The New York Knicks are the only team in the league with all three two-way spots up for grabs as the opening of training camp approaches. One of those spots will certainly be reserved for a big man and Leon Rose's waiting game approach might pay off with an interesting new option emerging.
Johni Broome , who was selected 35th overall by the Sixers last summer, was salary dumped to the Clippers in late July to make room for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope . As Los Angeles faces a roster crunch of their own, the 6-foot-10 tweener was once again a casualty with the Clippers waiving him Thursday evening.
Now, the once-theoretical target for the Knicks could be added by New York as it seeks to improve its frontcourt ahead of opening night.
With Philadelphia , Broome never saw significant minutes while buried behind Joel Embiid , Andre Drummond and Adem Bona . It didn't help that his regular season ended in February with a partially torn meniscus. The 24-year old saw action in just 11 games-mostly blowouts-and averaged 5.0 minutes. He shot 16.7% from the field, averaging under one point and two rebounds per game.
Broome's most extended look came with the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers' G League affiliate. In 26 games, Broome averaged 21.8 points per game, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. The former SEC Player of the Year managed to flash the same dominance he once did in college at Auburn, including a 50-point game against the College Park Skyhawks.
During his time with the Tigers, Broome was a dominant force inside, becoming just the fourth player in NCAA Division I history to record 2,500 career points and 1,500 career rebounds. He was First-Team All-SEC and SEC Tournament MVP. He also finished as a Naismith Trophy finalist and led the Tigers to a Final Four in 2025.
Despite having a loaded college resume, Broome was not considered to be a first-round prospect and some of those pre-draft scouting reports are rearing their ugly head. He was often described as slow, undersized and unathletic. He lacks the size to bang with NBA centers consistently and his 24.5-inch vertical limits his ability to play above the rim.
In college, Broome was able to overpower smaller and weaker centers. His back-to-the-basket approach doesn't translate to today's NBA, where post-ups have become obsolete. Philadelphia's coaching staff emphasized to Broome the importance of developing into a better shooter.
During his final season at Auburn, Broome shot 27% from long distance. That efficiency wasn't much better in the G League, where Broome shot 28.7% from three on five attempts per game. He also just converted on 46.4 percent of his shots, which is isn't ideal for a big man.
Summer League gave Broome another chance at showing his worth. He averaged 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in the three games he played. He struggled from three, as he knocked down just two of 15 attempts. But he's clearly a more willing three-point shooter than he was in college and working hard to add that component to his arsenal.
Broome is clearly still a work in progress and he's likely destined for a similar fate this year with most of his run coming in the G League. But he's clearly a worthy flyer for the Knicks.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/knicks/onsi as Knicks Could Be Strong Match for Johni Broome After His Release .
