The Knicks don’t need a total overhaul to create some new wrinkles in the 2026-27 season. Most of the familiar core is back, which means the real work is going to happen in the margins: different combinations, different sub-units, and a few lineup experiments that could keep opponents guessing.
One of the most intriguing places to start is the Andre Drummond-Jalen Brunson pairing. Drummond plays exclusively with Brunson, so the Knicks have a clear need to build around that duo in a way that covers for Drummond’s limitations while still giving Brunson a workable group around him.
That’s where OG Anunoby becomes especially valuable. He fits almost anywhere, and his defensive instincts, toughness on and off the ball, and low-usage style make him one of the easiest players in the mix to plug into almost any setup.
The numbers with Anunoby have already pointed to how flexible he can be. In 1101 minutes with Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns off the floor, the Knicks were a +7.1 net.
In 986 minutes with Towns on and Brunson off, they were a +12.3 net. So it’s no surprise that Anunoby shows up in plenty of New York’s best looks.
His fit with Drummond feels especially useful. Drummond brings a more floor-oriented game and doesn’t offer the athleticism, rim protection, or backline defense you usually want from a center.
Anunoby helps cover that ground with his range, activity, and length. From there, the Knicks can decide how to fill out the rest of the group.
Josh Hart, Landry Shamet, and Miles McBride all make sense, depending on what the situation asks for.
A Shamet-McBride combination would put more pressure on Brunson, but it would also give New York four real shooters. Hart paired with either one brings another ball-handler and more pace. That’s the kind of decision that can swing depending on the moment.
Brunson, Hart, and McBride also have a track record that makes them hard to ignore. Over the last three seasons, that trio has posted a +14.2 net rating across 900-plus minutes together.
They bring shooting, playmaking, and two of New York’s best point-of-attack defenders, and the group has also controlled the offensive glass at +4.6% ORB% while winning the turnover battle. That’s a very clean stretch of minutes.
Karl-Anthony Towns needs a different kind of setup. Since he is not really a shot creator, the Knicks need players around him who can maximize his spacing and help him thrive in that environment. Jose Alvarado fits that guard spot in this look, giving the group pace, point-of-attack defense, and a direct line to Towns.
Mikal Bridges has also shown a stronger net rating next to Towns than Anunoby has when Brunson sits over the last couple of seasons. That doesn’t mean Bridges can’t work with Brunson.
It just helps explain why the Bridges-Towns pairing has been so effective. Bridges keeps moving, fills space, and creates off the ball.
Put him next to a player like Towns, and those traits can pop even more. He can cut, slip, run, screen, and beat help with all the little things that make a lineup hum.
The offensive rating for that pairing stands out immediately, and it suggests Bridges’ movement-heavy game fits naturally with what Towns brings to the floor.
There’s also room to add more shooting with Shamet and McBride, or bring Hart in for another handler and more rebounding. Mohamed Diawara is another name to watch in those second-unit looks.
If the Knicks want to carve out regular-season minutes for him, Towns at center seems like the cleaner route. In limited minutes with Towns, the team posted a +18.1 net rating in 165 minutes.
Without Towns, it was -2.0. That makes the Towns-based second unit the more logical place to try him.
Anunoby can be part of that group too, which would keep the Alvarado-Bridges-OG-KAT foursome on the floor. That’s a combination Brown used often with the second unit last season, and it gives the Knicks a strong base while they sort out the fifth man.
There’s also still room for more Brunson-Towns combinations outside the starting five. New guard pairings, different spacing looks, and new support pieces could help uncover something useful from that duo. Neither Alvarado nor Tyler Kolek logged much time next to Brunson last season, so it makes sense to build a bigger sample there.
That kind of lineup can unlock one of Brunson’s most underrated strengths: what he does as a spot-up threat and off the ball. It also takes some of the burden off him to carry the ball every trip. With Towns at center and another guard in the mix, the Knicks can stretch the floor and make the group easier to play through.
Hart is another option in that setup if the team wants more pace and extra rebounding from the guard spots. Shamet, McBride, and Bridges all offer different ways to space things out.
The larger point is simple: these lineups are about options. The Knicks have pieces that can move around, and the best versions may depend on the matchup, the game flow, and how the players are performing. The combinations worth watching are the ones that already have a track record or a clear fit - Bridges with Towns, guard-guard looks around Brunson, and Anunoby next to Drummond.
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