According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, the New York Knicks are considering Larry Nance Jr. as a potential backup for Mitchell Robinson. Nance, currently the third-string center for the Atlanta Hawks and with an $11 million expiring contract, could be a viable option for the Knicks.
Hollinger mentioned this on August 5, noting that Nance’s contract is manageable and he could fill the role behind Robinson effectively. Nance, who signed a two-year, $21.6 million extension with the New Orleans Pelicans last year, was traded to the Hawks this offseason as part of the deal for Dejounte Murray.
Trade speculation involving Larry Nance Jr. has picked up, with the New York Knicks potentially interested. The Knicks could match Nance’s $11 million salary by using Precious Achiuwa’s $6 million salary and a player signed with their $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception. However, it’s uncertain if the Hawks are open to trading Nance.
NBA insider Marc Stein noted on July 11 that Nance has been attracting more trade interest than Clint Capela, despite the Hawks’ efforts to trade Capela for over a year. Nance, acquired from the Pelicans in the Dejounte Murray trade, is reportedly in demand from several teams seeking experienced big men.
The Knicks had also explored a trade for Capela, according to SNY’s Ian Begley on July 18, but no deal materialized. Following the trade involving Mikal Bridges, the Knicks would need to include either Josh Hart or Donte DiVincenzo to absorb Capela’s $22.3 million expiring contract.
Larry Nance Jr., a 6-foot-8 forward, had a solid season off the bench for the Pelicans, averaging 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals in 19.9 minutes per game across 61 games. He also achieved a career-best 41.5% shooting from three-point range, though he took just 1.1 attempts per game.
Nance, 31, was drafted 27th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015 and previously played alongside Knicks All-Star Julius Randle and Josh Hart with the Lakers.
The Knicks’ center rotation was impacted by the departure of Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder. This loss has weakened their depth, potentially affecting their competitiveness. Hollinger mentioned that without Hartenstein and with the injury-prone Mitchell Robinson as their primary big man, the Knicks might struggle defensively.
Currently, the Knicks’ options to back up Robinson include Precious Achiuwa, Jericho Sims, and rookie Ariel Hukporti, who is on a two-way contract. While these players could perform well during the regular season, their effectiveness in the playoffs remains uncertain.
The Knicks will definitely feel the absence of the Jalen Brunson-Isaiah Hartenstein duo, which was instrumental in securing the No. 2 seed in the East after Julius Randle’s shoulder injury in late January. The expectation is that a healthy Randle will provide a more effective pick-and-roll partnership with Brunson.
Defensively, the Knicks are relying on OG Anunoby’s return and the addition of Mikal Bridges to help limit opponents’ drives to the basket. This approach aims to compensate for the loss of Hartenstein’s rim protection.