Rankings Knicks' Bench Players From Most to Least Important in 2026-27

The Knicks' bench finished the season as one of the most impactful and prolific units in the league. But this group will look noticeably different in 2026-27.

Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti have departed for division rivals. Jeremy Sochan and Trey Jemison III are in the Western Conference. Then there's Andre Drummond coming overfrom Philadelphia.

So who, exactly, will be the most pivotal bench players in the Knicks' quest for back-to-back championships?

Miles McBride

Unlike some of the most nationally recognized sixth men, Miles McBride doesn't post the most jaw-dropping numbers. He isn't going to average 15+ points per game or rack up assists. But he is consistently amongst the team's leaders in net rating amongst a bevy of other analytic metrics.

If Mohamed Diawara, who we'll get to very soon, is the ceiling of the bench, McBride is the floor. And it's often a relatively high floor.

The reserve guard can play next to anyone on the team. And not only that, he often amplifies the strengths of the team's best players. McBride may be coming off of a rough Finals showing, but he's still the most important bench player.

Mohamed Diawara

As mentioned earlier, Diawara has the ability to lift this bench unit from a good one to a great one. Maybe even the best one in the league.

If he can bounch back from his rough Summer League outings and look more like the Diawara that surprised the entire fanbase last season, it would be massive for New York. He could be the missing link that helps provide the Knicks with 48 minutes of nearly elite play from its wing position between OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and himself.

He isn't necessarily the best or second best player on the bench at this moment. But given just how much he could potentially move the needle, Diawara is sure to be one of the most pivotal pieces coming off the bench in 2026-27.

Landry Shamet

Landry Shamet became one of the unsung heroes of the 2025-26 Knicks team. On countless occasions, he came through with clutch shooting and tough defense to help New York. Whether it was on nights where the starters didn't quite have it, or when Josh Hart's lack of shooting was hurting the team, Shamet, like McBride, became a pseudo-starter that Mike Brown trusted to close games out.

Coming off of what was clearly his strongest season and a new contract that gives him more security than he's ever had, it will be interesting to see if he can replicate last season's performance. If he can, the top three perimeter players coming off the Knicks' bench should match any team's.

Andre Drummond

As the only center not named Karl-Anthony Towns on the roster right now, Andre Drummond's ability and availability has become concerningly important. The eventual signing of a third string center should lessen Drummond's importance to a degree.

But whether it's fair or not, Drummond will have big shoes to fill. He'll be the primary backup big until at least the trade deadline, and will be relied on heavily in the likely scenario that Towns finds himself in foul trouble. This provides a massive test for a center who was allowed to leave by Philly and just hit 33 years of age.

Jose Alvarado

Jose Alvarado being this far down the list doesn't mean he isn't going to be important, or that he isn't good. If anything, it reflects the steadiness the point guard provides.

He doesn't present the ceiling of Diawara, nor possesses the shooting that can shift games instantaneously like McBride or Shamet. But Alvarado knows his role and he executes it extremely well.

The thing that probably hurts Alvarado's perceived importance more than anything is the fact that he happens to back up the best player on the team, limiting his minutes and opportunities. But as Knicks fans were lucky enough to witness last season, Alvarado will have his moments to make an impact.

His playmaking and ball handling are crucial to a team that lacks those skillsets. And just as importantly, he showed during the postseason that he can not only play next to Brunson, but succeed in doing so, by making the captain's job easier. With a full offseason and training camp to prepare for his role, expect an even stronger campaign from Alvarado this season.

Jordan Clarkson

If the Knicks had it their way, Jordan Clarkson is probably their ultimate veteran depth piece behind Shamet and Diawara. If the latter can step up and develop the way that the team envisions, Clarkson will take a step back and see an even more reduced role. And that's for the better, both short- and long-term. Yet Clarkson will still be a factor this season.

Whether it's due to injuries, cold stretches from the aforementioned wings, or the inevitable handful of games that Clarkson will help win for the Knicks, he'll make his presence felt. That rings even more true if Clarkson can build on the newly re-invented game of his centered around offensive rebounding and ball pressure.

If Diawara is who New York thinks he is, Clarkson will start somewhat low on the depth chart, but that won't mean that Brown won't rely on his veteran at points throughout the season.

Tyler Nickel

Expecting a rookie to be a significant contributor to a contending team, let alone the defending champions, is a tough ask. There are often growing pains that come with learning the professional game, acclimating to the physicality, and keeping up with the strenuous schedule.

But Tyler Nickel is one of the few bench players who offers a unique skillset unmatched by anybody else on the team.

While Towns, Brunson, Anunoby, Bridges, McBride, and Shamet are all good to great shooters, Nickel is the type of unconscious movement marksman that teams dream of having.

He'll still have to earn his minutes through his defense, but his shooting is a difference maker. Nickel may start the season buried in the depth chart, or more likely, in the G League. Though don't be surprised if the rookie is getting some burn come February or March.

Tyler Kolek

Tyler Kolek isn't a bad player. He's a solid reserve that could probably be of better use to a few other teams in the league. But on a veteran-laden team filled with guards, Kolek just isn't good enough overall, or at any single skill, to warrant getting significant minutes.

He's very likely the best overall passer on the team, but Brunson and Alvarado are both good passers who are much better than him overall, and at a lot of other areas.

There's a world in which Kolek gets drafted to a lesser Knicks team, or a different franchise overall. And in said world, he's probably a backup point guard getting consistent minutes. But on this team, at this moment, Kolek's biggest assist to the team may come in the form of a trade.

Pacome Dadiet

While Kolek will start the season behind Alvarado in the depth chart, there are roads that lead to him getting minutes. If Alvarado goes through an absurdly bad slump, or if one or more of the point guards get hurt, Kolek could find himself on the court.

As for Pacôme Dadiet, it's hard to make that case. He'll not only be behind pretty much everybody in the depth chart, a lot would have to go wrong for the Knicks for Dadiet to play consistently. Like Kolek, he'll be most useful to the organization in the form of a trade.

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