The New York Knicks will look to build on their postseason success with a few key additions. Tom Thibodeau found plenty of success with the starting five last season, but these players could force him to change it up in 2023-24.
The New York Knicks are maybe the perfect New York team. Scrappy, blue-collar, with the most New York coach imaginable in Tom Thibodeau (a Connecticut native, so he's got that northeastern way about him). Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and R.J. Barrett form maybe the strongest core trio in the NBA — in the absolute most literal sense of the word.
The Knicks win by sheer force of will, eschewing finesse and high point totals in favor of flexing their muscles and winning with defense. Thibs has always prioritized effort and hustle, but few stars have embraced it more than Jalen Brunson. The Knicks traded for try-hard expert Josh Hart at the deadline last season, while Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett essentially function as human battering rams on offense.
In the end, the Knicks simply feel like the right team for that city. Whether that particular team can compete for a championship is a different question, but New York made it to the second round of the playoffs and will look to build on that success in 2023-24. President Leon Rose has built one of the deepest rosters in the Eastern Conference. What the Knicks may lack in true superstar talent, they make up for with flexibility and optionality up and down the rotation.
The Cavs were the better team on paper and the Knicks absolutely demolished them in the postseason. Miami was a different story, but that's because Miami can play slow and physical. The Knicks are at their best when they can control the tempo and exert their toughness.
As Thibs looks to build out his rotation for the new year, the starting five is expected to remain the same: Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, R.J. Barrett, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson. That said, New York made a few key offseason moves that could ultimately result in a Knicks lineup change.
New York Knicks player who could break into starting lineup: Donte DiVincenzo
Donte DiVincenzo revived his career in a big way with Golden State last season. He appeared in 72 games (36 starts) and averaged 9.4 points and 3.5 assists in 26.3 minutes. Golden State was the perfect home for DiVincenzo's versatile skill set. He was able to connect dots in Steve Kerr's movement-heavy system, always surrounded by plus-plus shooters and athletic finishers.
The Knicks will be a significant change of pace for DiVincenzo. He will battle a more compressed floor and a slower tempo. Even so, DiVincenzo's core skills make it hard to project anything but success. He's a productive 3-point shooter (39.7 percent on 5.3 attempts last season), which the Knicks need more of, and he's a very instinctual playmaker. He's not a traditional point guard, but the Knicks already have primary ball-handlers. DiVincenzo moves, cuts, drives, and makes quick decisions with the ball. He's everything a role-playing guard should be.
At 6-foot-4, DiVincenzo can punch above his weight class on defense. He fits the general M.O. of a Thibs team with his intensity and it's not hard to imagine him eventually slotting into the starting five. The most likely avenue would be him supplanting Quentin Grimes, another 3-and-D wing who doesn't quite possess DiVincenzo's passing instincts or defensive hustle (though he is a slightly more dynamic scoring threat).
DiVincenzo is long-time friends with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, both of whom shared the floor with him at Villanova once upon a time. The college teammate connection might not help DiVincenzo get the starting gig, but there's built-in chemistry with two of New York's most important players. He's going to play significant minutes, even with the Knicks' abnormal depth on the perimeter. If he can build on last season's success with Golden State, it wouldn't be terribly shocking to see Thibs favor him at the open and close of games.
New York Knicks player who could break into starting lineup: Immanuel Quickley
Immanuel Quickley finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season. It's only natural to wonder when he will make the leap to the starting five, especially with a lucrative extension on the horizon. The 24-year-old out of Kentucky is primed for another leap or two before his prime and the Knicks could conceivably amplify his role and minutes to facilitate such a leap.
For now, it's more than likely that Quickley will remain in his sixth man role as the bench unit leader and backup point guard behind Brunson. The Knicks could be hesitant to start their two best ball-handlers, but staggering lineups is commonplace in today's league and there are plenty of examples of successful lineups featuring two ball-handlers.
Quickley is equally adept with or without the basketball, of course. His 3-point touch is pillowy (37.0 percent on 5.6 attempts last season) and he's comfortable shooting from a standstill or moving off screens. Attacking off the catch, Quickley frequently blitzes out-of-rotation defenders with his blinding first step. To tie it all together, he's a tremendous defensive playmaker for his position and another Knicks guard who can defend taller (and bulkier) players due to his surprising core strength.
There's a strong case that Quickley is the third or fourth-best player on the team already and he's still improving. The Knicks are, again, uncharacteristically deep. Quentin Grimes by no means deserves to lose his spot in the starting five. The weakest link might be R.J. Barrett, a former No. 3 pick with four years and $107 million left on his contract. Thibs and the Knicks suffer from an abundance of options, but Quickley would start on a lot of teams around the league and he's positioned for an eventual promotion as New York gears up to pay him.
New York Knicks player who could break into starting lineup: Josh Hart
Immanuel Quickley will get paid soon, but Josh Hart has already been paid. Four years and $81 million, to be exact. The Knicks extended their prized trade deadline acquisition at a very reasonable price, keeping him as part of the team's increasingly expensive core for the foreseeable future.
Hart really does embody the Thibodeau style of play, in all its positives and negatives. He's not much of a 3-point shooter (2.1 attempts per game last season), but otherwise he checks a ton of boxes. Hart can defend multiple positions at 6-foot-5 and he's blessed with the core strength of a professional boxer. He hustles harder than 99 percent of the league, frequently sacrificing his body for loose balls or to take a charge. On the offensive end, he's a great connector, willing to survey the court for open teammates and leverage his driving ability to create for others, as well as himself.
The primary hurdle between Hart and a spot in the starting five in his limitations as a shooter. He hit 37.2 percent of his 3-point attempts last season and his spot-up mechanics look clean, but he needs to increase the volume. Until that happens, it's hard to imagine him supplanting Grimes on the wing without irreparably damaging the Knicks' spacing. That said, there is a world in which Hart supplants R.J. Barrett, who is quickly losing the luster of a former top-3 pick. Barrett provides value as a driver, but he's a shaky shooter and decision-maker who too often stalls the offense. He's also miles behind Hart as a defender. It's safe to say Hart is the better player right now, it's only a matter of whether or not the Knicks are ready to demote a player once considered the next franchise pillar.
Hart will sharpen his skill set with Team USA over the summer, where he should get even more comfortable playing alongside Knicks teammate (and former Villanova co-champion) Jalen Brunson. He's also a vocal locker room leader and a beloved presence across the league. Even if he doesn't end up in the starting five, Hart will close his share of games and he will be relied upon heavily once the Knicks get back to the playoffs. Who finishes games is often more important than who starts games. Hart is a finisher, through and through.
