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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Weeks after their NBA championship win, the New York Knicks faced an offseason in which some of their roster members might leave elsewhere to sign with other teams.
Thus far, they've lost big man Mitchell Robinson after he signed a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Boston Celtics. That meant they'd need to find a suitable backup for Robinson, who provided valuable minutes off the bench when Karl-Anthony Towns needed a rest or was in foul trouble.
On Friday, ESPN's NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Knicks found their replacement, as Andre Drummond agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million deal to join the team.
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Drummond is coming off his 14th season, having spent last season as a backup big man for Joel Embiid on the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 6.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists with a 47.2% field goal percentage.
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Drummond's name popped up ahead of this signing as a player the Los Angeles Lakers might consider as a backup for their new big man, Walker Kessler. Two other names, Kevon Looney and Jonas Valanciunas, also surfaced in speculation about who the Lakers could target.
He'll bring similar veteran experience to Robinson, having played on multiple teams throughout his career, including the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Detroit Pistons.
Ironically, Drummond also has a statistically bad career free-throw shooting percentage of 48.9%, similar to Robinson's 50.8% career free-throw rate. Teams typically use a strategy of fouling players with bad free-throw rates in games, and may continue to use that against the Knicks when necessary due to Drummond's poor percentage.
Outside of Friday's Drummond signing, it's been a relatively quiet offseason for the Knicks. In the NBA Draft, they selected two guards in the second round: Alba Berlin's Jack Kayil and Vanderbilt's Tyler Nickel. While Nickel will likely compete for a reserve role, Kayil is more of a draft-and-stash player for the Knicks.
The main aspect is keeping the championship group together. The Knicks still have their core lineup intact, seeming ready to run it back and try to repeat as champions in the 2026-27 NBA season.
More news: Celtics Legend Calls Out Boston’s ‘Analytical’ Jaylen Brown Trade to 76ers
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