Despite being in the midst of their most successful postseason run in a quarter-century, the New York Knicks still sought change. Call it a high bar for a franchise that last won an NBA championship 50 years ago in a big market that loves sports or a move to avoid the doldrums. 

The 2025-2026 season is a fresh start for the Knicks not just because of the new coaching staff but also because of how the new and old pieces will integrate with one another. 

What’s New 

There’s a new face on the sidelines and he’s no stranger to the spotlight. Mike Brown has coached LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and has coached in Los Angeles, which is another big market with championship expectations (but they have the titles to back it up). Like his predecessor Tom Thibodeau, Brown is a defensive-minded coach. Unlike him, though, he won’t run his players to the ground. 

That should be a welcome development for new players Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele. Clarkson had his 2024-2025 campaign cut short to address the plantar fasciitis in his left foot. When healthy, he provides the offensive firepower off the bench that will allow New York’s starters to get more rest than they would have in the last few seasons. 

Yabusele, along with newcomers Alex Len, Trey Jemison III, and Mohamed Diawara, can provide the same for the Knicks frontcourt and with the way he showed out for France in EuroBasket 2025, Yabusele can play his role to a tee. Numbers aside, it’s the Frenchman’s knack for finding his spots on offense and doing the dirty work on defense will not only earn him playing time, but it will also allow hom to mesh well with his new team. 

Biggest Questions 

Much of the question marks with New York will center on Brown. How will Mike Brown handle the postseason? In his last two stints, the 55-year old is 8-11 in the playoffs, with all of those games being in the Western Conference. Things are much different in the East, where the race is wide open and lower win-loss records are not exactly punished. 

This should be of help in his first few years, especially when you wonder if this version of the roster is already to his liking. Changes could be on the table especially when Brown builds familiarity with certain players. 

Players to Watch 

Jalen Brunson remains the heart and soul of the Knicks. He runs the offense and there were many instances wherein HE was the offense. We can expect much of the same even under Brown, but there likely will be a more even distribution players-wise. 

There will likely be a rise in the minutes of other players, especially those on the bench. We could see more exposure for the likes of Tyler Kolek and Miles McBride, with the former making waves with his offseason workouts. 

Reason for Optimism/Concern

It might be too much to expect monumental changes in Mike Brown’s first year with the New York Knicks, but don’t be surprised if things will be promising in Year One. However, will the wear and tear from the Tom Thibodeau era rear its ugly head? Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns all played at least 35 minutes per game last season, putting them in the top 20 in the league. 

Bridges has so far been durable, but the wear and tear has been more apparent for his peers. Brown won’t run them to the ground, but easing them in would be better lest he want fewer weapons come April and beyond.