The Knicks believe they have depth at center.
They also believe Ariel Hukporti is making the most of every opportunity.
And with Mitchell Robinson nearing a return from ankle surgery, they’re adding another key piece to their frontcourt rotation.
These developments made fourth-year center Jericho Sims expendable. So expendable, they moved on from him without acquiring a center in return.
The Knicks traded Sims — selected 58th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft — to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the larger Kyle Kuzma-Khris Middleton trade with the Washington Wizards on the eve of Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline.
And they were comfortable making the move.
While Sims never established himself as a consistent impact player at the backup five, the emergence of Hukporti, the versatility of OG Anunoby, and the reliability of Precious Achiuwa made it an easier decision. Add in Karl-Anthony Towns’ heavy minutes as the starter and Robinson’s looming season debut, and the Knicks felt they could move on from their high-flying but inconsistent big man.
Hukporti’s recent play may have even sealed the decision. In the span of two games, the rookie — also a 58th overall pick in the June NBA Draft — made his case with size, strength, and physicality.
His performance in the victory over the physical Houston Rockets spurred a rare locker-room visit from Knicks owner James Dolan.
“The rook has been fantastic,” Karl-Anthony Towns said after practice on Friday. “He’s coming in every day with the right mindset. He’s hungry to be the best version of himself and [he’s] super-coachable.
“So it allows him to be on a fast track to success. And he’s done himself just nothing but wonders by being who he is and being the player he is, and just wanting to be a superstar in his role.”
Hukporti followed that performance by posting a bench-best plus-eight with six points and five rebounds in 19 minutes against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.
“He’s done a good job. He’s young. He’s learning. So he’s getting better,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said Friday. “The way Precious has played has been a big plus for us. We also have OG who can slide over to the five. So we think we have good depth there.”
The trade reinforced that belief. The Knicks dealt Sims without acquiring another center in return, even though Robinson’s injury history suggests insurance might be needed at that position.
Instead, the Knicks opted to add defensive-minded veteran Delon Wright, a backcourt depth piece known for playing the passing lanes and generating deflections.
“You guys read the tea leaves. We like our team a lot. Obviously, we are excited about Mitch [and his injury progress], but we also feel Ariel has done a good job, Precious has done a good job. That’s really how we approach it,” Thibodeau said. “[Knicks president Leon Rose] and his staff, they are on it all year long.
“I think there’s a tendency to think this happens a couple days before [the trade deadline]. They are always looking at ways to improve the club. If there’s something that makes sense, they explore it. Then, you go from there. We like our team a lot.”
The Knicks will be able to add a player on the buyout market at the end of the month — as long as that player signed a contract worth less than the $12.8 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception at the start of the season.
If they do add a player, it might not be a center — because even after trading Sims, the Knicks believe their depth at the five is not among their biggest roster issues.