The 2024 playoffs will be underway in less than a month. The New York Knicks could be healthy by that point, especially after the latest encouraging updates. When New York is back at full strength, the rotation will look a lot different than it does now.
Tom Thibodeau likes to run a tight nine-man rotation. He hasn't had a choice but to bring typical non-rotation players into the mix with the team's injuries. Brunson, McBride, DiVincenzo, Hart, Hartenstein, Burks, Bogdanovic, Achiuwa, and Sims are currently in the rotation, so when Randle, Anunoby, and Robinson are back, three current rotation players will likely be on the outside looking in.
3 Knicks who could get axed from Tom Thibodeau's playoff rotation
3. Precious Achiuwa
Achiuwa has been a pleasant surprise for the Knicks. He was part of the Anunoby trade, but fans didn't think he'd contribute much. Injuries pushed Achiuwa into the starting lineup, but he's since been sent back to the bench as Thibodeau started DiVincenzo at the three and Hart at the four.
It is impossible to make a case for Achiuwa's removal from the rotation, which says a lot about his performance. He's averaging 8.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He stepped up when his new team needed him the most. Playing in New York, where he moved to from Nigeria, could be part of the reason why he's been so effective.
Thibodeau sticks with what he knows. If the nine-man rotation works, there's no need to change it. For Achiuwa, he could expand it to a ten-man rotation. The 24-year-old has proven worthy of that, but Thibs is stubborn. His motto should be: If it isn't broken, don't fix it.
Regardless, Achiuwa's minutes will decrease dramatically when Randle and Robinson return. While they're getting up to speed, Achiuwa should still get playing time, as neither Randle nor Robinson should overdo it. We're looking at you, Thibodeau.
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2. Jericho Sims
Sims' minutes are at a career-low in his third season in the league. He's averaging 13.4 minutes per game, a little over two minutes less than the 15.6 he averaged in 2022-23. As a rookie, he averaged 13.5 minutes.
There's no question about the 25-year-old's athleticism. Sims can leap into the air with what seems like little effort. Sims will slow flashes of promising play, but not consistently. There have been too many times he's in the game but not making much of an impact. The potential is there, though.
With Robinson set to return and possibly come off the bench, Sims will return to his end-of-the-bench role as the third-string center. Sims could split minutes with Robinson in his first few games back so that the big man won't overdo it, but as long as Robinson doesn't experience a setback, Sims won't be in Thibs' playoff rotation.
1. Alec Burks
There was a lot of hope when the Knicks reunited with Burks. He wasn't the headliner of the trade, but fans thought he was at least someone who could come off the bench and score, something New York needs. In the first half of the 2023-24 season with the Pistons, Burks averaged 12.6 points on 39.4% shooting from the field and 40.1% from three. He hasn't looked like that player in New York.
Burks is averaging 7.9 points on 32.6% shooting from the field and 31% from deep. He hasn't been the facilitator the Knicks hoped he would be, nor has he been able to get much of anything going on offense. He's had a couple of decent games, like the 18 points he scored against Denver on Thursday, but that player hasn't consistently shown up.
McBride has outplayed Burks by a mile, so much so that the 23-year-old has found his way into the starting lineup. The young guard who gets it done on both ends has earned a playoff rotation spot, while Burks hasn't. It's unfortunate, considering Burks helped the Knicks make it to the postseason in 2021.
Burks will be an unrestricted free agent over the summer. Even though he's one of Thibodeau's favorites, he'll likely be a short-term rental.