,” he said Monday, according to New York Daily News.
Brown also noted that the winner must play hard and do what is asked on both sides of the floor. The Knicks need someone who can bring something different than the two starters. With Eubanks out, Wiseman is the logical choice to fill that void. The team is looking for a veteran presence, and Wiseman fits the bill despite his checkered past. Wiseman is becoming a more logical pick since the Knicks possess sufficient space under the second apron to retain a single veteran from camp.
The Clock Is Ticking On the Roster
Madison Square Garden will host the 76ers in the Knicks’ regular season opener on Tuesday. They cannot afford to wait around to figure out their center rotation. Before a torn UCL in his left thumb ended his year in March, Eubanks appeared in 42 games for Sacramento last season. His absence now creates a gap that Wiseman must fill immediately. The team has to make a decision soon. “And then at the end of the day, we just have to make a decision,” Brown said on Monday.
The Knicks are in a unique spot where they have to manage their salary cap carefully while trying to win a championship. They lost Robinson in free agency, and now they have lost Eubanks to injury. This leaves them with a thin bench behind their stars. The focus is now entirely on whether Wiseman can stay healthy and provide the needed minutes. The Knicks need depth, and they need it now.
