Mohamed Diawara has essentially fallen out of Mike Brown’s rotation. The New York Knicks need that to change immediately.
New York’s defensive issues are being laid bare over the past few weeks. Some are inclined to pin the blame on the inherent challenges of building a rotation around Karl-Anthony Towns in the middle. Some are starting to say the quiet things about Jalen Brunson out loud. Others will point to the Knicks’ recent spate of injuries, the current absence of Josh Hart, and the relative unreliability of Mitchell Robinson.
Smaller contingents of people will shift the spotlight onto Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby. Both of them look gassed. Anunoby has seen his All-Star case blown to smithereens. Bridges isn’t delivering nearly as much defensive playmaking as he was at the start of the season.
In reality, it’s everything, all at once. The Knicks as currently constructed are not capable of being an elite defensive team night in, and night out. Failing any roster changes, they need to tap into their ability to carve out a higher defensive floor. Diawara can help them do that—which makes it bizarre that he’s virtually nowhere to be found.
It’s not clear why Mike Brown has reined in Mohamed Diawara’s minutes
After clearing double-digit minutes four times in seven games, including three 15-plus-minute outings, Diawara has totaled under 15 minutes across the past three tilts. And it’s not entirely clear why.
Deuce McBride is back in the fold, and flirting with 25 minutes per game. Brown has given a little more run to Kevin McCullar Jr. as well.
Still, with Hart on the sidelines, it shouldn’t be too difficult for Brown to chisel out playing time for the rookie combo wing. Especially when he does so much of what the Knicks need most right now: operate with consistent defensive energy.
Diawara is always moving. It doesn’t matter whether it’s offense, or defense. He sprints up and down the floor, battles against screens, slides down to help around the basket, closest out on three-point shooters—the whole nine.
The results aren’t always pretty. In fact, the on-off splits are outright ghastly. It doesn’t matter. It can’t. Not when the Knicks are defending like they are now, with very little consistency, and obvious weak points that have opposing offenses around the league drooling.
The Knicks have a clear change to make
Diawara’s sample size isn’t nearly large enough to draw sweeping conclusions. The Knicks must rely, and read into, the flashes that warrant further exploration.
To wit: Lineups featuring the 20-year-old, Towns, and at least one of Anunoby or Bridges are pummeling opponents. Doubling down on similar constructions could go a long way.
Doing so shouldn’t be too difficult, particularly with Hart still recovering from his ankle injury. Firing Guerschon Yabusele’s minutes straight into the sun would be a good start. Brown also shouldn’t be above lightening up on the Jordan Clarkson experience. At this point, yours truly would experiment with no-center units if it meant getting more tick for the rook.
This is not meant to be inflammatory. It’s a reaction to the state of the roster.
Until or unless the Knicks make a trade, they must work with who and what they have. Diminishing Diawara’s role is antithetical to that mandate.
At his best, he has the physical tools to guard at the point of attack, regardless of the player initiating actions, or roam off the ball. There will be hiccups—like him getting trucked by girthier opponents, or conceding too much space to stay in front of someone. It happens. Getting him experience now could pay off later.
And moreover, stomaching growing pains sure beats whatever the Knicks defense is force-feeding fans now.