The defending champions still have room to make additional moves before the season.
The New York Knicks won their first championship since 1973 this past June, beating the San Antonio Spurs in five games to finish off a historic playoff run.
But the celebration has come with financial reality.
Owner James Dolan has been firm about keeping the team below the second salary apron, and that meant the Knicks were always going to lose some pieces from their title roster.
The biggest casualty has been backup center Mitchell Robinson, who left for the Boston Celtics on a three-year, $47.4 million deal after spending his entire career in New York.
What Drummond Brings
Andre Drummond steps into that spot on a one-year, $3.9 million deal.
Because it's a veteran minimum contract, his cap hit only counts as $2.4 million, which gives the Knicks some breathing room under the apron.
The 32-year-old is a two-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champion who averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game last season with the Philadelphia 76ers across 63 games.
Robinson didn't want to leave New York, but with Dolan holding the line on spending, Drummond becomes a solid backup option behind Karl-Anthony Towns.
Drummond's best days are behind him, but he still does the dirty work.
He pulled down 10.3 rebounds per game in his 25 starts last year and expanded his range from three, knocking down 35.6 percent from deep on 90 tries.
That floor spacing is something Robinson never brought to the table, and it should pair well with a starting five that went 53-29 on its way to a title.
With Towns averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds during the regular season, the Knicks don't need Drummond to score, they just need him to rebound and keep things steady when Towns sits.
The Cap Situation
The numbers are tight but manageable.
With Drummond's $2.4 million cap hit on the books, the Knicks sit about $6.2 million below the second apron.
They currently have 12 players under contract and need to hit the 14-player minimum before the season starts, meaning two more roster spots need to be filled.
If those final additions come at the veteran minimum, New York can stay comfortably under the second apron and avoid the harsh restrictions that come along with it.
What's Left
The Knicks handled their draft business by trading into the second round for Jack Kayil and Tyler Nickel, and they've already brought back Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado on team-friendly deals.
The starting five of Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Towns is still intact, which is the most important part for a team trying to go back-to-back.
Drummond won't replace everything Robinson gave this team, especially on defense, but a two-time All-Star at the minimum who can rebound and space the floor is about as good as it gets when every dollar counts.
Two more veteran minimum signings and the Knicks head into October with their books clean and their championship core together.
