Miles McBride
McBride is the Knicks' regular sixth man behind Jalen Brunson, and the main open question is whether he stays on the roster all season, not his on-court role.
Role
Reporting calls him typically the Knicks' sixth man, and CBS/Rotowire (Oct 13 preseason note) says he started one preseason game, against the Raptors. CBS also says he is likely to be an every-night rotation piece. I found no minutes or usage figures for this season, so I give none. Last season he averaged a career-high 12.0 points on 41.3 percent from three (CBS/Rotowire). The 3 games in our database line do not match that coverage, so I did not use it. The guards he shares the room with are Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson, Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet, Tyler Kolek and Jaden Akins (ESPN roster list). I could not confirm who starts beside Brunson or how the minutes split.
Perimeter defense and shooting make him a spark plug. ESPN/Rotowire notes a 20-point game with six threes in a loss to the Celtics, and says he could carve out a bigger reserve role if Bridges keeps struggling. Daily Knicks argues he is more important to a postseason rotation than a backup big, and that he could even close games if Bridges or Hart slumps. CBS says he could see significant run with the first unit when the starters rest.
Fox Sports, ESPN and CBS all say his ceiling is capped while Brunson is healthy, and that his production will swing with minutes and shot volume. CBS says he is not on the radar outside of deeper formats. He shot 1-of-5 from three in a preseason loss to Washington. He also played just five games between Jan. 27 and mid-April because of injury (pelvis noted), a durability flag. Daily Knicks reports he is the roster's most natural trade candidate because of his contract: he is on a one-year, $3.9 million deal after no extension was reached.
Where analysts split
Two questions. First, whether Bridges' struggles open more guard minutes for McBride, which ESPN raises as a possibility and which has not been confirmed. Second, whether the Knicks trade him, as Daily Knicks says, to fund a center move. Daily Knicks argues they shouldn't. I found no current report that a trade is imminent.
Research confidence: thin. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
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