Knicks' Tom Thibodeau Optimistic About Center Depth

The New York Knicks have impressive depth at the center position.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 19, 2024

Oct 13, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Jericho Sims (20) rebounds against Minnesota Timberwolves center Luka Garza (55) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks' center rotation has been in flux over the past few months.

After Isaiah Hartenstein left in free agency for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Mitchell Robinson was expected to step in as the starter at the position. However, when it was announced that New York would not have him until January at the earliest due to an ankle injury, the team began to accept the fact that Jericho Sims and rookie Ariel Hukporti would have to step up.

The Knicks weren't comfortable with either starting, which is why they acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves just days before the start of training camp. However, head coach Tom Thibodeau is looking forward to having Sims and Hukporti back up Towns.

“I like the versatility that [Jericho Sims and Ariel Hukporti] bring and the physicality," Thibodeau said. "That’s important. Obviously, you need that depth for a season. We’ll see how it unfolds. Got a long way to go.”

While both of them are expected to get on the court and play some minutes at some point before Robinson returns, the Knicks have two very different players with opposite timelines.

"[Sims] has been in the league a little bit longer and [his] athleticism is very different from most," Thibodeau said. "Ariel [Hukporti] is a young guy coming in, there’s a defensive component to him already. But he has to learn the offensive part of the game, and that’s coming. But both are very good.”

Sims is in the final year of his contract while Hukporti is a rookie on a two-way deal who may eventually end up with a spot on the roster given the Knicks' current situation.

Either way, the Knicks have two promising options who can earn their opportunity to make an impact early in the year.

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Published Oct 19, 2024

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.