It's become clearer by the day that the New York Knicks' best move at center is to wait and see which big men might become available before opening night. Several franchises around the league will need to offload players this preseason due to roster limits, clearing the way for New York to easily add a name or two in the coming weeks.

As it turns out, the Knicks already have one such opportunity staring right at them. On Tuesday, the Pelicans decided to let go of two-way center Hunter Dickinson. He went unclaimed during the standard 48-hour window, which allows teams to pick up a player who's been waived.

That means he can now freely sign with any squad in need of a big man help or another two-way candidate—and New York is in the market for both.

Hunter Dickinson makes a ton of sense as a potential Knicks signing

There are several reasons Dickinson should entice the Knicks. First and foremost, he's a great fit in terms of the team's salary constraints.

After going undrafted last season, Dickinson signed a two-way contract, which doesn't impact a franchise's cap space. He made five appearances in the NBA as a rookie and scored 12 total points, so he very likely will be in the mix for that same kind of deal in 2026-27.

In fact, since no one claimed him off waivers, Dickinson may even need to settle for a non-guaranteed training camp invite contract this preseason to find his next home. That'd give the Knicks a chance to evaluate him up close without any commitment for the upcoming season, helping New York protect itself and keep its options open.

Then there's what Dickinson brings to the actual court. He is a true seven-foot rebounding fiend who averaged an impressive 9.2 rebounds per game across five collegiate seasons, then logged a staggering 11.0 RPG (3.2 on offense) in 44 total G League contests this past year.

In a post-Mitchell Robinson world, someone who can enforce their will on the boards like Dickinson is extremely valuable. But he's growing as a floor-spacing offensive threat, too.

Dickinson showcased his nice touch recently at Summer League and just posted 39.0% from three-point range over the entire G League campaign in 2025-26. That's not even to mention the 3.3 apg the big man also averaged this past season, which makes him a KAT-like talent at center who can serve as a playmaker, shooter, and rebounder.

Getting Dickinson inside the organization could do wonders for truly bringing out the potential he's flashed between the development Mike Brown and his coaches can offer, plus the tutelage Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond can pass down to the 25-year-old.

Since Dickinson is still unproven at the NBA level, New York can't simply sign him and consider its third-string center hole filled. But he does present a quality depth option with upside to earn the No. 3 big man role, which is a quietly important one to help keep Towns fresh after a demanding championship run.

Given that the backup center market has been hot this summer, it might behoove the Knicks to sign Dickinson to a two-way deal sooner rather than later. But that level of commitment is still minimal and, frankly, worth it for a player with Dickinson's profile, which directly overlaps with skills New York should covet.

Plus, signing Dickinson to a two-way doesn't block Leon Rose from adding more centers. Rose has three two-way spots yet to address, so he could bring in Dickinson and another big to compete throughout the year in the G League in hopes of being promoted.

Signing Dickinson through that would also allow Rose to either trade or sign a more established big to the main roster, since the Knicks have one more contract around the veteran's minimum they can afford while staying under the second apron. That'd be the ideal setup for New York, as it'd maximize the team's chances to figure out the best option as a third-string center between a main roster addition and any two-way signings like Dickinson.

Of course, the Knicks may have their reasons not to be as high on the big man, who has potential but also isn't a defensive stalwart (0.8 bpg in 2025-26). But the fact that a big like Dickinson is there for the taking now is a great sign that New York will have new options that pop up at center throughout the preseason.

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