Drew Maresca Articles - Page 4

Let’s be honest, the New York Knicks appeared unprepared to play the defending champion Boston Celtics on opening night. They allowed the Celtics to tie an NBA record for made three-pointers (19). And they clearly lacked chemistry. But rebounding is another, possibly bigger, hurdle that New York will continue to deal with until at least […]

The New York Knicks lost in a blowout on opening night to the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. New York lost 132-109 in a game in which the 23-point differential doesn’t do justice to just how badly they were beaten. The Celtics won the rebounding battle 40-34 and tied the NBA record for made three-pointers […]

The New York Knicks limped into the 2024 offseason. Mitchell Robinson’s season ended early due to an ankle injury from which he’s still recovering. OG Anunoby suffered an ankle injury, as well. Bojan Bogdanovic suffered a wrist injury and a foot injury. Josh Hart suffered a strained abdominal muscle that limited his utility. Julius Randle […]

The 2023-24 New York Knicks surprised a lot of people. They secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. And they were sitting pretty, up 2-0 against the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals, before injuries caught up to them. But Leon Rose would not let his team rest on its laurels. In addition […]

The New York Knicks are undefeated through four preseason games, leading to even more optimism amongst fans. Some of New York’s presumed success will come as a result of the team’s established stars. Some will come from star forward Mikal Bridges and All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns, both of whom were added this offseason. And […]

The New York Knicks looked good in their first pre-season outing. They defeated the Charlotte Hornets 111-109 behind Jalen Brunson and new addition Karl-Anthony Towns, as well as strong bench play that was spearheaded by Miles McBride. McBride played 25 minutes and looked sharp in the team’s pre-season debut. And while it was Josh Hart […]

The New York Knicks’ recent addition of Karl-Anthony Towns looks like an upgrade for the entire team’s roster, but there are less clear implications for other players. Specifically, Mitchell Robinson’s spot as the Knicks’ starting center is in question, especially since he will not be available to the team to start the season as he […]

The New York Knicks upgraded their roster last weekend, adding four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for a package built around Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. While the deal bought the Knicks some time while center Mitchell Robinson continues to rehab his surgically repaired left ankle, it simultaneously created a void at power forward. But […]

Despite an incredibly active offseason, the New York Knicks might not be done dealing yet. Mitchell Robinso shared some cryptic social media posts since the Knicks’ blockbuster trade that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns was first announced. He, like many other Knicks fans, is clearly processing the […]

The New York Knicks continued their aggressive offseason this weekend, adding four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for a package built around Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. Many Knicks fans initially found this blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves difficult to stomach, and many are still processing the outcome. However, one thing is for sure: […]

The New York Knicks have been active of late. They signed a few players who would probably crack the rotation of most teams. Unfortunately for the players in question, the Knicks are far deeper than most teams, and none are likely to lock down a regular role. Still, these additions bolster an already incredibly versatile roster, […]

The New York Knicks are unquestionably a better team right now than they were one year ago. After trading for OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa last December, they engineered a blockbuster deal with the Brooklyn News for Mikal Bridges this offseason. They also put together a strong body of work in the 2024 NBA Draft […]

The New York Knicks hope to contend for a championship this season. However, they are unquestionably undersized. While they pursued a few big men this offseason, including Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, they ultimately have to run it back with last season’s frontcourt sans Isaiah Hartenstein. And considering Mitchell Robinson has not yet been cleared […]

The New York Knicks were formidable in 2023-24, especially at Madison Square Garden. But there is always room for improvement. And winning a bigger chunk of home games is usually the lowest hanging fruit, even for a team that plays in an arena that brings out the best in opponents. So, if New York hopes […]

Examining an NBA team’s schedule is challenging in late August, as lingering issues follow many teams into the regular season. Still, it’s fun. So, we recently projected the Knicks’ 2024-25 season in light of the schedule release. And considering the upgrades made to their roster this offseason, the Knicks should be easier to predict than […]

Predicting an NBA teams’ records is a fun exercise in August, but it rarely plays out like you might hope. Most projections over-inflate the impact of offseason acquisitions and underrate how losing someone (like losing a starting center, for example) impacts performance. But the 2024-25 NBA schedule is out. And the New York Knicks bring […]

Let’s be very clear, Jalen Brunson has been the New York Knicks’ de facto leader since signing with the team before the 2022-23 season. Still, the recent announcement of his ascension to team captain is meaningful for a number of reasons. Most notably, it could help the Knicks coalesce at exactly the right time. Jalen […]

The New York Knicks seemed ready to run their back 2023-24 roster. They were one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals, and that was without an All-Star (Julius Randle) for the entire playoff run and their opening night starting center (Mitchell Robinson) for much of the second round — as well as a few […]

The New York Knicks’ roster was well-stocked prior to trading for star guard Mikal Bridges and signing journeyman point guard Cameron Payne. Their rotation became inarguably tighter since. And while every team other than the defending champions can stand to make a tweak or two to improve their chances, the calculus involved in understanding the […]

The New York Knicks were pretty busy in the early days of July. They traded for star wing Mikal Bridges and re-signed star forward OG Anunoby. They also re-signed star point guard Jalen Brunson to a team-friendly deal and added backup point guard Cam Payne. However, a glaring hole remains. New York’s center rotation appeared […]

The New York Knicks Summer League team wrapped up a successful run in Las Vegas on Saturday night. New York’s team showed a good deal of talent and ability, winning three of their five contests, despite playing with only one first-round pick and one star second-rounder. But records are irrelevant in Summer League. It’s more […]

The New York Knicks quietly added another free agent late last week. Cam Payne and the Knicks agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million deal. Payne was most recently a backup point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, and he played a role in harassing Jalen Brunson and co. in the playoffs this past spring. The Payne […]

NBA free agency is mostly viewed in an unrealistic way with too many immediate, hot takes. These snap judgments are understandably hyperbolic considering the national media’s demand for consumable sound bites. In reality, the implications of every signing and draft pick take years to play out. And many have a butterfly effect, impacting other possible […]

Summer League has always been about teams assessing and developing talent that can help them win sooner than later. Thanks to Jalen Brunson and the trade that added Mikal Bridges, among other things, the New York Knicks are (finally) correctly aligned with those goals. Now, many Summer League All-Stars never materialize in the NBA. But […]

The New York Knicks have some work left to do this offseason. New York only has 12 players officially signed to their NBA roster, which includes 2024 rookies and other additions. Every NBA team must carry a minimum of 14 players for most of the NBA season, dictated by the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. So, […]

The New York Knicks offseason began with a bang. They traded for rising star Mikal Bridges, giving up little by way of on-roster talent, although the deal has yet to be finalized. Then they re-signed the impactful OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212.5 million deal. But the Knicks’ offseason hit a snag on Monday, when […]

The New York Knicks entered the 2024 NBA Draft with three picks to solidify an already-improved roster after recently trading for star forward Mikal Bridges. They were scheduled to pick 24th, 25th, and 38th. That’s not exactly (or at all) what transpired. Instead, New York made a series of trades meant to (presumably) shave off […]

The New York Knicks have made major headway in improving their roster, and we haven’t even reached free agency. The Knicks already traded for Mikal Bridges and re-signed OG Anunoby. Those moves solidified their starting wing spots and ensured they will be contenders entering next season. But New York did suffer a minor setback, and […]

The New York Knicks just pushed their chips to the center of the table. New York added Mikal Bridges, sending a number of future draft picks and Bojan Bogdanovic to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for the rising star. Bridges is an elite three-and-D player, and he likely represents the Knicks’ “final piece”. But there […]

The New York Knicks are in unfamiliar territory heading into the 2024 NBA Draft. They are dangerously close to becoming a legitimate title contender. Therefore, this year’s draft is of the upmost importance. And while New York has two first-round picks and one second-round pick, none are higher than 24th overall. So, the Knicks will probably […]

The New York Knicks are allegedly in the unenviable position of exploring trade proposals for their longest-tenured player. Mitchell Robinson has been a member of the Knicks since 2018. The seven-footer has developed into a rebounding machine, dominating the offensive glass. He’s also an incredible rim defender. Sadly, Robinson is also injury-prone, having missed 20 […]

The New York Knicks looked formidable after a mid-season trade that added OG Anunoby to an already talented roster. Injuries kept them from fulfilling their full potential, but they look like 2025 NBA Championship contenders, if they bring everyone back. But that’s a big “if”. There are two key guys who can sign elsewhere without […]

The New York Knicks looked formidable after a mid-season trade that added OG Anunoby to an already talented roster. Injuries kept them from fulfilling their full potential, but they look like 2025 NBA Championship contenders, if they bring everyone back. But that’s a big “if”. There are two key guys who can sign elsewhere without […]

The New York Knicks surprised everyone this season. They finished second in the Eastern Conference and could have advanced even farther than the second-round if not for a series of injuries. Still, the Knicks can view the season as a success. And there is a fairly obvious path to continue improving. New York possesses the […]

“Draft and stash” players rarely pan out. It’s not that there is something inherently flawed with players who prefer to continue playing elsewhere. It’s that most draft and stash guys aren’t top-flight prospects. And second-tier players from around the globe can make more money elsewhere if they fail to secure a guaranteed contract in the […]

We have officially entered June. In 2023-24, that means all but two NBA teams have turned their attention to the NBA Draft. The draft is an opportunity for teams to upgrade rosters. And for the New York Knicks, it’s specifically an opportunity to fill some gaps needed to put together a championship roster. There aren’t […]

The New York Knicks 2023-24 season marked another year of progress. They built on their accomplishments from 2022-23 by one-upping their win total and securing the second seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. But the Knicks still came up short. Sure, fans can rationalize the team’s failures by leaning on injuries, which is a fair […]

The New York Knicks are in unfamiliar territory. They are coming off of a fairly successful season. But New York can’t be satisfied with consecutive playoff eliminations. Sure, the Eastern Conference Semifinals are great, but it’s been 51 years (and counting) since the Knicks won a championship. They are beyond overdue, but they are closer […]

The New York Knicks just completed a Cinderella season, sort of. They dealt with a number of injuries before succumbing to the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. But with Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic out for the entire second-round, as well as OG Anunoby missing most of it, options were […]