Mike Brown Used 20 Players—Now Comes the Knicks’ Toughest Rotation Decision

Mike Brown used 20 players in the Knicks’ preseason opener. Now he must identify combinations that deliver defense, shooting and reliable playmaking.

Mike Brown gave nearly everyone an opportunity in the New York Knicks’ preseason opener. The next challenge is deciding which performances can translate into dependable regular-season minutes.

Twenty players appeared in the 120–97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, turning the exhibition into a broad evaluation of veterans, developing prospects and roster hopefuls.

That approach makes the final score difficult to interpret in isolation. It also leaves Brown with important Knicks rotation decisions: which players fit together, who can execute a defined assignment and where the team still needs answers.

Individual Flashes Give Brown Options to Consider

Several reserves supplied moments that warranted attention.

Andre Drummond collected five rebounds and blocked three shots in 12 minutes, showing how he could maintain an interior presence behind Karl-Anthony Towns. James Wiseman contributed offensive rebounds and finishes near the basket during his nine-minute appearance.

Mohamed Diawara recovered from an uneven opening stretch to become more productive in the third quarter. His activity illustrated how a young wing can contribute through movement and defensive effort without controlling the offense.

Elsewhere, Miles McBride reached double figures with 10 points, while Tyler Kolek received opportunities to organize possessions.

Those contributions give Brown material to work with, but a rotation cannot be built from isolated highlights alone. A player must also make sound decisions during less noticeable possessions: completing a defensive assignment, protecting the ball or maintaining useful spacing.

The task now is to determine which encouraging sequences can become consistent habits.

Finding the Right Combinations Matters More Than Ranking Players

Brown’s decisions extend beyond identifying the best individual performers. He must assemble groups whose strengths support one another.

A lineup featuring several capable finishers still needs someone to create an opening. A group with enough shooting may struggle if it cannot defend the ball or secure a rebound. Every combination must offer a workable balance.

That makes the distribution of playmaking particularly important. When Jalen Brunson rests, New York needs a clear plan for initiating offense. Kolek’s passing, McBride’s scoring and Jordan Clarkson’s ability to attempt individual offense offer different possibilities, but the opener did not establish a definitive solution.

The center competition presents another consideration. Wiseman, Drew Eubanks and the other candidates must show how they would function within a supporting role, including possessions when they never receive a pass.

Brown’s postgame criticism of the team’s physicality adds a common requirement across those evaluations. Defensive engagement can help a reserve remain useful when his offensive opportunities are limited.

As the preseason progresses, repeated minutes with selected combinations could provide clearer answers than brief appearances spread across the entire roster. The Knicks need to see who communicates, who responds to mistakes and which groups can sustain effective possessions at both ends.

The opener expanded Brown’s view of his options. His next challenge is turning those options into a rotation he can trust when the games begin to count.