Knicks Players Under Most Pressure Entering 2023-24 NBA Season

The New York Knicks are hoping to make noise in the Eastern Conference during the upcoming 2023-24 NBA season.

With all key contributors back from last season's 47-win team, and newcomer Donte DiVincenzo further filling out this rotation, the Knicks should have a chance to do just that.

But it will take work to improve on last season's fifth-place finish. The Knicks have talent, but not an overwhelming amount of it, so they'll have an uphill climb to enter the conference's top tier.

While everyone will play a part in this attempted hike, the following three players face the most pressure to perform.

RJ Barrett

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MIAMI, FL - MAY 8: RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals of the 2023 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat on May 8, 2023 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

In a lot of ways, it feels as if RJ Barrett may have plateaued as a solid—but not at all spectacular—player. He is a hard-charging driver and capable defender, but you wouldn't call him a difference-maker.

Maybe this is simply his NBA identity, but it feels premature to put him in a box. He is, after all, just 23 years old and was once highly regarded enough to be the third overall pick of the 2019 draft.

Plus, there are myriad ways in which he can expand his game. At times, he's been a reliable stopper, a helpful playmaker and a real threat as an outside shooter (40.1 percent in his sophomore season). This isn't so much asking him to do things he simply can't but rather wanting him to turn occasional, supplemental skills into real pieces of his arsenal.

It's telling that he's yet to lock down his place as a cornerstone of the franchise, and the clock could be ticking to make that happen. If he can't accelerate his development, he might be someone the Knicks shop around to find someone ready to contribute to a championship run.

Mitchell Robinson

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MIAMI, FL - MAY 6: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks looks on during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals of the 2023 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat on May 6, 2023 at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Mitchell Robinson's contract might run through the 2025-2 season, yet his future with the franchise doesn't feel totally secure.

They have been "protective" of Robinson in trade talks but stopped short of making him "untouchable," per The Athletic's Fred Katz. All angles of that make sense. Few players can match Robinson's combo of size and athleticism. But consistency has been an issue (in production and availability), and his lack of offensive range (career 52.9 free-throw percentage) is exacerbated by the club's team-wide shooting shortage.

He wants a bigger role, but New York may not be the right place to find it. The Knicks don't have the perimeter spacers or the prolific passer who could really make his game pop. But the spacing issue goes both ways. Give this group a stretch 5, and this offense could level up with the attack lanes Barrett, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson would have to exploit.

You could argue Robinson is replaceable, as New York could get at least decent production at the center spot from Isaiah Hartenstein starting and Jericho Sims stepping into a regular reserve role. Tack on the fact Robinson's $15.7 million salary could be a helpful money-matcher in a blockbuster trade, and there is certainly a scenario in which the Knicks deem him more valuable as a trade chip than a keeper between now and the deadline.

Unless, of course, he can find the consistency needed to be considered an impact player and essential part of this group.

Julius Randle

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 10: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks reacts against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter in game five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 10, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Knicks are, in many respects, built to go as far as Julius Randle can take them. Last summer's Brunson addition reduced their reliance on Randle to a point, but if he isn't playing at a high level, this team probably isn't either.

He was an All-NBA honoree in 2022-23 and 2020-21, seasons in which New York posted better than a .560 winning percentage. But when he had a down year in between, so did the Knicks, who lost 45 games and couldn't make the play-in tournament.

He could have the single biggest influence on this squad's success, particularly since New York has no safety net behind him after trading away former top-10 pick Obi Toppin. That deal, which only netted the Knicks a pair of future second-round picks, was a massive vote of confidence in Randle.

Now, New York needs him to make good on this wager. He can stuff a stat sheet like few others, and he's an impact talent when he brings his best form, which includes quick decision-making, accurate outside shooting and some resistance on the defensive end. If he plays anywhere near his peak, that elevates this club's floor substantially.