Last season, the sample size was quite small. The player participated in only 13 games for a mere 47 minutes during the regular season, and he logged just 18 games and 366 minutes in the playoffs.
However, the early return of both Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson appears promising for the Knicks. Towns, currently having his toughest defensive season since 2020-21 with a defensive rating of 114.7, is expected to transition to power forward. He mentioned gaining experience alongside players like Robinson and Rudy Gobert while in Minnesota.
With new head coach Mike Brown indicating that Robinson will start over Josh Hart in last week’s preseason opener, this situation could lead to better on-court chemistry when the regular season kicks off.
“Mitch is incredibly talented and moves well on the court,” Towns shared on Wednesday. “I had high hopes for him coming in, particularly regarding his offensive game. But honestly, he has surprised me with what he can do.”
A significant factor affecting their time together on the court is Robinson’s health. He hasn’t played more than 59 games in each of the last three seasons and only managed to participate in 13 games during the 2024-25 season. Consequently, this has forced the Knicks to manage his playing time carefully, which in turn limits Towns’ ability to fully integrate into their system.
During the regular season, the Knicks recorded a defensive rating of 118.8 and a solid offensive rating of 128.0. These figures improved in the postseason, reaching 109.6 and 105.2, respectively. For Towns, adapting to Brown’s offense might provide a sense of familiarity, especially since it’s often one of the more challenging roles on the Knicks’ roster. Brown noted that learning all five spots is crucial since the four positions in his system are interchangeable between positions 1 to 4.
“It’s definitely a demanding role, but I’m fortunate that he has confidence in me,” Towns stated.
Josh Hart, who missed practice earlier this week due to a lower back issue, was also absent for Wednesday’s session because of illness. There were no updates from Brown regarding Hart’s situation ahead of Thursday’s preseason game.
The Knicks have recently brought on Peter Patton as a shooting coach. Patton, who previously worked with the Timberwolves and Mavericks and was the Bulls’ director of player development from 2023 to 2025, overlapped with Towns during his first two years in Minnesota.
In practice, Brown introduced a challenge where the Knicks had to make three consecutive free throws at the end of the session to avoid running drills. Brunson even wagered on Brown, saying that if they made all three in the first round, the coaching staff would have to sprint as a consequence. Initially, Brown thought he was safe.
But then it happened. “I’m a man of my word,” Brown said after the players made the shots, resulting in a lively exchange with Robinson about when to go.
Brown will be making his debut as a head coach at Madison Square Garden on Thursday when the Knicks host the Timberwolves. “MSG is such an iconic venue. Knowing it’s your home court every night, whether in preseason or regular season, is remarkable—it really gives you goosebumps,” Brown shared.
