Mike Brown said he’s expanding the Knicks rotation to 9 or 10 players but that he wasn’t ready to commit to the top five.
“[The starting lineup] will materialize throughout camp,” Brown said Tuesday, about 24 hours before training camp was set to begin. “I think it’s too early to say, ‘This is what’s going to happen.’ The front office did a fantastic job putting together a talented and deep roster, and so you have to have a methodical approach when it comes to saying, ‘Hey these guys are going to start.’ ”
Despite that ambiguity from Brown, four of the starters are set with Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns.
The big question is the fifth starter, with Josh Hart as the incumbent but hardly a lock to return.
Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride and Guerschon Yabusele are the other logical options. Hart, who twice sermonized to the media on the importance of individual sacrifice last season, said Tuesday he would accept a reserve role.
“I had the best year of my career last year, but that’s in the past,” said Hart, who led the NBA in minutes per game last season while setting the franchise record for triple-doubles. “I think I’m a starter in the league. I think I deserve to be a starter in the league, but at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the team. “Last year, I talked about sacrifice the whole time and kind of being that separate mentality and being a good steward of my gifts and those kinds of things. So I think it would be extremely selfish for me to go out there and demand to start and all those kinds of things. So, whatever Mike wants to do or doesn’t wanna do, I’m cool with. And time will tell what that is, but I’m gonna figure it out.”
Despite his powerful impact in the regular season, Hart struggled in spots during the playoffs and moved to the bench in the conference finals — but only after his own suggestion of the demotion to former coach Tom Thibodeau.
Robinson was elevated to the starting lineup, pushing Towns from center to power forward. Asked Tuesday which position he prefers, Towns said, “My preference is winning.”
Regardless of the lineup, the Knicks will have a deeper bench and Brown plans to use it.
Last season, Knicks starters led the league in minutes, by far, with Thibodeau often deploying a seven- or eight-man rotation. It supercharged the criticisms of Thibodeau, who shockingly was fired after advancing to the franchise’s first conference final in 25 years.
With a healthy Robinson and the additions of Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson and Malcolm Brogdon, the Knicks are built better for an expanded rotation.
Brown, who was fired last season by the Kings, noted his history of flaunting deep benches.
“If you look at what I’ve done in the past, it’s usually 9 ½ to 10 guys. I try to play as many guys as I can,” Brown said. “Even when I was in [Sacramento] and we had an injury during the season, there was a point in time when I started a two-way [contract] guy in Keon Ellis. So I’m going to try to play who is going to help us win, and I’m going to try to get guys an opportunity. So hopefully with as deep as our roster is, everybody will get an opportunity at some point in the course of the season.”
Several prominent Knicks expressed appreciation for Thibodeau, who guided the Knicks for five seasons and through the franchise’s best stretch of the young millennium.
Brunson: “I think obviously it’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization, but he’s meant a lot to me. I’ve expressed that to him, publicly and personally. Yeah, he’s meant a lot to my career up to this point.”
Bridges: “Anybody being in a situation losing their job — I’m a human first always, so feel for someone going through that. It’s always tough. And I always appreciated Thibs here. Great guy, everything. So just always felt for him.”
Hart: “Obviously, I love Thibs. I’m always gonna have love for Thibs for the things that he helped me with and putting me in a position to get paid. So I always got love for him. Hope he’s doing well right now. But obviously, we have Mike and we’re extremely excited about what he brings to the table offensively and defensively.”
Tuesday was the first time Knicks players addressed the media since Thibodeau’s firing in June.
After last season, team owner James Dolan attended exit meetings with the players, a source confirmed, and their individual gripes were used as justification for a coaching change.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
