Tuesday night gave the Knicks a pretty clear read on where a few pieces stand after their loss to the 76ers. Some players helped themselves. Others came out looking a little shakier than before.
Miles McBride was firmly in the second group. His night never got off the ground, and the shot just wasn’t there, as he finished 1-for-5. The defense still has value, but that only goes so far when the offense disappears and leaves him with little way to make an impact.
That’s been the frustrating thread with McBride for a while now. The issues weren’t limited to one bad outing; they’ve shown up in the playoffs, the preseason, and now the season opener. He previously pointed to his core muscle surgery as the reason, but months later the same shooting problems are still hanging around.
Mike Brown also seemed willing to shorten McBride’s leash, trimming his minutes to 14 against Philadelphia. If less run was supposed to push him into a stronger showing, that didn’t happen.
For now, the signs are getting harder to ignore. If the struggles keep piling up, New York may have to consider moving him quickly to preserve whatever trade value is left, especially with McBride on an expiring deal.
While McBride’s stock took a hit, James Wiseman may have walked away with a better outlook even without playing in the Knicks’ regular-season debut. Karl-Anthony Towns quickly found himself in foul trouble again, which forced Andre Drummond into the game earlier than expected.
Drummond was excellent in the first half, but the wheels came off some over the final two quarters as fatigue set in and his role started to stretch beyond what he could sustain. That combination actually works in Wiseman’s favor. Towns’ foul issue could create more opening for a third-string center, and Drummond’s fade suggests there’s still a path for Wiseman to compete for the main backup job as the season develops.
He’ll still need patience, but the first game showed a route to minutes. This isn’t an Ariel Hukporti-Mitchell Robinson dynamic anymore, and that alone raises the ceiling for Wiseman’s place in the rotation.
Tyler Kolek didn’t get much help from the way things played out, either. The guard ahead of him, Jose Alvarado, turned in a strong night off the bench, scoring eight points with two threes, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. It was the kind of steady, energetic showing that makes a coach trust him even more.
That matters because it leaves Kolek stuck behind a veteran who does exactly what the team needs. Alvarado’s dependability makes it tough for Kolek to break through, especially since he’s not as proven and doesn’t offer the same all-around reliability. A rough start from Alvarado might have opened the door for some tinkering, but he gave Brown no real reason to experiment.
There is still a slim opening for Kolek if McBride continues to sputter and the Knicks decide they need another option at the two. But Kolek is a traditional point guard who doesn’t shoot well or score often, so that path isn’t exactly smooth.
Mohamed Diawara may also be getting closer to a chance. Jordan Clarkson played only eight minutes, which suggests he doesn’t have a locked-in grip on a major role. Landry Shamet led the reserves with 25 minutes, but his shooting line was rough: 2-for-7 from the field, 1-for-4 from three and 0-for-2 at the foul line.
That’s a problem because shot-making is supposed to be Shamet’s calling card. Between Clarkson, Shamet and McBride, the Knicks just didn’t get much juice from the bench. Andre Drummond helped early, and Alvarado was solid overall, but the rest of the second unit was mostly average or worse.
That kind of bench showing won’t fly for long, especially with the starters coming off a heavy Finals run. Brown can’t afford for that group to keep turning in empty nights. Diawara, who was a DNP in this one, could be the next player to get a look if the veteran reserves keep stumbling over the first week.
Towns’ foul trouble was the other major theme, and it wasn’t new. It’s a flaw that has followed him throughout his career, and Tuesday showed it can still be targeted. The 76ers used the same basic idea they leaned on in the playoffs: get him in foul trouble and force him out early.
If that keeps happening, it will make it harder for Towns to settle into a rhythm and deliver the impact he wants. It could also have real financial consequences down the line if the problem starts showing up in his numbers, since no team is going to pay top dollar for a big man with a glaring weakness.
The issue is as plain as ever now. Whether that finally pushes Towns to make a change may come down to what’s at stake when his next big NBA payday arrives.
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