After thriving as the focal point of the New York Knicks’ offense under former coach Tom Thibodeau, Jalen Brunson enters his fourth season with the franchise, faced with questions about how he will adjust to Mike Brown’s proposed egalitarian system. Brown’s approach emphasizes ball movement, spacing, and getting multiple players involved rather than relying heavily on a single star.
“He seems like he’s a versatile player,” Brown said of Brunson during media day. “And the biggest thing that I want to do for him is try to get him, like everybody else, easy shots. One of the easiest shots in basketball is a catch-and-shoot three. I’m a big proponent of touching the paint and spraying the basketball for a catch-and-shoot three.”
Brown added that the Knicks will encourage Brunson to keep moving off the ball. “Within what we do, we’re going to try to get him in a lot of those situations. On top of that, whether it’s on the dribble drive or a cut, if you touch the paint and get off of it, we want you to keep moving.”
New Offense, New Shot Diet
Last season, catch-and-shoot opportunities made up only 10.5% of Brunson’s shot attempts, dropping to 7.1% in the playoffs. As the team seeks to become less predictable with more offensive firepower around him, reshaping Brunson’s game is a top priority for Brown.
“From what we’ve seen so far in Jalen during these optional workouts, he seems like he’s embraced it,” Brown said. “You have to be in great condition to play this way, but he seems like he’s embraced it, and I’m looking forward to seeing if we can continue to find ways—especially when we start playing games—to get him some catch-and-shoot looks. The ball will be in his hands, especially down the stretch. Making the game easier throughout is going to be a big thing.”
Brunson, last season’s NBA Clutch Player of the Year, was often relied upon in crunch time, carrying the Knicks’ offense. However, that predictability was one of the limitations of the Thibodeau system. Brown has previous experience managing clutch performers, having worked with De’Aaron Fox in Sacramento.
“You always try to look at your guys’ strengths whenever you’re implementing something, and you try to put them in the best possible position to have success—first to help the team, but also keeping in mind their individual goals and aspirations, especially based on their talent level,” Brown said. “Trying to mesh that is definitely my job, and I think the way we play on both ends of the floor will enhance what they do very well.”
Leadership Remains Key for Knicks’ Stars
While Brown was brought in to maximize the Knicks’ roster, Brunson and fellow All-NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns remain the central leaders of the team, tasked with ending a more-than-five-decade championship drought.
“Everybody leads differently, and I haven’t necessarily been around long enough to see how they truly lead, but you can feel their leadership,” Brown said of the duo. “You can feel it in their actions. I’m really looking forward to being around them, especially during adverse times, because we’re going to hit bumps, and that’s when the pressure is on for everybody. But especially for guys in leadership roles to step up and help the group get through it. Both of the guys I mentioned have been tremendous in that area, but there’s still a lot of time to figure out the different nuances they have when it comes to leading a group.”
As training camp approaches, the focus will be on how Brunson adapts to Brown’s system while continuing to assert himself as the franchise cornerstone. The Knicks’ blend of veteran experience, rising stars, and an egalitarian offensive scheme sets the stage for a season that could define both Brunson’s career trajectory and the organization’s championship hopes.
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