New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown has acknowledged that choosing the team’s third center will be a challenging decision, with James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks and Tony Bradley competing for the final spot in the frontcourt rotation.
The three big men are battling to secure a place behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond as New York prepares for the 2026-27 NBA season.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Brown praised all three candidates and emphasized that each has demonstrated the ability to contribute at the NBA level, according to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.
“They should all be on a roster this year,” Brown said. “There’s no experiments in my opinion. These guys are all legitimate NBA players. They’re all great guys and in some way, shape or form, I can see each of them contributing this way or that way and it’s not gonna be an easy decision.”
Wiseman, Eubanks and Bradley are currently signed to Exhibit 9 contracts, which would become standard, non-guaranteed minimum-salary agreements if they earn spots on the opening-night roster.
The Knicks have 13 players under guaranteed contracts, meaning they could technically retain two of the three centers without making additional roster moves.
However, keeping two would push New York’s payroll above the NBA’s second luxury tax apron, a financial threshold team owner James Dolan has indicated the franchise does not intend to cross.
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As a result, the Knicks are expected to keep only one of the three players, making their performances throughout training camp and preseason particularly important.
Brown has been impressed by the competition and believes the group offers a combination of different skills and playing styles.
“I’ve been in a lot of training camps, and collectively, this is probably – now, when I say the best, I’m not saying the most talented – this is the best group of centers I’ve been around,” Brown said. “All of them bring something different to the table.”
