The New York Knicks appear to be actively exploring options at center this offseason.
With Isaiah Hartenstein leaving in free agency, the Knicks’ only experienced centers are the injury-prone Mitchell Robinson and the rarely used Jericho Sims. It is widely anticipated that the Knicks will seek to add another big man to complete their otherwise solid roster.
According to Ian Begley of SNY, the Knicks have engaged in trade discussions with the Atlanta Hawks concerning center Clint Capela.
“Clint Capela, Atlanta, was one big that the Knicks checked in on,” Begley reported. “I don’t know how far talks went. I don’t know if they’re active at this very moment. But they did check in on Capela. You can infer that Mitchell Robinson would have probably been in that trade.”
Like Robinson, Capela is a rim-running center who excels in pick-and-roll situations and provides strong rim protection. During his four seasons with Atlanta, Capela has posted solid stats, averaging 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game.
Though Capela is 30 and not as physically dominant as Robinson, he offers the advantage of being more consistently available. Capela has played at least 63 games in eight of the last nine seasons and over 70 games in four of them. Robinson, on the other hand, has only surpassed 70 games once and has played just 31 games in two of the last four seasons.
The Hawks, who appear to be entering a rebuilding phase, seem to be a natural trade partner for the Knicks. They currently have three centers on the roster: Capela, Onyeka Okungwu, and Larry Nance Jr., who arrived in the Dejounte Murray trade earlier this offseason.
At 23, Okungwu is likely the Hawks’ future at center, especially with Capela in the final year of his contract.
Nance Jr., although smaller than Capela, would also be a good fit for the Knicks.
However, as Begley noted, salary matching is necessary for the trade to work, meaning Robinson would likely be the outgoing salary. Capela’s $22 million salary exceeds Robinson’s $14 million, so an additional $8 million would need to be accounted for.
Instead of Robinson, the Knicks could consider a sign-and-trade for Precious Achiuwa, offering him the same salary as Capela’s to balance the trade. The Hawks, however, would likely require additional assets, so the Knicks would need to enhance the deal.
Alternatively, the Knicks and Hawks could involve a third team to facilitate the trade.
As Begley mentioned, it is unclear how far the talks progressed or if they are ongoing. Nonetheless, the Hawks remain a natural trade partner for a team in need of a center, and Capela could provide a slight upgrade over Robinson or a valuable addition to the center rotation.
