There is reportedly “internal support” for the New York Knicks to run back the same starting five in 2025-26 as they did last season. That is a debatable line of thinking given how last year ended. But if the team wants to stick with that group, it must do one thing before NBA training camps open: add another wing to the roster.
Bagging another perimeter player with size—somewhere in that 6’5” to 6’8 range”—should already be on the to-do list. The Knicks have Pacome Dadiet and could sign Kevin McCullar Jr. or second-round pick Mohamed Diawara, but they’ve made it pretty clear they don’t envision leaning too heavily on young players.
Of their projected nine-man rotation, then, only OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart qualify as wings. Staggering their minutes can paper over the relative shallowness, but separating them gets harder if they’re all inside the starting lineup.
Adding a fourth wing-sized body who can log at least somewhat-regular minutes has to be the goal if that’s the direction in which New York heads. That means abandoning the already-questionable pursuit of Ben Simmons and turning their sights to other free agents.
The Knicks don’t have a lot of options in free agency
Guerschon Yabusele did the Knicks a major solid by taking slightly less than the mini mid-level to ensure they can sign another experienced veteran to a minimum deal. But the pickings are slim this time of year. Especially in this price range.
Still, if New York is keeping its starting five from last year intact, it can entice remaining free agents with the promise of fairly consistent playing time. If you think that doesn’t matter, well, think again. Marcus Smart chose the Los Angeles Lakers over the Knicks in part because they were offering him a bigger role.
Landing Amir Coffey would be a coup at this stage of the offseason. Cody Martin would be semi-interesting if he’s healthy. The list gets dicier after them, veering into “Does Torrey Craig or Javonte Green have anything left in the tank?” territory.
Bringing back Landry Shamet could do the trick, too. He isn’t a traditional wing, but his three-point volume helps open up the half-court offense, and he fights harder on defense than most realize.
New York can try adding a wing via trade, but it won’t be easy
With free agency yielding few alternatives, New York can try poking around the trade market. That won't be easy, either.
The Knicks don’t have a ton of assets, or even disposable matching salary to offer. Dangling Hart, Bridges, or Anunoby for a wing defeats the purpose of deepening that rotation archetype—unless two or more are coming back in return. Deuce McBride would have plenty of suitors, but his $4.3 million salary isn’t nabbing a difference-maker on its own.
Putting Mitchell Robinson’s $13 million expiring contract on the table could make things interesting—provided New York believes Yabusele and Ariel Huckporti can do the heavy lifting at backup center. Would the Boston Celtics do Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta for Robinson? Might the Indiana Pacers consider a swap for Aaron Nesmith? Trading Robinson to the Chicago Bulls for Ayo Dosunmu fits the spirit of this exercise—and saves New York money.
This is the reality of the Knicks’ situation. They don’t have a ton of options. But if they want to run back the same starting five, they need to figure it out. Whether it’s by trade or free agency (or both), another wing (or two) must be added to the rotation.