Deuce McBride is nearing a return from a sprained left ankle that has sidelined him for the past few weeks. While this is a welcomed development for the New York Knicks, it puts one or both of Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek at risk of forfeiting a huge chunk of their minutes.
As SNY’s Ian Begley noted after New York’s win over the Miami Heat, McBride was “doing some work with the Knick coaches on-court. Lots of different drills. Vigorous work. He is cleared for contact. He hasn’t taken contact yet in a scrimmage setting, because the Knicks haven’t practiced. But it seems like positive steps [toward a return] for McBride.”
McBride’s exact return date remains up in the air. He has not played since December 7, and will remain out through the team’s December 23 matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. If the Knicks want him to practice before rejoining the rotation, it could be a little while. They will not have two days off in between games until the middle of January.
Whenever McBride does return, head coach Mike Brown will need to futz and fiddle with the rotation. And it’s going to be Clarkson or Kolek who feels the squeeze.
Tyler Kolek is putting pressure on Jordan Clarkson
This did not profile as a real dilemma when McBride first went down. Kolek was only just starting to crack the rotation after New York lost Landry Shamet to a shoulder injury.
Since McBride last played, though, Kolek is seventh on the Knicks in total court time, averaging 12.4 points and 8.7 assists per 36 minutes while shooting 85.7 percent (12-of-14) on two-pointers. New York is a plus-64 with him on the court—by far and away the best mark on the team.
Coupled with the flashes Kolek showed to close out November, the 24-year-old is giving the Knicks plenty of things to think about, including how they will approach the trade deadline. Beyond that, he has staked a claim to maintaining the role he has now. The three-point shot remains rickety, but the ball-handling, passing vision, defensive effort, and even increased exposure to minutes alongside Jalen Brunson are all standout developments that fill gaps in the rotation.
The passing, in particular, puts a ton of pressure on Clarkson. The 33-year-old has been all over the place for much of this season, exploring both extreme highs and lows. But even at his best, Clarkson does not have the playmaking instincts to carry units without Brunson, or to meaningfully alleviate his on-ball workload when they play together.
If the Knicks decide they need conventional floor-general reps, Kolek becomes the guy to which they’ll turn. That would leave Clarkson to duke it out for minutes with McBride. And that decision wouldn’t be a decision at all. McBride’s three-point volume and efficiency, along with his point-of-attack defense, gives him a clear edge over both Clarkson and Kolek.
The Knicks will have to make someone unhappy
Head coach Mike Brown will be able to carve out roles for all three of his secondary guards to some extent. Shamet’s absence must be accounted for. Three-guard looks should also remain a staple so long as the Knicks are thin on reserve wings, and Guerschon Yabusele continues to give them reasons not to play him.
Still, it’ll be difficult to keep everyone happy. Kolek has averaged just over 17 minutes in McBride’s absence. Clarkson is a touch north of 20 minutes.
The Knicks could pull some ticks from the starters once McBride returns to lighten their collective workload. Even then, one of Clarkson and Kolek, in all likelihood, is about to dip below the 15-minute threshold—if not perhaps drop out of the regular rotation altogether.