When the lights were brightest, the New York Knicks simply ran out of steam — not because of star power, but support.
They had the top-tier talent in Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges. What they didn’t have was enough help.
Despite the playoff heartbreak, the Knicks built a legitimate championship-caliber roster that just came up short.
They ran into a mix of coaching missteps and a lack of reliable scoring off the bench when it mattered most.
Still, the core produced enough to warrant another run — especially with the right tweaks and a fresh voice leading them.
That brings us to Luke Kennard — a veteran shooter who might be exactly what the Knicks’ bench has been missing.
Kennard isn’t flashy, but he brings one elite skill to the table: three-point shooting at a high volume and efficiency.
In 65 games this past season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Kennard shot 43.3% from deep on four attempts per night.
Go back to 2023–24 and the numbers are even more impressive — 45% from downtown on 6.1 threes per game.
He also chipped in 11 points per contest in that stretch, operating as a reliable floor spacer and rhythm shooter.
At 6-foot-5 and 206 pounds, Kennard offers enough size to defend guards and provide a consistent scoring threat off screens.
New York had hoped Miles McBride would evolve into a two-way bench weapon with occasional scoring bursts this past season.
While McBride had his moments, an injury slowed him down and he struggled to leave a consistent playoff impact.
Kennard would offer a different flavor — a pure shooter who doesn’t need the ball in his hands to thrive.
With the Knicks’ core commanding defensive attention, Kennard could feast on clean looks from the perimeter nightly.
Kennard is coming off a $9.25 million deal, and the market likely won’t require a major overpay to secure his services.
If New York can land him at a similar price, it would be a smart value play for a team eyeing a title push.
Depth wins in the postseason, and finding an efficient scorer like Kennard could help avoid the offensive droughts that doomed them.
Adding him would be like plugging a leaky pipe — it won’t make headlines, but it could stop the ship from sinking.
READ MORE: Knicks could pursue former Hawks all-around scorer in free agency
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