The New York Knicks are looking to improve a few different areas of their bench unit this summer. While playmaking and scoring should be their top priority, they also might want to add quality rim protection.
Knicks could target Luke Kornet in free agency
One free agent player whom they could pursue is former Boston Celtics’ backup center Luke Kornet, who started his career with the Knicks back in 2017. The big man spent the past four seasons with the Celtics and is now an unrestricted free agent.
The 7-2, 250 lbs big man provides size and physicality under the basket, which are two things New York desperately needs out of their bigs. Furthermore, he is a quality rim protector and could be a quality backup for New York.
This past season, he averaged 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and a block per game. He infamously had a seven-block performance against the Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to force a Game 6, though the Knicks would bounce back and defeat Kornet and the Celtics in the series.
Kornet could make a strong impact on the Knicks
New York lacked true rim protection for most of the season while Mitchell Robinson was out. Even after he came back, the interior defense was still weak thanks to Karl-Anthony Towns’ struggles on the defensive side, and he and Robinson found themselves in foul trouble frequently.
Kornet could be a serviceable backup if New York opts to make Robinson a full-time starter next season, and he would come at a fairly cheap price, too. The Knicks don’t have a ton of money they can spend on free agents, so going for cheaper depth options like Kornet could be optimal.
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