The Knicks got wiped out by 50 points Tuesday night, but the one box score line worth circling belonged to James Wiseman.
In a 148-98 preseason loss to Toronto, Wiseman posted 18 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 7-for-8. It didn’t change the outcome, and it certainly didn’t make the night look any better, but it did give Mike Brown something real to consider as the roster conversation keeps moving.
That matters even more because of how lopsided the setup was. New York sat Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns on the second night of a back-to-back, while Toronto rolled out its regular group.
Julia Yohe noted the lineup imbalance in SNY’s game report. This wasn’t the Knicks’ first unit getting steamrolled.
Wiseman did the kind of work a reserve center is supposed to do. He grabbed four offensive rebounds, hit all four of his free throws and finished in 23:52.
New York had 10 offensive rebounds total, so Wiseman accounted for 40% of them. That doesn’t lock in anything for the regular season, but it’s more meaningful than a scoring burst that comes only because someone else set it up.
There were still plenty of blanks on the page. Wiseman finished with three turnovers and no blocks, and Toronto still piled up 148 points.
One efficient night on offense does not suddenly solve the Knicks’ center situation on the defensive end. The real test is what happens when he’s not being fed easy looks.
That’s why Thursday’s rematch at Madison Square Garden feels like the next logical step. The Knicks should see what Wiseman looks like next to established perimeter players for a defined stretch, and whether he can screen cleanly, finish without extra dribbles and hold up in his defensive assignments. The goal shouldn’t be asking him to create offense New York wouldn’t actually need from a bench center.
Andre Drummond is still in the mix, and Drew Eubanks and Tony Bradley are fighting for minutes too. Eubanks scored eight points on 3-for-5 shooting Tuesday.
Bradley had four points in a little more than nine minutes, and SNY reported that he left early while apparently favoring a hamstring. That report did not confirm a diagnosis or a timetable.
Brown can absolutely lean toward experience if the defensive possessions are steadier. A reserve center can score efficiently and still make a good lineup worse, and that has to matter more than pedigree.
Wiseman hasn’t earned a regular-season role on one preseason showing alone. He has, though, done enough to justify a real comparison.
If Thursday brings the same rebounding and finishing with cleaner defense, pushing him out of the picture gets a lot tougher.
In Other News...
James Wiseman May Have Forced His Way Into Knicks Final Roster Spot
James Wiseman arrived in camp on an Exhibit 9 deal, the kind of low-risk signing that usually reads more like an invitation than a guarantee. But as preseason has rolled on, the former No. 1 pick has given the Knicks reason to pay closer attention, especially after a double-double that added some real weight to his push for a roster spot.
The Knicks do not have many openings to work with, and the back end of the roster is still very much in play. Still, Wiseman has at least put himself into the conversation as a possible third center, and Mike Browns previous experience coaching him only adds another layer to a decision that could come down to fit as much as upside. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Roster Battle Took Shape In A Blowout Fans Can Ignore
The Knicks trip to Toronto was the kind of preseason loss that barely registers in the standings but can still matter in the back of the roster. New York fell to 0-4 with its top-seven players unavailable, leaving the game to serve more as an audition than an evaluation of the teams real rotation. From that angle, the focus turned to the active players who got extended looks, including Nickel, Eubanks and Wiseman, and what they showed in a game that was never really about the final score.
What made the night worth watching was less the blowout than the way it sharpened the roster conversation. The Knicks are still sorting through which fringe pieces can help beyond camp, and this matchup offered a clearer view of strengths and weaknesses than a typical preseason box score ever could. Even with the result fully detachable from the standings, performances like these can still leave a mark on how the final decisions get made. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Still Face One Roster Decision That Could Change Their Bench
With one roster spot still open, the Knicks are weighing a decision that could shape the balance of their bench heading into the season. The choice comes down to James Wiseman and Bruce Brown, two very different players who would fill different needs as New York rounds out the back end of the roster.
Browns experience and defensive versatility stand out as obvious selling points for a team looking to tighten up its second unit. There is also a path, at least in theory, for the Knicks to keep both if they work out a trade involving Pacme Dadiet and second-round draft picks before the season opener, which would give the front office a little more flexibility while leaving this final roster call unresolved. [Read more 🡒]