Last year

Starters
Brunson
Donte
OG
Randle
Robinson

Subs
Deuce
Burks
JHart
Bogda
IHart

End of bench
Achiuwa
Sims

This year

Starters
Brunson
Bridges
OG
Randle
Robinson

Subs
Deuce
Donte
JHart
Bates-Diop
Sims

End of bench
Kolek
McCullar
Dadiet
Ariel

The starting 5 seems better since Bridges is better than Donte
The subs are slightly worse. The loss of IHart of course and Bodganovic who is a better than Diop but Donte is far better than Burks
The depth is far better.
If we manage to snatch Kessler (not likely) or Nick Richards and Achiuwa. the gap between last year's subs and this year's talent decreases.

Of course injuries played a big role last season but I think with an improvement to the center position, injuries will not hurt use as much.

The only real dropoff I see will be at center, as Randle will probably go back to playing most of the minutes at PF. Playing with the second unit as well. If the FO brings back Precious, we'll be in great shape. He can do double duty filling in a C and PF. We wont have to worry about Sims or Bates-Diop panning out.

Also, when you look at this team last year at the start of the season compared to now it’s insane
C Mitch PF Randle SF Barrett SG Grimes PG Brunson.

Obviously we have 3 out of 5 starters but the team itself is so different. And OG and Bridges in place of Barrett and Grimes. What an upgrade.

Panos wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:DDV's game took a good sized jump last season, so I would say DDV the bench player this season, should be better than he was last season. I dont see JHart logging the kind of minutes he did last season. Dont see him in the starting lineup as much this season, which means we have a good chance of seeing Josh return to being a super-sub.

The only real dropoff I see will be at center, as Randle will probably go back to playing most of the minutes at PF. Playing with the second unit as well. If the FO brings back Precious, we'll be in great shape. He can do double duty filling in a C and PF. We wont have to worry about Sims or Bates-Diop panning out.

DDV may be too good to be bringing off the bench. I hope it doesn't mess with our chemistry. Feels similar to last year with IQ coming off the bench, only in that case he was never a starter and so didn't suffer a demotion. I hope he takes it in stride and everyone realizes that its a long season and we need the depth.
I also think JHart could be disgruntled for minutes, but I actually think he is the perfect 6th man, super-sub. He could win 6MOTY.

Ideally none of the guards/SFs should need to play more than 30 mins per game, maybe 35 for Brunson, unless someone is injured.
PG: JB 35 mins/Deuce 13 mins
SG: Bridges 30 mins/DDV 18 mins
SF: OG 15 mins/Josh 23 mins
Knicks lineup doesn't suffer at all when our starting SG/SF step off the floor.
PF: Randle 35 min/OG 13 mins
C: MitchRob 35 mins (till December when he goes on DL)/ Randle 5 min/Sims (???) 8min
They find a back C, and this is a very scary team players 1-10

IQ did play some games as a starter before that, and put up starter numbers, cant remember the assist avg. but he was averaging 20pts plus a game. I believe they traded Quickley in part because he was going to ask too much. The FO didnt want to pay IQ starter money to come off the bench.

If Donte was giving up his spot in the starting lineup for anyone other than one of his old Nova teammates, Im guessing he'd be asking for a trade. DDV also knows that the FO gave up King's ransom for Bridges, and they didnt do it to bring him off the bench.

I know that its likely wishful thinking, but I dont believe OG is going to be a league leader in minutes like he was in Toronto, and not far off in NY. Not with Hart showing that he's good enough to start. Im not talking about minutes restrictions, but more of a happy medium between there and being careerwise a leader in minutes played.

When Hart first joined the Knicks, he was having the same effect OG did, when it came to wins and losses with Josh in the lineup. Thibs can afford not to play OG that much during the regular season with Hart ready to pick up the slack. There is also OG's extensive list of injuries that came with all that PT

If Leon and crew can bring in a discount version of iHart, I'll prefer this coming season's roster.