“They missing one more piece” – 2x NBA champ crushes Knicks’ title hopes over glaring hole in roster

The New York Knicks are one of the top teams favored out of the Eastern Conference next season. However, former Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers believes the group still needs one more piece to be a threat.

The Knicks didn’t change much ahead of the 2025-26 season. No player left the team, and the front office only addressed their second unit. They signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele at the start of free agency. On Friday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the team signed veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon to a one-year contract.

Even with the moves they made, the two-time NBA champion believes they are missing one more piece. Iman Shumpert, a former Knicks player, questioned Chalmers about the team’s roster on the inaugural episode of “No Limits.”

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"2026. JB (Jalen Brunson), KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns), (Mikal)Bridges, OG (Anunoby). Fading that," Chalmers said. "They missing one more piece.

Chalmers said that the team needs a big man who can do damage inside the paint on both ends of the floor.

"I think they missing that dominant big. I think KAT is decent, KAT is good, what he good for... They need somebody that really blocking and and give them a presence on the offensive end, too."

Although New York has a defensive big man in Mitchell Robinson, he's not as dominant on the other end. For them to contend for a title, Chalmers thinks they need a superior big man next to Towns.

Knicks' re-signing of Landry Shamet gets support from Josh Hart

New York has ensured a deeper bench unit than last season. Aside from the three players mentioned as new additions to the roster, the team also re-signed Landry Shamet.

He'll play his eighth NBA season with the New York squad. Josh Hart, a forward for the Knicks, expressed his enthusiasm on X after applauding the executive office's decision to sign the 6-foot-4 guard.

"YEA LAN!" Hart posted on X.

Last season, Shamet appeared in 50 games for the Knicks. He mostly came off the bench, averaging 5.7 points and 1.2 rebounds on 39.7% shooting from deep. In the playoffs, the veteran guard suited up for 11 games, averaging 2.4 points on 46.7% shooting from beyond the arc.

He's an experienced player who could provide spacing and reliable outside shooting. But with the team having a plethora of backcourt players, it may be difficult for him to have a consistent role in the rotation.

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Reign Amurao

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline. 

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

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