Every team in the NBA is about to give the New York Knicks their best shot. As the defending champions, it's the simplest of realities to embrace. Under those circumstances, skill alone won't suffice. The Knicks need gritty players who are willing to go all-out on a nightly basis.
That's exactly why the decision to sign John Konchar to an Exhibit 9 contract was such a brilliant move: It's less about skill and far more about winning in the trenches.
Konchar, 30, has carved out a seven-year NBA career by doing the little things that the average player may not be eager to do. He causes chaos as a defensive playmaker, guards players at all five positions, and isn't afraid to get physical on either end of the floor.
Konchar has also been an efficient shooter in three of his six full NBA seasons, which inspires at least a degree of healthy optimism that he can help space the floor.
Konchar shot 50.0 percent from distance in 19 games in 2019-20, 37.5 percent in 43 games in 2020-21, 41.3 percent in 72 games in 2021-22, and 37.1 percent in 46 games in 2024-25. Unfortunately, he also shot 33.9 percent in 72 games in 2022-23, 31.7 percent in 55 games in 2023-24, and 28.3 percent in 56 games in 2025-26.
Thankfully, even if Konchar's jump shot isn't falling, he's still one of the most disruptive role players the Knicks could've added at this stage of the summer.
Knicks didn't need more skill players—they needed John Konchar's chaos
Konchar doesn't step onto a court and make the type of plays that are easy to appreciate. He grinds out possessions by chasing shooters off of screens, slides into opposing players' drives, and strips them of the ball with unfathomable precision.
That may seem like an exaggeration, but he ranked in the 94th percentile in pickpocket rating and the 96th percentile in passing lane defense, per Basketball Index. Plus, the film:
Konchar be working pic.twitter.com/U4SnCjWRP3
— Teg🚨 (@IQfor3) September 16, 2026
In addition to being a disruptive force as a defender, Konchar is a 6'5" wing who finds ways to demoralize teams on the glass—just like current Knicks swingman Josh Hart. This past season, Konchar averaged 5.4 defensive rebounds and 2.4 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes.
Throw in Konchar's averages of 3.8 assists, 2.7 steals, and 1.2 blocks per 36 minutes, and it's perfectly clear why the Knicks value his strengths.
Knicks have skill—they need more players who can do the dirty work
Whether fair or foul, the Knicks didn't enter this offseason searching for players who could transform their offensive identity. New York will run its offense through All-NBA stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, and rely on OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart for their respective contributions alongside them.
Even the second unit is flush with shooters and shot creators such as Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, and Landry Shamet, and a generational offensive rebounder in Andre Drummond.
As such, New York's next step wasn't to add more skill players to the rotation. Instead, they needed more players like 2025-26 mid-season acquisition and NBA Finals hero Jose Alvarado. This isn't to say the Alvarado and Konchar aren't skilled, as they obviously got this far because of all they bring to the table.
What makes them so effective and coveted, however, is the simple fact that they know how to cause chaos when it seems as though nothing traditional is working.
Like Alvarado, Konchar will create turnovers when most players are simply sticking to the system and hoping basic help defense can do the trick. Moreover, he'll disrupt the natural flow of games as a perimeter player who can dominate the offensive glass or a wing who can suddenly emerge as a featured playmaker.
It's those type of plays that won the Knicks their first championship in 53 years—and it's those type of plays that will prepare them for the NBA's best shot at ending their reign at one title.
Add us as a preferred source on Google