Who Should Be the 5th Starter?

[Signature NYK]

Like the Subject says... who are you picking to be the Knicks' 5th starter in the 25-26 season?

[kNicksGmen]

My opinion is a lot of good teams have a token starter. Meaning their best 5 isn't necessarily the starters. And one of the starters is a guy that only plays 20-27 minutes anyways.

I'm hopeful they will be flexible and start/close games depending on matchups and who has it going etc

If I had to pick I would be fine with anything other than hart starting.

Deuce? A little small but 5 out deadly offense.
Yabs? Big lineup but still 5 out
Mitch? Big lineup, better rim protection/rebounding.


#AnyoneButHart

[Moose]

I assume the signing of Clarkson is with the intention of putting Hart to the bench and starting McBride

[NoDopeOnSundays]

Mitch or Yabu.

[Fat Kat]

Duece. If you start Mitch, the team would have to readjust after his annual injury. Mitch is a 20-25 minute bench big.

[Ravenxvirall]

I like that the poll shows that absolutely no one thinks hart should be starting lmao. Everyone under the sun but thibs knows he should be a super sub.

[thebuzzardman]

Yabu

[sol537]

Mitch as the token starter for 22 mins per game sounds about right. Takes defensive pressure off of KAT and the rest of the guys and cleans up our rebounding. Sure, there are downsides to it but the upside outweighs that. Dude is a force when healthy (game changer).

Yabu, Hart, Clarkson and Deuce off the bench should be able to keep the rest of the starters under 34 minutes ideally.

[spree8]

This talk of Mitch starting makes me kinda hope he gets traded.

[GettinitDone]

I have a feeling it would be Yabu - sayless

His physicality and ability to rebound, run, and shoot complement the other 4 perfectly, imo better than Deuce who is still too undersized to be a long term starter alongside other undersized guard (JB)... Deuce's defense is good but it's not that good to warrant starting him with JB to form undersized backcourt, and his shooting can be hot and cold for weeks at a time

[sol537]

Deuce as a plan B is interesting. He can guard the point of attack and allow Mikal to focus more on help defense and on his offense. It’s worth exploring having Deuce with the starting lineup especially since the advanced metrics were so good with it last season. Then Mitch is the super sub 22 mins back up C. I can dig it.

[Nazrmohamed]

Im gonna say Mitch, used just how you described. 20-25minute starter and we could always still consider a lineup similar to ehat we did last year our death lineup. But I still think the basis of what we do should be rooted in defense and length at every position. Not to mention the subs just then become more lethal

[Besart19]

Robinson / Hukporti
Towns / Yabusele
Anunony / Hart
Bridges / McBridd
Brunson / Clarkson

Or

Towns / Robinson
Yabusele / Hart
Anunoby / Shamet (Coffey)
Bridges / McBride
Brunson / Clarkson

[gavran]

It is I.

[prophet_of_rage]

Yabu is not a good defender. I doubt it is he. Either Hart retains his role or Robinson starts to set the tone. But Brown isn't a huge fan of non-shooting bigs.

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[Zero-in-box]

I voted for McBride by accident because I forgot all about Yabu!

I think Yabu absolutely should start - he might not be the defender any of us wants - but I think he has the size to help up front, I think with our offense he has the IQ to help run it, he has the ability to finish, hit the three and set picks and screens that will absolutely help Brunson attack and exploit match ups.

I love Mitch, but I worry about his ability to stay healthy and also process and run the offense that Brown ran in, Sacramento.

In terms of who goes to the bench - I think Hart or Bridges should. Hart was over played - I wonder if Thibs was simply lazy, knowing he could put him out there - and he should be 30 minutes energy - starting is ok, or off the bench.

And I could see Bridges being more effective as the focal point of the 2nd unit, especially with what Brown is likely to install as a system.

[Kidknick!]

Deuce, you preserve Mitch that way.

[rajajackal]

i accidentally pressed hart because i just woke up and thought this was asking about 6th man. so imagine one less for hart and one more for mitch lol

[aq_ua]

Not going five-out in a meaningful way probably led to Thibs’ firing, so Brown was probably hired in part because he pitched the idea of starting five shooters. I think means Mitch and Hart are coming off the bench in favor of Deuce.

Bridges was inadequate as a point of attack defender anyway, so Deuce starting should actually improve the defense as well. Hart and Mitch should only play 20-25mpg to minimize the minutes of two non-shooters on the floor at the same time. Mitch might start from time to time depending on certain match ups, but I think spreading the floor becomes more of a focal point this season.

[nykballa2k4]

Not going five-out in a meaningful way probably led to Thibs’ firing, so Brown was probably hired in part because he pitched the idea of starting five shooters. I think means Mitch and Hart are coming off the bench in favor of Deuce.

Bridges was inadequate as a point of attack defender anyway, so Deuce starting should actually improve the defense as well. Hart and Mitch should only play 20-25mpg to minimize the minutes of two non-shooters on the floor at the same time. Mitch might start from time to time depending on certain match ups, but I think spreading the floor becomes more of a focal point this season.

IMO it should be Mitch to reduce the overlap in Mitch/Hart playing time. They can't both occupy the same dunker spot.

I like going big, but I can support a situational thing like other teams have been doing.