What Mike Brown's Latest Tease Could Mean for Knicks' Offense

This past week with Knicks training camp beginning, head coach Mike Brown’s discussed his offensive plans for the upcoming season. In those comments, he mentioned giving both Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby more pick and roll reps.

Asked about Knick offense & what may look different over course of season, Mike Brown cites more Karl-Anthony Towns at the elbow/as a facilitator; more pick & roll opportunities for OG Anunoby & Mikal Bridges and more Anunoby minutes at backup C as elements that may be different
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) September 29, 2026

I wanted to look at both the video and data to analyze what this can look like and in which areas this might play a role in.

Small tweaks are a big deal

Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby operate in the corner as much as anyone in the NBA | Data via NBA.com

Bridges and Anunoby's importance in the corners cannot be understated, both as off-ball shooters and drivers. We often downplay the importance of off-ball reliability on offense, when in reality it can matter just as much in an environment with a strong on-ball player. Certain guys play their best in areas that don't require the ball in their hands.

Any change to their reps, specifically more time handling the basketball, can impact possession-by-possession efficiency. I don’t expect such a change to be at the core of the offense, but it's worth noting on a possession basis. Both players would therefore see more play from the slot in order to have these chances on the ball.

The Knicks typically have Brunson, Towns and Hart above the break | via NBA.com

Typically teams station their playmakers and handlers above the break near the top of the key. For the Knicks in recent years, that role has fallen to Josh Hart to leverage his playmaking, screening, and stay highly active due to struggles with his three-point shot. Brunson, Towns and Hart likely make up the three above the break most often in their half-court offense, with Towns either starting atop the key or in the dunker.

The question worth asking is whether Anunoby or Bridges have more capability in that spot than they’ve shown, specifically in the pick and roll. Brown seems intent on finding out, expressing surprise at their handling abilities and signaling a desire to see more from them with the ball.

This variation in role speaks to New York’s overall talent. Having their wings handle more in the half-court adds another layer to an already varied offensive system. Factor in that their star point guard may rank as the best spot-up player in the NBA, and the case for tapping into it grows even stronger.

Dissecting both wings

How Good is Mikal Bridges as a low volume P&R Handler? | Data via Synergy

When evaluating Bridges’ pick-and-roll handling reps, his shot diet and pressure tolerance both demand acknowledgment.

Bridges primarily hunts airspace to pull up from the midrange, he’s not looking to get to the rim or fire pull-up threes. That may seem analytically questionable, but Bridges shows extreme comfort getting to that shot and converting it, shooting 45% and 47% in the short and long midrange respectively.

While his handle isn’t the strongest, he makes tough shots at a high rate, varying his shot window and contorting his body to get the shot off.

On the pressure side, Bridges isn’t the most physical handler and can get pushed off his spot against strong point-of-attack defenders. He thrives against drop coverage where he can find his midrange spots with ease. Against committing or higher coverages, we see good numbers, but mostly tied to his passing out of those situations.

An underrated aspect of Bridges’ handling reps is his passing and ability to create advantages in pick-and-roll. Both the film and the data emphasize this, with the team’s PPP rising noticeably on his passes compared to when he can’t or doesn’t pass.

He dishes effectively to perimeter targets (1.01 PPP on team spot-ups) and to the roll-man (1.27 PPP). Numbers like these support the idea that upping his volume could yield similar results.

Playing in the slot or operating as a secondary handler isn’t foreign territory for Bridges, he saw plenty of it during his time in Brooklyn. This created a general comfort level in these situations that Anunoby doesn’t quite match, given his more limited on-ball rates and lesser time in the slot throughout his time in New York.

How Good is OG Anunoby as a low volume P&R Handler | Data via Synergy

When looking at Anunoby’s low volume P&R profile, he struggled with the passing aspect and less with his own scoring. Anunoby displays more aggression in getting to the rim out of handling situations than Bridges, and has a less reliable middle game.

His overall developing handle has looked better in the past couple seasons, maybe leading to Brown wanting to see more.

Anunoby’s craftiness in the lane has taken a real step forward, moving from the 32nd percentile in free throw rate to the 65th since 2024. We see shot fakes, getting into the body of the big, and low pickups show up more frequently. Combine that with his quick leaping ability and an infatuation with finishing at the rim, and you start to see a player who has learned to weaponize his frame while on the basketball.

While most handling action will come from the slot, I’d love to see Brown build reps for both wings through empty corner ball-screens. The space to operate simplifies everything as the read comes down to watching the low tagger and reacting accordingly.

Mikal Bridges comes off an Empty P&R and hits Brunson making a cut | video via NBA.com

With Brunson cutting through, the low tagger faces a decision, stay with Brunson or stay in help. Bridges reads it simply by tracking whether he leaves or not. If he stays, Brunson is wide open in the corner. If he leaves to chase Brunson, Bridges can check the roller or take the shot himself.

That decision also depends on whether the coverage big plays high, because high coverage calls for the tagger to stay, and with Brunson cutting the Knicks really pressure that.

New York Knicks call this play "ear", empty ball-screen with a 45-cut. I categorize this as a motion play as they can flow into it on breakdowns, freelanced or set plays

330 plays (most of any action)
1.01 PPP (average to solid number) pic.twitter.com/XZv1nrpf4z
— Shax (@ShaxNBA) March 15, 2026

This play ranked as their most used play of the entire season and generated strong efficiency, making it a very viable handling option for both handling wings.

Ghost screens and top-lock counters also appeal to me for both wings, particularly Anunoby, who can use them to get downhill and tap into his finishing ability. On top of that, targeting smaller players for Anunoby to draw switches gives him a clear size advantage to exploit. The Knicks leaned on ghost screening frequently last season as a way to flesh out the motion offenseRunning both wings through similar actions unlocks other plays while gathering more data on their capabilities as handlers.

Brunson and OG execute a top lock counter | video via NBA.com

In the video we see Brunson screen for Anunoby after being denied the basketball. Expect to see this play out a lot for both wings as a lot of defenders want to deny him the ball. A screen therefore puts them out of position for any kind of coverage or switch leading to a full lane.

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