2. Point guard depth
Last season, New York lost its backup point guard after the Anunoby trade. The Knicks felt Immanuel Quickley's absence. They traded for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to try to replace Quickley's scoring and playmaking off the bench, but they didn't get the desired results.
Miles McBride surged after the Anunoby trade, but he learned on the fly about running an offense. He'll continue to be Brunson's primary backup, but the Knicks added depth this summer.
New York traded up for Tyler Kolek in the 2024 NBA Draft. Portland initially selected the point guard with the No. 34 overall pick. Kolek starred at Summer League. He looked poised running the offense and proved he can be a long-term option for the Knicks. He was a front-office favorite before the draft for a reason.
The front office didn't stop with Kolek. In July, the Knicks signed Cam Payne to a one-year, $3.1 million deal. SNY's Ian Begley reported that New York liked Payne's playoff experience. In the second half of last season, he played for the Sixers, so he's familiar with the MSG playoff atmosphere.
Payne likely won't be in the rotation unless an injury occurs, but as fans know, it's better to have depth. The Knicks' injuries piled up last season. For a team hoping to make a deep playoff run, Payne's presence and experience will be helpful.