During the New York Knicks' multi-month-long search for a third center, Nick Richards remained a constant option. The former free-agent big man has shown some solid flashes in years prior and looked like one of the better players left on the board.

But the big man recently signed with the Miami Heat and is now a long shot to play in New York. As noted earlier this week, Richards, if cut before opening night, could still find his way to New York. The 28-year-old signed a non-guaranteed contract, so it's not impossible.

However, if New York's front office really wanted him, it's hard to think that they wouldn't have made a more significant effort. And given the trend in his play, weaknesses, and the front office's apparent priority for flexibility, it makes sense why the Knicks never seemed like serious suitors for Richards.

Nick Richards doesn't fit what the Knicks need at center

Richards has never been a great passer or ball handler. Richards has more turnovers (299) than assists (172) as a pro. And not to mention, his defense has always left fans wanting more.

New York has proven, with their love of Mitchell Robinson, that they can look past offensive deficiencies if you are a great defender. But Richards is not that. In fact, he's very far from that. To make matters worse, for two straight seasons, his scoring and field goal percentages have declined. And lastly, Richards hasn't played more than 67 games in any single season.

Karl-Anthony Towns has been durable as a Knick, but he's played in fewer than 75 games in six of his last seven seasons. Andre Drummond, as we've mentioned in the past, has appeared in just 103 of the 164 regular-season games over the past two seasons.

And he recently turned 33, meaning he's not getting any younger. Backing up the pair with an even less durable player sounds like a risky proposition.

At the same time, the Knicks passing on Richards leaves them with a bit more flexibility. There are many who are against using Miles McBride as a trade piece to acquire a third center, including myself

But if the Knicks decide to go that route, they can get somebody significantly better than Richards. The Knicks may never end up down that path. And hopefully they don't. However, if they were to sign Richards now, that option would become a lot more convoluted. By opting against bringing the new Heat center abroad, the Knicks, at the very least, leave that option open.

Richards' limited but clear skill set could be of use to some teams. For those who aren't in need of another defensive-minded big and are looking for more rebounding and interior scoring, Richards could provide some value.

For a Knicks team looking for some combination of defense, athleticism, and shooting, Richards just makes zero sense. Not only does he not check any boxes, but he's also quite literally the opposite of what they need at center.

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