The New York Knicks have made some notable roster moves lately. Following Jose Alvarado‘s acquisition from the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of the trade deadline, New York also managed to sign Jeremy Sochan from the buyout market to add to their overall squad depth.
Due to Jeremy Sochan’s circumstances, the Knicks were able to sign the former Spurs forward on a minimum contract. When factoring in the salary dump from Alvarado’s acquisition, ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted that the Knicks are now approximately $1.14 million below the second apron.
Given that the team is already ranked third in the Eastern Conference (35-20), acquiring another reliable rotation piece at a discounted price only serves to boost their existing roster strength.
As the Knicks continue to assert their status as genuine contenders in the East, we explore their updated roster depth following their latest transactions.
Knicks Updated Roster Depth
Point Guards: Jalen Brunson, Jose Alvarado, Tyler Kolek, Miles McBride
Shooting Guards: Josh Hart, Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, Pacome Dadiet
Small Forwards: Mikal Bridges, Mohamed Diawara
Power Forwards: OG Anunoby, Jeremy Sochan
Centers: Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson, Ariel Hukporti
Knicks’ Starting Lineup
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Josh Hart
SF: Mikal Bridges
PF: Jeremy Sochan
C: Mitchell Robinson, Ariel Hukporti
The Knicks’ starting lineup, at full strength, is likely to remain unchanged. With Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart forming the starting backcourt duo, New York will continue to feature a solid blend of Brunson’s elite offensive production and Hart’s defensive leadership and tenacious rebounding.
This season, Brunson’s averages of 27.0 points and 6.1 assists per game have helped assert his position as a potential MVP candidate. As the driving force behind the Knicks’ offense, the team will undoubtedly look to him to lead them forward.
As crucial as Brunson’s contributions will be, New York will also depend upon Josh Hart to sustain his production as the team’s engine. With averages of 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, Hart is undoubtedly one of the team’s most vital players.
The starting frontcourt will feature Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby as the two forwards, providing the Knicks with reliable perimeter shooting and fundamentally sound defense on the wings. Although Bridges hasn’t been as impactful as last season, with averages of 15.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, he remains valuable for New York.
Anunoby has been sidelined with an apparent toe injury for the last three games, resulting in the Knicks’ upgrading Landry Shamet to the starting lineup. Considering the forward’s averages of 16.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game on 47.9% shooting from the field, New York hopes to have him back in the rotation soon.
Although the lineup is undersized for the most part, Karl-Anthony Towns provides stability in the big man slot, contributing with offensive versatility and interior presence on the rebounding end. With averages of 19.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, New York is extremely dependent on Towns’ availability to remain competitive.
The Bench
PG: Jose Alvarado, Tyler Kolek, Miles McBride
SG: Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, Pacome Dadiet
SF: Mohamed Diawara
PF: OG Anunoby
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
With the additions of Jose Alvarado and Jeremy Sochan, the Knicks’ bench has become considerably deeper. While Miles McBride (12.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game) and Tyler Kolek (4.9 points and 2.9 assists per game) have already acted as solid backups in the point guard rotation, Alvarado’s acquisition addresses a pressing roster need.
New York had its eyes on Alvarado’s skill set as a solid rotation piece well before the deadline. Although his averages of 8.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game don’t seem impressive, the guard’s ability to impact games with his hustle and defensive effort make him an immensely valuable asset.
The real change to the Knicks’ rotation is in their frontcourt. While the backup center rotation will continue to feature Mitchell Robinson (5.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game) and Ariel Hukporti (2.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game), the forward positions will see minor changes.
Jeremy Sochan’s addition could prove to be quite intriguing for the Knicks. On paper, his addition doesn’t move the needle, considering that he only averaged 4.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game this season. However, when factoring in his innate rebounding ability and defensive versatility, there is reason to believe that he could be a solid role player in New York’s rotation.
With Jeremy Sochan’s addition, New York has also gained the flexibility to play Mohamed Diawara as a small forward, closer to his natural position. While he has only been averaging 2.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game this season, the recent uptick in the rookie’s playing time and his efficient shooting from three-point range (58.3% in the last three games) could suggest that he may earn a larger role moving forward.
Can Jeremy Sochan’s Addition Transform The Knicks?
For the most part, the New York Knicks were considered contenders in the East even without Jeremy Sochan in the rotation. Although the team’s dependence on its starting lineup has been noted, the Knicks have found a way to remain consistent despite their evident shortcomings.
Still, Jeremy Sochan’s addition does address some key issues. For starters, Sochan’s skill set may prove to be quite valuable in the second unit.
With career averages of 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, the former Spurs forward is capable of supporting the bench scoring and the rebounding effort while simultaneously anchoring the defense. Needless to say, this could prove beneficial for the Knicks, who don’t feature significant frontcourt depth outside of Mitchell Robinson.
At the current juncture, New York appears to be in a solid position heading into the All-Star Break. With an 8-2 record in their last 10 games, the Knicks have successfully addressed their performance issues in early January. Now, with 27 games left, and only six games separating them from the Detroit Pistons in first place, the Knicks could come out of the All-Star Break with renewed vigor.
