New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson watches his shot against the Miami Heat. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Knicks Roster Has One Big Advantage

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 13, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The New York Knicks are going into the season with a very similar roster to what they had last season.

Their lack of massive change has put them at No. 29 in Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey's chaos power rankings.

"New York had one of the best and most stable starting fives in the NBA last season with Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns," Bailey wrote.

"Everyone from that group is back, and Bridges even signed an extension this offseason.

"What New York did this summer was provide a little more backup for that unit by adding Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele.

"They were notable moves, though not exactly chaotic ones."

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns reacts after being called for a foul against the Detroit Piston Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Knicks have a solid seven at the top of the rotation, but with Yabusele and Clarkson coming in, the team now has a neat nine that the team could trust in a playoff game.

The only thing that's very different for the Knicks is the head coach. Mike Brown is taking over for Tom Thibodeau, who was fired back in June after five seasons for the team.

Brown will implement his new system, but he needs to take advantage of the fact that this group has incredible chemistry together already.

With Towns coming in last season for Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle after a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team's top players had to figure out how to jell with one another. Now that the team is comfortable with one another, that problem no longer exists.

Instead, the issue now comes with learning a new system while trying to compete for a playoff spot. The Knicks are the only contender with a new head coach this season, so it's something they will have to endure that other teams won't.

Luckily for Brown, the Knicks have synergy together that can keep the team in a position to win at any moment.

If the Knicks don't look like a team that can win a championship though, they won't be afraid to shake things up and get higher on the chaos list.

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

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