Knicks Could Make Major Starting Lineup Change

The New York Knicks are trying to figure out what other changes to make to their team in order to make it past the Eastern Conference Finals.

The team has already endured a busy offseason, firing Tom Thibodeau and replacing him with Mike Brown, while also signing Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele.

The team could also be looking at a change to the starting lineup. New York Daily News writer Kristian Winfield explored the idea of moving Mitchell Robinson into the starting five.

“The case for Robinson to stay in the starting lineup is clear: The Knicks were a bottom-10 defense with Towns anchoring the paint while Robinson was out, then immediately became a top-10 defense once he returned from his ankle rehab. Robinson covers up for the defensive miscues that forced the Knicks to gun themselves back into games time and time again last season," Winfield wrote.

“Robinson did come off the bench after his injury last season, and he was just as impactful in a reserve role as he was in the starting lineup. If Robinson is coming off the bench, however, who would start in his place?”

Robinson was inserted into the starting lineup in the middle of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers, and it appeared to have some positive change. However, if Robinson joined the starting lineup, it would mean someone in the first five would have to go back to the bench.

The likeliest candidate would be Josh Hart, meaning Robinson would start alongside Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. This would potentially give Guerschon Yabusele more minutes as a backup five as Hart would work in a rotation with Bridges and Anunoby where at least two of them would be on the court at all times.

It would be a risk, but the Knicks should consider it if they think it will make things better in the long run.