The Post’s Brian Lewis breaks down the Knicks’ top storylines heading into training camp.
Best battle
The Ben Simmons-Dennis Schroder point guard decision won’t be as much a battle as a matter of Simmons’ health.
But Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson (when he’s not at small forward) and Noah Clowney (when he’s not backing up Nic Claxton) could very likely butt heads for minutes at power forward, unless and until one or both of the two veterans are dealt.
Story to watch develop
Simmons is the No. 1, 2 and 3 story in training camp.
The only All-Star on Brooklyn’s roster, he’s missed 189 of 246 games over the past three seasons.
And his absence has had a huge impact on the Nets’ won-loss mark.
Coming off his second discectomy in the past three years, his health and availability are going to be an ongoing hot-button topic throughout camp.
Coach’s toughest challenge
Jordi Fernandez is a rookie coach taking over a bad team.
It’s all going to be a challenge.
The Spaniard has to try to build a winning culture in his locker room while his organization is busy tanking.
That’s a dichotomy, and a tough job that has already started but begins in earnest when camp does on Tuesday.
Most intriguing rookie
Brooklyn doesn’t have any.
The Nets are loaded with draft assets going forward, but they didn’t make a single pick in June’s draft.
Yes, two-ways Jaylen Martin and Yongxi Cui are technically NBA rookies on paper, but both have been pros for years — Martin with Overtime Elite and the Westchester Knicks, and Cui with the Guangzhou Loong Lions, even being the CBA’s Rookie of the Year.
He can’t be a rookie twice, right?
Most intriguing newcomer
Sure, Bojan Bogdanovic is the most accomplished, and Cui has geopolitical intrigue, but Ziaire Williams is a 2021 lottery pick who is still just 22 and has looked solid in summer workouts.
His combination of youth and upside makes him at least interesting on a rebuilding team.
Most notable absence
Mikal Bridges’ departure across the East River to the Garden — and the staggering five first-round picks and pick swap the Nets extracted from the archrival Knicks — are going to reshape this team and determine their future.
But Bridges was Brooklyn’s best all-around player, top perimeter defender and was their second-leading scorer. His 19.6 points and 15.5 shots will be missed.
Biggest comeback
Simmons’ next game — if that’s the Oct. 8 preseason opener against the Clippers or at some later date — will be his first live action since Feb. 26.
He got shut down with a nerve impingement — again — and had surgery in March. It’s been a long road back, but will he stay on the path or get derailed again?
Don’t be surprised if …
Bogdanovic, who is still just working on the side and not playing pickup yet, is brought along slowly.
He’s the only current Net other than Thomas who has ever averaged 20 points — in 2019-20 and again in 2022-23.
But after having left foot and wrist surgeries in April, the 35-year-old is still not 100 percent healthy.
