5 things to watch as Knicks 2026-27 preseason gets underway

The 2026-27 preseason kicks off for the Knicks tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers in a preview of their regular season opener. While these games usually serve as an exhibition or warm up, especially for teams that have found their identity like New York, there’s still plenty to watch for.

Here are five things fans should watch out for during the preseason:

The Knicks came together in a cohesive and dominant way this past postseason, so expect them to carry what they learned into this new campaign. It will be interesting to watch what they lean on more compared to what new things they try and implement.

Karl-Anthony Towns should see more of his high post reps as a creator, but will head coach Mike Brown build on that in any way? OG Anunoby was an offensive weapon last postseason, and Brown’s already suggested giving him more pick-and-roll reps to build off it.

One would hope any questions surrounding KAT and his contributions to the Knicks have been answered, but he’s coming into this potential repeat season with more questions than anticipated. He has a player option for next year and reportedly isn’t nearing an extension with New York, opening the door to further friction during the season and in the worst case scenario, a trade.

Fans should keep an eye on that, as well as how he looks in his new frame. Towns came into training camp noticeably skinnier and plans to build up during the season, we’ll see how that impacts his game early in the year.

It’s easy to forget how banged up Brunson was late in the championship run, given he scored the Finals-sealing 45 points in Game 5 following the masterful Game 4 comeback he led. But he ended up needing surgery to repair a soft-tissue tendon injury in his left hand soon after the chip that kept him out of basketball activities for part of the summer.

If he could score 45 through the injury, there shouldn’t be concern as to how he looks post-rehab. But it’s still something worth monitoring for the Knicks savior.

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Feb 1, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

There’s no better time than preseason to bring out the deep bench and see who’s ready to step up this upcoming year. It’s how the Knicks were convinced of Immanuel Quickley‘s ability as a rookie, and Landry Shamet‘s impact as a veteran, and could mean an opportunity for one of their young guns this year.

New York buried Tyler Kolek deep in the rotation during the home stretch last year, only tried Kevin McCullar Jr. and Pacome Dadiet on sparse occasions, and didn’t give Mohamed Diawara any postseason burn despite his potential. All of these guys, plus new incomer Tyler Nickel, should get their chances in these upcoming games to prove their worth for the regular season.

New York is currently slated to enter the season without a third string center, not a viable approach given they had to lean on Ariel Hukporti at times last playoffs with Towns getting into foul trouble. They’ve brought in two veterans to camp — James Wiseman and Drew Eubanks — to battle it out for that spot.

Expect preseason to serve as a sort of extended try out to see who of these two will man that reserve slot. Wiseman was a former second overall pick with gifted athleticism but a long injury history, while Eubanks has been a quiet but steady backup for multiple teams.