The New York Knicks have one of the best starting fives in the league following the Karl-Anthony Towns blockbuster acquisition, but the move came at the cost of their depth. As part of the trade, All-Star Julius Randle and sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo were sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and now New York’s bench will have a lot of questions to be answered this upcoming season.
The Knicks losing Donte DiVincenzo hurts their bench
DiVincenzo was the team’s starting shooting guard last season and had his best season as a pro, averaging 15.5 points per game and knocking down the most three-pointers in a single season in Knicks history with 283. However, following the Mikal Bridges trade earlier this offseason, DiVincenzo was going to likely head back into a bench role had he stayed in New York.
The sharpshooter would’ve been valuable to have in the second unit, as one of the Knicks’ biggest weaknesses last season was bench scoring. Over their final 50 games in the regular season last year, New York ranked dead last in bench points per game with 24.8.
Without him, the Knicks will be relying on a bench unit that has little experience carrying an offensive load. As a result of Randle being dealt in the Towns deal, Josh Hart will likely be elevated into the starting lineup. While that benefits the starting five tremendously, it hampers the depth of the bench significantly.
The Knicks’ bench is guard-heavy
As currently constructed, the bench will consist of Miles McBride, Cam Payne, Landry Shamet, and Precious Achiuwa. New York signed veteran forward TJ Warren to a non-guaranteed contract and he could find his way onto the roster if he puts on a good impression in training camp.
McBride will be the one to watch for the most, as he took a massive step forward in his development last season when he was given the expanded opportunity. Last season, he averaged 8.3 points and shot 41% from three in 68 games played, and averaged 17.9 points per game in 14 starts. If there is one player this season that can best replace the production DiVincenzo provided for them, McBride would be that leading candidate.
McBride is not typically known for his playmaking, meaning that Payne or drafted rookie Tyler Kolek could see time on the floor to help facilitate in the second unit. Given their lack of depth at the wings off the bench, it is likely that head coach Tom Thibodeau will stagger the minutes of Hart, Bridges, and OG Anunoby accordingly so that at least one of them is getting run with the bench.
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Despite the new look, the Knicks bench is still capable of being a solid group
Thanks to the versatility of those three, the Knicks might still be able to get away with using a nine-man rotation as opposed to expanding it to 10 players. However, it will be interesting to see how those guys will fit alongside the players in the second unit.
Regardless, the Knicks’ bench is capable of being a steady group that can help provide some stability in the minutes that their stars are off the floor. Despite that, however, it will be a different look than in years past as New York’s new identity revolves around the starting five rather than all-around depth.
