The New York Knicks built the current roster to be able to compete with the Boston Celtics—and on that front, they won. The harsh reality facing whomever coaches the Knicks next, however, is that the team will have a ceiling until something is done about its lack of depth along the wings.
New York may have three starting-caliber wings in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart, but the unavoidable absence of ideal reserves is impossible to ignore.
One look at the rosters involved in the 2025 NBA Finals will reveal the absolute importance of perimeter depth. The Oklahoma City Thunder's entire starting lineup stands at 6'5" or taller, and its second unit boasts an endless number of options in the backcourt and along the wings.
That includes defensive ace Alex Caruso, sharpshooting wings Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, and the rapidly developing Cason Wallace.
The Indiana Pacers are built similarly, offering up productive reserves at virtually every position. That includes proven postseason performer TJ McConnell, explosive forward Obi Toppin, and up-and-coming wings Bennedict Mathurin and Ben Sheppard.
With both Indiana and Oklahoma City prioritizing strength in numbers along the perimeter, one can't help but wonder if New York can realistically expect to win with its current roster structure.
Knicks need wing depth if they want to win a title
The Knicks' second unit is flush with quality talent. Mitchell Robinson is a defensive anchor when healthy, Miles McBride is one of the better backup guards in the NBA, and the trio of Tyler Kolek, Cameron Payne, and Landry Shamet all stood out when given the chance to play meaningful minutes.
Unfortunately, Robinson is the only one of those players who stands taller than 6'4"—let alone has a reputation for defending at a high level.
Perhaps the Knicks should've made more of an effort to feature Delon Wright in the rotation after it acquired him in February. It may also have developable talent worth investing in with the likes of Marjon Beauchamp and Kevin McCullar Jr.
Whether or not those plans would've or may still work out, Leon Rose must provide the next head coach with improved options for wing depth—and he can't wait until the trade deadline to do so.
If the Knicks can bring in wings who can defend and shoot, they'll find it easier to play some of their smaller guards for longer stretches. It would also become significantly easier for Anunoby, Bridges, and Hart to spend regular spells on the bench rather than playing mountains of minutes.
The unfortunate reality is that Thibodeau's minute distribution, as extreme as it may have been, won't be easily addressed unless these changes are made.
Playing Kolek and McBride alongside one another is easier said than done if the opposition has tall guards or a wing-heavy rotation. That inevitably calls for at least one of the starting wings to be on the court to offset those issues, if there's even a realistic opening to craft such a lineup without struggling defensively.
The Knicks' options are admittedly limited in terms of improvement from external sources, but Rose needs to build a viable second unit if it's going to adequately relieve the starters.