The Knicks are heading toward free agency with a center problem they may not be able to solve cheaply, and Yves Missi is one of the names that has surfaced as part of the watch list. Newsday’s NBA preview lays out a roster that could lose Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson if the team cannot keep its own free agents.
That is why the search is happening now. The market opens Tuesday at 6 p.m., and the first question is whether the Knicks can keep Robinson or need a replacement who can hold up at center without pushing the price too high. The preview makes clear that such a move would not be simple. A lower-cost answer for Robinson would be a challenge, even before the Knicks sort through the rest of the rotation.
Missi stands out because the list is not built only around star names or obvious scorers. It is built around fit, age and role, which is where the center market can get tricky fast. The preview also points to Nick Richards as a useful comparison. He played regularly after joining the Bulls in a trade deadline deal, and in 2023-24 with Charlotte he ranked 13th in the NBA in offensive rebound percentage and 20th in blocked shot percentage. That is the kind of production a team wants if it is trying to replace rim protection and second-chance work without spending like a top bidder.
The rest of the list shows how narrow the margin can be between useful and expensive. One player is 36 and the leading scorer in the free-agent class. Another made his first All-Star Game at 32 and averaged 21.7 points per game this season. A 30-year-old who split this past season between Atlanta and Golden State played only 32 games but still averaged 16.7 points and 5.2 rebounds. Elsewhere, a player who appeared in only five games before surgery to repair a torn labrum may still draw attention because Utah has the ability to match an offer. For the Knicks, though, the center issue comes first. If Robinson leaves, the market is opening with a need the team cannot afford to misread.
