Knicks guard Jose Alvarado receives a key to the city after the championship parade
$12.4 million is not a glamorous number in the NBA. It could be a huge number for the Knicks.
New York has committed roughly that amount next season to Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado and Mohamed Diawara. The group is not replacing the minutes lost when Mitchell Robinson left. It is being asked to keep the champion’s bench from becoming a weak point while the front office stays below the second apron.
Alvarado brings a different kind of edge: small, loud, and a nuisance for opposing ballhandlers. Shamet spaces the floor, while Diawara is the young wild card. The Knicks need all three to give them something useful because there is less room for an expensive fix later.
I do not think the Knicks made a bad choice by keeping the bench affordable. I do think they are asking their cheaper bets to carry more than their contracts suggest.
Knicks guards Jose Alvarado and Miles McBride celebrate the championship
Jose Alvarado and Miles McBride celebrate after the Knicks parade. Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
The Knicks cannot miss on their supporting cast
The East changed fast this summer. Philadelphia added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. Boston retained its contender status around a reshaped group. The Knicks are still the champions, but their margin for a slow start is smaller than it was in June.
That places more pressure on players who do not make the headlines. Alvarado has to make the second unit annoying. Shamet has to hit shots. Diawara has to show he can handle real NBA minutes when they arrive.
The stars will get the credit or blame for the title defense. The bench may decide whether the Knicks get the chance to defend it at all.
Cheap only works when the roles are clear
Alvarado cannot be asked to become a high-volume scorer. He is not that player. The Knicks need him to push the pace, pressure the ball and keep the energy from dropping when the starters sit.
That role has value, especially when it is attached to a manageable number. New York’s front office chose continuity and depth over a splashier summer. The next few months will show whether that restraint was smart or simply too cautious.
Which Knicks reserve has the most to prove next season?
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