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 to returning the re-signed OG Anunoby, Rose went out and added defensive stopper Mikal Bridges, giving up limited tangible roster pieces in exchange for the seven-year iron man. He also traded Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo for star center Karl-Anthony Towns. And they had a pretty productive draft, too. But let’s take a closer look at their roster upgrades and gauge exactly how much better the Knicks might be in 2024-25.
Mikal Bridges adds to both sides of the floor
Bridges was an important addition from a talent standpoint, as well as for the culture. Like Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, Bridges is a Villanova alum. And his availability to play games is unprecedented in the modern era.
But looking beyond everything else, his on-the-floor impact is also very real. While New York already boasted among the most versatile wing defenders in the league in Anunoby, Bridges is a very similar defensive beast. The six-foot-six guard/forward already has one All-Defensive team selection on his resume. And he could easily add another few.
Bridges boasts an insane seven-foot-one wing span, moves his feet well defensively, and covers significant ground on the defensive end of the floor. Between Bridges and Anunoby, opposing guards/wings will struggle to get anywhere with or without the ball in their hands.
Fortunately, Bridges is no slouch offensively. His shot might have some Knicks’ fans worried. He was two-for-19 on three-pointers in four pre-season outings. But let’s not forget that he is a career 37.5% three-point shooter, and he only shot below 35% once in his career. And he’s obviously more than just a catch-and-shoot guy. With the Brooklyn Nets, where he was their first option, Bridges averaged 26.1 points per game in 2022-23 and 19.6 points per game in 2023-24.
Adding Bridges makes New York appear even more tailor-made for coach Tom Thibodeau. They should almost certainly end the year with a better defensive rating than last season’s 10th place finish (114.22). And they are (presumably) better prepared to tangle with teams like the Boston Celtics come the 2025 playoffs.
Karl-Anthony Towns brings much needed shooting at center
Losing Randle and DiVincenzo will hurt. Randle brought must needed play making, and DiVincenzo’s grit and shooting were reminiscent of fan favorite John Stars. But adding Towns makes the Knicks all the more versatile. He’s a four-time All-Star. He is a seven-footer who has shot 40% or better on three-pointers in four different seasons. And he’s capable of holding down the center position, something the Knicks badly needed.
Towns should open up the floor offensively, allowing Brunson and company to penetrate with impunity. He and Brunson appear to work well together in the pick and rolling, running that particular play more than any other one-two punch in the entire league through the pre-season. And considering there are fewer back-to-the-basket centers in today’s game, he doesn’t give up too much defensively.
Adding Towns could see the Knicks take another jump in offensive ranking, where they finished the 2023-24 season seventh overall. And it should certainly see them climb in three-point shooting, where they ranked 14th in three point percentage and 13th in made three pointers. Granted, that didn’t materialized in the pre-season (25th and 12th, respectively), but this team is still finding its way. And remember, New York hasn’t had a three-point shooting threat at the center spot since… ever.
Other Knicks set to impact team, too
The theme of the 2024 off-season was consolidation. New York entered the offseason with a wealth of depth. After swinging a deal for Bridges around the 2024 draft, New York had Miles McBride, DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa, Cam Payne, and their draft picks to relieve their starters. However, the Towns trade was ultimately a two-for-one deal that cost the Knicks some of that depth.
Now, considering the Robinson and Achiuwa injuries, the Knicks have only McBride, Payne, and their draft picks as reserves.
Payne represents a major upgrade from last season’s roster, though. He is a prototypical backup point guard, something New York lacked last season after trading away Immanuel Quickley. Yes, McBride played incredibly well, but he is at his best alongside Brunson. While McBride is great at knocking down catch-and-shoot jumpers, Payne is a better distributor. That much is evidenced in his preseason stats, 13 points and 4.4 assists in 25.1 minutes per game. So, the Knicks can rest assured that they are in good hands in their non-Brunson minutes.
Fortunately, New York’s rookies look ready to add some much needed depth, too. First, there’s Pacome Dadiet. Granted, it was only pre-season; however, through two games, Dadiet averaged 13 points and four rebounds in 22.5 minutes per game through two games. He shot a blistering 56/56/100 split—and he didn’t hesitate to launch shots, either, attempting nine three-points and 18 shots in total.
In 18 minutes per game, Tyler Kolek—who could end up being among the biggest steals of the 2024 draft— looked ready to contribute, as well. He averaged 11.5 points, 4.3 assists, 1.0 steal and only 1.8 turnovers per game.
Ariel Hukporti, the 22-year-old who is allegedly too raw to impact the game in his rookie season, also registered some highlights. Hukporti will be thrust into playing an actual role to start the season, at least until Achiuwa returns from injury. So, the fact that he already got some of those first time jitters out of his system should be a good thing for New York.
The aggregate of New York’s off-season will see the Knicks sticking to a smaller rotation. That’s not a problem for coach Thibodeau, and it should bode well for New York, too, as long as they don’t get bogged down with injuries.