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Mario Chalmers on what the ‘fading’ New York Knicks are missing after Malcolm Brogdon signing

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Sep 13, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Mario Chalmers believes the New York Knicks are still not ready to contend, despite landing Malcolm Brogdon.

The New York Knicks are ready to go all-out to compete for an NBA championship next season. After firing Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks set the tone for what would be a noteworthy offseason.

To spearhead their new project, the Knicks appointed Mike Brown as head coach. But a new head coach wasn’t enough, as the Knicks needed to address their depth issues.

To do so, the Knicks signed Guerschon Yabusele and brought in Jordan Clarkson in the offseason, adding two important pieces to their bench rotation.

And to top it all off, the Knicks signed Malcolm Brogdon to complete their roster. But despite these signings, former NBA champion Mario Chalmers doesn’t think they have enough.

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Mario Chalmers says New York Knicks need a ‘dominant big’, Karl-Anthony Towns not good enough

Mario Chalmers spoke with Iman Shumpert on the All In podcast to discuss the New York Knicks’ offseason and their championship hopes.

Despite their signings, the Knicks are lacking a dominant, shot-blocking center with an offensive presence. While Karl-Anthony Towns is a great offensive player, he lacks that defensive presence.

“Fading that. They’re missing one more piece. I think they’re missing that dominant big. KAT is decent; he’s good for what he’s good for.

“But they need someone who can really block it and give them a presence on the offensive end as well as the defensive end.”

While the Knicks have Mitchell Robinson, his health issues have kept him out a lot over the last few years. And even when he is available, Robinson isn’t a great offensive player, especially at the free-throw line.

The New York Knicks have no way to land a star-level center

The New York Knicks are in a difficult position to land a center that fits the description that Mario Chalmers provided.

With Brogdon’s signing, the Knicks have filled their last available roster spot. On top of that, the Knicks are over the first apron and hard-capped at the second apron.

While they can still aggregate multiple players in a trade to match salaries, it’s hard to see another team willing to take on such hefty contracts for players who aren’t star-level talents.

The Knicks will be heavily reliant on Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson to fill in at the center spot and hope that they can do well.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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