Drew Maresca Articles - Page 5

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 […]

The New York Knicks significantly improved in the 2023-24 season. Sure, they technically only won three more games than they did in 2022-23. But last year’s playoff experience was clearly beneficial. Unfortunately, injuries robbed the Knicks of any opportunity at a deeper playoff run, and New York’s season fizzled out in the second round, again. […]

The New York Knicks’ meteoric rise was completed through an organic rebuild. It took four or five years, and it involved a new head coach and team president. It also involved draft picks, trades, and free-agent signings. While trades are more likely to impact the Knicks’ trajectory than signing other teams’ free agents this off-season, […]

The New York Knicks already look like a major problem for the entire NBA next season and beyond. They are close to competing for their first NBA Championship in more than 30 years, but close doesn’t cut it. There were two important things missing from the Knicks’ roster in 2023-24: Health, because this season’s team […]

It felt like the New York Knicks were shortchanged by fate itself in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. They suffered a series of injuries that impacted (if not led to) their elimination at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. While New York should be far healthier entering next season than they’ve […]

The New York Knicks’ 2023-24 came to an end on Sunday when they lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals 130-109 to the Indiana Pacers. They technically lost more than just the series, as they suffered another major injury, as well. Either way, New York’s season is over. And before we look ahead, let’s […]

“Game 7 in New York City. What’s better than that?” That rhetorical question posed by Miles McBride in the Indiana Pacers’ visiting locker room following the New York Knicks 116-103 loss summed up the attitude with which New York must approach Game 7. Embrace the moment. Revel in the love from the home court. Set […]

One more win. That’s all the New York Knicks need to advance to the first Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. It appeared as if the team’s momentum was lost after dropping two straight games to the Indiana Pacers while on the road, which knotted the series at two games apiece. But […]

The New York Knicks are in desperate need of home cooking. After opening the series with two consecutive wins, the Knicks now find themselves knotted up with the Indiana Pacers at two games a piece. Things went horribly wrong in Indiana, especially in Game 4. But thankfully, the Knicks return to New York for Game […]

As if the New York Knicks weren’t dealing with enough injuries, they suffered a few more in Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers. First, it was their best player, Jalen Brunson, who went down with a right foot injury midway through the first quarter. Then, after Brunson returned to start the second half, OG Anunoby […]

The New York Knicks were recently dealt another blow when they learned that they must proceed in the playoffs without Mitchell Robinson thanks to a stress injury in his left ankle. The Knicks must now forge ahead without three rotation pieces, one of whom (Robinson) happens to be their best offensive rebounder. This injury hurts […]

The New York Knicks’ second-round series against the Indiana Pacers will inevitably look a lot different than their first-round matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers are big and physical and while Tyrese Maxey is a blur with the ball in his hands, they are generally not an overly fast team, at least in terms […]

Let’s be honest for a moment (this shouldn’t be perceived as an overly bold prediction). The New York Knicks should get through the Indiana Pacers with ease compared to what they just went through against the Philadelphia 76ers in their first-round playoff series. The Knicks won 50 games in the regular season and secured the […]