The Knicks don’t have a shortage of talent heading into 2026-27. They’re the reigning NBA champions, and that alone makes the usual offseason nitpicking a little trickier. When a team just won it all, it’s hard to point at the board and say there’s a glaring problem.
Still, if New York is looking for one area to clean up, the biggest one is pretty clear: too much of the offense still runs through Jalen Brunson.
Brunson was the engine of the title run, and nobody is questioning the value of his leadership or his efficiency. But the workload he carried last season is not something the Knicks should want to lean on forever.
He finished ninth among starters in usage percentage, using the minimum of 60 games, and the contrast in New York’s production with and without him was stark. The Knicks sat in the 55 percentile in points per 100 possessions without him on the floor, but jumped to the 93 percentile with him running the show.
That kind of gap is impressive. It’s also a warning sign when you’re thinking long term, especially with Brunson’s personal injury history hanging in the background.
The good news for New York is that the roster around him is built to absorb more responsibility. Karl-Anthony Towns, a six-time All-Star and a career 22.8-point-per-game scorer on 52.2/39.7/84.0 shooting splits, gives the Knicks a second high-level offensive option. OG Anunoby is right there too, and his presence gives the team another player who can take pressure off Brunson when the offense needs a different gear.
That’s why the next step for Mike Brown’s group should be straightforward: spread the ball around more and keep the load from sitting so heavily on Brunson’s shoulders. If New York wants to stay balanced while defending its title, getting the co-stars and role players more involved has to be part of the plan.
Brunson, for his part, already sounds like he sees what’s possible with the players around him. During a recent appearance on the Road Trippin' Show, he said he "would love" to see Anunoby earn his first All-Star selection and join him - and hopefully KAT - in Phoenix for All-Star Weekend.
Anunoby’s résumé already includes two All-Defensive honors and two NBA Championships, but the All-Star nod has still eluded him. That feels a little strange given the kind of season he put together in 2024-25, when he averaged 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and just shy of a block while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from three.
If New York does dial back Brunson’s offensive burden, that could help Anunoby get the recognition his play has long suggested he deserves. And it would give the Knicks exactly what they need most: a title defense built on more than one star carrying the whole thing.
In Other News...
Andre Drummond Suddenly Carries A Bigger Knicks Responsibility
Andre Drummond arrives in New York with a familiar rsum and a new layer of pressure. The veteran big man has long built his value on rebounding, defense and the kind of physical presence that can change the tone of a game, and the Knicks are counting on those traits to help stabilize the frontcourt around Karl-Anthony Towns.
The timing matters because the opening in the rotation is bigger now, even if the exact job description is still taking shape. Drummond has produced career averages of 12.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, but the Knicks need to find out how much of that can still translate when the minutes and the responsibility both rise. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Have A Cheap Answer To Their Center Problem
With two roster spots still open and the search for frontcourt help dragging into free agency, the Knicks are still looking for a workable answer behind their centers. One name that has surfaced is Kelly Olynyk, the veteran big man who spent last season with the Spurs and could offer New York a steady presence, some size and the ability to soak up occasional minutes in the middle without forcing the club into a bigger swing.
Olynyks path is not entirely in New Yorks hands, though. He was recently in Paris working out with Victor Wembanyama and Spurs teammates, which suggests San Antonio has reasons to keep him around and leaves the Knicks waiting to see whether their target is actually available or whether they will need to keep searching for a cheap fix at a position that has been hard to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Delicate Roster Decision Before Camp Opens
With training camp approaching, the Knicks are still sorting through the edges of a roster that already has plenty of size in the middle. Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond give New York a clear baseline at center, but the front office is still weighing how to use its final standard roster spots, and veteran big man Tony Bradley is among the free-agent names being considered, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
There is also some longer-term business to manage before camp opens. The Knicks have been in regular communication with Miles McBrides representatives about a possible contract extension, but salary-cap pressure has made a resolution uncertain, adding another layer of delicacy to a preseason stretch that already has the roster squeezed in a few different places. [Read more 🡒]