One of the most hotly debated topics surrounding the Knicks has been who their fifth starter will be this season. Mike Brown gave a strong indication that it will be Mitchell Robinson by starting him alongside Karl-Anthony Towns in their first pre-season game. However, Miles McBride needed just six minutes to prove that spot should unquestionably go to him.
McBride led the Knicks with eight points after playing just 5:51 seconds in the first quarter. He was perfect from the field, going three for three, while also snagging two defensive rebounds. Most importantly, though, was the fact that McBride drilled two 3-pointers.
McBride needs to be in the starting lineup
The appeal of having Robinson in the starting lineup is that his elite defensive play can mask some of the limitations that Towns has on that end of the floor. Robinson is also a great vertical floor spacer and can extend offensive possessions by dominating the glass, unlike anyone else in the sport.
While he certainly spaces the floor vertically as a lop threat, he is far from a shooter. The Knicks rarely provided Towns and Jalen Brunson with adequate outside shooters last season, and Brown must be sure that he doesn't make the same mistake once again.
Brown has also made it clear that he wants the Knicks' offense to play faster and to shoot more threes. Inserting McBride into the starting lineup would accomplish both of those things.
He also checks a box on the defensive end
The biggest advantage to having McBride on the floor is that it would guarantee that Brunson and Towns have three shooters around them at the start of every game. This will allow them the space to dominate two-man actions in a way that everyone envisioned they would when they traded for him last season.
That said, McBride also fills a giant void on the defensive end. He is an elite point-of-attack defender who is capable of navigating around screens and staying with the quickest ball-handlers in the league.
Last season, Mikal Bridges was forced to play that role, which he struggled to do. Unlike McBride, Bridges is arguably the worst screen navigator in the league. If McBride started alongside him, it would allow him to shift into a preferred off-ball defensive role.
Robinson will still play a valuable role for the Knicks and should be involved in every closing lineup possible. Ultimately, though, the Knicks need to lean into offense, and McBride accomplishes that.