Last season, the New York Knicks made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Yet, the front office still decided to part ways with Tom Thibodeau during the summer, hiring Mike Brown as his replacement.
Of course, that put both Brown and the Knicks roster under heavy pressure to go one step further this time around. Unfortunately for the Knicks, based on current production, a run to the NBA Finals looks unlikely.
As such, we could see a roster shake-up in the summer, especially if the front office doubles down on the idea that Brown is the perfect guy to get them over the hurdle.
According to Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz, Karl-Anthony Towns would be the most likely player to fall victim to any roster reshuffle.
“Anything short of a run to the NBA Finals could result in a major roster shakeup for the New York Knicks. Jalen Brunson will be safe, although Karl-Anthony Towns may not be as lucky,” Swartz wrote. “Towns hasn’t produced at the same efficiency level on offense under new head coach Mike Brown. He’s also the most expensive Knick by far, with $57 million coming next season followed by a $61 million player option in 2027-28.”
Towns has played in 71 games this season, averaging 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He’s shooting 54.8% from two-point range and 36.8% from deep.
Knicks’ Josh Hart Sends Warning After Another Loss
On Wednesday, March 31, the Knicks fell to their third straight defeat, losing to the Houston Rockets, 111-94.
After the game, veteran forward Josh Hart sent a blunt message to his teammates, warning that they’re trending in the wrong direction.
“We’re not going in the right direction,” Hart said, via Newsday. “We’re not trending upward. So we got to figure it out. Three tough ones. Got another one tomorrow. That’s a must-win for us. And build from there.”
Hart continued.
“We’re obviously struggling right now to win games,” Hart continued. “Struggling to start games off. Struggling to focus on the attention to detail. Struggling to get outside of ourselves and focus on what the betterment of the team is. So tomorrow we have to play with a sense of desperation. Sense of being willing to sacrifice. To win.”
Right now, the Knicks are 2.5 games behind the Boston Celtics, who sit second in the Eastern Conference. They’re also only one game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are currently fourth.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Rues Mental Lapses
During his own postgame news conference following the loss to Houston, Brunson rued the team’s consistent mental lapses. The All-Star guard admitted that New York should be further along in their development so deep into the season.
“Just mental lapses,” Brunson said, via Newsday. “And things that shouldn’t be happening by Game 75 or 76, whatever this is. We’ve got a long way to go.”
The Knicks will have an opportunity to halt their slide and begin turning things around when they face the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, April 1. Should they fail to secure a win in that matchup, it’s fair to assume the panic alarm will start ringing within the fanbase.
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