As the Knicks gear up for training camp, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link) breaks down the team’s top narratives, position battles, new players, and more.
As Bondy writes, New York currently has enough room below its hard cap to carry a single veteran camp invitee into the regular season, but they’ve signed five to training camp deals. Guards Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet are the leaders in the clubhouse, but guard Garrison Mathews, center Alex Len and wing Matt Ryan all still have a shot, according to Bondy.
While All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns and All-Defensive forwards Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are all pretty much locked in to starting roles, Bondy posits that guard Josh Hart and big man Mitchell Robinson could both stake a claim to that fifth starting gig.
In another subscriber-only article, Bondy takes a look at the storylines facing each rostered player heading into the season.
There’s more out of New York:
- Knicks players opted not to fight to retain head coach Tom Thibodeau despite a strong 51-31 season and an Eastern Conference Finals berth, Ian Begley said during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio (Twitter link). Begley noted that Hart “was very close” with the now-former coach, and suggested that, if Hart or other key players had insisted to management that Thibodeau be retained, he may have stuck around. Hart’s shooting went cold during the playoffs and he was toggled with Robinson for New York’s fifth starting spot. The Knicks ultimately replaced Thibodeau with Mike Brown.
- After they finished as the third seed in the East last year, Malik Smith of The New York Post (subscriber link) expects the Knicks to enjoy a more robust run in 2025/26, thanks to Achilles injuries and roster turnover knocking Boston and Indiana down a peg. As Smith observes, most sportsbooks peg the club to win in the neighborhood of 53 games next season.
- In a reader mailbag, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic says he believes second-year wing Pacome Dadiet, a first-round pick last season, is the player most likely to be traded prior to February’s deadline. Edwards also wonders if New York could expand its rotation to 10 players and takes a look at how Brown can improve the club’s versatility, among other topics.
Dadiet, Diawara and James Nnaji for cash and future picks.
Warren, Pate, Dadiet, Diawara and James Nnaji would have been a nice 1-5 young core
Dadiet, Diawara and James Nnaji for cash and picks
I don’t see a trade coming just to sign Brogdon. McBride is a better 2way PG than Brogdon. Scoring has already been added to bench. With signing of Clarkson and Yabusele. Imo there are two things the Knicks will address. Towns team D with Brunson. And Bridges becoming a more consistent offensive threat. We have to see the team play first. Cause you hope from just being together another year. There will be improvement by just familiarity.
This Knicks starting 5 has only been together one year. Mitch and Towns won’t work. Cause Towns can’t handle 4s on D. Towns was the starting all star center in the East. You don’t move him to the 4. He had his best all around year last year. You find xgways to help him. A stronger bench is one. Keep his mins at 32 mins. Imo eventually you will need to find a defensive 4. To watch his back, keep him fresher. It helps OG by playing the 3 and keeping him there. And it gives Knicks even a stronger bench. By moving Hart to bench. Hart can still play 30 mins. A stronger bench means Knicks starters don’t have to lead the L in mins played. Mitch contract is up. So Mitch and another player or two. Can fetch that modern day 4 we need.
Shamet was Knicks most consistent bench player last year. So I see him definitely making the roster. A trade will come in season not after training camp.
Why not show some accountability and drag your ass back to the VanVleet topic where 10 people decimated you?
@KnickAl
Brogdon is already signed.
The Knicks don’t need to make a trade to keep Brogdon and still be (barely) under the 2nd apron, unless they also keep Shamet.
One day the real story of why Thibs got fired will come out. I’m sure it has something to do with Dolan. No player is going to diss Thibs behind his back.
The guy was in Houston working out Grimes.
We all see they did something for bench NOW. Why didn’t Rose do something last yr by TD. Why didn’t they sign TJ Warren for playoffs. They had Warren they probably beat Pacers and Thibs is still here.
It all will come out one day. Now is not the time. Time to rally around coach Brown and get this done….. NYK 2025-26.
It was time to move on from Thibodeau. He’s a good head coach, but some of his methods are stuck in time. Outside of Brunson advocating for him, I don’t think it matters what any of the other players were going to say. He was going to get fired anyway.