This article is part of our NBA Team Previews series.
2022-23 New York Knicks 
Team Preview
New York's big offseason move was to sign Jalen Brunson away from the Mavericks. Unfortunately, the move required clearing up some salary, so Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel were sent to Detroit. The moves cost the Knicks depth, but they finally have an above-average point guard in the starting lineup. Isaiah Hartenstein was also signed to make up for the loss of Noel. Brunson and Randle could be an effective one-two punch, but expect some growing pains early in the season.
2021-22 Record: 37-45; missed the playoffs
2022-23 NBA Win Total Odds: 39.5 wins (DraftKings)
2022-23 NBA Title Odds: +10,000 (DraftKings)
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Check out our 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball Rankings, which includes fantasy basketball projections for every player.
New York Knicks Fantasy Basketball Preview - Top Players
Randle led the Knicks to an unexpected playoff run two seasons ago, setting career highs in points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers per game. He took a step backward in the scoring department last season, averaging 20.1 points and 1.7 three-pointers per game. The biggest culprit was his decline in efficiency, shooting 41.1 percent from the field, 75.6 percent from the free-throw line and 30.8 percent from three-point land. His decline from behind the arc was drastic because it was more than 10 percentage points lower than the previous season. Still, for those who played in points leagues, his averages of 20.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists were excellent. Things have changed in New York this summer, with Jalen Brunson being brought over from the Mavericks. Although he's not a traditional pass-first point guard, he'll have the ball in his hands a lot, which could lead to fewer assists for Randle. The Knicks are also armed with a bevy of first-round draft picks, which means more big moves could be on the horizon. With the team not needing to rely so much on Randle, he could see his usage rate decline. However, if he can improve his shooting percentages, his drop off in production might not be all that noteworthy.
After having never averaged more than 25 minutes per game during his first three seasons in the league, the Mavericks unleashed Brunson by letting him average 32 minutes last season. He made the most of his expanded role, providing 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 three-pointers per game. From a fantasy perspective, what really set him apart is that he shot 50.2 percent from the field and 84.0 percent from the free-throw line. When the Mavericks began their playoff run, they did so with Luka Doncic injured. Brunson stepped up in his absence, averaging 32.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 three-pointers across three games against the Jazz, shooting 50.7 percent from the field in the process. It showed the type of upside he could have in a leading role, which may have been a key factor in him ultimately cashing in with a big payday with the Knicks. Now, he's an undisputed starter who will be one of the vital building blocks for the Knicks going forward. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett will be his main running mates, and while both are very good players, neither of them garner anywhere near the usage that Doncic does. As the starting point guard and No. 1 option for the Knicks, Brunson will command a significant draft day price.
Robinson has now put up top-100 value for the past four seasons, although his overall ranking in 2021-22 did take a minor hit, as did his playing time. After recently agreeing to a new four-year deal with the Knicks, the front office appears invested in Robinson as their long-term center. That bodes well for his fantasy value and leaves the possibility that he maintains his run of top-100 seasons. However, even with Nerlens Noel out of the picture, the Knicks acquired Isaiah Hartenstein, a much more well-rounded fantasy player, in free agency. Robinson is poised to claim a starting spot and to be honest, it's a role he should be able to hold onto, barring a significant change in fortunes. Foul trouble remains an issue for Robinson when it comes to logging heavy minutes, which somewhat caps his overall upside. With Hartenstein now an accomplished backup, we could see situations where he sees more court time than Robinson, despite coming off the bench. Until we see otherwise, Robinson should be a relatively safe target in the ninth or tenth round, keeping in mind that his value is tied heavily to his high block rate and elite field goal percentage.
Plagued by a slow start to begin the year, Barrett finished 2021-22 averaging 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists across 70 games. He also displayed great success getting to the free-throw line last season, ranking 16th in the league at 5.8 FTA per game. His final 40 games yielded 23.7 points per game on a 41.1/35.1/71.9 percent shooting slash. Nonetheless, last season marked a noticeable decline in productivity from Barrett. Salvaged by volume, the 22-year-old having ups and downs is natural. However, he shot 40.1 percent from deep two seasons ago -- and that sharp dip in three-point shooting is problematic. Additionally, his free-throw shooting has been below average throughout his young career. The Knicks added Jalen Brunson and possess an exciting young nucleus. Barrett's adjusted field-goal percentage jumps from 43.7 percent to 63.2 percent on catch-and-shoot opportunities when he's open. Given a good environment, it's a pivotal season for Barrett to showcase efficiency. With new weapons set to contribute in New York, Barrett's volume may dip slightly, but he should be in store for higher-quality looks. Barrett signed a four-year extension in late August.
New York Knicks Depth Chart for 2022-23
Click here to take a look at the Knicks' full depth chart
- PG: Jalen Brunson, Immanuel Quickley
- SG: Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes
- SF: RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish
- PF: Julius Randle, Obi Toppin
- C: Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein
New York Knicks Predictions for 2022-23
Brunson is a nice add, but poor shooting from starters Barrett (40.8 FG% last year) and Evan Fournier (41.7 FG% last year) still make this line-up too easy to guard. Youngsters Immanuel Quickly and Quentin Grimes could make a leap in production but will need injuries to the veterans to see major minutes. Head coach Tom Thibodeau will force this squad to play suffocating defense, but the offense is too limited, even with a new point guard.
Record Prediction
- 40-42
- 10th in the East
- Losses in the play-in tournament
Bold Call
Julius Randle will see a big dip in production. Randle's numbers already declined in 2021-22. And now Jalen Brunson will dominate the ball. Look for Randle's assists per game to go back to roughly three-plus per game and his made threes to further decline. The power forward shot only 41.1 percent from the field last year, so the offensive shift to Brunson makes sense.
NBA Award Contenders
- Jalen Brunson, Most Improved Player +1,600
- Julius Randle, MVP +25,000
