Evaluating Knicks’ Biggest Roster Hole Ahead of Training Camp

The New York Knicks have not had an eventful offseason since winning the NBA Championship in June, but they have prioritized keeping a similar roster as they look to repeat in 2026-2027. 

Their one notable loss was center Mitchell Robinson, who joined the Boston Celtics in free agency. To replace him, they signed center Andre Drummond from the Philadelphia 76ers. 

While the frontcourt has stability, there’s a hole in the backcourt that may need to be solved sooner rather than later. The shooting guard spot, more particularly the backups, could cause issues for New York next season.  

In the postseason, New York got a big lift from the likes of Josh Hart, Landry Shamet, and Miles McBride, but now the task is to sustain that success. 

Going into the playoffs, the Knicks were not getting that same level of production towards the end of the regular season. Instead, it was a matter of getting hot at the right time. 

In the Eastern Conference Finals, Landry Shamet proved that to be the case as he shot 90 percent from three-point range and looked unstoppable against the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Miles McBride had his moment in Game 4 of the second round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers, where his hot shooting helped him finish with 25 points as he helped the Knicks close out the series. 

The good news for the Knicks is that, in case of injury or bad performance, they have two young pieces, Tyler Nickel and Tyler Kolek, who can help in that area.  

Nickel is a rookie guard from Vanderbilt who has the ability to be a reliable shooter, and he has playmaking ability. Kolek is a similar kind of player, and as he enters his second year in the league, this could be a season in which he sees more minutes. 

If Josh Hart can continue to be the kind of two-way player he is, the Knicks starters will not have an issue in any area. In terms of their starting lineup, they’re one of the most complete teams in the league. 

The goal for the bench is to continue to find ways to play fast on offense, make three-point shots, and defend the perimeter. When New York has production from that backup shooting guard spot, they have no holes on their roster. 

It will be interesting to see if anyone off the bench will step up in that spot and how they will navigate a potential injury.