After a high-flying offseason where the Knicks swung for the fences with the Mikal Bridges trade and gave OG Anunoby a 5-year $212 million contract, expectations are sky-high in New York. Madison Square Garden is gearing up to witness a legitimate shot at a title for the first time this millennium. One of the deepest rosters in the league, the Knicks can play 10 NBA-caliber guys at any given moment. The Knicks have built this team to beat the Boston Celtics.
Path to a Champion: Knicks Offseason Goals (Part 1)
But, to be a title contender, every player has to get better. So, what should Knicks players try to improve on as they train this offseason? A two-part series, this first article will cover the starting unit, while we will move to the bench unit next time.
Jalen Brunson: Get Better Defensively
In the prime of Steph Curry‘s career, Steph was an average/slightly above-average defender. His teams were always better when he was on the court vs. off, and it was an underrated factor in their championships. For Jalen Brunson to lead the Knicks to a title, he must improve his defense to reach the same level. The 76ers shot 42.9% from three when Brunson was the primary defender compared to 37.9% in the series.
The biggest reason for their loss to the Pacers in the second round was their defense. They gave up an average of 119.5 points per game in their losses, a horrific margin. Yes, the team around Brunson is better, but he must improve if the Knicks want to beat Boston’s switch-heavy offense. He has to be a net positive on both ends of the floor for the Knicks to win a chip, and he has excellent defenders for teammates to learn from this offseason.
Julius Randle: Become a Better 3-Point Shooter
In the 2020-21 NBA season, Julius Randle shot 41.1% from three. That’s the best statistical season of his career and an anomaly. His career average three-point mark is 33.3 percent, yet he’s only been better than that in three seasons. Remove the 2020-21 season from his numbers, and his career 3-point percentage is an abysmal 31.6%. Julius Randle is still a bucket, just a wildly inefficient one. Randle’s effective field goal percentage last season was better than just 32% of the players in the NBA. His three-point shooting was better than just 20% of all players.
The Knicks were a very good offense when he was on the floor, and the weapons they added should help him be better. But, defenders will have the ability to sag off Randle when he’s in the perimeter and cramp the paint because of his lack of shooting. The additions of Bridges and Cam Payne as shot creators will make life much easier for Randle, and he must be ready to take advantage of the open looks he’s bound to get.
Mikal Bridges: More Efficient at the Rim
Life on both ends of the floor will definitely be easier for Bridges now. He will be a better defender and a better shooter, purely because he is not the primary option on this team. Peak Bridges came 2nd in DPOY voting and made the All-Defense 1st Team, and the Knicks supporting cast will provide him with enough support to get back to that level.
But, for Bridges to have the offensive impact that many expect, his finishing will have to be better. Last season, Bridges shot just 59.2% within 5 feet of the rim, his lowest mark ever. Part of the issue was that Bridges was the main focus of the defense, but that cannot be an excuse. The East is top-heavy and has its share of decent-to-good rim protectors among the best teams. Bridges’ shot creation and playmaking chops will be a valuable asset to the Knicks, but he has to be better near the rim to help his teammates. Higher efficiency will mean more defenders near him, which will allow him to penetrate and kick to the open man.
OG Anunoby: Become Healthier
Other parts of OG Anunoby’s game could be mentioned here, but his health is the biggest detriment. Anunoby has only been available for 75% of the games in his career. That number is buttressed by his first three years in the NBA where he averaged 70 games per season. His healthiest season in the last four years resulted in an All-Defense second-team appearance and a 7th-place finish in DPOY voting.
OG is one of the league’s best defenders when he’s on the court, but keeping him on the court is the issue. The worst part is, that there’s no specific part of the body where his injuries seem to occur. They’re everywhere. He’s torn his ACL, had a wrist sprain, had finger issues, hip issues, ankle issues, and this season had an elbow injury and a hamstring injury. The only way to solve this is to get healthier. OG should spend time in the gym this offseason, and add muscle to his legs. He should be in peak condition this season as he will not have to play 35+ minutes a night because of the Knicks’ depth.
Mitchell Robinson: Become a Better Free Throw Shooter
You could use the Anunoby argument for Mitchell Robinson too. He’s played just 80 games in the last two seasons, and the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein means Robinson will have to shoulder a bigger load. But, his free throw shooting is far more concerning in my opinion. Robinson has never been a good free-throw shooter. His best season was his rookie year where he shot 60.0% from the line.
The more worrying trend is his continuous decrease in free throw accuracy. Since his rookie year, his FT numbers have dipped steadily, and that culminated in the 40.9% he shot from the line this year. That was the second-worst mark in the league among qualifying players. This makes Robinson unplayable in close games because he will be fouled the moment he gets the ball in any capacity. This is one of the reasons I wanted the Knicks to get a backup big who can shoot. But, Robinson is extremely important on both ends of the floor, and he will be given clutch minutes. For Robinson to be successful, he has to be able to shoot free throws in the high-60s/low-70s range.
The Last Word on Offseason Goals
There are a variety of things that each Knick can improve on this offseason. For the Knicks to get into the playoffs healthy and give themselves a shot at beating the Boston Celtics, players will have to improve on weak aspects of their game.
