How OG Anunoby Is the Key to Solving the Knicks’ Center Problem
September 23, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readOG Anunoby at Center: The Knicks' Emergency Option
On this episode of Locked On Knicks, hosts Gavin Shaw and XJ tackle a question that has quietly nagged at the team all offseason: what happens if Karl-Anthony Towns gets hurt? The Knicks have Andre Drummond and Drew Eubanks behind him, but neither inspires confidence as a playoff-caliber backup. That has led the hosts to examine whether OG Anunoby—already the team's best perimeter defender—could moonlight as a small-ball center. Their answer is cautious, skeptical, and ultimately reveals a deeper roster tension the Knicks have not resolved.
Why the Center Depth Problem Is More Urgent Than It Looks
The Knicks enter the season with championship expectations, but the Eastern Conference is brutally deep. XJ points out that the Atlantic Division alone—with Boston, Philadelphia, and Toronto—means the Knicks will have "literally the toughest schedule in basketball." Four games against each of those teams adds up fast. If Towns misses, say, 20 games early in the season, the Knicks could slide from a top-two seed into play-in territory before they even get healthy.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:05) **The Core Thesis: Is OG Anunoby the Knicks' Backup Center?** - Gavin and XJ introduce the central question: after a summer spent searching for a backup center, the solution might already be on the roster in OG Anunoby.
- 2 (03:14) **The Nightmare Scenario: What If KAT Gets Hurt?** - XJ outlines the crisis that would follow a significant Towns injury, highlighting the team's lack of leverage in a potential trade.
- 3 (05:10) **The Atlantic Division Gauntlet** - Gavin and XJ discuss how the Knicks' brutal divisional schedule amplifies the risk of any injury to Towns.
- 4 (07:28) **The Case Against OG at the Five: Wear and Tear** - XJ explains why he views OG as a center only as a "break glass in case of emergency" option, primarily due to injury risk.
- 5 (09:55) **The "Signal One Thing, Do Another" Strategy** - XJ proposes a strategic bluff: the Knicks should publicly signal they are comfortable with OG at the five while privately avoiding it.
- 6 (10:53) **The "Two OG Anunobys" Problem** - Gavin explains why the Knicks lack the roster construction to make small-ball sustainable, unlike teams like the Raptors.
- 7 (16:01) **The Different Flavors of Small Ball** - The hosts break down the various strategic goals of small-ball lineups and where OG fits in.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
The New York Knicks face a critical question around their center rotation. Is OG Anunoby quietly the backup center answer they've been searching for? Or does a Deuce McBride trade become inevitable if Karl-Anthony Towns gets injured? Gavin Schall and XJ debate whether the Knicks’ championship hopes can survive with OG at the five, James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks, or if they must pursue a trade at the expense of important roster depth.
Key topics include the physical toll on Anunoby in small-ball lineups, strategic matchups against teams like the Raptors and Heat, the implications of Atlantic Division scheduling, and the hidden value of wing depth behind Anunoby. With center stability in question, can New York risk injuries to Karl-Anthony Towns or Andre Drummond and still secure a top 6 seed?
00:00 – Is OG a viable 3rd string center??
01:00 – Episode starts!
2:03 – What's the Knicks' plan for an center injury?
12:01 – Square Ad Break
13:26 – Indeed Ad Break
14:51 – Is OG at center the team's best answer?
22:43 – FanDuel Ad Break
24:02 – Gavin and XJ rank their top options for center depth
33:26 – Thanks and please subscribe!
Photo Credit: Brad Penner – Imagn Images
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