Previewing The 2024-25 New York Knicks
September 19th, 2024
by Alan Lu
The New York Knicks had a fairly solid season in 2024. They won 50 games under head coach Tom Thibodeau in the regular season, were able to defeat Joel Embiid’s 76ers in the first round of the 2024 series due to the strong performances of Jalen Brunson and his teammates, but then they ended up losing to the Indiana Pacers in the second round.
In the offseason, they traded to land star forward Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn, and he will be reunited with Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo to help the Knicks for the upcoming season. The Knicks lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency however, so Mitchell Robinson and other players will need to step up to replace his lost production. Still, Bridges should pair well with Brunson and former All-Star forward Julius Randle, and the Knicks will likely be an upper-tier playoff team in the East in 2025.
Jalen Brunson and New York Knicks’ superfan and star actor Ben Stiller have revitalized the New York Knicks, as they are contenders in the East once again. (Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images, via Ebony Magazine)
Star Players:
G Jalen Brunson, G-F Mikal Bridges, and F Julius Randle
Jalen Brunson is a very skilled playmaker that played really well in the playoffs last season. He’s been a stellar offensive player, and he’s been very productive in his time there. He’s the catalyst of their offense, and he’s been an offensive force for them in New York.
Mikal Bridges is a versatile swingman that can provide solid skills on both ends of the floor, and while he’s not really a dominant player, he’s a solid all-around player that plays well in a complementary role.
Julius Randle is an All-Star forward that has provided the Knicks consistent scoring and versatility over the years, and he also is an underrated playmaker that can rack up assists on the court.
Additions:
G-F Mikal Bridges, G Cameron Payne, F Keita Bates-Diop, G Tyler Kolek, F Pacome Dadiet, G-F Kevin McCullar, and C Ariel Hukporti
The Knicks added more star power to add Mikal Bridges to their team. They gave up a fairly hefty price, as it cost them five first round draft picks, Cameron Payne will offer scoring and a reliable backup point guard to the Knicks. Bates-Diop is a depth forward that will compete for minutes, and they also were able to get a slew of talented rookies that will compete for playing time.
Subtractions:
C Isaiah Hartenstein, G-F Bojan Bogdanovic, G-F Alec Burks, G Shake Milton, and G-F DaQuan Jeffries
Losing Hartenstein will hurt the Knicks, and he provided them a strong interior presence in the paint, as well as great energy, efficiency, and solid rim protection. Bogdanovic is a sharpshooting, scoring swingman that had a forgettable stint in New York, so much so that I didn’t even know he was even on the Knicks last year. Burks and Milton provided a veteran presence off the bench, although they didn’t play nearly as well as they had in years past, and Jeffries was a backend role player that didn’t play much last season.
Rookies:
G Tyler Kolek, F Pacome Dadiet, G-F Kevin McCullar, and C Ariel Hukporti
Tyler Kolek is a smart, savvy point guard whose offensive skills should allow him to step in right away. Kevin McCullar is a strong, physical point forward that has solid playmaking and defensive skills, but will need to continue to improve his jump shot. Pacome Dadiet is a young, French swingman that projects into a 3 and D role. Ariel Hukporti is a big, physical center that was effective as an interior player in the NBL, and his rim running and rim protection skills could enable to excel in a backup center role in this league.
Expected Rotation:
The acquisition of star forward Mikal Bridges to the Knicks will help bolster the team’s talent, depth, and chemistry, and while trading away five first round picks may raise eyebrows, Bridges should help the Knicks even more, and they could challenge Boston in the East in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
(Photo: Kristian Winfield/New York Daily News)
The Knicks have a talented unit that was bolstered significantly by the strong play of Jalen Brunson. He helped them get a stunning playoff series win over the 76ers, but they then lost a hard-fought, seveng-game series to the Indiana Pacers in the second round. This time around, they added Mikal Bridges to beef up their starting lineup. Julius Randle is a star forward that can score the basketball in a variety of ways, and can provide considerable versatility, especially on the offensive end. OG Anunoby is another athletic, tough wing that excels at making plays on both ends of the floor. After missing most of last season due to injury, Mitchell Robinson will have the tough task to replace Hartenstein.
Projected Starting Lineup:
Key Bench Players:
Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart are two very good role players that have helped the New York Knicks to be one of the best teams in the East last season. (Photo: Petre Thomas/USA Today Sports, via Hoopshype)
The Knicks have some solid contributors, and have some depth that can help them navigate the long season. Josh Hart is a big, strong wing that can space the floor, is a tremendous rebounder, and he is a physical defender that can lock down opponents. Donte DiVincenzo is an athletic, skilled swingman that can do a little bit of everything.
G-F Josh Hart
F-C Precious Achiuwa
The Rest of the Roster:
F-C Jericho Sims
G-F Kevin McCullar (Two-Way)
C Ariel Hukporti (Two-Way)
F Jacob Toppin (Two-Way)
Others in Camp:
F Chuma Okeke (Exhibit 10)
Head Coach:
Tom Thibodeau helped his team win 50 games in the regular season and to defeating Joel Embiid’s Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs last season. (Photo: Getty Images, via Heavy.com)
Tom Thibodeau
2023-24 (NYK): 50-32, 7-6 in the playoffs
Coaching Career: 527-389, 38-47 in the NBA Playoffs
Thibodeau is a solid coach that can get the most out of a roster that plays his preferred style, and he’s shown that his teams are capable of beating a solid team in the playoff series, but it remains to be seen if he can adjust to higher level opponents and make the proper adjustments to go deeper in the playoffs.
NBA Head Coach Rank: 9
Outlook:
Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo are going to lead the New York Knicks to win plenty of games and to the NBA playoffs in 2025. (Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images, via ESPN)
The New York Knicks have a solid team that will surely make the playoffs in 2025, and they added significant star power in adding Mikal Bridges, as they seem to have leveled up to become an upper-tier playoff team. They will need Mitchell Robinson to step up in absence of Isaiah Hartenstein, and if so, the Knicks could surprise people and make a deeper run in the playoffs than expected.
Projected 2024-25 Finish:
Expected Win-Loss Record: 45-37
Projected Regular Season Finish: 4th in the Eastern Conference
Expected Playoff Finish: Projected to lose in the 2nd Round
Preseason NBA Power Ranking: 7
I went to Basketball-Reference and SalarySwish to look up some information for this write-up. It will be an exciting basketball season this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing the in-season tournament to see how that will unfold. Anyways, that is my write-up on my preview of the 2024-25 New York Knicks. Thanks for reading.