A recurring theme this season reared its head once again: the Knicks are in desperate need of depth. With Karl-Anthony Towns sidelined Jericho Sims was thrust into the starting lineup despite having been out of the rotation in recent weeks. While Sims contributed 10 rebounds, his lack of offensive aggression was glaring—attempting just four shots in 29 minutes of play.
Precious Achiuwa, expected to provide energy off the bench, had a rough outing as well. He finished with a team-worst -14 in 22 minutes and managed only two rebounds, underscoring the Knicks’ struggles on the glass. Orlando out-hustled New York throughout the game, winning the rebound battle 30-27.
The second-unit backcourt offered little support, with Cameron Payne shooting a disappointing 2-for-7 and Landry Shamet going scoreless in 21 minutes. The lack of scoring depth off the bench is becoming a critical issue for the Knicks, as relying solely on the starting lineup to carry the load will make it difficult to sustain success over the long haul.
Help could be on the horizon with the return of Miles McBride and, eventually, Mitchell Robinson, but that alone might not be enough to address the team’s depth concerns. Options like elevating T.J. Warren or Pacome Dadiet from the G-League could provide a short-term boost, but a more impactful solution may require exploring trade options before the Feb. 6 deadline.
If the Knicks want to stay competitive in the playoff hunt, adding bench scoring and energy is a priority they cannot afford to ignore.