In each of the last two seasons, the New York Knicks have been able to show that they are a formidable playoff team. They were one game away from the conference finals in 2024, and two games away from the NBA Finals last season.
Part of the reason New York has come up just short is because of their depth. Yes, injuries at the wrong time have also played a role, but when series get tighter, the Knicks have never been able to rely upon their bench.
New York had five guys play 35 or more minutes last postseason, including OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Jalen Brunson, who were all at nearly 38 minutes per game. Only six players averaged at least 20 minutes per game in their rotation.
The Knicks have finally fixed their depth problem
We all know that former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had a tendency to keep a tight rotation, but he also did not have the bench players needed to have a deeper rotation. Under new head coach Mike Brown, expect that to change.
New York went out and got the pieces they needed for their bench. They signed Jordan Clarkson and Malcolm Brogdon for more backcourt bench scoring alongside Deuce McBride. They also brought in Guerschon Yabusele early in free agency to bolster their frontcourt depth and give their roster a true power forward.
Clarkson and Brogdon should add some much-needed scoring punch for a Knicks bench unit that was one of the worst in the league last season. New York averaged 21.7 bench points per game during the regular season, and that number plummeted to 15.8 in the playoffs. A lot of the offensive production was placed on Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, with little support from the reserves.
The New York Knicks can be confident in their playoff rotation
Clarkson can be inconsistent at times, but he has the ability to create his own shot. In 37 games last season, he averaged 16 PPG and shot 36 percent from three-point range. His overall efficiency was subpar (40 percent from the field, 54 percent true-shooting percentage), but he was also on a tanking Utah Jazz squad that found new ways to lose every night.
As for Brogdon, he may not be as much of a volume scorer as Clarkson, but he has shown that he can be the perfect backup point guard on a contender. He has averaged at least five assists per game in three of the last five seasons and is good for 12-15 PPG per night.
The additions of Yabusele, Clarkson, and Brogdon, alongside McBride and Mitchell Robinson, give the Knicks five capable bench options when the playoffs come. They’ll have more lineup flexibility, and when one of their stars hits the bench, they can rest easy knowing someone can come in and carry the offensive load. Health during the regular season will be important for this group, so they are firing on all cylinders in the spring.
The East is wide-open next season, and New York is projected as the favorite to win the conference. They set themselves up well to reach the finals for the first time since 1999.
