Jalen Brunson of the Knicks
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The Knicks have one of the NBA's biggest stars in Jalen Brunson, which is great, but they're being urged on a "pressing problem" with him.
The New York Knicks had another fantastic run during their 2024-25 season, but similar to their previous season, they fell short of getting to that final championship game. While it hurts to follow a team that just doesn’t do well at all, it also doesn’t feel great to cheer on a team that has a solid lineup and is winning games but just never seems to go all the way.
So, this season, the Knicks are making moves that show they’re serious about being not just one of the best but the actual greatest. They split with head coach Tom Thibodeau during the offseason, which was quite a surprising move, and now, they’re bringing Mike Brown on to serve as their head coach.
When Brown gets to work and starting coaching this team during the 2025-26 season, there are some issues that they’ll have to try to clean up. The Knicks have one of the NBA’s biggest stars in Jalen Brunson, which is great, but they really have to maximize his abilities on the court.
Knicks Should Focus on Issue with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns make for a great duo, but some in the NFL think their chemistry could be better. In a feature published Thursday, July 3, for Daily Knicks, Dan Favale lays out what he believes is an important issue for the Knicks as they prepare for the next year.
In the piece, he says that “many believe” the Knicks’ “improvement is a matter of depth and lineup versatility,” but that “the lack of chemistry between Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns is actually the more pressing problem.”
“This team, as currently constructed, will only go as far as its two most important (and talented) offensive players can take them,” Favale adds. “By the end of last year, though, Brunson and Towns were leading almost completely separate existences. That can’t happen again.”
While it’s true that chemistry is everything, the good news is that both Brunson and Towns are solid players. It’s just about honing them to play well together.
Mike Brown Could Be the Answer
Brown is an offensive-minded coach and should have the tools to help Brunson and Towns play well together. “The 55-year-old head honcho has extensive experience coming up with creative ways to get his best players involved, and ensuring they’re working in symphony,” Favale notes in the piece.
When citing some of Brown’s solid work with players and duos while with the Sacramento Kings, Favale notes that during their finally full season together in Sacramento during the 2023-24 run, “Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox threw about 36 passes to one another each game. Skip back to 2022-23, and that number came in at 31.6.” He also adds that “through the 31 games Brown coached the Kings in 2024-25, Fox and Sabonis tossed around 37 passes to one another each night.”
These are all good signs that Brown has the kind of experience and ability to work with duos that will benefit Brunson and Towns heading into the new season. Things are about to get extra exciting in the Big Apple. What are you excited for this Knicks season? Reach out.