After the Knicks Facing mounting injuries that ultimately ended their 2023-24 season, they reshuffled their bench this summer in hopes of avoiding a similar fate should they suffer the same misfortune. They drafted four prospects and signed players who played regularly off the bench last season in hopes of weathering any injury bug that might strike them in pursuit of the franchise’s first championship in over 50 years.
They proved last season that they could navigate the regular season without two of their top three players, marching to second place largely without Julius Randle And OG AnunobyBut by the time the playoffs rolled around, they were out of options. Are they prepared to avoid that scenario this time around?
Beyond their expected nine-man core rotation, the Knicks have: Jericho Sims, Ariel Hukporti, Jacob Toppin, Keïta Bates-Diop, Chuma Okeke, Pacôme Dadiet, Kevin McCullar Jr., Tyler Kolek And Cameron PayneThey have a few options at each position, but how reliable will they be?
Toppin, McCullar Jr. and Hukporti are signed to two-way contracts and are expected to spend most of their playing time in Westchester. It would be interesting to see Toppin get some playing time, but he doesn’t appear to be very high up the ladder — and it’s rare for someone in his position to immediately make a positive impact on a competitive team.
Dadiet and Kolek are lucky to be exceptions. Dadiet was new YorkHe’s the only first-round pick in this draft, but at just 19 years old and coming off a tough Summer League, it’s possible he could end up getting some G League reps as well.
Kolek looks much more NBA-ready and is competing at a weaker position for the Knicks, with only Payne competing for the fourth-down guard spot. Kolek looked in shape with a historic assist-to-turnover ratio in Summer League and appears to have a transferable shot and role.
Still, it’s hard to predict NBA performance based on college and Vegas players, and there’s an argument for the veteran option. Payne played 17.9 minutes per game in 78 appearances (10 as a starter) last season, averaging 9.3 points on 38.2 percent from three-point range late in the season for Philly.
As for emergency guards, a nine-year veteran who has been consistent for three years and has played in 58 postseason games — including a 2021 NBA Finals series and highlight-reel minutes against New York last year — isn’t a bad option. Neither Payne nor Kolek would be able to move up a position, but if the Knicks are short a point guard, they’ll at least have their creation at hand.
The wing is arguably New York’s strongest position between Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVinzenco And Josh Hart. However, his only real backup option beyond the rookies is Okeke — the 16th overall pick in 2019 — who hasn’t lived up to his selection with the Magic.
Okeke is a solid wing who has never quite added enough threes to his promise of threes and defense, as his deep shooting percentage has dipped each season to a lowly 28% from three. He should be able to maximize the rest of his game under Tom Thibodeaubut it is not a foolproof option if someone falls.
It’s possible he could also replace No. 4. Another option is Bates-Diop, a 6-foot-4 big man who played for five teams in six seasons and joined the Knicks via the Bridges trade.
Despite the defeat Isaiah Hartensteinthe Knicks still have a third-round center in Sims, or Precious Achiuwa If the former takes a leap forward, both have already taken steps forward despite injuries, with great success, and the Knicks have creative options to play in the five if the situation gets tough.
SNY Ian Begley still believes the Knicks aren’t totally confident at the position and could look to sign a veteran like Bruno Fernando, Omer Yurtseven, JaVale McGee And Bismack Biyombo. If they do, the center and point guard positions are in good enough shape to withstand a hit or two.
The midfield, however, is a bit suspect — and it doesn’t take many absences to start looking at rookies and G League options. The Knicks would have to part ways with players to make room for additional signings, or could look to bolster the rotation at the trade deadline after watching the first half of the season unfold.
That’s the most likely outcome, given their expectations and injury history. The playoffs are physically demanding, especially for a team as lethal as the Knicks, and injuries are inevitable.
New York seemed prepared for this last season, until it lost five players in two series. That may have been particularly unlucky, but the lesson here may be that you can never have too many reliable options.
