The New York Knicks have agreed to a multiyear deal with Willy Hernangomez, the No. 35 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski. Hernangomez spent last season with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid, and the year before he played with Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis in Sevilla.
Hernangomez, 22, is a 6-foot-11, 255-pound center who could help New York on the glass if he gets in the rotation. The Knicks hope that his post-up game and ability to finish around the basket translate to the NBA, too.
The only bad news: If you believe Porzingis' future is playing center, then Hernangomez's presence is a little problematic. New York is expected to start Joakim Noah at the 5 spot this season, and if Hernangomez serves as his backup, there won't be many minutes for Porzingis to play that position.
The Knicks' roster isn't completely set, but this addition means there's a fairly clear picture of what the rotation will look like:
PG: Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings
SG: Courtney Lee
SF: Carmelo Anthony, Justin Holiday, Mindaugas Kuzminskas
PF: Kristaps Porzingis, Lance Thomas, Kyle O'Quinn
C: Joakim Noah, Willy Hernangomez
Hey, that's a legitimate, if incomplete, NBA team. There is a hole on the wing and a ton of injury risk, but New York president Phil Jackson has assembled a group that can at least be competitive in the Eastern Conference. Knicks fans have reason to be cautiously optimistic about all of this.
