One year ago, we would’ve said something in the likes of “another year, another imminent disappointment for New York Knicks fans”. However, things appear to be different this time out, with a team that is solidly on the rise.
To sum up a perfectly pleasant offseason, the Knicks kicked off their transactions by making some rather questionable moves in the 2021 NBA Draft, as they traded down to secure more future assets. Luckily for them, the players they ended up drafting exceeded expectations in the Summer League.
Moving forward, they parted ways with Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton in free agency and inked all the remaining players on expired contracts to new multi-year deals. Julius Randle, Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson will all be part of the team’s long-term plans.
Last and definitely not least, the front office decided to boost the team’s offense by adding two elite shot-creators. Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier are moving from Boston to The Big Apple and will look to provide Randle with the help he so desperately needed last season.
In a season destined for excitement, the New York Knicks have a long road ahead, in order to prove they weren’t one-season wonders.
Being a New York Knicks fan was incredibly thrilling last season. Basically, a team that everybody had written off, made it all the way to the playoffs while having home-court advantage.
Unfortunately, we have to be realistic here. The team did overachieve. Despite having improved upon the roster significantly, the chances of repeating last season’s triumph are not in Tom Thibodeau’s favor.
The Eastern Conference is not a laughingstock compared to the West anymore, as the competition is at its highest level in these latest years. Writing off these New York Knicks would be a stupid thing to do, however, repeating a top 4 finish is more than a long shot.