The 2025-26 New York Knicks will go as far as Jalen Brunson can take them. We know Mike Brown wants to get him easier looks this season, moving him off the ball more, which should help him preserve energy for late-game situations, when the Knicks will once again rely on him to close out games.
Brunson held the ball more than any player in the league last season. The Knicks relied heavily on him to create offense for himself and for others. Brunson thrived in that role, landing on another All-Star team and another All-NBA team.
More off-ball looks will be good for Brunson and provide the supporting cast of Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby more opportunities with the ball in their hands. It will also make the Knicks harder to game plan against.
All of that said, Brown has stated that Brunson will have the ball back in his hands down the stretch, and for good reason. Last season, Brunson was the clutchest player in the league and the game's best closer. It is a critical weapon to have and one the Knicks will rely on again this year.
Brunson was the Clutch Player of the Year
Brunson won the Clutch Player of the Year for a reason last season. Among the 278 players who played in at least 10 clutch-time games, Brunson led all players in clutch scoring, averaging 5.6 points per game in the clutch.
Brunson is undersized, but that hasn't stopped him from being one of the most elite isolation players in the league in recent years, specifically in end-of-game situations. Last year was no exception, as Brunson was one of 27 players to log at least 100 isolation possessions in the fourth quarter of games in the regular season.
Among that group of players, Brunson was the most productive, generating 1.24 points per direct isolation. He had a 53.5 effective field goal percentage in those situations, which ranked 8th among the group.
The goal is to save Brunson for those moments
The Knicks will give Brunson the ball down the stretch once again. Any plan to move him off the ball will be designed to save his legs for precisely those end-of-game situations. It is incredibly valuable to have a player whom they can lean on in that way, especially when the game slows down in the playoffs and the floor condenses. If getting him off the ball saves him for those moments, all the better.