The Knicks enter the 2025-26 season with a new head coach but the same championship aspirations as a year ago, and things tipped off officially on Tuesday with the start of training camp.
Head coach Mike Brown, as well as key players like Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges all met with the media on Tuesday, talking about the busy offseason that was and the exciting season to come.
Here are the key takeaways...
Mike Brown on the starting lineup and rotation
The Knicks used the same starting five -- Brunson, Towns, Hart, Bridges, and OG Anunoby -- for just about all of the 2024-25 regular season. And while former head coach Tom Thibodeau was reluctant to make changes to the lineup, he ultimately did insert Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup ahead of Game 3 of Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana, moving Hart to the bench.
With that in mind, the starting lineup heading into this season is already a topic of conversation. But according to Brown, it's too early to say who will make up the starting five.
"It will materialize throughout camp," Brown said. "I think it’s too early to go in and say ‘hey, this is what’s going to happen.’ The roster, Leon [Rose] and his group did a fantastic job putting together a talented, deep roster, and so you have to be methodical with your approach when it comes to declaring ‘Okay, these guys are going to start.’"
Thibodeau also notoriously used a very short rotation, and shrank it even more in the playoffs to around eight players.
Brown said he'll likely use more players, with everyone having a chance to contribute throughout the year.
"If you look at what I’ve done in the past, it’s usually nine-and-a-half to 10 guys," Brown said. "I try to play as many guys as I can. Even when I was in [Sacramento] and we had an injury during the season, there was a point in time towards the end of the season where I started a two-way guy in Keon Ellis. So, I’m going to try to play who can help us win, and I’m going to try to give guys an opportunity. So, hopefully with as deep as our roster is, everybody will get an opportunity at some point during the season."
Brunson on Thibs' firing
Prior to Thibodeau's dismissal after the ECF loss to the Pacers, Brunson was one of his strongest defenders.
Asked immediately after the Game 6 loss if Thibodeau was the right person to lead the Knicks, Brunson was adamant.
"Is that a real question right now?" Brunson said after the Game 6 loss to the Pacers. "You just asked me if I believe he's the right guy? Yes."
Asked about Thibodeau on Tuesday, Brunson expressed his gratitude to his former coach.
“Obviously it’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization, but he’s meant a lot to me," Brunson said. "I’ve expressed that publicly and personally. But yeah, he’s meant a lot to my career, to this point."
Hart/KAT on offseason procedures, or non-procedures
On the health front, Towns disputed reports from June that he had procedure done on a finger on his left hand and his knee, saying emphatically "I did not get finger surgery or knee surgery."
One player who did undergo a procedure was Hart, who admitted to recently having a setback in his rehab while recovering from a procedure to a finger on his right hand, which will likely require him to wear a splint all season long.
"I was out for a little while. I’m just trying to get used to it and get through the season with it," Hart said.
"I don’t want to go into too much detail, but obviously got a procedure on it, and then kind of reaggravated it somewhat recently. I’ll probably just rock out with a splint this season and try to fix it again next summer."
Bridges on extension
Following an up-and-down first season in New York, Bridges signed a four-year, $150 million extension; however, he left some money on the table as he elected not to sign for the max of $156 million, saving the Knicks $6 million that went to building out the rest of the roster.
"Real excited, happy to be back, be here with everybody and be a part of this organization.," Bridges said. "Just happy we got it done, and really no issues, honestly."
He added: "The biggest thing is if I came here and preached how much I want to win and then tried to take every dollar and make it difficult for the organization, then I’d just seem like a fraud, and that’s not who I am.
"I want to win bad, and whatever it takes. Like I said, I love all the guys here, so why wouldn’t I want the next man up that needs some money, why would I not give them an opportunity to get paid as well? I think I got a good amount of money and I don’t think a couple more [millions] will change my life, so I think it would be better to help everybody else out."
