The Knicks got back on track on Wednesday night with a win over the Rockets, as the return of Jalen Brunson was a reminder of what this team can be when he is on the floor.
For C-Mac, it also highlights the need for the Knicks to make a move to address the team when Brunson is on the bench.
"They are a completely different team without Brunson. They can't replace what Brunson does…we get that," C-Mac said. "Right now, this team, you gotta figure out a way...if they want to be where they want to be, which is right below or right there to attack those top teams…they need to secure a legit backup for Brunson, and have a little bit of a better plan for that B squad.
"It's been the glaring issue since they got rid of Quickley…it's clearly what they need."
The Knicks' second unit has struggled - badly - to score points since the trade for OG Anunoby, and Tom Thibodeau has tried to stagger Brunson and Julius Randle at times to keep a viable scoring option and shot creator on the floor at all times. The team reportedly is coveting another ball handler and scorer to slot in behind Brunson to spark the second unit offensively, and C-Mac says that would be the Knicks' big need right now to keep them in play to compete with the top-tier teams in the Eastern Conference.
"I'm a little concerned, knowing they're getting older…it's a lot of minutes…when you focus so much on Randle and Brunson," C-Mac said. "If you want to stay out of the play-in round, you have got to find a way to still be a solid team, to still go out and win games and hold leads you're supposed to hold, you have to find a way to have a [second] unit and coexist."
