The moment is now for the New York Knicks

The Eastern Conference is missing two of its titans this year with the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers both down their best player for what could be all of the season.  That means a door has opened for another one of the new age east titans to step through the door and break through to the Finals.  There is no reason that team cannot be the New York Knicks.

Let’s start with the biggest move the Knicks made this summer.  The dismissal of Tom Thibodeau was the biggest coaching news we had.  It wasn’t a shocking move, there were rumors that New York was prepared to move on from Thibodeau but it is questionable if it is the right move.  I think Mike Brown is a good coach who has shown he is capable of winning games.  Yet, like Thibodeau, he has not broken through in any meaningful way.  We all know Thibs’ biggest issues, his unwillingness to play his bench so starters play too many minutes in the regular season and his unwillingness to adjust from his way.  Well, he adjusted in the 2nd round last season when New York switched everything defensively against the Boston Celtics, a key reason why they pulled off the upset.  I also don’t think New York fired the coach that got them to their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years due to the fact that he didn’t play Tyler Kolek more minutes.  I think offensive diversity was a big reason as to why Thibodeau was fired.  The Knicks traded 5 first round picks for Mikal Bridges in June 2024.  More actions with Bridges involved is something that the Knicks are going to want to do.  Dribble-handoffs with Karl-Anthony Towns is one way to have both of those guys more involved in different ways.  Bridges wasn’t great at handoffs a season ago, scoring 0.93 points per possessions but he only ran 97 during the entire season.  Now, New York was an elite offense last year so they don’t have to change a ton but a little more diversity on offense could boost them even more.

The Knicks do have to make a roster decision before the season begins.  Recently, the team signed Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon to 1-year deals that are non-guaranteed.  However, in order to keep both players, due to the 2nd apron, the team would have to trade one of their young players, likely Tyler Kolek or Pacome Dadiet.  Both were 2024 draft picks, Dadiet at 25th and Kolek at 34th.  Neither player made big impacts last season but having young players on your deep bench matters.  Sure both Shamet and Brogdon are better players right now but how much better is Shamet really and Brogdon is always hurt.  Brogdon doesn’t make a ton of sense in New York to me anyways.  A good player, Brogdon has played in 63 games since winning 6th Man of the Year in 2023 with the Boston Celtics.  Meaning, over the past 2 seasons, Brogdon has missed 101 games with the Trail Blazers and Wizards.  Sure, those teams were tanking and didn’t need him but 63 games is simply not enough.  He also shot the three really poorly last season too at 29%.  With Brunson, Deuce McBride and Jordan Clarkson already on the roster, I am just not sure how necessary Brogdon is to New York.  I would rather just keep the young guard that was drafted a year ago as my 4th point guard.  Shamet’s skillset is useful too, you can never have enough shooters and he played pretty well for the Knicks last season.  I wouldn’t keep Brogdon on this team.

The make up of the roster is very similar to last year.  Mitchell Robinson is healthy, he wasn’t for most of last season, and could end up being the Knicks starting center.  I wouldn’t start him because I think the Knicks should manage his minutes so he is healthy and ready to go for the playoffs and it is easier to limit his minutes if he is coming off of the bench.  I am not sure how his body is going to hold up over a full season because it just hasn’t throughout his career.  They did make additions to the bench.  Jordan Clarkson is a combo guard who can score off of the bench, though he was a buyout player and is past his prime.  He did not play well for the Jazz last season.  Guerschon Yabusele is a 4-5 hybrid who is a little undersized but played well for the 76ers last season after a really great Olympic run with France.  These guys give Brown more optionality off of his bench.  Alongside McBride, who had his best season a year ago, the Knicks bench has the ability to be pretty good.  It lacks wings but with Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby in the starting 5, they don’t need a ton of wing depth.

New York is going to score a lot of points.  Last season with Karl-Anthony Towns and Jaleb Brunson on the court, New York scored 122.2 points per 100 possessions, which would have been best in the NBA.  The Towns lineups without Brunson were awesome on both sides of the court.  With an offensive rating (another way to say points per 100 possessions) of 121.3 points and a defensive rating (how many points you give up per 100 possessions) of 112.2, leaving us with a net rating of 9.1. That would have ranked as the best offense, 10th on defense and 4th in net rating.  There is a good defense within New York.  With both Brunson and Towns on the bench, the Knicks gave up 105.9 points per 100 possessions, which would have been the best in the NBA, only Oklahoma City gave up under 109 points per 100.  This is an elite basketball team, the eye test says it and the numbers back it up.  For the season, New York was 5th in offense, 13th in defense and 8th in net rating.  I expect them to improve on all of those this season as they look to become a true title contender.

This is, very simply, a Finals or bust season for the Knicks.  They are going to win a lot of regular season games and likely be the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Cavaliers did win 64 games last year.  As was mentioned, this is an East that is missing its past 2 conference champions.  Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton both tore their achilles last year and even if they do return, I don’t think it’ll be to challenge New York (or Cleveland). Orlando is good but young, how ready are Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner?  The Hawks are good but have been in the play-in the last 4 seasons.  Are we sold that the Pistons can upset New York because I don’t think so.  The Bucks are lacking enough top end talent to compete and the 76ers don’t deserve to be brought up in this conversation.  The Eastern Conference has the feel of a two team race, between New York and Cleveland.  Both teams have to take advantage of it.

The New York Knicks have been a playoff team in 4 of the last 5 seasons, they have been to at least the 2nd round in each of the past 3 seasons and they were 2 wins away from the Finals last year.  New York has the talent and the east is up for the taking.  The moment is now for Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks and they have to meet it.