3 Knicks Lineups We Want to See During the 2026-27 Season

Last time I outlined New York’s potential rotation, throwing out some lineups to spit-ball ideas with nothing set in stone. This piece follows up by crafting three lineups we want to see next season.

Mike Brown in huddle | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Though the Knicks return almost the same cast of familiar faces this season, there's lineup changes and experiments that'll surely take place as New York looks to keep every other team on their toes.

With that in mind, here are three lineups in particular that would benefit the defending champs to sort out.

1: Jalen Brunson + Andre Drummond + OG Anunoby

Time to build a sub-unit. The bench center, Andre Drummond, plays exclusively alongside Jalen Brunson, making it important to craft a lineup that benefits both players.

OG Anunoby fits anywhere, so he can co-exist alongside many talents. His defensive instincts and tenacity on and off the ball makes him invaluable. The ability to produce without demanding a heavy usage crowns him as one of the most seamless fits in any team construct. These qualities defined Leon Rose’s decision to acquire him in the first place.

In 1101 minutes with Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns off, the Knicks logged a +7.1 net. In 986 minutes with Towns, Brunson off: +12.3 net. Overall, we will see plenty of Anunoby in New York’s best lineup configurations.

OG Anunoby's Interior defensive percentiles compared to other off-ball wings | Data via BBall Index

That said, Anunoby’s specific fit with Drummond intrigues me most. Drummond has a largely floor-oriented game, he lacks the athleticism, rim protection, and backline defensive traits you’d typically get from a center. Anunoby on the floor with him can help compensate for these shortcomings, providing a strong, rangy athlete.

Rest of Lineup

There’s several options as my favorite fillers for this specific tro. With an already big frontcourt, a combination of Josh Hart, Landry Shamet, or Miles McBride all make sense.

Leaning toward Shamet and McBride together places a heavier burden on Brunson, but it puts four legitimate shooters on the floor. Hart with either Shamet or McBride adds an extra ball-handler and pace pusher to the mix. Ultimately, it comes down to what the moment calls for.

Brunson + Drummond, most ideal lineup | Mad via Canva

Worth noting, over the last three seasons Brunson, Hart, and McBride have posted a +14.2 net rating across 900-plus minutes together. A fantastic mix of shooting, playmaking, and two of New York’s best point-of-attack defenders that has held up for a long time. This group has also controlled the offensive glass at +4.6% ORB% and wins the turnover battle, producing extremely efficient minutes together.

2: Jose Alvarado + Karl-Anthony Towns + Mikal Bridges

Unlike the Brunson lineup, Towns needs surrounding players who best highlight and take advantage of his spacing as he’s not exactly a shot creator. Here, Jose Alvarado slots into the guard spot, tasked with pushing pace, setting up Towns, and guarding at the point of attack.

Impact of team net ratings when Bridges is along-side Brunson vs Towns, last 2 seasons | Data via Databallr

Unlike Anunoby, Mikal Bridges posts a much stronger net rating alongside Towns over the last couple of seasons when Brunson sits. This doesn’t suggest he can’t play alongside Brunson, rather, it can give a runway to explain why the Bridges-Towns pairing has so much success.

Bridges’ synergy can be attributed through constant movement and being an elite space filler and off-ball creator. Playing next to a gravitational force like Towns could amplify that movement even further, pushing his cutting abilities to the limit as a phenomenal switch slipper, runner, miscellaneous off-screener and help beater.

The team’s offensive rating together immediately jumps off the page, suggesting that Bridges’ strong movement heavy traits favor the environment Towns creates.

Rest of Lineup

Potential secondary lineup | Made via Canva

New York can add more shooting in Shamet and McBride, shuffle in Hart as another handler, or throw minutes at second-year player, Mohamed Diawara.

In trying to find a regular season lineup to play Diawara, I’d like to see him log some time with Towns at center to give him a lighter offensive environment. In the limited minutes with Towns, the team yielded a +18.1 net rating in 165 minutes. Without Towns, just -2.0. For these reasons we’ll play Diawara with Towns in the second unit.

Anunoby also ends up in this lineup, keeping the four of Alvarado-Bridges-OG-KAT on the floor, something Brown used regularly as a second unit last season. Opening the door for them to experiment with that fifth player.

3. Jalen Brunson + Karl-Anthony Towns + Jose Alvarado/Tyler Kolek

Beyond the starting five, expect to see Brunson and Towns together in other lineup variations, mixing up context and experimenting with combinations that could unlock something new from the duo.

Neither Alvarado nor Tyler Kolek logged much time alongside Brunson last season, so creating a larger sample with either player is worth pursuing.

Players who handle next to Brunson can unlock what I consider his most underrated and efficient skill: spot-up opportunities and off-ball play. They can also relieve the pressure of having to consistently handle the ball up and down the floor.

Rest of Lineup

Double guard lineup with KAT | Made via Canva

Along with the extra guard we’re looking to space the floor, reason why I have Towns at the center position. I do like Hart with this group as well if we want to double down on pace and add a rebounding punch with the two guards. They can go with Shamet, McBride, or Bridges to really space out the floor.

Recap

All of these lineups can flex depending on game situation, matchup, and player performance. Different players can slot into almost any position. The broader point is highlighting combinations worth exploring or that have seen success: Bridges and Towns together, guard-guard lineups, and Anunoby alongside Drummond.

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