Last season, fans saw the New York Knicks have their most successful season since 2012-13. Not only did the Knicks win 47 games, but they also made it to the second round and were two wins away from making their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 1999.
However, heading into 2023-24, the Knicks must make a few changes to be their best selves in a key season. Some will have a significant role in how the Knicks play on either side of the ball, and others will be minor changes for the betterment of the team. Hopefully, Tom Thibodeau will be able to do the right things for the sake of New York.
3 adjustments the Knicks should make heading into the 2023-24 season
3. Experimenting with smaller lineups
With the loss of Obi Toppin, the Knicks currently don’t have a backup power forward in the rotation. Some believe Isaiah Roby is the man to play the position, but if Thibodeau wants to be serious about contending, playing Roby isn’t the best idea. The Knicks should either sign a power forward who is a better fit or run smaller lineups.
As nice as it would be to see New York sign a player like JaMychal Green, it’s more likely than not that the Knicks look to solve the problem within the current roster. This inevitably means that fans will see players like Josh Hart or RJ Barrett play some minutes at the four.
While it wouldn’t be successful at a sustainable rate, we’d still like to see Thibs get into his lineup bag by running Hart or Barrett at power forward while also sliding Julius Randle down to center at times. This entirely depends on the team the Knicks are playing, but it could have success considering how poor of a spacing team New York has been.
A lineup of Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Quentin Grimes, Barrett/Hart, and Randle could be very efficient from range, which is exactly what the Knicks need. Last season, Randle played four percent of his minutes at center and seven percent of his minutes there in 2021-22. It may not occur often, but Randle isn’t a stranger to the center position, and Thibs could take advantage of this in certain situations.
If Thibodeau can properly run these lineups at the correct times and against the right teams, things could get exciting. The Knicks have arguably one of the most versatile teams in the NBA, and there’s no reason for Thibodeau not to take advantage of it.
2. Utilize players in the off-ball more often
Last season, the Knicks saw success while using both Brunson and Randle as the team’s primary ball handlers, with not many players besides Barrett getting the occasional isolation. However, fans saw how it failed when it was time for the playoffs.
Now, entering the 2023-24 season, fans hope to see Thibodeau utilize guys like Grimes and even Brunson himself more in the off-ball.
Not only would this speed the Knicks’ offense up, but it would also help the team’s fluidity and efficiency on that side of the ball. Instead of having 20+ second long possessions where the Knicks take an inefficient shot, we could see a much faster, smoother play that makes New York’s life much easier.
Whether it be off-ball cuts from Randle and Barrett, off-ball screens designed to get three-point shooters like Grimes open, or other methods, Thibs has to add these plays with the way the modern NBA is.
Some of the best teams in the NBA, like the Nuggets, Warriors, or Heat, excel in getting their shooters open in the off-ball. While it’s incredibly difficult to copy what these teams do, there’s no reason not to run more off-ball plays. This change, even if it’s just something the team runs every couple of plays, will make a big difference.
1. Make the offense less freelance
This goes hand-in-hand with the increase in off-ball movement, and Thibodeau has to make the offense more play-oriented in general. The normal freelance offense heavy on isolations is fun to watch in the regular season, but it consistently falls apart in the playoffs.
Instead of continuing to force isolations with Randle, Brunson, or Barrett, get the whole team involved and move in the off-ball more. This would play a huge role in improving the Knicks’ efficiency by limiting turnovers creating a much more enjoyable brand of basketball for fans to watch.
While it’s unlikely that fans will see Thibodeau make such a drastic change in one offseason, it would be nice to see plays be run more frequently. More specifically, adding more off-ball screens and not running the same old dribble hand-off/pick-and-roll play. These two plays have become a staple in the Knicks’ offense and have become predictable, making it easy for opponents to stop them in crunch time.
If Thibodeau begins to make these adjustments in the 2023-24 season, expect the Knicks to potentially push into the Eastern Conference Finals. Thibodeau’s coaching style wasn’t the entire reason for the Knicks’ playoff loss in 2023, but adding a new twist to the way New York plays could make a huge difference in the future.
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