Knicks player who will shock NBA with breakout 2024-25 season

Today at 10:57 PM

The New York Knicks are undefeated through four preseason games, leading to even more optimism amongst fans. Some of New York’s presumed success will come as a result of the team’s established stars.

Some will come from star forward Mikal Bridges and All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns, both of whom were added this offseason. And some will come from breakout stars in the team’s second unit. But who might those breakout stars be?

Thankfully, Knicks’ coach Tom Thibodeau’s approach in the fourth preseason game offered considerable insight into who might have a breakout year. He sat all five starters, leaving more minutes for the reserves.

So, what did we learn? On a high level, Jericho Sims role is far from certain. And we learned that Landry Shamet’s shoulder injury could present a major challenge to him making the final roster.

Even still, there were a number of impressive performances. Rookie Pacome Dadiet scored 16 points on 11 shot attempts in 28 minutes. TJ Warren impressively scored 11 points, collected seven rebounds and dished out two assists in 19 minutes. Ariel Hukporti’s monster dunk also instilled hope that he might be game-ready sooner than expected.

Ariel Hukporti is dunking all over the Hornets tonight pic.twitter.com/ypdv0PEvTy

— Knicks Nation (@KnicksNation) October 16, 2024

But when push comes to shove, there are three Knicks who should be considered when discussing breakout candidates: Miles McBride, Cam Payne, and Tyler Kolek. And if we’re being honest with ourselves, there probably won’t be more than one breakout player. Let’s discuss.

Could Miles McBride register a breakout season?

McBride is a tough sell as a breakout candidate. He easily registered the best breakout season on the team last year. After a forgettable rookie and sophomore seasons, McBride struck gold. Following the December 2023 trade that returned OG Anunoby to New York, McBride broke out.

He was an entirely different player from January on, averaging 11.0 points, 2.2 assists, and two rebounds in the final 47 games. He even earned a spot in the vaunted playoff rotation, averaging 11.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 26.7 minutes per game.

But as was already established, McBride enters this season as a known commodity. He is very good, and opponents already know that. He could easily take another step in his development, in which case, maybe it’s plausible to refer to his jump as a breakout. But that’s debatable.

Might Tyler Kolek surprise Knicks’ fans?

Kolek would have an even bigger change to be the Knicks’ breakout star if not for Thibodeau’s reluctance to play rookies. After all, he’s performed incredibly well with every opportunity he’s received.

He scored seven points, dished out nine assists, and grabbed eight rebounds in the team’s fourth preseason game. On the whole, he’s averaging 11.0 points, five assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals on 45.8% shooting from the field in three appearances this preseason. Kolek did not play in the pre-season matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

To be fair, Immanuel Quickley earned 19.4 minutes per game (2020-21) and Quentin Grimes received 17.1 minutes per game (2021-22) in their respective rookie seasons. But the 2024-25 Knicks’ team is deeper and—more importantly—stacked with talent.

So, there will be fewer opportunities for unproven rookies this season. Kolek will still have his moments, and he might even claw his way into Thibodeau’s rotation (which would be encouraging). But there are long odds on that bet right now.

What if Cam Payne breaks out in New York?

Payne has proven, time and again, that he is efficient and tough. In extended minutes in the team’s fourth preseason game (36 minutes), Payne had himself a night. He scored 16 points, dished out eight assists, grabbed five rebounds, and tallied one steal. His three ball was fine-but-not-great (three-for-nine), however, he has shot the ball well through all four preseason games, connecting on nine of his 25 attempts (36%).

And Payne’s preseason picked up right where he left off in the 2024 playoffs, against the Knicks. Payne averaged 5.6 points, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game through the five game series. His best game was Game 3, in which Payne scored 11 points, dished out three assists, and blocked two shots.

But many of Payne’s contributions are immeasurable, at least with traditional statistics. For example, Payne has been seen diving on the floor for loose balls time and again, despite the fact that it remains the pre-season and this will be the guard’s 10th NBA season. That attitude comes from his journey in and around the NBA.

"The biggest experience (in shaping my game) was me being waived and going overseas," Payne told reporters following the most recent preseason game against the Hornets. "I don't want to go back overseas. That's my identity. I'm going to play my heart out. I'm going to do whatever I gotta do to help the team win."

And that reaction under duress is exactly what sets Payne apart. He’s scrappy, he’s a go-getter, and he’s willing to do what others won’t.

Given that McBride is at his best off-the-ball, Payne has an opportunity to be Brunson’s primary backup (something that was sorely missing last season). He will probably play elsewhere in small ball lineups, as well.

Simply put, Payne’s makeup and approach fits too nicely with Thibodeau’s preferences for him to not see a big role. And Payne does not seem like someone who, at this stage of his career, wastes opportunities. So, we can expect a big year from him.

The post Knicks player who will shock NBA with breakout 2024-25 season appeared first on ClutchPoints.