Knicks Shouldn't Forget Miles McBride Amidst Shake Milton Signing

Shake Milton's signing with the New York Knicks shouldn't exorcise the progress of Miles McBride.

The New York Knicks have taken the time-honored mantra of "new year, new me" rather literally.

Six players who appeared on the Knicks' opening night roster in October are no longer with the team, giving way to a roster makeover that has since seen OG Anunoby and Bojan Bogdanovic make their New York debuts in 2024, as well as Alec Burks' return. Despite the trade deadline having passed, the Knicks continued making moves by reportedly planning to add former Philadelphia 76ers veteran Shake Milton, who is set to join after clearing waivers.

Milton is set to join a Knicks group with loftier expectations than the group that embarked upon the journey in October: trading for Bogdanovic and Burks gave New York one of the deepest 11-man rotations in the NBA on paper but injuries have prevented them from living up to that reputation. 

With Milton in the fold, the question stands: will the former Philadelphian's arrival bring about any major rotational changes to a fateful 20-game stretch where the Play-In Tournament is a realistic possibility? 

Jeremy Reper, USA TODAY SPORTS

Milton Shouldn't Mess With McBride

Just when Miles McBride thought it was safe to go back on the hardwood ...

McBride has carried a complicated New York legacy: succeeding defensively has ensured he has a lasting home on the NBA level and he's finding something of an offensive rhythm: McBride reached double-figures in scoring in half of his dozen February appearances including a career-best 21 points in Feb. 8's loss to Dallas, the last of four straight games with at least 10. 

But the third-year man keeps getting buried behind high-profile new toys on the Knicks' roster. He was all but exiled when the team traded for Josh Hart at least year's deadline and bringing in Milton (who garnered Sixth Man of the Year consideration in Philadelphia) could threaten to do the same.

Standing as a survivor in the purge that dealt away both Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley, McBride has been one of the Knicks' most viable, consistent backcourt options. Hints of another booting linger in his minutes: McBride has seen his time somewhat dwindle since Burks' inconsistent rearrival but more ailments have often forced the Knicks' hand.

In an argument to grant McBride extended duties, David Vertsberger of SNY offered several statistical deep dives into his impact ...

• With injuries eating away at the Knicks' defensive success, they gave up five few points per 100 possessions with McBride on the floor (116.1 to 121.1).

• McBride shot 51.2 percent on catch-and-shoot threes in January.

• Since the Bogdanovic/Burks deal (Feb. 8), McBride has posted a 2.67 assist-to-turnover ratio

The Knicks keep re-upping with McBride on affordable second-rounder extensions but if Milton starts to eat away at his already relatively tepid minutes, the Knicks may have a more assertive decision to make. One could make an argument that the Knicks targeted the wrong waiver wire entrant: the Knicks perhaps could've benefitted from bringing in Mike Muscala as interior insurance with Isaiah Hartenstein's Achilles acting up again but he opted for a reunion with Oklahoma City.

Knicks 2023-24 Player Preview: Is There a Place For McBride?

Tommy Time

Head coach Tom Thibodeau rolled with an ironclad nine-man set last season, one he steadfastly stuck to even as the Knicks' impending doom was written: last season, eight men played at least 20 minutes a game, one of them being Hart, who averaged 30 minutes a game in 25 showings after coming over from Portland. This time around, 13 different Knicks qualify for the same category.

Sure, injuries and trades play a part in the uptick (the group includes the departed Grimes, Quickley, and RJ Barrett) but it shows a sign of adaptational growth from Thibodeau. These final regular season hours could be the perfect time for him to experiment further thanks to relatively secure postseason positioning (11 games up on 11th-place Brooklyn) and the potential to surprisingly benefit from potential Play-In inclusion.

An early report from Knicks insider Ian Begley of SNY hints at relative immunity for all parties involved, including McBride, Milton, and the struggling Burks. 

"Knicks’ Shake Milton signing is moreso about adding depth amid injuries and not necessarily about Milton immediately taking over someone’s spot in the NYK rotation," Begley declared in a Sunday X post. "Obviously, a rotation can always change based on health/performance."

Loosening his dedication to a nine-man rotation could pay dividends for Thibodeau and Co. The Knicks have built something strong and potentially sustainable without sacrificing much beyond a few big checks: the sacrifice of Quickley stings most but McBride has helped overcome that departure. 

Injuries notwithstanding, the Knicks have a good thing going. But leaving McBride at the hardwood altar could prove to be the sin that undoes a good bit of it all.