1 Knicks player in danger of losing starting job in 2024-25 training camp
It's been a wild offseason for the New York Knicks so far. Prior to their most recent trade, the Knicks initially reformed the "Nova Boys" after acquiring Mikal Bridges . Fans were excited to see the lineup consisting of Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart. However, that all changed when DiVincenzo was included in a trade package that would send him and Julius Randle to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns .
Given this turn of events, the Knicks' starting roster is most likely going to see some major adjustments. The question now is, which initial Knicks starter is in jeopardy of losing his starting position?
With Isaiah Hartenstein, DiVincenzo, and Randle out of the picture, the only current Knicks player listed as a starter is Miles McBride. Though he only started in 14 games last season, sources say that McBride is currently listed as one of New York's starters. Having that in mind, it's likely he'll no longer fill that position given the stacked roster the team currently has.
Based on the pool of players, we're predicting that head coach Tom Thibodeau might run a starting lineup consisting of Brunson, Bridges, Hart, OG Anunoby, and Towns. Bridges will take McBride's spot, Anunoby will fill Randle's former spot, and Towns will take over Hartensteins old spot. However, everything will all depend on how the other players make an impression during the 2024-25 training camp.
Is Bridges and Towns' presence as the Knicks' starting center going to make a difference?
The New York Knicks are heading into the 2024-25 NBA season with a fresh coat of paint. While Jalen Brunson had to take care of the load in the absence of Julius Randle last season, he may no longer have to worry about taking on such a task. With the arrival of his former Villanova Wildcats teammate Mikal Bridges and the former Minnesota Timberwolves star center Karl-Anthony Towns, New York looks to be a menacing figure in the Eastern Conference this year.
Despite not yet becoming an All-Star, Bridges is more than capable of putting up the numbers. Last season he averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. His ability to score and his solid defensive capabilities will surely help the Knicks in their attempt to contend for a title.
As for Towns, he notched his fourth All-Star appearance last season. The big man averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. While Isaiah Hartenstein was a solid paint enforcer for New York last year, Towns can provide the same role with more solid numbers.
Having all that said, the Knicks might finally have the pieces to compete against the likes of the Boston Celtics. While New York managed to secure the second seed last season, they were knocked out of the 2024 NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers in the second round. However, this was due to injury problems from their star player Brunson. Now with more solid options to rely on, at least with one of them potentially out due to injury, it wouldn't hurt as much as losing the only star player on the team.
In terms of chemistry, it doesn't seem like it would be a problem heading into the season. Bridges is all too familiar with Brunson and Josh Hart. Meanwhile, Towns isn't difficult to get along with as well. Despite Anthony Edwards taking over as Minnesota's number one option, "KAT" never took it against his former team and continued to play his role. With all that said, it seems that the Knicks wouldn't struggle to get their chemistry together during the training camp.
