NEW YORK — The New York Knicks are searching for answers after a troubling 0-3 start to the season, and head coach Mike Brown is taking drastic action with his rotation. Following a disappointing fourth-quarter collapse against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden, Andre Drummond benched stole the spotlight as frustration began spilling into the postgame locker room, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. Andre Drummond benched updates dominated postgame chatter after a second-quarter defensive lapse prompted a swift line-up change.
How an Andre Drummond benched stint sparked immediate frustration
Midway through the second quarter of Sunday’s loss, Drummond was caught jogging back on defense, allowing Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. to beat him down the floor for an easy transition layup. Mike Brown called a timeout and subbed Drummond out for the rest of the game, opting to give backup minutes to James Wiseman.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Drummond did not hide his annoyance over the hook. “Control what I can control. I can’t do s–t about not playing,” Drummond said. “All I can do is cheer my teammates on and hope for the best.” When asked if he was told the reason for the benching, Drummond added, “You can make the guess for me,“ while noting he is “probably not” owed an explanation.
How Mike Brown plans to handle reserve roles heading into Tuesday
The gamble on Wiseman failed to pay off on the scoreboard, as the center struggled through an 0-for-5 shooting performance off the bench. Despite the hiccup, Mike Brown made it clear that every reserve spot behind the starting lineup for the New York Knicks is officially open for competition. “First thing I want to make clear is we have our starting five. Other than that, anybody can play,” Brown emphasized. “Everybody else after that starting five, I can throw in front of the next guy in a heartbeat.” Brown delivered an even sharper warning regarding defensive effort: “I’ll really jump their ass if I see the effort not there… Our crap stinks. It does.”
While Brown confirmed that Drummond will remain the primary backup big man when New York hosts the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, his message was clear: non-starters who fail to sprint back on defense will find themselves sitting on the pine.
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