Insider Predicts Huge Knicks Starting Lineup Change Next Season After Coaching Change

The New York Knicks are set to enter the 2025-26 NBA season as one of the favorites to land the top seed in the Eastern Conference and make a run to the NBA Finals.

Of course, this comes after the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 last season and with their core back and the East weakened due to injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, they are expected to be a top team in the conference.

For the Knicks, they made some major decisions this offseason as they replaced head coach Tom Thibodeau with two-time Coach of the Year winner Mike Brown.

They also signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele in free agency to upgrade their bench and they also have another open roster spot that they are expected to use to sign another veteran to come off the bench.

Knicks' insider predicts massive lineup change next season

While the Knicks will enter next season among the favorites to win the East, insider James L. Edwards III recently predicted a major lineup change under Brown.

“Let me start with this: I think Josh Hart deserves to be a starter, and if he ends up not being one (as I predict), I think it says more about the Knicks and Brown wanting to improve the defense than it does Hart,” Edwards III wrote. “Having Mitchell Robinson as the anchor of the frontline will help do that. Furthermore, if there were to be a starting lineup change, Hart would handle it the best of anyone in last season’s starting lineup.”

Edwards III is predicting that Brown will elect to bring Hart off the bench in favor of starting Robinson inside with Karl-Anthony Towns to bolster the defense in their starting rotation.

Of course, Thibodeau used this lineup briefly during the playoffs last season due to the team’s struggles defensively and it worked out well as they reached the Eastern Conference Finals.

Despite this, Hart has been a key piece in New York’s starting lineup over the past few seasons and it would be a tough decision to move him to the bench in favor of Robinson, who has dealt with a ton of injuries during his career in the NBA.

Either way, it would not be a surprise to see Brown try out different lineups throughout the season to see which will work to lead the Knicks to another deep playoff run.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.