The New York Knicks‘ contingency plan may now be becoming reality.
After losing Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics and Ariel Hukporti to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, the defending NBA champions are now expected to sign veteran center Kevon Looney, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
Speaking on a Bleacher Report livestream, Fischer said Looney is expected to land in New York as the Knicks continue rebuilding a frontcourt that underwent a dramatic overhaul during the opening days of free agency.
The report marks a significant development from just days earlier, when Fischer and Marc Stein identified Looney merely as a possible replacement if Robinson departed. Robinson has since agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal with Boston, while Hukporti left after the Knicks declined to extend him a qualifying offer.
Now, New York appears poised to replace both departures with one of the NBA’s most accomplished veteran role players.
Mike Brown Already Knows Exactly What Looney Brings
GettyKevon Looney of the New Orleans Pelicans takes a three-point shot during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on November 05, 2025 in Dallas, Texas.
Few available centers are more familiar with Knicks head coach Mike Brown than Looney.
Brown spent six seasons as Steve Kerr’s lead assistant with the Golden State Warriors, coaching Looney during one of the franchise’s most successful eras. Together, they won multiple NBA championships as Looney established himself as one of the league’s most dependable role players.
Although Looney spent the 2025-26 season with the New Orleans Pelicans after 10 years in Golden State, his role diminished considerably. He appeared in 21 games, making eight starts while averaging 2.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 14.7 minutes.
Despite the reduced production, Looney remains one of the NBA’s most respected veterans because of the qualities that rarely appear in a box score: elite screening, offensive rebounding, positional defense and an unwavering willingness to embrace whatever role a team needs.
Those traits fit neatly into Brown’s system.
Knicks Had Little Choice but to Rebuild Their Center Rotation
The Knicks entered free agency expecting difficult decisions.
Those decisions came quickly.
Robinson departed after receiving an offer New York could not realistically match while remaining below the NBA’s punitive second salary apron. Hukporti soon followed, signing with the rival 76ers after becoming an unrestricted free agent.
The losses leave Karl-Anthony Towns as the only established center currently on the roster.
New York still needs three players to reach the NBA’s 14-player regular-season minimum, and at least two of those remaining roster spots are expected to be allocated to centers following the departures of Robinson and Hukporti.
Looney would immediately address the most pressing vacancy while giving the Knicks another proven championship contributor.
Championship Experience Fits Knicks’ Timeline
Looney would not be asked to replicate everything Robinson provided.
Robinson developed into one of the NBA’s premier offensive rebounders and rim protectors during his eight seasons in New York.
Looney brings a different skill set.
He is one of the league’s most fundamentally sound rebounders and screen setters, has extensive playoff experience and understands how to thrive without needing touches offensively.
For a Knicks team focused on defending its championship while navigating significant salary-cap restrictions, those attributes carry considerable value.
If Fischer’s expectation proves accurate, Looney won’t simply be replacing Robinson.
He’ll become one of the first pieces of New York’s effort to reshape a championship frontcourt after two significant free-agency departures.
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