This is the most anticipated Knicks season in decades. Coming off of an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, New York has hopes of taking it one step (at least) further. With a new head coach and new additions to the roster, there’s a lot to watch for this season.
Let’s look at the key storylines that should be buzzing around the team throughout the season...
Mike Brown
The most significant change year-to-year for the Knicks is head coach. As New York looks to compete for a championship, there’s a lot of pressure on Mike Brown.. A weak Eastern Conference also heightens expectations.
Brown is stepping in for Tom Thibodeau, whose rotations and lack of adjustments were under a magnifying glass over the past few seasons. Brown is aiming to have the Knicks play faster, launch more threes, and get Jalen Brunson off the ball more. On defense, he has suggested that Mikal Bridges won’t always be a point-of-attack defender.
Brown will need to find the right defensive schemes that allow the Knicks to be effective while protecting Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns from being exposed. The offensive priority is better ball movement while leveraging the Brunson and Towns pick-and-roll better.
Knowing the franchise’s urgency to win a title, will there be patience for the growing pains that come with adjusting to a new system during the regular season? In the preseason, the Knicks ranked 31st in pace and 28th in assist rate. It’s just the preseason, but it also shows that the philosophical shift requires time. New York made the hire with the playoffs in mind and that will ultimately be where this coaching move will be judged.
Jalen Brunson's adjustment
Over the last three seasons, Brunson has ranked first or second in the league in average seconds per touch and average dribbles per touch, per NBA Stats. New York’s offense has relied on handing the ball to Brunson and letting him operate. It’s largely worked for the Knicks, who have won 50 games the last two seasons and won more playoff series in three years than in the previous 20-plus years combined.
Brunson is expected to play off the ball more. It can open up more scoring opportunities for New York’s other options and make the team’s offense much more difficult to gameplan against. New York’s offense has largely been a grind. To keep Brunson fresh and healthy for the postseason, the new style of play makes sense.
However, Brunson has been great in one-on-one situations. Taking the ball out of his hands won’t always lead to ideal results. That’s why it’s important to find a balance of making Brunson’s workload lighter, but also allowing him to do what’s made him an All-NBA player the last two seasons.
Oct 26, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the first half at Madison Square Garden. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
4 or 5 for KAT
The last few years of Towns’ career could be defined by the lack of clarity with his position. Offensively, he’s best used at the center position where he can both operate out of the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop effectively. Defensively, he’s best at the four position where he can defend a slower player on the perimeter and has help in the form of a rim protector like Mitchell Robinson behind him.
After one full season, it’s still unclear which position gives the Knicks the best chance to win. At the center, Towns is a suspect rim protector with slow reaction times in defending the pick-and-roll. As the power forward on offense, Towns is less involved thanks to the limited spacing that comes from having a paint-bound center like Robinson. Towns can be stuck in the corner. He’s an elite shooter from outside but it’s not the best way to optimize his skill set.
With the five-time All-Star approaching 30 years old and also eligible for a max contract extension, this season will determine what his future with the Knicks will look like going forward.
Bench depth
New York went into the offseason with a clear plan to address the bench. A considerable weakness last season, the Knicks added free agents Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson to fill the rotation. With Miles McBride and Josh Hart already key pieces off the bench, New York’s depth has improved.
After Malcolm Brogdon’s sudden retirement, the Knicks are light on playmaking. When Brunson sits, it will be interesting to see how the Knicks initiate the halfcourt offense, which will have to be by committee since they don’t have a traditional point guard expected to see minutes.
Hart could be important for the bench with his ability to push the ball in transition to create easier scoring chances. There should also be opportunities for young players like Ariel Hukporti and Tyler Kolek to see minutes if necessary.
The Knicks did the best with their limited flexibility to improve the back end of the rotation. While it is a step in the right direction, the lack of a true playmaker to create opportunities for others could be an issue.
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