Knicks chase a championship-finishing piece after Ben Simmons declines their final mini‑vet option, forcing a pivot to a plan built around Brunson and Towns. The front office weighs big wings like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, plus a depth chart featuring Hart or Robinson at forward and Clarkson or McBride in the backcourt. With the market thinning, the team leans on 10-man rotations and youth, eyeing Melton, Westbrook, or Bryant as puzzle pieces, and signaling midseason aggressiveness if the right name surfaces.