It was a wonderful January for the New York Knicks. The trade for OG Anunoby was paying huge dividends as the team went 14-2 in the month. On NBA trade deadline day, the Knicks acquired Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Pistons.
Unfortunately, the injury bug has hit the team in a major way. All-Star Julius Randle has missed the last nine games with a dislocated shoulder. After fitting in with the team seamlessly, Anunoby has also missed the last nine games after undergoing elbow surgery. A sore left Achilles has kept Isaiah Hartenstein out of action each of the past three games. Donte DiVincenzo (hamstring) and Bogdanovic (calf) missed the previous outing. An ankle injury and subsequent surgery has kept Mitchell Robinson out since December 8.
With all the injuries and missing pieces, the momentum built from the Knicks’ marvelous January is slowly being lost. The All-Star break came at a very opportune time to allow the team to become healthier with more available bodies.
What Might Knicks Rotation Look Like Post All-Star Break?
Some Key Pieces Expected Back for Knicks on Thursday
Per head coach Tom Thibodeau, DiVincenzo, Bogdanovic, and Hartenstein are all expected to return to the lineup Thursday. It will be the Knicks first game after the All-Star break taking place in Philadelphia against the 76ers. New York currently sits in fourth place in the East, just half a game ahead of the 76ers, so it is an important game.
The returns of these three players will be huge as New York has lost their last four games. Due to being shorthanded, players such as Taj Gibson, Jacob Toppin, and Charlie Brown Jr. have been needed to see time on the court. With a more healthy team, these players shouldn’t be leaving the bench. Even Jericho Sims played 39 minutes in their last game.
With the return of these three players, the starting lineup should consist of Jalen Brunson, DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa, and Hartenstein. Reserves in the rotation likely will be Bogdanovic, Burks, Miles McBride, and perhaps Sims. While Thibodeau often goes with a nine-man rotation, he has been going eight deep more frequently due to the injuries.
Will the Team Ever be Full-Strength?
A fully healthy Knicks team would be one to be reckoned with. Very few organizations could match their depth if everyone is available. It would be a team nobody would want to see come playoff time.
Their starting lineup would likely be Brunson, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Randle, and Robinson (maybe Hartenstein if Robinson’s cardio is not up to speed). Their four top reserves would be Hart, Hartenstein (or Robinson), Bogdanovic, and Burks. While McBride and Achiuwa have performed admirably of late, it’s hard to see where they’d fit in the rotation with everyone available. They are great depth pieces to have though in case of injuries.
That is getting ahead of ourselves though. For now, the Knicks need to slowly get back their pieces without any new injuries occurring. There are 27 regular season games remaining for New York.
