Six games in, the five that won New York its first title in 53 years is getting outscored badly. The numbers say change something, but the cap and the calendar say the fix belongs in the rotation.
The Question
The champions are 2-4 and 12th. The question is blunt: is the five that won the 2026 title still the answer, or does Mike Brown have to break it up? Brunson, Towns, Anunoby, Bridges and Hart have shared 85 minutes this season. Per 100 possessions they score 96.1, allow 104.5 and finish at minus 8.4. Champions don't post that number.
Case for Change
Thursday in Philadelphia added more evidence. The Knicks trailed 29-21 after one quarter, their biggest lead was a single point, and they lost 98-93. Hart shot 2 for 9 and posted a team-worst minus 10. Anunoby went 4 for 10. Brunson needed 22 shots for 24 points. The starters scored 74 of the 93. Clarkson was plus 5 in nine minutes. Posting and Toasting's recap ran a player's line that it "took us too long to show up."
Case for Patience
This is the group that went 53-29, finished fifth in the league in net rating and won the 2026 Finals. Six games is a sliver, and 76 remain. Towns is holding up his end: 22 points and 12 boards on 8-of-15 shooting Thursday, a day after he was cleared from the injury report. The hole is shallow, too. Atlanta holds sixth at 3-3.
The Cap Says Stay
There is no clean exit anyway. Payroll sits at $220.4M, above the first apron and $20M past the $200.4M tax line. Five deals eat most of it: Towns $57.1M, Anunoby $42.5M, Brunson $37.7M, Bridges $33.5M, Hart $20.9M. Brooklyn owns the 2027 and 2029 firsts. The Towns extension talks the club paused on October 9 haven't moved since the pause left him "very disappointed." Trading from this sheet means selling low with no picks to sweeten a deal.
The Answer
Keep the five and change the minutes. The problem is the starts, and the fix is a shorter leash. Clarkson and McBride play when the opening unit stalls, and the closing group is earned, not assumed. The Nets come in November 2 and the Bulls on November 4. Those are winnable games at home. If the starting five is still deep in the red by the November 7 trip to Cleveland, the question stops being theoretical.
Should the Knicks break up their starting lineup?
Not yet. The starting five is minus 8.4 per 100 possessions in 85 minutes, but it won the 2026 title, and the cap leaves no clean trade path.
Why can't the Knicks make a big trade right now?
Payroll is $220.4M, above the first apron, and the 2027 and 2029 first-round picks are owed to Brooklyn. That leaves little to build a deal with.
