It took the Knicks less than a year to acquire OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns.
The mission was clear: Put significant talent around the scoring proficiency and playmaking acumen of point guard Jalen Brunson.
For the most part, it’s worked. They wouldn’t have made the Eastern Conference finals if it hadn’t.
Yet, in the process of gathering this All-Star team of starters, the Knicks relinquished depth — virtually all of it.
That lack of depth ultimately put them at a disadvantage against the Pacers, who kept throwing bodies at the stretched-out Knicks and wore them down in six games.
In the middle of it all stands Tom Thibodeau, the highly competent yet superbly stubborn head coach who played all of his starters more than 35 minutes per game in the regular season.
(Before you ask, no he did not scale down those minutes in the playoffs. To the surprise of absolutely no one, he went in the opposite direction.)
As New York now heads into the offseason, it at least has its ducks in a row in regard to its collective talent level. The Knicks’ best players are in place, and they are dangerous when applied accurately.
What the organization needs now is a heightened focus on the bench and to identify role players who can help the starters get more rest and perhaps elevate them to a higher level in pursuit of a title.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson shoots over Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton during the first half of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
2024-25 finish
Record: 51-31, third in the Eastern Conference. Lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the East finals.
Highlight of the season
The nine-game winning streak in December, when the Knicks played like a well-oiled machine. Some will argue they beat up on bad teams, but that’s what they were supposed to do, and during that stretch it seemed near impossible for them to play down to the level of competition.
Players signed for next season
Karl-Anthony Towns
OG Anunoby
Jalen Brunson
Mikal Bridges
Josh Hart
Mitchell Robinson
Miles McBride
Tyler Kolek
Pacome Dadiet
Key free agents
Precious Achiuwa (UFA)
Landry Shamet (UFA)
Projected salary
$194,354,847
Draft picks
No. 50
Draft focus: Look, at No. 50 it’s hard to find someone to crack the rotation. But it’s not impossible. If the Knicks target the best defender left on the board, that player stands a reasonable chance of endearing himself to Thibodeau, potentially leading to minutes.
Due to New York’s expensive roster, it doesn’t have a lot of leeway financially. It could use the tax MLE, but that would hard-cap it, possibly preventing the Knicks from making additional moves.
Needs and goals
Obviously, the Knicks are looking to build on this season. They’ve fully embraced a win-now approach, and that’s not changing anytime soon. If they succeed in adding some quality depth, they could be a powerhouse next season.
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