Could Knicks' Desire to 'Win Now' Neglect Younger Players?

Minutes for young players might not be a priority if the Knicks want to stage a playoff return.

One would potentially think that the New York Knicks' lack of Donovan Mitchell in their immediate future would open up opportunities for the younger players on the roster, particularly those they opted to keep rather than deal away for the newly-minuted Cleveland Cavalier. 

But, if head coach Tom Thibodeau has his apparent way, the Knicks' elder statesmen would get the primary minutes in what would be a challenging, if not developmental, season.

Failing to obtain Mitchell hasn't deterred Thibodeau from embracing a win-now approach, Marc Berman of the New York Post reported in an appearance on SNY. It's perhaps understandable for Thibodeau to approach the 2022-23 season that way: he's entering a vital third year at the New York helm and is looking to atone for a disappointing, 37-win follow-up to a rare Knicks playoff appearance. 

To that end, Berman says that Thibodeau will look toward his veterans to contend, even if the Knicks could find difficulty in entering the Eastern Conference's penthouse. 

"Tom Thibodeau wants to win right now," Berman told host Dexter Henry. "They are trying to win right away, get back in the playoffs. I know fans want to see more of Miles McBride, but you're going to see a lot of Derrick Rose, you're going to see the veterans play more minutes." 

Berman has an even more dire forecast for Jericho Sims, noting that the re-signed interior prescience "probably doesn't crack the rotation" with Mitchell Robinson also back and Isaiah Hartenstein brought in from the Los Angeles Clippers. Thus, he does "not believe that there will be more young players getting big minutes early in the season."

The quest, Berman explains, was perhaps best defined by the Knicks' refusal to use the 11th overall pick in June's draft, which was used to build a budget for "young veteran" Jalen Brunson. It was a pick originally used on international paint man Ousmane Dieng but the Knicks sent his rights to Oklahoma City for further first-round selections. It built a sizable draft pick surplus that was reportedly coveted by the Utah Jazz in the Mitchell discussions.

Berman does note that Thibodeau's mindset could change by circa February ... but only, as he puts it, if "the Knicks are awful." By then, Thibodeau might not even be around, as he likely faces one of the hottest seats entering the 2022-23 season. No Knicks coach has lasted three full seasons at the helm since Mike D'Antoni (2008-12), and pressure will undoubtedly be placed upon Thibodeau to make things right. 

Thibodeau's salvation, however, could become the professional downfall of the Knicks' younger talents spared from a western fate and perhaps force the team to start all over again soon, especially if the nine-figure Brunson gambit fails to pay dividends. 

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags