Knicks Predictions on Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart for 2023-24 Season
The New York Knicks didn't open the 2023-24 NBA season the way they wanted.
Doomed by a sluggish start (30-18 deficit after the first frame) and dreadful foul shooting (14-of-26), they dropped a 108-104 heartbreaker to the Boston Celtics.
They didn't quit, though, and never will with Tom Thibodeau on the sidelines. This season could still be spectacular, even if most predictions call for something like more like a solid effort.
As with any team, though, they'll go as far as their stars can take them, so let's predict just how far that might be by projecting what's ahead for Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.
Josh Hart Will Post a Top-20 Plus/Minus
1 of 3
Hart may not be a traditional star, but he is the kind of player who can star in his role.
He hustles like an end-of-the-bench-reserve fighting for his job and has the skills to don any number of different hats on any given night. He might be a 6'5", 215-pound wing, but he plays big enough to fill the 4 spot in relief of Randle.
While Hart's opener was quiet (beyond snagging six rebounds in his 22 minutes), Knicks fans should know that won't be the norm. His arrival at last season's trade deadline was truly transformational, as New York posted the league's third-best record once he debuted (.680).
He had a team-best plus-7.6 plus/minus, and he could dominate that category once again. His Swiss Army knife skills help him impact the game in myriad ways, plus he'll benefit from playing on one of the league's best reserve units.
Julius Randle Will Play the Most Minutes of His Career
2 of 3
When the Knicks tipped off their 2023 preseason slate, they only tasked Randle with 13 minutes. Based on his history—particularly his history with Thibodeau—Randle knew that wouldn't last for long.
Randle was right.
Despite not having his best Wednesday (5-of-22 shooting, team-worst minus-13), he still logged the second-most minutes on the team (34). That number feels likely to climb going forward, particularly since New York never really found his new backup after trading away Obi Toppin over the offseason.
Randle logged a career-high (and league-leading) 37.6 minutes in 2020-21, his first season with Thibodeau and first as both an All-Star and All-NBA honoree. New York could lean even heavier on him now, as despite this being a deep roster, it happens to be one of the shallowest at his position.
Jalen Brunson Will Be an All-Star
3 of 3
Predicting a first-ever All-Star selection for a player should feel bolder than this done.
Maybe that's because Brunson arguably should've gotten the call last season. He was one of nine players to average 24 points and six assists in 2022-23, per StatHead Basketball, and one of only two (along with Trae Young) to not make the All-Star Game.
Brunson was probably snubbed last season, though it didn't help that he deferred to his teammates early on and didn't go on his bucket binge until later. From October through December, he averaged 20.2 points on 15.8 shots. Between January and April, those numbers spiked to 27.8 and 19.4, respectively.
Back for his second season in the Big Apple, no feeling-out period will be required this time around. That was obvious Wednesday, when he launched 21 shots in his 33 minutes. While he didn't make many of them (6-of-21 overall, 3-of-8 from distance), his career 49.3/38.6/81.2 shooting slash all but ensures those looks will fall in bunches going forward. Once this volume meets his typical efficiency, no one will be able to deny his All-Star credentials.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
