Mike Brown has made it clear that he wants to breathe new life into the Knicks' offense this year by increasing the pace and space they play with, using Karl-Anthony Towns as a playmaking hub, and getting Jalen Brunson off the ball more. For those worried about how Brunson will respond to a lower on-ball role, they shouldn't be, as we have already seen him thrive in an off-ball role in Dallas.
Brunson is one of the game's premier on-ball talents. It is a role he has thrived in since coming to New York three seasons ago. Since then, he has blossomed into an All-NBA superstar and one of the most dominant closers in the league.
Last season, Brunson had the ball in his hands more than any player in the NBA. Per league tracking data, he led the league in both time of possession per game, at 8.6 minutes, and average seconds per touch, at 6.06 seconds. Getting him off the ball more will not only get others involved more and diversify their offense, but it will also help preserve Brunson for the end of games, where Brown has confirmed the ball will be back in his hands.
Brunson is ready for a new role, and history say he will succeed in it
Brunson is an elite spot-up player, having ranked in the 97.7th percentile in terms of points per possession in those opportunities last season. Admittedly, it hasn't been a big part of his offensive makeup since joining the Knicks. Last year, only 10 percent of his offensive possessions were comprised of spot-up opportunities, and only two percent were comprised of cuts.
However, in his time with the Mavericks, Brunson spent much of his time as an effective off-ball player. In 2021-22, his last season with Dallas, roughly one quarter of Brunson's offensive possessions were spent spotting up, where he generated 1.14 points per possession with an effective field goal percentage of 57.1.
The year before that, Brunson spent 26.6 percent of his offensive possessions spotting up, generating 1.11 points per possession with an effective field goal percentage of 58.7 percent.
There will be a learning curve with Brown's new offense, which Brunson noted during the Knicks' Media Day. The important part, though, is that the Knicks' best player is willing to buy into the changes. And, if Brunson buys in, the rest of the team will follow suit.