Knicks State of Mind dives deep into the positional battles and overall depth chart concerns David Fizdale is facing this season.
The New York Knicks might not be a championship contender, but they are deep at every position with a mix of youth and experience. Head coach David Fizdale is going to have big decisions to make in regards to playing time.
The most intriguing positional battle should come at small forward between Kevin Knox and Marcus Morris. Although Knox is the lottery pick with a sky-high ceiling, Marcus Morris is a proven veteran.
In general, the frontcourt will be crowded next season. Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle are safe bets to start, but Bobby Portis and Taj Gibson will be looking for minutes as well.
Dennis Smith Jr. and Elfrid Payton are fighting for the starting point guard job, with Frank Ntilikina looming after a successful run at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
At shooting guard, Fizdale has no shortage of options. RJ Barrett is carrying the weight of the franchise on his shoulders, but he might not be the best option to start. Coming off the bench could be beneficial for a rookie who needs to have the ball in his hands to be successful.
Damyean Dotson, Wayne Ellington, and Allonzo Trier can all bring more consistent shooting and floor-spacing to the starting lineup should Fizdale choose to have Barrett come off the bench.
Although few things are certain with the Knicks, we know that Fizdale’s rotations will change more than a few times next season.
