Knicks reportedly add Andre Drummond on a bargain deal to replace Mitchell Robinson’s impact

The New York Knicks, according to reports from CBS Sports, have agreed to sign center Andre Drummond to a one-year contract worth $3.9 million. The move comes after Mitchell Robinson left the Knicks for the Boston Celtics, a change that New York’s front office viewed as an immediate hit to its plans at center and one that it tried to address without pushing past salary constraints tied to the NBA’s second apron.

Drummond’s landing spot is significant because he is coming in as a stopgap with a clear identity. CBS Sports reported that New York wanted a veteran, and specifically pointed to Drummond’s experience and rebounding as the central fit. Drummond, per the report, is entering his 15th NBA season and most recently spent the last two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, bringing a long track record of converting missed shots into second chances.

The statistical case presented in the report is built around one of Drummond’s most dependable traits: offensive and defensive rebounding efficiency. CBS Sports cited Drummond’s career 25% rebound rate as the best ever, and said that when he was on the floor last season with Philadelphia, he rebounded 20.2% of all misses, which the report characterized as the second-best rebound rate in the league. The report also connected that production to the standard Drummond has to match, naming Robinson’s 21.4% rebound rate on missed shots as the level New York lost when it lost him.

Where the roles diverge is scoring profile, at least on paper. CBS Sports described Robinson as an elite offensive rebounder who largely generates points through close-range finishing, and contrasted that with Drummond’s slightly different activity. The report noted that Robinson’s shooting tends to concentrate around very high-percentage attempts, while Drummond’s clip outside the restricted area is still limited but he has been more willing to participate beyond pure screening and crashing the glass. It also referenced the practical reality that Drummond is not just a set-piece rebounder, pointing to the fact that he has taken and made corner 3s in the playoffs.

Free throws are another piece of the fit highlighted by the report. CBS Sports said Drummond shot 63.1% from the line in the regular season, compared with Robinson’s 40% mark in the regular season and 29% in the playoffs. In the postseason, the report added, Drummond made 70% of his free throws, a detail that matters for a team that needs its center to create reliable late-possession scoring opportunities even if his shot diet remains constrained.

For Knicks fans, the question is not whether Drummond can replicate Robinson’s exact ceiling. The more relevant question is whether this bargain, constrained addition can preserve New York’s rebounding and possession value in games where the Celtics’ roster balance and shot profile force more misses than usual. The report’s framing suggests New York expects Drummond to keep them functional at center, even if he is not expected to replace every skill Robinson brought.

The immediate watch item is how quickly Drummond fits into New York’s spacing and defensive rotations. With a one-year deal, the Knicks’ priority is likely to stabilize the glass and maintain second-chance pressure, while using his veteran experience to smooth lineups when matchups demand size, strength, and rebound hunting. Whether that translates into postseason-level consistency will define how durable this “poor-man’s Robinson” replacement feels as the season progresses.

Key context and caveat: the reported financial and roster details are drawn from media reporting rather than a public team release, so confirmation may be needed once New York’s official transaction paperwork is available.