All Knicks

Knicks Should Start Jericho Sims

The New York Knicks may need to rely on a young player as their starting center.

Jeremy Brener

Apr 4, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Jericho Sims (45) warms up before a game against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Apr 4, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Jericho Sims (45) warms up before a game against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
In this story:

The New York Knicks find themselves in familiar territory as they need to find a replacement for starting center Mitchell Robinson.

It was reported that Robinson would not be ready until December or January as he is still recovering from offseason surgery on his ankle, which he re-aggravated in the first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

With Robinson out, the Knicks will look towards a few different options to fill in the gaps, but none may see more minutes than fourth-year pro Jericho Sims.

Sims, who turns 26 next month, was drafted by the Knicks with the No. 58 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Texas, but the former Longhorn hasn't seen much action in New York.

Sims has only played in 138 out of a possible 246 games for the Knicks, most of which have come in garbage time. However, the Knicks may need to count on him playing important minutes while Robinson remains on the sidelines.

The Knicks aren't asking Sims to be the next Isaiah Hartenstein and break out for the team while Robinson is out, they simply need him to give the team good minutes for however long he is out there.

Sims has averaged just 14.1 points per game, but the Knicks may need something like 20-24 minutes out of him each night. Sims won't be alone to cover the center position. They have Julius Randle and Precious Achiuwa, both of whom can play a small-ball center role.

Sims has just one year left on his contract, so it's now or never for him when it comes to the Knicks. Given that the pressure is on, Sims will either become a diamond or prove to the Knicks that they should find someone else to be a backup big man for them.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

Home/News