Here are the three biggest questions facing the New York Knicks.
Is Jalen Brunson a star?
The Knicks landed their guy, but can he be the guy? Brunson did a nice job playing off of Luka Dončić and was even better when asked to fill a larger role when Luka was absent. Whether he can consistently produce with more touches will go a long way toward determining whether the Knicks landed a possible All-Star or just a good role player. Brunson will likely never have a better opportunity to prove he can be the leader of an NBA team.
Will RJ Barrett take a leap?
Barrett has shown flashes of potential during his short NBA career, but his shooting splits leave a lot to be desired. To justify his new contract and the hype around him from fans, Barrett is going to have to be more consistent and leap up a tier in the league hierarchy this season.
Did they miss out on Donovan Mitchell?
The answer to the first two questions will probably double as the answer to this. If Brunson and Barrett both have breakout years, it may show New York was wise to hold onto its draft assets. But if things go awry, it will be worth wondering whether it was a big miss to not land the star who apparently wanted to join the Knicks.
