Knicks face tough call as Wiseman, Eubanks and Bradley chase one center spot

NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2026 — The New York Knicks have a crowded competition for their last big-man spot, and coach Mike Brown admits he does not have an easy answer. James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks and Tony Bradley are all battling to become the third center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.

Brown praises all three

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Brown said each of the three belongs on an NBA roster this season and that none of them is in camp as an experiment. He said every one of them can help in a different way and that the decision will be hard.

Brown went further, calling this the best group of centers he has had in a training camp. He was careful to say he meant the overall group, not that it is the most talented collection he has coached.

Why the math points to one

All three are on Exhibit 9 contracts. Any of them who makes the opening-night roster would see his deal turn into a standard, non-guaranteed minimum contract.

New York currently carries 13 players on guaranteed contracts, so on paper it could keep two of the three without another move. Doing that, though, would push the payroll past the second tax apron, and team owner James Dolan has said that will not happen. The likely result is that only one of the three wins a spot.

Auditions continue

The preseason has turned into a running tryout. Bradley made the strongest recent case, scoring 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting off the bench in Monday’s 122-104 loss to Minnesota at Madison Square Garden, while Eubanks also scored inside late in that game.

The Knicks, still winless in the preseason, play again on Tuesday in Toronto on the second night of a back-to-back, giving the reserve bigs more minutes to make their pitch. The final call could come down to what the defending champions value most behind their top two centers: rim protection, rebounding, or the ability to run the floor.

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