Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown looks on during the second quarter against the New York Knicks. John Jones-Imagn Images

Knicks Need to Fix One Thing

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The New York Knicks were one of the best teams in the league last season, but they were simultaneously one of the worst in a key statistic.

The Knicks ranked 26th in the league in pace this past season, meaning they had one of the five slowest offenses in the NBA. The hope is that new head coach Mike Brown can change that.

"Playing fast doesn’t just mean getting a defensive rebound and pushing the ball quickly in transition. That’s part of it. Playing fast also means making quick decisions in the half court and getting the ball moving. The 2024-25 Knicks weren’t always the best at that," The Athletic insider James Edwards III wrote.

"I do believe personnel factors heavily into how fast a team can or cannot play. Some players just have different gears, different methods. I do believe, though, that the Knicks, despite not having the players to be top-five in PACE, can improve significantly simply through an improved half-court offense. That’s where Brown and his staff will have to earn their bones immediately."

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown reacts in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks David Richard-Imagn Images

Brown should implement a new offensive system for the Knicks to follow, but there might not be too many changes from it. The Knicks were one of the best offenses in the league last season, so they shouldn't move too far from it or deviate off of the plot.

The Knicks aren't a group of particularly young players, so they shouldn't be one of the fastest offenses in the league. However, the Knicks shouldn't try to be one of the slowest either.

The players on the team won't be the fastest, considering Mitchell Robinson is the youngest of the core at 27 years old. They don't need to be a young team like the Houston Rockets or Washington Wizards flying up and down the court.

The Knicks should be seeking balance more than anything. Tom Thibodeau often had the team on one extreme of the spectrum, but it's Brown's job to make sure they are somewhere in the middle.

If the Knicks can achieve that, they could be even better than they before.

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

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