Seven Knicks Questions Before Season Opener

The New York Knicks have seven weeks left until the season opener against the Boston Celtics.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 4, 2024

Feb 12, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) defends during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / troy taormina-usa today sports

In this story:

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are just seven weeks away from their season opener against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, which will kick off the regular season in the NBA.

Here are seven things that the Knicks need to figure out before then:

Will Julius Randle be healthy?

Randle is still recovering from shoulder surgery he underwent back in March. His status is still up in the air for the start of the season, but he will try to make his recovery full before Oct. 22 when the Knicks play the Celtics.

Will Mitchell Robinson be healthy?

Like Randle, Robinson is recovering from surgery after an injury he tweaked once again with his ankle. He has been recovering all offseason long with the hope that he will be ready for the start of the regular season.

Will the Knicks make another trade?

The Knicks are an improving team, but they are far from complete. They could be in line to make one or two more trades before the start of the season, but it likely won't happen until December when newly-signed players are able to be dealt, which opens up the market significantly.

Who will be the backup center?

The Knicks are likely not making any more acquisitions beyond the players they currently have, so Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa will be fighting for minutes as the team's backup center during training camp.

Who will be the sixth man?

The Knicks have a few options for the first player off the bench. Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo are the primary candidates, but Miles McBride could sneak in there as well.

Will rookie Tyler Kolek play?

Tyler Kolek is seen in high regard with the Knicks, but as a rookie, he may have a tough time finding minutes in Tom Thibodeau's rotation. That being said, his talent and experience in college (five years) could be enough to find himself a role for the Knicks off the bench.

Can the Knicks go all in?

The Knicks have high expectations going into the season, but can they reach another gear that they weren't able to get to last year? The tone will be set in training camp, which begins in early October.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Sep 4, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.