Dec 12, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown gives direction as he stands on the court against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Knicks Front Office Earns Solid Offseason Grade

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 7:00 AM ET

For once, the New York Knicks spent a summer offseason by playing it safe.

They may not have gotten as far as they hoped in the 2025 playoffs, falling in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Indiana Pacers, but they finally got some confirmation that an NBA championship was within their grasp with the core of players they'd accumulated. Their starting lineup already had no shortage of star scorers and versatile wings, and their goal of bolstering their bench looks to have strengthened their title odds.

The franchise's willingness to tune out that instinct telling them to make that organization-altering trade right as they were starting to achieve some stability en lieu of margin moves earned them a solid, if not impressive, assessment from Bleacher Report in their grading every team's general manager on a Grade Point Average Scale. Their 3.4 grade won't blow anyone away, much like the news they largely produced, but they kept their eyes on that simple goal of subtlety.

Andy Bailey was high on Leon Rose's new additions, stating, "they have one of the best starting fives in the league, so supporting players were all that made sense, and they landed a pair of good ones. Guerschon Yabusele returned to the NBA in 2024-25 and shot 38.0 percent from deep. And though Jordan Clarkson's assist numbers tailed off this season, he averaged 5.0 in 2023-24. Both could be critical components of an improved second unit."

He was similarly high on the Knicks' continuity, with their maintaining all of their impact pieces overruling the franchise's decision to replace former head coach Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown. That department, along with the players they added, added a pair of A's to the team's GPA.

New York Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

New York didn't have much to work with in the NBA Draft, using their lone chip on international prospect Mohamed Diawara with the 51st pick, and he looks like he's still several years out from influencing the win-now Knicks and their older rotation. Their C+ grade here isn't particularly impressive, but the Knicks' upcoming season was never going to hinge on their draft performance.

Their reliance on more experienced players doesn't end itself to long-term success, as they've gone all-in on trying to take over the league to close out this decade as opposed to preparing for the 2030s. The Knicks know what they are and how to put themselves in the best possible situation using what they've got, and for their rare instance of self-awareness, they were rewarded.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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