The New York Knicks enter the 2025-26 season with high expectations, and rightfully so. They are coming off back-to-back 50-win seasons. They have an arguably top-10 player in Jalen Brunson. And they just swapped a coach who many felt was holding them back with one known for more creativity.
But chief among the reasons for optimism is that Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges are entering their second season with the team, meaning they will be more comfortable and familiar with their teammates and what is expected of them.
Why Year 2 for Karl-Anthony Towns will be better than Year 1
Towns likely has more upside to tap into than Bridges. Why? First of all, he was lost in the team's offense too often last season — although that applies to Bridges, as well. But understanding Towns' importance to New York's success makes it more puzzling.
Specifically, Towns went relatively long stretches without involving himself in the team's offense. And much of that was predicated on lineups. For whatever reason, Towns was pretty ineffective alongside his fellow starters (per 100 possessions), per Basketball Reference.
And the fact that Towns' was traded to the Knicks so close to the start of last season certainly hurt his ability to adjust to his teammates and his role on the team. Remember, Towns was added just 20 days before opening night.
While it's tough to find a comparable situation Towns' 2024-25 season given how infrequently All-NBA big men are traded in their primes, there are a few that are similar. First, there's Shaquille O'Neal — an admittedly much more dominant player than Towns.
While the O'Neal-to-Los Angeles Lakers trade is the first trade involving the Hall-of-Famer that comes to mind, his trade to the Miami Heat is far more relevant. O'Neal was in his prime (32) when the trade that landed him in Miami took place.
The Heat were eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals in their first year after adding O'Neal . However, Miami won the championship the following season. Sure, O'Neal's stat line took a hit that year. But O'Neal and his teammates benefitted from a full season of building a strong rapport.
How coach Mike Brown can help with Towns' development
In addition to Towns benefiting from an increased familiarly with teammates, coach Mike Brown can also help get more out of Towns. A quick review of how Brown impacted Sacramento Kings' forward/center Domantas Sabonis is relevant.
Sabonis was already a two-time All-Star prior to teaming up with Brown. However, a closer look reveals that Brown aided Sabonis' development after joining Sacramento as head coach. The Lithuanian center shot a career-best 61.5 percent from the field in his first season under Brown. And he achieved and maintained near career-high three-point shooting since playing under Brown, as well. He also stepped up his rebounding. And, most importantly, he qualified for an All-NBA team in both seasons under Brown — something the Gonzaga alum hadn't previously achieved.
Maybe Brown is simply better than coach Tom Thibodeau at maximizing his big men. And if so, maybe he can get Towns to play more consistently on offense and/or with greater effort on the defensive end of the floor.
Why Year 2 for Mikal Bridges will result in improvement
Towns wasn't the only Knick who failed to gel with his New York teammates. Bridges fell into the same trap, but for different reasons.
Bridges shot an atrocious 43/29/67 shooting split in November 2024, which is the first month of the season with more than a handful of games. His shot was so bad that many hypothesized it was broken. He averaged fewer than 15 points per game in November, too — something Bridges hadn't done in a month with 10 or more games since December 2022. And he struggled to grasp his role.
Bridges' familiarity grew as the season progressed. He became more comfortable with his opportunities, even if he wasn't entirely comfortable with the heavy minutes he was playing. And like Towns, he flourished when playing with role players, especially in the playoffs. He successfully demonstrated an ability to be the team's primary playmaker when Brunson was resting or injured. And he looked reinvigorated by the defensive challenges he was given in the postseason.
Bridges was the Brooklyn Nets' first option in the 2023-24 season. And his role was even more involved for most of his time with the Phoenix Suns. It's understandable that Bridges initially struggled to understand where he fit in. But with a greater understanding of what's expected of him, Bridges is set up for an impactful season.
Towns and Bridges are set to have better seasons given their increased familiarity with their teammates and roles, respectively. That alone should help the Knicks take the next step and possibly qualify for — and maybe even win — the 2026 NBA Finals. Granted, a lot can go wrong between now and next Spring. But the Knicks haven't looked this good entering a season in a very long time. And a lot of that has to do with Towns and Bridges.
