Miles McBride

Miles McBride is one of the more underappreciated stories in New York right now, and the C- sentiment grade reflects a disconnect between public perception and what he's actually delivering on the court. The dominant narrative heading into this season cast him as a gritty depth piece — valued for defensive hustle, capable of eating minutes, but firmly outside the Knicks' core — and that framing has proven stubbornly resistant to revision even as the playoffs have arrived. The reality, though, is that his 2025-26 numbers tell a meaningfully different story: 12.0 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game across 41 games is solid starter production, which aligns with his C+ performance grade and suggests he has quietly outplayed his $4.3M contract and the "reliable depth piece" label attached to it. The additions of Jeremy Sochan and Jose Alvarado via trade and signing have only complicated the rotation picture, reinforcing the "odd man out" framing that local coverage keeps returning to and making it harder for McBride to get credit even when he earns it. Recent playoff coverage, however, has started to crack that narrative — there are signs that his performance alongside Mikal Bridges in the postseason is finally forcing a reassessment, with reporting suggesting the two passed a meaningful test in the early rounds. The sentiment grade is steady, but the gap between how McBride is perceived and how he is actually performing is wide enough that a sustained playoff run could force that C- into uncomfortable territory for the skeptics.