5 NBA teams stuck between excellence and mediocrity

PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 14: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers react to a jump ball call by the referee in the fourth quarter at Moda Center on January 14, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – NOVEMBER 21: Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks reacts in the first half against the Chicago Bulls at United Center on November 21, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

5 NBA teams that are too good to blow things up, but too bad to win an NBA championship this season: New York Knicks

This one may be controversial, especially since they finished as the fourth seed in the East last season. Full credit to Tom Thibodeau, since his arrival the Knicks have become a tough, respected team.

They’re still one big move away from being a legitimate contender, though, lacking the firepower and talent to compete with the likes of Milwaukee, Brooklyn, and a fully fit Philadelphia. They’re currently 11-10 and seventh in the east, a mark I’d expect them to sit around for the remainder of the season.

The big news has been the complete removal of Kemba Walker from the rotation, however, if we’re being honest, his addition was never going to lift them to any heights greater than last season.

As good as Julius Randle was last season, he’s never going to be the number one guy on a championship team. That’s ultimately the problem for the Knicks – they don’t have that guy on the roster at present.

R.J Barratt, Immanuel Quickley, and Obi Toppin are all talented young players, but do any of them project to be All-NBA guys that are top 10-15 players in the league?

Although the Knicks may be stuck in this middle-of-the-road phase, they can explode out of it if patient enough. They have the mid-tier contracts and young talent that could be exchanged for a superstar at some point in the future.