Andre Drummond
Andre Drummond is the Knicks' backup center behind Karl-Anthony Towns, a rebounding specialist on a one-year, $3.9 million deal who replaces Mitchell Robinson.
Role
Karl-Anthony Towns starts at center (Yahoo, about 27 days old). A Yahoo piece from about 6 days ago has Drummond as the backup on opening night against the Sixers. The Kot Show Substack projected roughly 15 to 20 minutes a night in a low-usage role, and that is a forecast, not a reported rotation. I found no current minutes tracker, and I did not read any regular-season box scores. The wire note says he rested in a preseason game, which fits a veteran being managed, but I found no rest or back-to-back plan. Our data shows only 3 GP and 117 MIN last season, so it says little about his workload now.
Optimists point to his rebounding, screening and offensive-glass production. SI calls him a strong candidate for best offensive rebounder in the league other than Robinson, and the Kot Show notes he led the league in screen assists per 36 minutes in the 2026 playoffs. The Kot Show also says he hit 35.6 percent from three last season. He had 5 rebounds and 3 blocks in 12 preseason minutes, per NY Knicks News. A reserve role at the minimum suits him, and Daily Knicks calls him serviceable and better than people think.
Skeptics say he is past his prime at 33 and is replacing the league's best offensive rebounder (Yahoo). The Kot Show calls him a below-average rim protector and a career 48.9 percent free throw shooter, with nights of vintage production followed by near-invisible ones. SI calls his passing inconsistent and says the team should not lean on him there. Yahoo's columnist says that if the defense keeps needing help behind him, good rebounding totals will not make his minutes good. A low-usage 15 to 20 minutes also caps his scoring.
Where analysts split
The disagreement is whether his defense holds up in backup minutes. Some coverage says rebounding and screening are enough, while the Yahoo column warns that defense that needs help would undercut a good rebounding line. Nobody I found disputes that he is the backup. The open question is how much he plays and whether the role stays secure if the bench defense struggles.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
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