Knicks Open Camp as Defending Champions With One Roster Spot Open

Defending champion New York brings most of its rotation back but must settle one open roster spot at training camp while replacing two backup centers.

Training camps across the NBA signal the start of a new cycle, and none carries more weight than the one opening in New York, where the Knicks begin the 2026-27 season as reigning champions. The next two to three weeks will shape the regular season ahead and give the club its clearest look yet at how to reinforce a bench that must be rebuilt under tight financial limits.

Those limits are the aprons, financial boundaries introduced in 2023 that make it harder for any franchise to keep an identical roster year over year while giving every team a more level competitive field. Owner James Dolan has drawn his own line: "I'll write as big of a check as possible, but I can't write a check that goes into the second apron."

The summer's business reflected that balance. Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado and Jordan Clarkson, most of the core rotation, all re-signed, keeping the championship nucleus largely intact. The departures came at backup center, where Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti both moved on, with Robinson joining the Boston Celtics on a three-year, $47.4 million contract that carries a player option in its final season.

Front-office work has already begun on the gaps. Mohamed Diawara, a 21-year-old French forward who stands 6-foot-9, hit nearly 37 percent from three and averaged 3.6 points in nine minutes per game, showing two-way promise that earned a four-year, $11.2 million commitment. New York native Andre Drummond, a veteran center, arrived on a one-year, $3.9 million deal that brings proven rebounding and physicality, though whether it covers Robinson's production is an open question.

One slot remains before the Knicks would exceed the salary cap, and five players on non-guaranteed camp deals will fight for it. Bruce Brown, John Konchar and Drew Eubanks lead the field, and head coach Mike Brown must judge how each man's skills fit an offense that already sits among the league's elite. James Wiseman, formerly the second overall pick, and 26-year-old Ochai Agbaji round out the competition.

Bruce Brown brings championship pedigree from Denver's 2023 title run, along with versatile scoring from either the guard or forward spot and reliable perimeter defense. Konchar, at 6-foot-5, plays bigger than his measurements, converting efficiently without needing the ball, attacking the glass and reading defensive situations well both off the ball and in help coverage, even if his outside shooting has been inconsistent.

Center depth is still the roster's biggest concern, and that is where Eubanks holds an edge on size alone. His diving to the rim after setting screens creates opportunities, as smaller guards such as Jalen Brunson and Alvarado can use his physicality to free themselves or dump the ball to him down low. Wiseman, whose career has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries, and Agbaji, a lottery pick whose offensive shortcomings as a guard have cost him a firm NBA place, face the toughest roads.

Last season proved how much this competition can matter. Shamet emerged from an identical camp battle to become an essential playoff contributor, knocking down nearly 50 percent of his three-pointers during the postseason. The next player to rise from this group could play the same sort of role in the months ahead.

The bigger picture is a repeat bid. Oklahoma City's championship showed the value of depth in the current NBA, and no club has won consecutive titles in this era of parity. With the Eastern Conference improving around them, the Knicks will examine every detail of their camp invitees' games in search of the edge that carries them back to the top.