The New York Knicks are going with an older (but more decorated) option to replace Mitchell Robinson.
New York is signing veteran center Andre Drummond in free agency, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Friday. Drummond is getting a one-year, $3.9 million contract from the Knicks, Charania adds.
Now 32 years old, Drummond is a two-time All-Star and a one-time All-NBA selection. He also led the league in rebounding four total times from 2016-20 (all while playing for the Detroit Pistons).
But Drummond has since transitioned into a role as a backup center over the last several years. Last season for the Philadelphia 76ers, Drummond averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game as the understudy to Joel Embiid (while also earning a handful of spot-starts when Embiid was hurt).
For the defending champion Knicks, Drummond figures to be the first big man off the bench. That was the former role of Robinson, who left New York earlier this week to sign a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the division rival Boston Celtics.
Robinson has since taken some public shots at the Knicks in the wake of his departure. Though New York did succeed in saving a lot of money by going from Robinson to Drummond, the former top-10 pick Drummond does also come with his own limitations in terms of efficiency, free-throw shooting, and other areas.
