The New York Knicks' slow start to the 2026-27 regular season had consequences — even for players who didn't contribute directly to any of the disappointing early losses. According to SNY, Mike Brown told reporters on October 30 that his initial plans to give young players like Mohamed Diawara and Pacôme Dadiet early-season playing time were foiled by his team deciding "not to show up the first three games."
On Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets, though, the head coach changed his tune. Before the game, Brown told reporters that — because he tries not to punish players for getting hurt — reserve guard Jose Alvarado would get his rotation spot back from Tyler Kolek. Seemingly frustrated with several of his starters midway through the night, though, the coach pivoted back to Kolek and even threw Diawara into the mix against the Knicks' crosstown rival.
Later in the week, Jalen Brunson's 22-point first quarter effectively ended the Chicago Bulls' night early. Brown was afforded the opportunity to give Dalton Knecht a try, alongside both the Knicks' starters and different combinations of reserves. As much as the coach is justified in wanting to uphold a higher, championship-level standard to help his team repeat, the recent epidemic of long-term injuries across the NBA unfortunately makes a balance of approaches necessary.
Knicks need their starters -- but they need rest ahead of 2027 Playoffs
While it led to Knecht's debut, playing the team's younger talent in games that are already out of reach — like Brown did against the Bulls — is different than genuinely turning to them to win a game. The coach, trying to help his team break the NBA's eight-year streak of champions failing to defend their titles, has clearly been willing to turn up the proverbial heat on his players. Three times so far this season, he's gone as far as to bench starting wing Mikal Bridges down the stretch of games.
Ultimately, though, the Knicks are going to need their best talent on the court. It's too early in the season to say that the Eastern Conference is tougher than it was last year. Regardless, come playoff time, every margin that New York can claim for themselves is going to wind up mattering.
If Brown can get away with resting his starters because his young reserves will come in and give him consistently competitive replacement minutes, it'll help the Knicks lean into the philosophy that helped them get to last year's playoffs healthy — even though the rest of the East powered up in response to their title victory.
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