The Knicks trail only the OKC Thunder for the title while leading all Eastern Conference teams.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the early favorites to repeat and win the 2026 NBA title, but the New York Knicks are not far behind in the opening title odds across multiple sportsbooks.
After securing the first championship in franchise history on Sunday giving the Indiana Pacers no shot at it, the Thunder open as clear frontrunners at +240 on DraftKings and +220 on FanDuel. The Knicks, meanwhile, lead all Eastern Conference contenders, listed as high as +650 and as low as +850 depending on the book but always leading the pack or tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Only three other teams — Cleveland, Houston, and Orlando — are currently priced under +1000, with the Cavs (+650 to +900) also sitting near the top of the East.
BetMGM
It’s the first time since the Patrick Ewing era that New York opens the summer as a consensus top-tier title contender.
The Knicks, who reached the Eastern Conference Finals this past season and are right in the middle of their best contending window in the last 25 years, appear well-positioned in a conference rocked by injury setbacks and looking wide open ahead of next season.
Boston and Milwaukee have both seen their odds lengthen significantly due to offseason concerns. Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard each suffered Achilles injuries in the playoffs, with their timelines still unclear. Indiana, a Finals team this season, dropped from +800 to +1800 after Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles in Game 7 and should miss most if not all of next season.
All of those health issues combined have opened the door for the Knicks and the Choking Cavs to emerge as clear front-runners in the East’s title race, although the Celtics (+1300 to +1800) and the Pacers (+1800 to +4000) are still on the board while likely face uphill battles depending on injury recoveries and in the case of Boston, cap concerns and potential trades to lower the financial blow.
Out West, Oklahoma City’s young core, including Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, along with former Knickerbocker and NBA Champ Isaiah Harternstein, will remain intact and only getting better each passing year.
The Knicks’ stability (assuming Leon Rose doesn’t pull off any more tectonic moves), health, and recent deep playoff runs definitely make them the top Eastern threat as of now and a real contender to run away with the ECF title and a Finals appearance for the first time since 1999.