Fresh off their first championship in 53 years, the New York Knicks will be returning their usual starting lineup from the past two years. And two of those names recently celebrated milestone birthdays.
On Monday, reigning Finals MVP Jalen Brunson turned 30. Just one day before that, Mikal Bridges reached the same age.
This means that four of the five Knicks starters are now in their 30s. That makes them the only team in the league with at least four projected starters fitting that description to begin the season, assuming everyone is available.
30 doesn’t mean a player will fall off a cliff
Bridges and Brunson join Karl-Anthony Towns in the 30s club. Towns turned 30 on November 15. The elder statesman in the starting lineup is Josh Hart, who turned 31 on March 6.
By next offseason, all five starters will be 30 or older. The youngest, OG Anunoby, is currently 29 and will turn 30 on July 17 of next year.
Now, there are other teams that will have four starters in their 30s as currently constructed...but not until later in the season.
The Denver Nuggets roster features Nikola Jokic (31), Aaron Gordon (30), and Cameron Johnson (30). Jamal Murray is 29 years old, but turns 30 on February 23, late into the 2026-27 regular season.
The Golden State Warriors should be starting Stephen Curry (38), Draymond Green (36), and Kristaps Porzingis (31). Jimmy Butler turns 37 on September 14 but is months away from a potential return from his torn ACL.
The Knicks also have two reserves expected to play a large role next season who are in their 30s: Andre Drummond (33) and Jordan Clarkson (34). Landry Shamet will also turn 30 on March 13.
It’s something to be mindful of after New York had a shorter offseason than normal. Every one of the players mentioned here was part of the championship run except Drummond. No longer in their 20s, less time to take off could more negatively impact them. Brunson underwent wrist surgery on his shooting hand, and while he should be ready to begin the regular season, it could take time for him to get back up to speed.
On the bright side, though the game is trending younger, the Knicks at least don’t have any starters deep into their 30s. A large drop-off from any of them shouldn’t be expected, and they should once again be title contenders.
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