The New York Knicks have lofty expectations next season. With injuries to several star players on other Eastern Conference contenders, many feel that this is their biggest chance to represent the East in the NBA Finals in 2026.
Knicks rank No. 2 in The Athletic’s power rankings
The Athletic’s Law Murray didn’t lowball the Knicks when ranking them in his latest NBA Power Rankings either, giving them the No. 2 spot in the league behind only the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
“It’s all about new coach Mike Brown and how he may reimagine what is largely the same team that went to the Eastern Conference finals,” Murray wrote. “Clarkson should be an upgrade on Payne, while Yabusele should be an upgrade on Achiuwa. The offense could be even better, though the question of how well this team can defend with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will persist. New York should still add a couple more players, especially in the frontcourt and on the wing.”
After a strong run with Tom Thibodeau as their head coach, they chose to go in a different direction by firing him and hiring Mike Brown a month later. Brown’s impact should improve their offense significantly after it underperformed last season.
The Knicks are one of the deepest teams in the league
In addition, the Knicks addressed the bench issue by adding two key pieces. They signed Jordan Clarkson to a veteran’s minimum and Guerschon Yabusele for just under the midlevel exception, giving them room to still sign an additional player.
Furthermore, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns should improve after a season of playing together. Those two should be maximized more under Brown with his emphasis on ball movement and spacing.
Fully healthy, their rotation is one of the deepest in the entire league, with several guys having the ability to play multiple different roles on the court. While they still need to prove that they can get to the NBA Finals, the stage is set for them to take good control of the Eastern Conference and potentially bring a title back to New York for the first time in over 50 years.
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