Knicks Shut Down Several Stars for Preseason Finale

The New York Knicks will go into their preseason finale with the mentality of a dress rehearsal—but some adjustments to the Playbill are still necessary.

Heading into the exhibition closer against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden, head coach Mike Brown announced that the team would sit OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Why Knicks Stars Are Out

In a video courtesy of SNY, Brown said Robinson’s absence was a case of “load management” while the team is being “cautious” when it comes to the other three regulars sitting.

Mike Brown says Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns & OG Anunoby are all out for tonight's preseason finale pic.twitter.com/YMnaRqrBkW
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 17, 2025

It’s no surprise to see the Knicks (3-1) take things easy with Robinson, who is coming off an effective season whose start was delayed by an ankle injury. Robinson is the top spell option to Towns and the Knicks played three exhibition games with both big men in the starting five. That chance was originally enacted after two games in the Eastern Conference Finals, which saw Robinson step in for Hart.

Though things appear to be precautionary more than anything, it appears that the good injury luck that the Knicks enjoyed last season has yet to follow them into the new year. Anunoby missed two preseason games due to hand issues, including the opener against Philadelphia in Abu Dhabi. Anunoby is said to be dealing with ankle issues this time around.

In that same game, the Knicks lost Hart to a back injury that sidelined him just seven minutes into the divisional duel. That accounts for all of Hart’s time this preseason, costing the Knicks a chance to gain some clarity on his fate after he served as a starter for most of last year.

With Towns also dealing with a quad issue, the preseason finale could be another opportunity for Guerschon Yabusele, who took over in the starting center’s when seven men sat out of the last preseason game against Washington. It turned out to be a struggle for Yabusele, who dealt with a minus-12 rebounding margin in the 120-103 defeat. Fellow reserve big men Ariel Hukporti and Trey Jameson should likewise get some minutes, especially after Hukporti was one of the seven held out of the Washington game due to an illness.

Fresh off an impressive win over Memphis in its last showing, Charlotte (2-2) is likewise ailing heading into its own preseason closer, as LaMelo Ball (knee), Josh Green (shoulder), Tre Mann (hip), Brandon Miller (wrist), and Grant Williams (knee) will all sit out.

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