The confetti has barely settled from the New York Knicks’ NBA championship celebration, but the front office is already scanning the horizon for roster holes. One of the biggest question marks standing between this team and a dynasty? The center position behind Karl-Anthony Towns.
Mitchell Robinson, whose timely offensive rebound in Game 5 essentially sealed the title against the San Antonio Spurs, is heading into unrestricted free agency this summer. And if recent mock drafts are any indication, the Knicks might already be planning for life without him.
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo dropped his latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft this week, and at pick No. 24 overall, he has New York selecting North Carolina center Henri Veesaar — a name that might not ring bells now but could become a critical piece of the Knicks’ rotation.
A Different Kind of Big Man
Here’s where things get interesting: Veesaar isn’t Mitchell Robinson. He’s not going to set NBA records for free-throw ineptitude or rely solely on dunks and putbacks. What the 7-footer brings is something the Knicks never got from Robinson — legitimate perimeter shooting.
“Veesaar’s perimeter shooting and sheer size should give him a path to rotation minutes relatively early and have put him in play for first-round teams that need depth at center,” Woo wrote in his analysis. He also added that the Knicks are “a team that probably will look at bigs, whether at this spot or later, with Mitchell Robinson a pending free agent.”
That floor-spacing ability would be a luxury for a Knicks offense that already features Towns at the five. Imagine a second unit where the center can step out beyond the arc and drag opposing bigs away from the paint. That’s a problem most title contenders never get to solve.
Replacing an Unlikely Hero
Robinson’s value, though, wasn’t in the box score. He grabbed NBA headlines for his historically bad free-throw shooting — especially during the playoffs — but he also grabbed everything else. His offensive rebounding and rim protection were vital, none more so than that Game 5 board in the waning seconds that set up the championship-winning possession.
Those are the kinds of plays that don’t show up in rookie scouting reports. The team has not confirmed any plans regarding Robinson’s future, and league observers expect the Knicks to gauge his market before making a final call on a new deal.
Pragmatic Roster Building
Adding a player like Veesaar on a rookie-scale contract would give New York something it hasn’t had in years — cheap, controllable depth at a premium position. With Towns locked in as the starter, Veesaar could develop slowly, soaking up backup minutes while learning from one of the league’s most skilled offensive centers.
It’s the kind of low-risk, high-upside move that has become the Knicks’ trademark under this front office. They know the cap sheet is tightening, and every dollar matters. A first-round pick who can shoot and stretch the floor? That’s not just a replacement plan. That’s a hedge against the modern NBA’s biggest positional demands.
Whether Robinson stays or goes, New York appears to be thinking one step ahead — and that’s exactly how you stay on top.
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