The Knicks’ roster gaps have become glaringly obvious just 11 games into the season.
Jalen Brunson’s recent injury—a Grade 1 right ankle sprain sustained during the Knicks’ 124-107 defeat against the Magic—has highlighted the weak spot at backup point guard.
Initially, the plan was to have Malcolm Brogdon step in, but he unexpectedly retired just before the season began.
This left Tyler Kolek as the lone authentic point guard available on the bench, although he had already fallen out of the rotation under Coach Mike Brown even before Brunson got hurt.
Kolek averaged about 12 minutes per game in the first four contests, but that figure plummeted to a mere 3.2 minutes in the subsequent six.
He didn’t get any playtime during Tuesday’s victory over the Grizzlies.
Brunson’s injury has opened the door for Kolek’s potential return to the lineup, but Brown has some choices to make during this period.
Let’s examine the implications of this injury and its effects on the overall lineup.
Changes to the Starting Lineup
There are various ways to address this situation.
It’s probably unlikely that Coach Brown will simply thrust Kolek into a starting position.
Instead, Miles McBride seems like the more fitting option.
While he’s more of a combo guard, he can handle the ball fairly well.
Brown had intended to keep Josh Hart with the second unit, but Hart often ends up doing the ball-handling alongside McBride when Brunson isn’t in the game.
Hart can definitely bring the ball up when needed and has starter experience.
Brown has already started shifting ball-handling duties to Mikal Bridges, which could lead to more playtime for Landry Shamet—who’s already had three starts this season—if he joins the starting five.
Although Shamet isn’t the best ball-handler, Bridges will have to manage that role effectively.
Changing Roles
Last season, when Brunson missed 15 games due to a similar ankle issue, players like OG Anunoby and Bridges became more assertive offensively.
Anunoby, especially, stepped up as a slasher during that stretch.
However, under Brown’s new system this year, Anunoby and Bridges have relied more on catch-and-shoot opportunities, becoming quite effective in that aspect.
Now, over 47% of Anunoby’s shots are catch-and-shoot attempts, a significant rise from 37.2% last season. Bridges has also increased his catch-and-shoot percentage to over 44% from 38%.
This dynamic could shift now that Brunson isn’t around to draw double teams, likely pushing both players to be more aggressive drivers rather than just spot-up shooters.
Trickle-Down Effect
No matter who Brown puts into the starting lineup, a valuable bench player will be sacrificed as a result.
This may lead to Jordan Clarkson increasing his shot attempts, which makes it imperative for him to be a reliable scorer.
There’s also an urgency for Brown to get Gershon Yabusele involved.
Despite signing the largest contract this offseason, he has yet to find his rhythm.
With McBride, Shamet, and Hart all hovering around eight to nine points per game, can Yabusele and Kolek adequately fill the scoring gap when one of the three moves to the starting lineup?
Defensive Outlook
Brunson, while diligent, is somewhat weak on defense and often gets targeted by opponents.
On the other hand, Hart and McBride are solid defenders.
If either of them steps into the starting role or gets more minutes, it might benefit the team’s defensive strategy significantly.
The Knicks particularly struggle against three-point shooting guards, so having Hart and McBride on the floor could enhance their defensive capabilities.
