The New York Knicks’ chief coach, Tom Thibodeau, doesn’t appear to be rushing into acquiring additional center support for the squad.
When queried regarding the chance of incorporating a significant player like DeMarcus Cousins or Andre Drummond, he passed along all roster management to team president Leon Rose but conveyed his confidence in the individuals he currently has available.
“That’s a question for Leon,” Thibodeau communicated to journalists this past Sunday. “We possess ample resources on the roster; therefore, we will determine a strategy. We have players capable of assuming multiple roles, and we will need to concentrate on rebounding collaboratively. Everyone must contribute to that facet.”
Nerlens Noel is currently the only healthy center available on the Knicks’ roster, given that Mitchell Robinson and Taj Gibson are both sidelined due to injuries.
Cousins became a free agent on Thursday following his release by the Houston Rockets. It seems he does not have a particularly strong market, appearing somewhat limited after recovering from a torn ACL. Cousins had averages of 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in his 25 games with the Rockets, with a career-low shooting percentage of 37.6 from the field.
Tim MacMahon from ESPN reported that Cousins desired more playtime; however, it’s unlikely he will identify a team prepared to grant him significant minutes. Never recognized as the most explosive athlete, Cousins appeared defensively sluggish and largely unable to generate separation on the offensive end. Following an ACL tear, torn Achilles, and torn quadriceps since January 2018, it’s doubtful that Cousins’ agility will ever fully recover, enabling him to regain All-NBA caliber performance.
Nevertheless, Cousins’ physical stature, capacity to extend the floor, and basketball acumen render him an intriguing candidate as a role player, assuming he’s willing to accept limited minutes. The Knicks have been among the NBA’s most notable surprise successes this season, holding a record of 18-17 and securing fourth position in the Eastern Conference.
If Thibodeau favors playing with a big lineup, Cousins could potentially assume a backup role behind Noel, thriving within a 15-20 minute allocation.
