New York Knicks: 4 must-follow storylines this season

New York Knicks storyline No. 3. How does Tom Thibodeau manage Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose?

The New York Knicks finally acquired an All-Star caliber point guard in Kemba Walker after spending the entire 2010s without one. To make matters better, Walker is on a two-year, $17.9 million deal just a few years after signing a four-year, $140 million contract.

But of course, there’s a reason for his significant decrease in pay: injuries. Walker played just 43 of 72 possible games last year as he dealt with a left knee injury. And unfortunately for the Knicks, this injury could linger, according to a New York Post article.

Walker may not be able to play a full season and could benefit from load management — something Tom Thibodeau doesn’t typically use for his top players. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett led the league in minutes played last season. Overusing Walker could benefit the team in the short term but could significantly hurt it — and Walker — come playoff time.

Luckily, the Knicks have one of the — if not the very — best backup point guards in the league in Derrick Rose. Rose finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season after averaging 14.7 points per game on 47 percent shooting from the field and 38.8 percent from 3.

That said, Rose has his own issues with injuries. Since tearing his ACL in the 2012 playoffs, he hasn’t played a full season, missing double-digit games every year. He, too, needs to be managed closely so he isn’t hobbling into the playoffs.

Having both Walker and Rose on the Knicks gives Thibodeau flexibility with his rotation. Think baseball for a moment: It’s common for a player to receive an off day every so often to rest, regardless of injury history. Sometimes position players will play designated hitter to get some rest by not fielding. Of course, there’s no designated hitter in the NBA but think of such as a limited minutes night.

Thibodeau could adapt this style in order to preserve Walker and Rose for the playoffs. And having Alec Burks, Immanuel Quickley, Miles McBride and Quentin Grimes also in the backcourt, sitting one of Walker or Rose may not hurt the team too much for a regular-season match.

Maintaining Walker and Rose’s health is key for the Knicks, especially during the playoffs as they will need both if they expect to reach the second round.