The New York Knicks are facing a pressing challenge as the offseason nears its end, having missed the chance to add Amir Coffey to their roster. Head coach Mike Brown is working to finalize a squad that matches his vision of a dynamic, high-tempo style, but the loss of Coffey leaves a significant hole amid limited remaining roster spots. With the season approaching rapidly, the team must adjust quickly to maintain competitive depth.
Amir Coffey signs with the Bucks, leaving Knicks to reconsider
Amir Coffey has agreed to a one-year minimum contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, closing the door on a potential addition to the Knicks roster. Coffey, known for his versatility as a wing player, presented an opportunity to enhance New York’s depth on both ends of the floor. Although the Knicks currently have a 12-man core, the need for additional contributors remains critical, especially for sustained success during the grueling <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/basketball/nba/”>NBA season.
NBA analyst Dan Favale of The Daily Knicks pointed out Coffey’s value at age 28.
“Coffey could have been a difference-maker, even if only on the margins,”
Favale noted, emphasizing that the Knicks appear poised to target a guard with their next veteran minimum signing to shore up bench ball-handling and secondary playmaking.
Challenges within Knicks’ backcourt depth
The Knicks’ backcourt situation underscores the importance of adding experienced contributors. Deuce McBride currently lacks the traditional qualities of a floor general, and Josh Hart serves mainly as a scorer rather than a facilitator in half-court sets. The anticipated return of Jordan Clarkson is expected to boost scoring, but his style tends to favor creating his own shot rather than distributing to teammates.
Coffey’s skill set would have brought more defensive flexibility and expertise. Favale highlighted Coffey’s standout defensive performance last season, during which he guarded multiple positions effectively and excelled in navigating ball-screens. According to BBall Index data, Coffey ranked in the 86th percentile for ball-screen defense, a distinction achieved by only three other players with similar playing time: Keegan Murray, Derrick Jones Jr., and Taurean Prince.
Evaluating the missed chance to add Coffey
It is worth noting that Coffey’s deal with Milwaukee is for training camp only, as reported by Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Nonetheless, his recent production with the Los Angeles Clippers demonstrated his value. Coffey averaged 9.7 points per game, shooting 40.9% from three-point range over 24 minutes per game in a playoff-caliber lineup. Such performance arguably merited greater than just a training camp opportunity.
For the Knicks, the loss of Coffey is a reminder of the narrow windows available to reinforce a roster in a highly competitive NBA offseason. Coach Mike Brown and his staff are now tasked with exploring other options promptly to strengthen the team’s depth and address remaining weaknesses ahead of the regular season.