The New York Knicks are expected to contend for a championship next season, but that doesn’t mean that everything is perfect.
This offseason hasn’t been all that dramatic for the Knicks, compared to some of their recent summers. While the team changed head coaches and added some solid players in free agency, most of the roster remained unchanged.
Comfortable with running back the core that just made the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks are hoping to take another step next season and make their first NBA Finals since 1999. However, there could be some issues with simply running it back in 2026.
Time to change things up in the starting five?
In a recent Bleacher Report article naming a riser and faller for each NBA team, Grant Hughes landed on Josh Hart as the Knick likeliest to take a step back next season. Citing new head coach Mike Brown’s potential willingness to try Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns together in the starting lineup permanently, Hughes simply believes that Hart could be the odd man out.
While there’s no doubt that Hart is a solid all-around player and one of the best rebounders at his position in the entire league, some of his skillset won’t be as useful if the Knicks opt to go for a more traditional look in the frontcourt. Add in Hart’s outside shooting inconsistency and his redundancy with OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges on the roster, and it’s hard to argue with Hughes’ assessment that next season could be a down year for Hart.
Still, as a hustler and a veteran in the NBA, Hart is sure to find a clear spot in New York’s rotation, but he just won’t be having as big of a load as he has in past years when everyone is healthy.
