A new era of Knicks basketball begins — in the United Arab Emirates.
The Knicks are set to play their first of two preseason-opening games against the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, a matinee matchup airing at noon on MSG Networks and NBATV. It’ll be the first glimpse of a championship contender adjusting to a new system, a new style and a new sideline presence as Mike Brown steps in to replace Tom Thibodeau.
Brown and his players have talked the talk. They want to play fast. They want to shoot a volume of threes worthy of their lights-out roster. They want to move away from isolation-heavy sets and embrace a free-flowing, player-movement-heavy offense grounded in pace and spacing.
Until now, it’s all been talk.
This week, the Knicks finally get a chance to walk the walk. Here are five things to watch for in Abu Dhabi.
BALL DISTRIBUTION
Preaching movement is easy. Executing it is something else. The Knicks offense is undergoing a live transformation — one that will come with growing pains. Brown said after Day 3 of training camp that the team was ahead of the curve on both sides of the ball, but those were intrasquad reps. Now they face a new challenge: Nick Nurse’s Sixers, a team that pressures the ball and thrives on disrupting offensive rhythm.
MINUTES DISTRIBUTION
Playing faster and implementing a concept-based offense takes time — and reps. The Knicks need to get their starters and core rotation players extended court time to iron out wrinkles before Opening Night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But this is also Brown’s first opportunity to evaluate the back end of the roster and experiment with different combinations. Does he front-load minutes for his stars and give the end-of-bench guys run later? Or does he rotate freely early and then ramp things up as the preseason wraps? The balance between urgency and evaluation will be telling.
DOES BROGDON STILL HAVE IT?
At full health, Malcolm Brogdon is the kind of guard every contender wants: steady, cerebral, capable of scoring from all three levels and initiating offense with size and poise. But he’s also appeared in fewer than 40 games in three of the past four seasons. When he’s on the floor, though, he produces — 15.7 points and 5.5 assists in Portland two seasons ago, then 12.7 points and four assists in a limited role with the Wizards last year.
The Knicks struggled whenever Jalen Brunson sat.
If Brogdon is healthy and impactful, he’s the perfect backup. But keeping both Brogdon and Landry Shamet on the roster would require a trade — something the front office won’t hesitate to make if Brogdon proves he’s still a high-level contributor.
YEAR 2 LEAPS
If Brogdon and Shamet stick, it likely comes at the expense of one of the sophomores: Tyler Kolek or Pacome Dadiet. Kolek flashed as a confident floor general and shooter but struggled defensively. Dadiet offers great size and a smooth stroke but couldn’t crack Thibodeau’s rotation, even when OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges were overloaded. Brown is expected to give the young guys real preseason minutes. Ariel Hukporti, back from a meniscus tear, is another name to watch — especially with Mitchell Robinson expected to be under a back-to-back restriction. And don’t forget Kevin McCullar Jr., who impressed after returning from injury late last season. Every rookie-contract Knick is under pressure. If New York wants to make a title run, sacrifices will be made. The front office has shown it’s willing to make them.
THE ROOK
The Knicks have made a habit of hitting on late picks, and Mohamed Diawara might be next. Taken 51st overall, Diawara is a long, athletic, high-motor forward with defensive versatility and raw tools that can be molded into a rotation piece. The front office has already found value with second-rounders like Miles McBride, Kolek, McCullar and Hukporti — all of whom have outperformed their draft slot. Diawara joins fellow Frenchmen Dadiet and Guerschon Yabusele in forming a new European wing of the roster. With Brown now at the helm, Diawara has a shot to show whether his elite tools can translate into early impact.
Brown has never shied away from throwing young players into the fire. When injuries decimated his Kings rotation, he turned to two-way guard Keon Ellis — who seized the moment and ultimately carved out a permanent role long after Brown’s departure. The young Knicks will have a chance to follow that blueprint. But with a roster deeper than any in recent franchise memory, the climb from prospect to rotation player won’t be easy.
