The Knicks finally have the personnel on their roster to play with elite spacing around Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. More than that, they now have a coach who wants to lean into an up-tempo offense that utilizes that spacing. Insider Marc Stein reported that the Knicks are still showing interest in adding Ben Simmons, a move that would immediately slash the spacing advantage they have created for themselves.
The Knicks have made two big splashes in free agency to this point. They added veteran guard Jordan Clarkson after he was bought out by the Utah Jazz, before signing the versatile French forward Guerschon Yabusele.
Mike Brown has made it clear that he wants to lean into an offense centered around pace-and-space. The Knicks can achieve that by shifting Josh Hart to the bench for Deuce McBride, a move that would also allow Mikal Bridges to shift into an off-ball defensive role, which he is better suited for at this point in his career.
While Simmons provides great rebounding and elite defensive versatility, as well as another player who can handle the rock, the move will slash their spacing potential.
Simmons would destroy the Knicks' spacing
At this point in Simmons' career, he is more of a power forward, or even a small center, than he is a point guard. While he is still capable of putting the ball on the floor and is an exceptional passer, his shooting struggles are well-known.
If the Knicks were to add the veteran journeyman, it would all but guarantee that the Knicks would have another big man on the floor with Karl-Anthony Towns at all time.
The Knicks' current roster construction gives them the opportunity to play double-big with Towns and Mitchell Robinson at times, but more importantly, it is designed to have Towns at the five with elite spacing on the floor around him.
Space is the key to unlocking the Knicks
Towns is one of the best shooting bigs to ever step on a basketball court. He is best used as a center with spacing around him, a position the Knicks rarely put him in during his first season with the team.
With the added shooting threats of Yabusele and Clarkson, the Knicks are now in a position to have shooters on the floor around Towns for at least a large portion of every game. This should also help unlock the two-man game of Towns and Brunson, something that tapered off last year as the season progressed.
Simmons still has some gas left in the tank to help a team. That said, his skill set does not fit the direction this Knicks team is going in.