New Knicks head coach Mike Brown wants to empower his players to let loose from long range, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News.
As Winfield notes, only one expected rotation player — center Mitchell Robinson — won’t be able to connect on at least an NBA-average three-point conversion rate, provided both Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet are on the club’s standard roster come the regular season.
“I mean if we get 40 [threes] I’m cool with it,” Brown said following a team practice on Friday. “We’ve got a couple of guys that we’ll allow to dance with it and let it go, and they know who they are. But if we play like we’re capable of — with pace, especially spacing, and the paint touches — we should generate a lot of catch-and-shoot threes.”
There’s more out of New York:
- During his media day session, Brown spoke positively about Landry Shamet‘s two-way upside. Shamet was rostered with the Knicks last year, but for now is signed to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 training camp deal. “Offensively, his pace in the full court, he does a great job sprinting the floor, and he’ll sprint to the corner every single possession,” Brown said when asked about Shamet by Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link via New York Basketball). “And when you do that with the ability he has to shoot the ball from deep, it puts a lot of pressure on the defense, and also flattens the defense, because you gotta go with him. And if the defense gets flattened by a shooter, that means the driving lanes [expand].… And then defensively, he’s not afraid, he’ll stick his nose in it and guard whoever he has to guard.”
- Nets big man Noah Clowney took the offseason to bulk up, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The 6’9″ big man has packed on added muscle to improve his abilities as a driver, but is hoping not to sacrifice any of his explosiveness. “Yeah, [Clowney] looks great,” coach Jordi Fernández said of the change. “Credit to him and the work he’s put in the whole summer. He looks like a grown man at just 21… His ability to shoot, his size and getting better at playing off two feet in the paint, limiting turnovers and fishing better at the rim. So those things are important for him.”
- After dealing with major health issues earlier in his career, new Nets wing Michael Porter Jr. admitted he can’t necessarily count on a lengthy stint in the NBA. “Because of the injuries and stuff, I don’t know how much longer I really want to play,” Porter told Justin Laboy on the Respectfully The Justin Laboy Podcast (YouTube video link; hat tip to Lewis for the transcription). “Like, I want to play as long as I can, but people don’t understand the things I’ve got to go through on a daily basis just to get out on the court and play with the best athletes in the world.” Porter had already undergone three back surgeries by the end of his first three pro seasons and has since dealt with lingering nerve damage even as other health issues pop up. He is owed $78MM across the next two seasons. “I decided all I’m going to do is take it a year at a time,” Porter said. “So I’m committed to basketball and putting my all into it for the next year and then after that, I’m gonna reevaluate.”
- The Nets‘ NBAGL affiliate, the Long Island Nets, obtained center David Muoka‘s returning player rights from the Windy City Bulls, Lewis tweets. Long Island surrendered a 2025 G League first-round draft pick and a 2026 second to Windy City, Chicago’s G League affiliate. Muoka was signed and waived earlier this month by Brooklyn and is now on track to join Long Island for the NBAGL season.
Clowney is not 6’10”.
That’s the height Basketball-Reference lists, but it looks like most other sites have him at 6’9″ — I’ve updated it.
Every player’s height is exaggerated. At best, these are heights in sneakers.
All players are measure at combine before draft. With sneakers without sneakers. Seems Clowney wasn’t at Combine for that. His measurements are from his college team.
Be good to see him standing next to Claxton.
I like him as a player. He’s long and is a 4. He needed more girth. So the added weight should help. 19 yr olds getting drafted. You have to wait for their true adult bodies.
Porter’s agent must love him. Dude never shuts up.
So the Mike Brown Knicks are going to go with a pace and space offense and put up 40 threes? – that should be interesting…
Not interesting at all.
I’m all for sharing the ball more. Pace to me is what the game brings. I definitely push it when you got it. Putting up more threes. Should be about getting good looks. An open three is a good shot. I still prefer a high % shot. I get that 40 threes is an analytics thing.
Knicks avg 34 threes last year. Celtics led the L with 48 per game. Good looks are good looks. I let the game dictate type of shots. As long as you are winning. Then its going right. Closing out games making good decisions. To me is the most important thing. Brown did some good things in Sacramento with their offense. The Knicks need more work on their team D. After one year together. I expect them to be better. I am also very interested on how this Brogdon thing plays out. NYK.
Top 3 (3pt%) shooting team in 2024-25
Milwaukee Bucks: (38.7%)
Cleveland Cavaliers: (38.1%)
Phoenix Suns: (37.8%)
40 threes a game…. Ugly basketball