Knicks Land Top 3 in Latest Power Rankings

The New York Knicks are seen as one of the league's best after free agency has slowed down.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 12, 2024

Jan 18, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have been one of the more active teams this offseason, trading for Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster deal with the Brooklyn Nets and signing OG Anunoby to a five-year extension that rivals some of the richest contracts in the league.

While the team did lose Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency, the Knicks remain one of the league's best teams on paper as the offseason approaches its halfway mark.

CBS Sports writer Brad Botkin released a power ranking of all 30 NBA teams and he placed the Knicks at No. 3.

"Adding Mikal Bridges and re-signing OG Anunoby takes this team to the top tier of potential Boston beaters. The Knicks can credibly line up against the Celtics' perimeter attack on both ends and Jalen Brunson is an MVP-level star whose offensive clarity has not been compromised," Botkin writes.

The only teams that placed ahead of the Knicks on the list was the Oklahoma City Thunder, who added Hartenstein and Alex Caruso in a trade for Josh Giddey, and the Boston Celtics, who just won the championship last month.

The Celtics and Thunder will be seen as favorites to win their respective conferences all year long, but the Knicks are also viewed as one of Boston's biggest challengers in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks have done enough to be seen as such, but they are still a little far away from the team they are trying to chase. The Celtics have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA and they didn't have much challenging them on their way to the title, so the Knicks will have their work cut out for them.

However, the Knicks have made significant progress to be seen as the clear No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference. That's all they really can do at the moment. Ultimately, none of the words will matter until results come about in the regular season. If the Knicks can walk the walk that can match the talk they've drummed up this offseason, they'll have a genuine chance to take over the Celtics as the top team in the East.

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Published Jul 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.