Big Apple, welcome back The Big Penguin.
Free agent center and Mount Vernon native Andre Drummond struck a deal to join the Knicks and provide much-needed support at center, the Daily News has confirmed.
ESPN was first to report Drummond agreeing to a one-year, $3.9 million deal in New York on July 3.
The deal came just days after the Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti in free agency, leaving Karl-Anthony Towns as the lone seven-footer on the roster.
Robinson joined the Boston Celtics on a three-year, $47.4 million deal, and Hukporti signed for one-year, $3.4 million with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Knicks, with little wiggle room beneath the $222 million second apron, needed a backup to Towns on a minimum deal after re-signing Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara and Jose Alvarado in free agency.
They settled on Drummond, who joins the Knicks after two seasons playing as Joel Embiid’s backup in Philadelphia. The Knicks, league sources told The News, are fans of Drummond’s veteran chops as a big man with 14 years of experience. They like his playoff pedigree, having 28 postseason games across five playoff runs under his belt. And most importantly, the Knicks needed size, rebounding and depth at the five after losing both of their backup big men on the open market.
Drummond has career averages of roughly 12 boards a night. His salary is worth $3.9 million but will only count against the Knicks’ cap for the two-year minimum amount of $2.5 million.
The Knicks’ roster now stands at 12 players: Towns, Shamet, Alvarado, Diawara, Drummond, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Miles McBride, Pacome Dadiet and Tyler Kolek.
Drummond has appeared in 103 games — including 48 starts — over the past two seasons and averaged about seven points and eight rebounds in under 20 minutes a night.
