While the Knicks hired Chris Jent to be their associate head coach, they also plan on entrusting him to be the lead offensive assistant under Mike Brown. The position will come with plenty of responsibilities, perhaps none greater than finding a way to unlock the All-NBA duo of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Brunson and Towns both had fantastic seasons in 2024-25, where they were each named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team and made an All-NBA team, with Towns being named to the third team and Brunson to the second team.
That said, it still felt like the pairing had another gear to reach. Ultimately, Jent will be an important piece of the star duo reaching that gear, something that likely will come from a combination of increased offensive creativity and optimizing the players around them.
Optimizing the players around them
The Knicks will go as far as Brunson and Towns can take them this season. While the players have weaknesses, particularly on the defensive end, they are two of the best offensive players in the game, and when they get going, they can be nearly unstoppable.
Last season, the duo rarely played with optimal spacing. This season, leaning into a pace-and-space style of offense, which Brown is known to enjoy, could help elevate them to that next level.
For starters, that means playing a shooter in Josh Hart's spot in the lineup. The front office also did a good job of updating their bench depth by adding Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, both of whom are capable shooters from three.
Unlocking the Brunson and Town two-man game
The other element will be increasing actions involving Brunson and Towns. Last year, their pick-and-roll game evaporated down the stretch. Brown and Jent will need to figure out what caused that and how to restore it.
In October through December, Brunson and Towns averaged 33.2 picks per 100 possessions, generating 1.1 points per direct, according to league tracking data. In January through April, that volume dipped down to 21.5 picks per 100 possessions and 0.98 points per direct. In the playoffs, the duo averaged only 18.4 picks per 100 possessions.
On paper, Towns and Brunson are a perfect pick-and-roll duo. Brunson can shoot with players draped all over him and only needs a step of space to get to the rim or stop on a dime for his patented floater. Meanwhile, Towns is one of the most elite shooting bigs of all time. The Knicks need the best out of the duo if they are going to compete for a title.