Knicks’ Roster Dilemma Becomes Clear After Waiving Drew Eubanks

The New York Knicks lost one of the three centers fighting for their final roster spot when ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Thursday morning that center Drew Eubanks suffered a torn pectoral muscle that will keep him out for an extended period of time.

Charania added that New York will waive Eubanks, who had been trying to win a reserve center job in training camp.

Eubanks was on an Exhibit 9 contract, which protects teams when a player gets hurt during camp or the preseason, so the Knicks will not have to pay his salary until he is healthy and will only owe a one-time payment of $15,000 once he is waived.

He has played 426 regular season games and spent last season with the Sacramento Kings.

New York has 13 players on guaranteed contracts and could carry 15 on standard deals, but owner James Dolan has said the team will not go over the second tax apron, which is the same line that has slowed extension talks with two starters.

Ian Begley of SNY reported that the Knicks have room under the apron to keep one of their camp veterans, so with Eubanks out, the center battle comes down to center James Wiseman and center Tony Bradley.

Head coach Mike Brown talked about the decision before Monday's preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he did not sound like a coach who wanted to cut any of them.

"They should all be on a roster this year. There's no experiments in my opinion. These guys are all legitimate NBA players," Brown said before tipoff that night.

Begley also reported that Wiseman had already put himself in a good position to make the roster before Eubanks got hurt.

Mike Brown was an assistant with the Golden State Warriors when they took Wiseman second overall in 2020, and he said Bradley hurt the Knicks in each of their last two playoff runs.

Guard Bruce Brown has enjoyed his early days in the Knicks locker room and is pushing for a spot of his own.

Begley said he is in a good position as well, although New York would need to trade a player already on the roster to make room for him.

I think Wiseman is the right call because the Knicks need a third big more than another guard, and they already have guard Kevin McCullar Jr., forward Tyler Nickel and guard Jaden Akins on two-way deals that do not use a standard spot.

Center Andre Drummond stepped into the backup center job after center Mitchell Robinson left for the Boston Celtics, while Mike Brown said there is a chance center Karl-Anthony Towns plays more at power forward this season, which would only work if there is enough size behind him.

The Knicks host the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night in their last preseason game, then open the regular season at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

That gives the front office five days to settle the last spot, and my pick would be Wiseman, even though losing Eubanks leaves the Knicks a little thinner up front.