The Knicks' roster is far from settled as they enter training camp . Not only does the team have a backup center competition to host, but they also have three two-way contract slots to still fill out.
Almost assuredly at least one of those spots will go to a big, and the returning Liam Robbins is a strong candidate to earn a deal . But now New York has another center to deeply consider: the 7-foot-5 Jamarion Sharp , who was just released by the Clippers on Friday.
His surprise waiving by LA puts a physically imposing big on the market, and it might have the Knicks running to the phones to put in a claim for him.
There is a ton about Sharp to like when envisioning him as a frontcourt addition for New York. First and foremost, 7-foot-5 centers aren't in abundance. That alone is a uniquely special trait that could legitimately add something to the Knicks' paint presence.
But Sharp also puts his physical gifts to good use. During his second G League season in 2025-26, Sharp averaged a healthy 7.5 rebounds (including 2.8 offensive) over 25.1 minutes per game. He perhaps made his biggest impact as a shot-blocker, though, racking up an astounding 4.1 blocks per game .
Even better, these were improvements from his rookie year in the G League (7.1 rpg /3.1 bpg), showing he's a player who embraces development and keeps working to get better despite whatever size advantages he has.
It also demonstrates a real hunger to earn a role in the NBA, which could fuel him to hit even further heights as he still discovers the true ceiling to his potential. In fact, it'd be no surprise if losing the big break he fought so hard to earn serves as only further fuel that pushes him to continue growing into a legitimate player and reinforce that he's more than just a height-related novelty.
All of this could seriously work in the Knicks' favor if they take a chance on him. Claiming his two-way contract off of waivers would be a nice show of faith in the newly minted 25-year-old and likely motivate him to be at his best for the defending champs. It also is essentially a no-cost move for New York that comes with true possible payoff if Sharp proves to be a real NBA-level talent.
By getting Sharp under their roof, the Knicks can then assess what his true upside is and work to unlock it with development between the G League and NBA (assuming he does come in on a two-way). He'd even add an exciting unknown element to the team's training camp that opens next week, providing competition to keep the likes of Robbins, Drew Eubanks and James Wiseman on their toes given his size, even if Sharp hasn't actually played in an NBA game yet.
Bringing in Sharp on a two-way wouldn't rule out signing Robbins or someone else on that same kind of deal as well, since the team has three such spots to spare. These contracts are also relatively easy to get out of, as New York did last campaign by swapping Tosan Evbuomwan with Dillon Jones around midseason, so it wouldn't be locked into keeping Sharp for the entire year if he's not as hoped.
That said, there's reason to believe Sharp would be a strong addition for the Knicks in some capacity ahead of camp. Though he might not be the most robust candidate for the third-string job , there's always room for surprises ahead of opening night, and it'd be a disservice by New York to not at least explore what Sharp could bring to the table for a repeat bid.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/knicks/onsi as Knicks Just Got Served a Towering Young Center on Silver Platter .
