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Andre Drummond is coming to the Knicks on a one-year deal worth about $3.9 million, and his job will be pretty clear. Rebound, screen, defend the paint, and make the second unit feel bigger than it did a year ago.
The Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson in free agency, so the backup center spot needed a different type of player. Drummond is not going to copy Robinson’s timing or vertical athleticism. He brings a stronger rebounding presence and a lot more experience.
Drummond averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in 19.5 minutes for Philadelphia last season. His Basketball-Reference numbers show the long view too: 12.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game over his career.
Knicks need Drummond to win the ugly possessions
There is a reason this signing makes sense after a championship season. New York does not need another player who wants to run offense through the post. It needs somebody who can keep the ball alive when the starters sit, set a hard screen for the bench guards, and make opponents pay for ignoring the glass.
Drummond can do that. His touch around the rim has never been the main point. The Knicks will be happy if he creates extra possessions, takes up space, and does not turn every catch into a slow possession.
The fit is cleaner than asking Karl-Anthony Towns to absorb every center minute. Towns can play his offensive game without spending the entire season fighting bigger centers on the glass.
The next question is playoff trust
Drummond’s regular-season minutes should be easy to find. The playoffs are different. Teams will test him in space, pull him into pick-and-roll coverage, and see whether New York can keep him on the floor late.
The contract still makes sense. The Knicks should treat him as a matchup tool, not a locked-in closer. Some nights he will be the right answer. Other nights the team may need a smaller lineup or more shooting.
I like the signing because it gives the Knicks a clear backup plan without asking the player to be something he is not. Drummond is not Robinson, and he does not have to be. If he rebounds and defends well enough, New York will be in a better spot by April.
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