Mike Brown is not the only one serious about speeding up the New York Knicks’ offense. In a show of commitment to playing faster, Jalen Brunson has shed weight to prepare himself for what’s shaping up to be a functional overall.
Though the Knicks’ captain would not reveal how many pounds he’s actually lost, the New York Post’s Zach Braziller noted that he showed up to training camp visibly slimmer. “It was important for me to be a little lighter just throughout the course of the season,” Brunson said. “…It’s all about adapting.”
This should thrill Knicks fans. Because if Brown’s comments since taking the reins are any indication, Brunson and Co. will certainly need to adapt.
The Knicks need to play with more pace
Offensive urgency was not the utmost priority under former head coach Tom Thibodeau. Last season, New York ranked 29th in the average length of its possessions on the more glamorous end of the floor, trailing only the oft-anemic Orlando Magic, according to Inpredictable.
This mirrors how the Knicks played through the first two years of the Brunson era. They ranked 30th in average offensive possession time during the 2023-24 campaign, and were 26th for the 2022-23 season.
Brown’s offenses with the Sacramento Kings operated at a noticeably faster clip. They were first in average possession time during the 2022-23 campaign, and sixth in 2023-24. Even last year, with a more methodical operator like DeMar DeRozan entering the mix, the Kings were in the top nine of offensive speed when Brown got canned.
New York clearly has room to expedite its pace. Most associate this with getting out in transition more often. That is to some extent true. But playing faster also entails quickening processes in the half-court.
It is no accident that Brown’s most recent teams have burned fewer dribbles, thrown more passes and implemented more off-ball movement than the Knicks under Thibs. Putting defenses on tilt earlier in the shot clock—particularly after made buckets by the rival team’s offense—is among Brown’s core tenets.
Jalen Brunson sounds ready to hit the turbo button
Of course, quickening the pace does not have a perfect correlation to better offense. You need the right personnel to make it happen.
Plenty of skeptics see Brunson’s ball dominance in New York as proof he’s not suited to play that style. Quite frankly, they couldn’t be more wrong. Brunson has shown he can operate with more urgency, including away from the ball. The Knicks’ offensive principles with him say more about Thibs’ philosophies, and the roster construction around him.
Other players will need to branch out and shift how they play if New York’s offensive facelift is going to be successful. It remains to be seen how seamless this transition will be.
To his credit, though, Brunson doesn’t just sound like someone ready and willing to embrace change. Lighter and faster than he was before, he apparently looks the part, too.