Camp opens with one question answered and one that isn't

Brunson passed his wrist clearance and was on the floor Tuesday. That part is settled. The left wrist that sent him to surgery in July is healthy enough to practice, and for a team that spent most of the offseason managing bad news, that counts as genuine relief. He averaged 25.6 points and 6.6 assists last season and carried the Finals MVP. The Knicks need him functional more than they need almost anything else.

Towns is a different story. He's in camp — he's not holding out — but the extension still isn't done, and that distinction matters less than people think. A player operating without a new deal is a player whose future is, at minimum, an open question in every film session and every front-office conversation. Towns posted a double-double average last season on better than 50% shooting. The Knicks built their offense around his ability to stretch the floor and anchor the paint simultaneously. Replacing that production isn't a roster move; it's a rebuild.

What's notable about today is the contrast. One piece of the core walks in cleared and ready. The other walks in unsigned. The Knicks open their title defense with that asymmetry sitting in the middle of the gym.