Do Knicks Need to Embrace Small Ball Lineup?

The New York Knicks had to deal with a lot of injuries this past season, one of them being an ankle injury that kept starting center Mitchell Robinson out for the majority of the season.

He will be back at some point this season, but as it stands right now, he has still not been cleared for basketball activities. As a result, the Knicks might need to think about a lineup they could run if Robinson remains out, or if he gets injured again.

One of the ideas that has been thrown around quite a bit over the course of the last few seasons would be a small-ball lineup with Julius Randle at the center position. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has been resistant to it in the past, but he might not have much of a choice if Robinson can't consistently stay on the court.

Randle plays the game very physically, which could lead him to be viable option at center, as he plays bigger than his height would suggest. If he can stay healthy, then he could play a lot of different roles for the Knicks this season.

Related: How Much Will Knicks Miss Isaiah Hartenstein?

Another thing that could help a small ball lineup work is that the team would have both OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges on the court. So despite the fact that the team would be giving up a bit of size, the combined defense of these two would more than make up for on that side of the court.

If Robinson remains off the court for an extended period of time, the Knicks may have to run a small ball lineup this season.