Analyst Questions Knicks Contender Status

The New York Knicks are good, but are they among the best in the NBA?

Jeremy Brener | Sep 12, 2024

Jan 11, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles as Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (8) defends during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are coming into the NBA this season as one of the most talked about teams, and they are also expected to be among the best teams on the court.

The Knicks were one of just seven teams in the league to hit the 50-win mark, joining the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks. And they got even better for the upcoming season.

Trading for Mikal Bridges signaled that the Knicks are seriously trying to win a championship, but Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey wonders if they belong in that conversation.

"Playing in the East means the Celtics are in the Knicks' way. The Sixers just loaded up by adding PG to Maxey and Embiid. Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks, despite the age of much of the rotation, should still be in the mix. There are some young up-and-comers such as the Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers. Even the Cleveland Cavaliers can't be ignored," Bailey writes. "So, while the Knicks will provide plenty of topics to discuss over the next several months, we don't know if them being real contenders will be one of them."

There's definitely potential for teams to rise in the East and challenge the Knicks for one of the top spots, but New York is rising along with them.

The Knicks have proven in the past that when this core is good, they can be some of the best in the East. When Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby shared the court last season, the Knicks were 14-3. Adding Bridges to the mix and supporting them with a deep bench gives the Knicks potential to be one of the best, but everything could change once we actually see New York on the floor.

If injuries persist or if the hype doesn't match the product, the Knicks may not end up in that top-tier conversation.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Sep 12, 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.