The New York Knicks are going into the season with a lot to prove as they move closer to contending for a championship.
PFSN writer Bjorn Bergstrom conducted a recent power rankings, placing the Knicks at No. 4 behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Out is Tom Thibodeau and in is new head coach Mike Brown, who is expected to stretch the rotation further and give the star quartet of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, O.G. Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges much more rest,” Bergstrom wrote.
“The New York Knicks’ front office also added to the roster, signing Guerschon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson, and Malcolm Brogdon, who should see nightly minutes off the bench.
“After falling to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, that should be considered the floor for the Knicks, especially considering how weak the conference is. It’s NBA Finals or bust, with a championship seeming to be within reach for this talented New York squad.”
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown speaks to the media during a media day press conference. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Knicks cannot waste this season of potentially being one of the best teams in the league. Brunson is not getting any younger and the Knicks are firmly in his prime years.
Brunson comes into the season with the chance to be the one to get the Knicks across the finish line, but he will need some help from his supporting cast. Luckily for Brunson, he might have the most talented roster he’s ever played with.
Towns, Anunoby, Bridges and Mitchell Robinson will help him form one of the best starting lineups in the league while Yabusele, Clarkson and Brogdon are three additions that should help the Knicks be even better and deeper.
The Knicks are hoping to have a deeper rotation after firing Thibodeau and bringing Brown aboard. The league is trending towards longer rotations with players giving more max effort in smaller stints, so having more capable pieces to the puzzle will give the Knicks a chance to be a serious contender alongside the Cavs, Nuggets and Thunder.
The one thing holding the Knicks back could be the adjustments to Brown’s system, but once the team overcomes those obstacles, they should be hard to stop.