Report: Knicks pursuing free agent big man Sean Williams

The New York Knicks are reportedly in pursuit of free agent center Sean Williams.

By Ben Golliver

Sep 1, 2012 at 2:45 pm ET • 1 min read

You know what they say about roster-building in the NBA: It's always a good idea to have at least one big man under the age of 38 years old on your bench.

ESPNNY.com reports that the New York Knicks are eyeing free agent forward/center Sean Williams, who was recently released by the Houston Rockets.

A source familiar with the Knicks' free-agency plans told ESPNNewYork.com that the team is considering signing forward-center Sean Williams... The team wants to add a big man -- likely to serve as a backup to Amare Stoudemire on the depth chart. Currently, they don't have one.

Williams has also been linked to the Miami Heat in recent rumors.

There's no questions the Knicks could use another big body capable of playing in the interior. New York's starting frontline is set in stone -- center Tyson Chandler will be flanked by Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony -- but behind that trio is a pair of old timers. Reserve big men Marcus Camby (38) and Kurt Thomas (39) can both still be effective but are well past their primes. Camby, in particular, has missed significant time with minor injurires over the last five seasons. New York's only other reserve forward option, Steve Novak, is a floor-spreading shooter.

Williams, 25, has played for three teams over his 4-year NBA career. He spent the 2011-12 season with the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics, who picked him up in April to help fill in for the loss of Jermaine O'Neal to injury. Williams appeared in just three games for the Celtics and holds career averages of 4.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game.

Williams was traded to the Rockets as part of the 3-team sign-and-trade that sent guard Courtney Lee from Houston to Boston.