Knicks Named Championship Contender

The New York Knicks are championship contenders going into the season.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 21, 2024

Oct 18, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots a jump shot over Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) during the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks made a statement or two this summer when re-constructing their roster.

The main message across the moves was that the Knicks weren't content with their roster and wanted to make changes that would lead to some growth. That's why the team traded for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns while signing Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby to extensions, giving the team a core for the foreseeable future.

The trades have CBS Sports writer Jasmyn Wimbish believing the Knicks are a championship contender going into the season.

"We thought the Knicks were done after pulling off the massive trade for Mikal Bridges. And then they went ahead and made sure everyone knew they were fully going for it all this season after trading for Towns. The Knicks are here to win it all, and nothing less. They have a roster capable of making the Celtics sweat. If they can get through the East, you could put them head-to-head with just about anyone in the West and pick them. This is the kind of excitement the Knicks franchise hasn't had in a really long time. And while there will be a learning curve for everyone involved, New York should be in store for a very long postseason run," Wimbish writes.

While the Knicks are building off of two successful seasons in a row where the team won a playoff series, they have such a different core now that it's basically a new team. None of what happened in the past really matters for this group more than what's ahead. The Knicks have a lot of potential to work with, but they are going to take things one day at a time as the season rolls along, improving their individual games and what they can control as opposed to what is out of it.

If the Knicks can run their own race, they may find themselves at the finish line in first place.

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Published Oct 21, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.