Knicks Need More Defensive Center Depth After Losing Mitchell Robinson

The next season for the Knicks in 2026–27 seems tough since Mitchell Robinson moved in free agency and the center position is not strong anymore. He became a champion and now plays center for the Celtics. New York has been suffering a lot due to his defensive skills and rebounding and blocks; they miss him badly. Towns now plays the center position for Knicks, but the question remains whether their roster will be able to withstand the physicality of Mitchell Robinson.

While Robinson excelled beyond traditional metrics his worth resided in his ability to contest shots and grab rebounds and create second chance opportunities. This gave the Knicks reliable presence inside against strong opposition. Towns brings different contributions on offense including shooting from beyond the arc and versatility to stretch defenses but the Knicks still need reliable defense when Towns is rested or fouled. The Knicks addressed this by signing Andre Drummond, a reliable rebounder who is also physically strong. The Knicks have to assess if they can defend consistently against top front line consistently using their current schemes.

The team signed up the second overall player James Wiseman from the 2020 draft class. He is the kind of player that has height and athleticism. This player gives the team a choice apart from Towns and Drummond. Having different big men does not mean that the Knicks will play defense well. Knicks coach Mike Brown must put together rotations capable of playing good defense near the basket, communicate well, and have good rebounding as well as spacing while attacking. When these rotation players fail to match their opponents' athleticism and defensive rebounding, then they may go after more defenders through transactions in the future.

For the Knicks, it is essential to focus on keeping a defensive mentality that made the team a championship contender. Jalen Brunson runs the show in the backcourt for the Knicks, and Towns gives New York a great scoring threat in the frontcourt. However, what must happen is for the team to stay tough on defense all throughout the season. It is fair for Drummond and Wiseman to get minutes in order to make their case for more playing time, and if it does not work out well, then there may have to be one more player added into the mix. If this happens, the Knicks will be able to defend their NBA championship.