Knicks seem highly aware that they need to fix their biggest weakness

The New York Knicks have assembled their deepest, most talented roster in years, but there is still a concerning hole at center.

Following the free agency departure of Isaiah Hartenstein , the Knicks have a center rotation of Mitchell Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, and Jericho Sims. They also have rookie center Ariel Hukporti, who is on a two-way deal.

There are concerns with this rotation. Robinson is a talented, effective big man but injury-prone. Achiuwa is slightly undersized for a center and more of forward-center hybrid. Sims has the build of a traditional center but is still raw and relatively untested as he enters his fourth season.

If Robinson and Achiuwa can stay healthy, the Knicks center rotation is likely good enough, especially if they dedicate some minutes to play "small" with Julius Randle and OG Anunoby as their "big men."

However, the Knicks are just one injury away at center from facing a real crisis. If Robinson misses major time , the Knicks' depth upfront would be tested.

But there is good news for concerned Knicks fans: various reporting suggests the Knicks are highly aware that they may need some reinforcements at center.

Reports have linked them to Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler , though Kessler may be out of their price range for a trade.

SNY's Ian Begley also reported that the Knicks had conversations with the Atlanta Hawks about veteran center Clint Capela . It's unclear how far those talks got, and how a trade would have been constructed.

Furthermore, on Friday, Begley reported in a mailbag column that as of late August, the Knicks were still "exploring the market for a veteran center."

Begley reports that the Knicks explored adding young, backup centers in Bruno Fernando and Omer Yurtseven, though deals never came to fruition.

With training camp less than a month away, the Knicks may stand pat to see how their centers look. Robinson is still recovering from ankle surgery, but he could have a strong return once healthy. Achiuwa and Sims could both make leaps as backup centers. Thibodeau may be comfortable with small lineups, which would allow the Knicks to play more of their wings and maximize their shooting, ball-handling, and perimeter defense.

But they will have avenues to add talent. Achiuwa's $6 million salary this season is essentially a trade chip . The Knicks could add players in a deal to bring back a higher-salary center.

As The Athletic's Fred Katz noted , the Knicks could also explore the buyout market in February. The Knicks still have their $5 million mid-level exception, which could be a valuable resource if a good veteran center becomes available.

The Knicks' roster is deep and talented enough that their weak center rotation isn't an emergency right now. But the team seems to know that's an area that needs addressing if they hope to compete at the highest levels.