Mike Brown revealed the New York Knicks' first preseason lineup for their game against the Sixers in Abu Dhabi, and as expected, Josh Hart will come off the bench. What fans didn't expect, though, was for Pacôme Dadiet to also be in the lineup.
New York will start Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Dadiet, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mitchell Robinson. OG Anunoby won't play because of a sprained hand, which is concerning for several reasons. Hart was initially the only rotation player from last season dealing with an injury (his finger), but he is available to play.
Hart jokingly said at media day that if he didn't start, he'd request a trade. He followed that up by saying that he believes he deserves to be a starter in this league, and that wasn't said as a joke.
Perhaps the finger injury that Hart reaggravated has something to do with Hart coming off the bench, but there's reason to believe that even if his finger weren't an issue, he'd still be in the same position. Brown said that he'd use the preseason to determine the preferred first unit, and his first choice is to slot in Mitch, giving the Knicks size, rebounding, and rim protection.
Josh Hart to come off the bench in Knicks' first preseason game
Except for Dadiet, this could be the starting lineup that Brown rolls with in New York's first regular-season game on Oct. 22 when the team hosts the Cavaliers. Who knows what Anunoby's status will be then?
No one can assume that Robinson will remain in the starting lineup, but if he does, the biggest question will be whether Robinson can stay healthy for the majority of the season. He played 17 games last season and 31 the season before. The impact that Mitch made in the playoffs last year was tremendous, but that version of him hasn't consistently shown up.
Perhaps Brown will try Hart in the starting lineup in another preseason game, but if he doesn't, that will further prove that he'll start the regular season coming off the bench. The biggest con about starting Hart is that he isn't a shooter, and his finger injury could make that an even bigger issue.
Hart started in every single regular-season game he played for the Knicks last season, but it appears that will change this season. He may not be pleased with his new role for the first preseason game, but it could benefit not only the Knicks but also his own contributions.