Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson dribbles as New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges defends. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Will Knicks Depth Moves Pay Off?

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The New York Knicks offseason has been all about depth. Every move they have made has the team's depth in mind in hopes that it will help the team reach a championship.

The Knicks believe they have a championship-caliber roster, but NBA.com writer Brian Martin questions whether the moves have been enough.

"The two teams that reached the 2025 NBA Finals — the Thunder and Pacers — were both fueled by strong, reliable bench units. Oklahoma City leaned on the defensive grit and versatility of Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace, while Indiana consistently got scoring and playmaking from Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, Obi Toppin, and T.J. McConnell. By contrast, the Knicks’ rotation began to wear down late in the postseason. While Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson provided energy and key moments off the bench during the playoff run, the overall lack of consistent second-unit production was a glaring issue, especially in the Eastern Conference Finals," Martin wrote.

"This offseason, the Knicks made moves to improve their depth by signing Clarkson and Yabusele, hoping each can provide scoring punch and veteran stability. But questions remain: Can they get meaningful development from recent draft picks like Pacôme Dadiet and Tyler Kolek, or will they need to rely more heavily on seasoned vets to round out the rotation?"

Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele reacts to his three pointer against the Washington Wizards Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Knicks also hired Mike Brown in hopes of creating a team that would play nine or 10 players per night as opposed to seven or eight like his predecessor Tom Thibodeau did.

The Knicks ran out of gas after a long season where the top players all played a considerable amount of minutes. Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby were all among the top minutes leaders in the league, so adding players like Clarkson and Yabusele should help keep them a bit fresher during the long season.

These moves have accomplished that goal, but they won't mean much more if that doesn't translate into a deeper playoff run. It won't be easy to top last year's Eastern Conference Finals trip, but time will tell if these moves will pay off.

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

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