It is abundantly clear that the New York Knicks will be looking for improvements to their frontcourt this season. While they will eventually get reinforcements such as Precious Achiuwa and Mitchell Robinson back from injury at some point, they would like to add more depth behind Karl-Anthony Towns as an insurance policy.
Jazz center Drew Eubanks listed as a potential trade target for the Knicks
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz listed three trade candidates the Knicks could pursue, with Utah Jazz backup big man Drew Eubanks being one of them alongside Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards and New Orleans Pelicans center Daniel Theis.
“Richards, Theis and Eubanks are all making $5 million or less this season and are capable of handling rotation minutes behind Karl-Anthony Towns.”
Eubanks, 27, is a seven-year NBA veteran who has spent time with the Spurs, Trail Blazers, and Suns. He signed a two-year, $9.75 million deal with the Jazz this past offseason to be the primary backup to Walker Kessler. In 14 games this season, Eubanks is averaging 4.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in approximately 15 minutes per game.
Despite some limitations, Eubanks could be a serviceable backup for the Knicks
The 6-9 big has his limitations, as he is fairly undersized to play the center position and doesn’t profile as an elite defensive player. However, his veteran presence can be beneficial for a rather young bench unit, and he is a more serviceable backup option over Jericho Sims, who has served as the main backup behind Towns so far this season.
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Eubanks also has some versatility to where he can slide to the power forward position and give the Knicks some minutes there as well. He is limited offensively, as he takes 76.6% of his shots less than 10 feet away from the basket, per NBA Stats, and the Knicks do need spacing in the frontcourt offensively.
However, they also need a guy who gives them a strong interior presence, and Eubanks can be a serviceable option until they get healthier. One way or another, New York is likely to make a small move to enhance their depth, and Eubanks could be a cheap option they pursue.
