What happened: Mike Brown said New York plans to ease its starters into preseason action instead of pushing them to full workloads right away. He said those minutes should build toward the last exhibition, which he described as the dress rehearsal.

Why it matters: The approach offers an early outline for how the Knicks will manage their main rotation ahead of the 2026-27 opener. It also comes during a camp stretch where Brown has already pointed to roster evaluation, so the final preseason game could carry extra weight for rotation clues.

What to watch: Watch how quickly Brown increases the starters' run over the first preseason games and who gets the longest stint in the finale. That distribution should provide the clearest read yet on New York's opening-night pecking order.