Recently, Kevin Pelton, Bobby Marks, and other ESPN NBA insiders examined six contenders—the Knicks, Lakers, Bucks, Heat, Pelicans, and 76ers—to assess their weaknesses and explore trade season options.
Unsurprisingly, these insiders identified the Knicks’ need for frontcourt depth and noted how injuries and salary cap constraints limit their roster flexibility.
According to Pelton, the Knicks are allocating “more than 74% of their minutes to their five starters, the highest percentage for any team in the NBA.” This heavy reliance on starters is a hallmark of Tom Thibodeau, but it poses issues when the injury bug strikes.