Knicks Might Double Down on Old Mistakes

Adjusting to expectations has dictated the New York Knicks' offseason.

They got as deep into the playoffs as they have since 2000 behind their offense, so they replaced their old-school, defense-first coach in Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown, someone who'd take advantage of all of the scoring tools at his disposal. When their thin rotation held them up, they went out and spent on reserves who'd provide more versatility in their upcoming title chase.

Despite the changes brought on by increased expectations, there is still the possibility that New York rolls with the same starting lineup they used over the vast majority of last season.

As talented as Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are individually, they failed to deliver as a regular five-man unit. The group may very well disappoint again after indication from Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News that the Knicks will once again dip into that familiar lineup, as opposed to trusting Mitchell Robinson as a true starting center. It was a realization they made in Game 3 of that series, finally turning to a specific player combination that looked to benefit the stars.

Dan Favale of Daily Knicks rolls through some of the more underwhelming metrics that stemmed from the regular season fivesome, including the net negative they registered as since the start of 2025 and their inability to guard anyone during their run to the Eastern Conference Finals. It was a realization they made in Game 3 of that series, finally turning to a specific player combination that looked to benefit the stars.

Favale points out Brown's insistence on pace and space in predicting the factors he'll favor in determining the starting lineup heading into opening night, but reminds Knicks fans of the lack of wing depth they have behind Hart, despite their overly-profitable offseason. He can sub in for Bridges or Anunoby with his relentless motor, offering functional defense that can scale to multiple positions.

Robinson can't and won't shoot, but it's not as if Hart's made himself enough of a sniper to become a clear upgrade alongside Brunson. Robinson is a superior rebounder and defender, helping cover up for Towns up front and providing clear need as opposed to Hart, who's an inferior variant of his fellow starting 3&D wings.

"If New York is going to keep trotting out the same starting five, it needs to acquire another one or two wings. That means abandoning the Ben Simmons free-agency dalliance, and hoping they can use their final veteran minimum’s slot on someone who can more realistically tally across the 2, 3, and 4 positions," Favale wrote.

The Knicks, left with little financial flexibility left, have to think long and hard about how they'll proceed with only scraps remaining in free agency.