Knicks Depth Shuffle: Eubanks Gets Non-Guaranteed Look, Robbins Eyes Two-Way Path

The Knicks are adding depth on the cheap, inking free agent center Drew Eubanks to a one-year non-guaranteed deal while handing Exhibit 10 contracts to Liam Robbins and six others—Jaden Akins, Nick Jourdain, Mitch Mascari, Toby Okani, Igor Milicic, and a sixth player who will compete for spots in training camp. The move, reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, reflects the team's early-season preparation strategy: load the back end of the rotation with invulnerable salary and let competition determine who sticks around through the preseason and beyond.

Eubanks, a 6'11" rim-runner with defensive versatility, represents the type of floor-spacing big the modern Knicks need in small-unit situations. At 28, he's past his development curve but offers immediate technical reliability—a player who won't need three weeks to understand coverage schemes. Robbins, the former Wisconsin big man, carries intriguing upside as a third-string rim protector and offensive rebounder. The Exhibit 10 contract is a low-risk audition; if he impresses, the Knicks can convert him to a two-way deal, keeping him available for G League assignment without eating into their 15-man active roster.

From a roster construction standpoint, this is incremental but deliberate. The Knicks' center rotation has been historically injury-prone—Joel Embiid's availability issues were never their concern, but depth turnovers at the five have cost them depth minutes in past seasons. Adding three centers on non-guaranteed or Exhibit 10 terms means the team is hedging against another depth emergency without committing real salary. Eubanks' non-guaranteed status means he's on a prove-it audition; if he falters in camp, New York cuts him and saves the cap dollars without penalty.

For bettors, the implication is subtle but real: the Knicks' bench production—particularly backup center minutes—carries higher variance going into the season. If Eubanks sticks and performs, backup center minutes become more stable, which reduces the volatility of team totals and bench-heavy player props. If he doesn't, the team leans deeper into underdeveloped talent, which historically widens the range of offensive output in games where the starter exits early. Monitor preseason tape of Eubanks' shooting touch and decision-making; a sharp shooting percentage from deep or high-efficiency roll-man reads will indicate he's locked into a rotation role. A poor camp will signal the Knicks are still searching for answers at the backup five, which translates to higher variance on their bench scoring and total-point lines.

The six additional signings—Akins, Jourdain, Mascari, Okani, Milicic—are developmental wingmen competing for two-way slots. None carries immediate rotation impact, but their presence suggests the Knicks are comfortable rotating wing depth in practice and preseason without burning active roster spots. This is a cost-control move, not a talent upgrade.