Knicks’ young sharp-shooter could be a secret ingredient next season
The New York Knicks will be one of the deepest teams in the NBA when the regular season begins, led by their All-Star duo Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. The second unit will have starting level players like Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart, making New York a difficult matchup for all 48 minutes. But they still have one piece that was highly impactful last season.
Off the bench, they also still have Miles McBride, who took a massive leap in his third NBA season when given the opportunity following the trade that saw OG Anunoby come in and Immanuel Quickley head out. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes named each team’s “best kept secret” for this upcoming season, and McBride was named as the Knicks’ secret weapon.
McBride spent the majority of his first two NBA seasons barely being a part of the rotation. He played briefly during the 2023 playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, but he played a massive role in the 2024 edition and came up huge for a Knicks team that was depleted with injuries throughout the postseason.
In the playoffs, McBride played over 26 minutes per game and averaged 11 points – higher than his regular season average of 8.3 – while shooting 36.8% from three. He scored in double figures seven times through the team’s 13 postseason games, and his impact on defense was massive as well.
Regardless of the role, McBride has shown he can be impactful
There is still room for McBride to grow as a playmaker, as, at times, he struggled to facilitate the offense when Jalen Brunson was off the floor. However, the Knicks’ second unit will look significantly different this season, as DiVincenzo and Hart will return to the bench, and the recently drafted guard Tyler Kolek could crack a spot in the rotation. How Kolek’s presence would affect McBride remains to be seen, but he could still be utilized in a catch-and-shoot role and remain effective on the court to allow both players to earn significant minutes.
It is unclear if head coach Tom Thibodeau is willing to shift McBride’s role from being the backup point guard, but regardless of the role he is in, he has demonstrated the ability to be impactful the moment his number is called. The Knicks nearly traded him in the Mikal Bridges deal earlier this summer, but their unwillingness to do so shows that they believe McBride will continue to develop into a solid piece that will be key to reaching the top of the NBA world.
