The Knicks' offense was very good in 2024-25, finishing in the top five in offensive rating and averaging 115.8 points per game, the ninth-most in the league. This season, their offense is poised to receive a huge boost as the Knicks are bringing in Chris Jent and TJ Saint to join Mike Brown's staff, according to SNY's Ian Begley.
Jent, who was part of the Charlotte Hornets' staff last year, will serve as the associate head coach under Brown while being tasked with leading the offense, per Begley. Saint is coming from the G-League, where he was the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans' G-League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, and will serve as an assistant coach.
The Knicks' offense is in good hands
Both Jent and Saint have reputations of being smart offensive-thinkers, and will have an opportunity to try to elevate the Knicks' offense to a new level in 2025-26.
Jent already knows what it is like to coach on Brown's staff, as he worked as an assistant under him during his time in Cleveland. That synergy will be important for them to be able to hit the ground running this season, where they have several decisions to figure out about what the Knicks' rotation should look like and how it can be optimized.
Saint should have much to contribute on that end of the floor as well. Begley noted that the Saint is considered a "bright offensive mind" within coaching circles, and for good reason, considering the Squadron had the best offensive rating in the G-League in the 2023-24 season.
Optimizing the Knicks lineup
One of the biggest items for Jent and Saint to tackle will be finding out just who should be starting to optimize the talent on the Knicks' roster.
There is no shortage of options when it comes to lineup possibilities for the Knicks. There are four shoe-ins to start: Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns. After that, there is a massive question mark. Last year, the spot belonged to Josh Hart, and the first option is to give him the spot again to start this season.
Other options include slotting Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup, which would greatly improve the team's offensive rebounding. Finally, a third possibility is starting Deuce McBride, a move that would optimize spacing and shooting for the Knicks. There will almost certainly be some experimenting early as the staff determines what the best combination is.