With two preseason games under their belt, Knicks fans got a promising first look at their new lineup after a shocking trade for the All-Star big man Cities of Charles Anthony.
While we haven't seen regular season action yet, which raises further questions and changes, the expected opening night player rotation is starting to take shape.
With that in mind, let's analyze the players' rosters and head coaches Tom Thibodeau is about to start a new season.
The starting five looks solid. Jalen Brunson, Mosty Mikala, AND Anunoby, Josha Harta and Towns have started the first two preseason games and will likely be the opening team in Boston.
There are many reasons to support these five. It arguably includes five of New York's best players, allows for a seamless and awkward switch between two and four spots, and pairs Brunson with two of his former Villanova teammates and Towns in the middle, maintaining spacing between floors.
Still, there may be modifications made that you should pay attention to if things aren't working as they should. Miles McBride he's currently the sixth man, but he certainly has a case to take Hart's spot given his excellent three-point shooting.
McBride is interchangeable defensively, but putting him on defense could hurt the Knicks on the defensive boards and eliminate their primary defensive forward. While some fans are calling for this change now after Hart's two quiet offensive performances, they shouldn't expect it until a solid 10+ regular season games.
Another solution could be to move Towns to the fourth and place a traditional rim protector in the middle. But with Mitchell Robinson by December or January and their next choice will be Jericho Sims I Ariela Hukportiegothis will likely remain a situational perspective rather than any permanent solution.
So with a top five in the lineup, McBride will be the first to come off the bench after a breakout year and a playoff run that resulted in a 22-point preseason. While he replaced Bridges in the first game, Brunson was the first to take the field on Wednesday night. But that's what happened when McBride was sidelined due to illness Cameron Payne who took his place.
It will be interesting to see which starter Thibodeau decides to play strong in the bench. He usually let one of the Brunsons or Julius Randle play the entire first quarter of last season, saving the second quarter for a substitution at the beginning of the second quarter and minimizing the number of minutes played without any of the stars.
New York has a bit more capacity this year, with Bridges, Anunoby and Towns able to carry backup units for extended periods of time. Towns struck a chord with Thibodeau playing him throughout the third quarter of the previous game.
Their two wingers won't be producing the same number of goals compared to Brunson and Towns, so expect them to get solid opportunities on the bench. Bridges is an iron man in the NBA and Thibodeau won't hesitate to use him that way.
It would be wise for Brunson or Bridges to play the entire first quarter and the latter half of the second quarter. Towns or one of the other starters would then do the same in the second half.
Depending on whether Thibodeau wants to play in an eight- or nine-man rotation, Hart could spend a few minutes filling gaps on both teams. This will also determine the number of substitutes we actually see on match night.
According to McBride Dear Achiuwa he looks like a typical player who can play in both the four and five. Thibodeau may choose size and a more traditional center in Sims, but Achiuwa is a more developed character at this point and units with both will look awkward.
With two almost-locked players on the bench, it will be either Payne or both Landry Shame addition to the lineup. Thibodeau spoke highly of both veterans coming out of training camp and gave them important minutes in two preseason games.
Tyler Kolek complicates matters after several notable appearances. His game resembles that of a debutant Immanuel Quickleya sneaking in and stealing a spot in the rotation in 2020-21 – something Kolek is capable of doing if he keeps it up.
The answer to this bench turnover may simply be who the Knicks are playing and who they are playing in any given matchup. They have the option to play big with Achiuwa and Sims or small with a first and three defenders.
For now, only pre-season samples and training camps are available, but the real heavy lifting will come in the regular season. If a backup isn't performing at an appropriate level, Thibodeau won't hesitate to take him out of the rotation in favor of someone who can.
Of course, injuries are also starting to take their toll. So even if there is already a preferred rotation, anything can turn it upside down at any time. This is a projection though, so here's our best guess of what we've seen so far:
PG: Brunson 35 | Payne’a 13
SG: Mosty 22 | McBride’a 26
SF: Anunoby 27 | Bridges 13 | Shame 8
PF: Hart 35 | Anunoby 8 | Achiuwa 5
C: Cities 35 | Achiuwa 13
Ultimately, we'll see what the Knicks do, but everything is clear: their starting five is one of the best in the league and they have some options around them. The pieces are in place, but can Thibodeau make the most of them to become a championship-winning team?
