It’s a tale as old as Mike Brown’s tenure with the New York Knicks. Despite evidence usually suggesting it can’t be done, he wants to play lineups that don’t include Jalen Brunson, or Karl-Anthony Towns.
Yet, while these experimental combinations have largely fallen by the wayside, Tyler Kolek has apparently built up enough goodwill for Brown to bring them back..
It started during the Knicks’ butt-kicking of the Milwaukee Bucks. And it wasn’t just because New York carved out plenty of garbage-time reps.
Brown closed the first quarter using a lineup of Kolek, Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara, Deuce McBride, and Andre Drummond. During the three minutes this group was on the floor, New York was a plus-five.
Yes, trying out these lineups are a big deal
Road-testing fivesomes outside garbage time without either one of Brunson or Towns is no longer something the Knicks do. Prior to that blowout win over the Bucks, those lineups racked up under 25 minutes of total action.
This number shrinks even further when accounting for Kolek. Before that Milwaukee victory, he played under 10 competitive minutes independent of both Brunson and Towns.
Put another way, around 25 percent of Kolek’s meaningful minutes without one of the Knicks’ stars came in one outing.
Merely experimenting with these arrangements is a huge vote of confidence in New York’s third year floor general. The sample size with him running the offense on his own isn’t large enough to draw any takeaways, but the decision itself is telltale knowing how much the Knicks have struggled through no-star stretches.
Since Mike Brown arrived, the team has tallied over 300 minutes of competitive action without either JB or KAT on the hardwood. New York is a minus-six points per 100 possessions in that span, with an offensive rating so low, you’ll want to scrub your eyes out using toothpaste if you look at it too long.
Mike Brown’s experimentation with Tyler Kolek could benefit the Knicks
Chances are that Kolek-without-the-stars lineups will not become a high-volume staple. There are too many moving parts at play.
For starters, Kolek and Towns have developed into a lethally effective duo. The Knicks should also be trying out more Kolek-Brunson units so that they can alleviate the amount of on-ball pressure faced by the captain.
Still, the no-star minutes are tantalizing because of what they could mean for Towns and Brunson as a duo. Playing them together remains the best way for the Knicks to reach their offensive apex. Being able to stagger them a little bit less goes a long way.
This would also limit the amount of time Brunson needs to carry lineups that feature Andre Drummond in the middle. The reigning Finals MVP is hardly incapable of ferrying that burden, but the dynamic puts undue stress on his shoulders. Winnowing it down even slightly is a big-time win.
Most of all, if the Kolek-without-star-player lineups stick in any capacity, it means his development continues to head down the right path. And with the Knicks facing so many questions about the financial viability of this score, having a point guard who can float lineups without needing Towns or Brunson as a buffer while earning under $2.3 million is, quite frankly, a fever dream.
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