Do the Knicks Need a Backup Power Forward? And What 4's are Available

In the days since the Knicks traded Obi Toppin to the Pacers, plenty of Knicks fans have voiced their displeasure with the team's decision to dump a recent top-10 pick for peanuts and expressed their uneasiness about New York's lack of a backup power forward.

It's a legit concern, considering Toppin was the Knicks' sole 4-man not named Julius Randle on the roster the past three seasons.

However, as I detailed over the weekend in the post recapping the Obi trade in conjunction with the Donte DiVincenzo signing, it seems like that head coach Tom Thibodeau and the front office are prepared to enter the 2023-24 campaign with Josh Hart as the team's primary backup PF. RJ Barrett will also see some minutes at the 4, and when Knicks want to go big, Jericho Sims can slide in at power forward, playing alongside Mitchell Robinson or Isaiah Hartenstein.

Still, many fans have pointed out that asking the 6'5" Hart to play heavy minutes against bigger opponents is risky, as one of the primary reasons for his past success is his ability to overpower smaller wings he's matched up against. 

In addition, having Obi as an insurance policy in case Randle was sidelined by an injury for a few games (or, worse yet, a few weeks or longer) provided valuable peace of mind. 

So, with Toppin in Indiana, it begs the question: Will the Knicks add a power forward before the start of next season?

Before discussing potential options available on the free-agent market, here are some updated details on the team's roster. 

Once DiVincenzo officially signs his contract when the free agency moratorium ends on July 6, and the Knicks fully guarantee Jericho Sims' salary for 2023-24 later this month, New York will have 14 players under contract for next season. That includes DaQuan Jeffries and Isaiah Roby, who are on non-guaranteed deals worth just over $2 million. 

At that point, the Knicks will be approximately $4 million below the luxury tax line and $6.6 million away from bumping up against the first apron. The Knicks still have their $4.5M bi-annual exception to spend, and they could cut either Jeffries or Roby to trim their salary. 

With that out of the way, let's look at the top power forwards still available on the open market: