Knicks projected lineup and rotation heading into preseason
The New York Knicks were without a pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and have signed only one player off the free agency market, so there haven’t been any significant changes to the roster.
Between now and the start of the 2023-24 season, the Knicks’ roster could look much different than it currently does. Leon Rose and New York could finally go all-in if the right star were made available. If that doesn’t happen, the only change that should be made is the Knicks trading away one of their disgruntled guards and possibly signing a big to a veteran minimum deal.
Although New York was put in the ‘Play-In Battleground’ tier by The Athletic because of the belief that the Knicks already have hit their ceiling, New York staying patient isn’t bad.
The New York Knicks’ projected starting lineup for 2023-24 season
Point guard: Jalen Brunson
Shooting guard: Quentin Grimes
Small forward: RJ Barrett
Power forward: Julius Randle
Center: Mitchell Robinson
New York’s projected starting lineup looks precisely as it did for most of the 2022-23 season once Tom Thibodeau removed Evan Fournier and inserted Quentin Grimes. Behind the starters are:
Point guard: Immanuel Quickley, Miles McBride
Shooting guard: Donte DiVincenzo, Evan Fournier
Small forward: Josh Hart, DaQuan Jeffries (non-guaranteed deal)
Power forward: Isaiah Roby (non-guaranteed deal)
Center: Isaiah Hartenstein, Jericho Sims
Thibodeau reverted to a nine-man rotation midway through the 2022-23 season, and he’ll likely continue to roll with a nine-man rotation in 2023-24. The players that should be in his rotation are Brunson, Grimes, Barrett, Randle, Robinson, Quickley, DiVincenzo, Hart, and Hartenstein.
As much as Fournier would like to find himself back in the rotation if he does start the season with the Knicks, that likely won’t happen unless there is an injury. SNY’s Ian Begley reported that New York isn’t willing to attach draft compensation to Fournier in a trade. Fournier’s hoping to prove that he still has it in the 2023 FIBA World Cup for France, which starts at the end of August. Maybe his performance will help to make a trade easier for the Knicks.
