The New York Knicks have lofty expectations for the 2025-26 season after reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000 last postseason.
The Knicks deployed a starting five of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns for the majority of the 2024-25 regular-season, finishing third in the East with a 51-31 record.
However, a vast majority of Knicks fans believe New York and new head coach Mike Brown need to make a crucial swap in the starting five following the team’s Eastern Conference finals loss to the Indiana Pacers, according to a recent survey of more than 3,000 Knicks fans conducted by James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
“Fans, too, feel like pairing Towns with a more traditional, defensive-minded center like Mitchell Robinson is the best way to go in order to maximize the team’s ceiling,” Edwards wrote.
MORE: Knicks fans voice lofty expectations for 2025-26 season in recent poll
The Knicks and former head coach Tom Thibodeau utilized a starting lineup of Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, Towns and Robinson in the final four games of the Eastern Conference finals, moving Hart to the bench.
Nearly 60 percent of respondents agreed that this change should remain in place for the 2025-26 regular season under Brown, with over 20 percent of respondents also saying Miles McBride should replace Hart.
Moving Robinson into the starting lineup could allow Towns to expand his offensive range more often while keeping a strong rebounder in the paint. Additionally, concerns about Towns’ defense make Robinson’s role as a defensive anchor a logical move.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Knicks explore a revamped starting five in the near future as they aim to win their first NBA championship since 1973.
MORE NBA NEWS:
