Mike Brown plans to gradually increase the Knicks starters’ preseason workload, using the final exhibition as their preparation for opening night.
Mike Brown plans to gradually bring the New York Knicks’ starters through the preseason, reserving their heaviest preparation for the final exhibition.
The approach gives the defending champions time to rebuild game conditioning following a shortened offseason while allowing Brown to evaluate players outside the established starting lineup.
“We’ll try to ease them in,” Brown said. “The last game is always a dress rehearsal.”
Brown indicated that the starters’ workloads would increase as that final game approaches. He did not announce specific minute limits, leaving the details of the progression to be determined as the preseason unfolds.
For a team returning a championship starting group, the plan makes the early exhibitions useful without requiring the most important players to immediately handle regular-season responsibilities.
A Gradual Return for the Starting Five
Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns give Brown an established foundation. The preseason can help that group recover its timing while the coaching staff assesses readiness for opening night.
New York begins exhibition play Monday in Philadelphia and concludes its preseason Oct. 15 against Toronto at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks then open the regular season against the 76ers on Oct. 20.
That schedule gives Brown a clear endpoint for his buildup. The Toronto game should offer the closest preseason indication of how he wants his main group to function when the games begin counting.
Brunson’s preparation is particularly relevant after offseason surgery to repair a tendon in his left wrist. He has said he feels good while acknowledging that the recovery made his summer different from his usual routine.
Brown has also said the players passed the conditioning test required to enter camp. That provides an encouraging baseline, though game rhythm requires more than completing a fitness assessment.
Handling defensive possessions, changing direction repeatedly and making decisions under pressure all become more demanding as a player’s minutes increase. A gradual progression gives the coaching staff opportunities to evaluate those responses.
Early Games Create Evaluation Opportunities
Lighter workloads for the starters could create additional chances for reserves and players competing for roster spots.
Those minutes are valuable because practice alone cannot answer every rotation question. Preseason opponents bring different personnel and coverages, forcing players to adapt without the familiarity of facing teammates every day.
Brown can use those opportunities to evaluate defensive communication, rebounding and whether bench combinations generate organized offense. Players trying to earn trust will need to show that they can carry out assignments consistently.
The final exhibition should then help connect that evaluation with the established core. More time for the starters could reveal which reserves fit comfortably alongside them and which combinations still need adjustment.
Preseason results will offer only a limited picture of New York’s title defense. Brown’s stated progression provides a more useful measure: whether the main rotation becomes increasingly coordinated and ready for its opening-night workload.
