NBA New Season Team Preview: Knicks – Undergoing Major Offseason Changes, Big Apple Aims for the Championship

The team featured in this preview is the New York Knicks from the Big Apple.

Review of last season:

Last season, the Knicks established Brunson as their core player, with Brunson making his first All-Star appearance. The team traded for the Raptors’ defensive powerhouse Anunoby midway through the season. Despite another core player Randle only playing 46 games, the Knicks still achieved an impressive record of 50 wins and 32 losses in the regular season, entering the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the East.

In the first round of the playoffs, New York battled the 76ers for seven games, but injuries were the biggest constraint on the team. The starters all averaged over 40 minutes per game, with Brunson averaging 32.4 points. DiVincenzo delivered a career-defining performance, while Hart played over 48 minutes consecutively. This high-intensity play led to players falling one by one. They led the Pacers 2-0 in the second round but were dragged into a Game 7, where Brunson suffered a hand fracture, leading to the Knicks losing 3-4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Offseason changes:

The team’s core player Brunson chose to renew his contract with the Knicks for four years and $156.5 million instead of signing a supermax deal next year, which made the Knicks’ operations more flexible this summer. Last season’s newcomer Anunoby also renewed his contract with the Knicks for five years and $212.5 million, helping the team retain its core players.

Subsequently, in the trade market, the Knicks sent five first-round picks and Bogdanovic to the Nets in exchange for Bridges. However, the team’s backup center Harrell chose to sign a contract worth over $30 million with the Thunder in free agency, coupled with Miro’s injury, leaving the Knicks’ frontcourt in a tight spot.

Therefore, just before the preseason began, the Knicks completed a blockbuster trade, sending core player Randle and last season’s outstanding performer DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves in exchange for veteran star Towns. This trade was a bolt from the blue, with almost no prior news leaks. Towns was selected to the Western Conference All-Star team last season and led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals. However, due to salary cap pressure, the Timberwolves ultimately chose to trade this former No. 1 draft pick who had been with the team for nine years. For the Knicks, this trade not only solved their immediate frontcourt needs but also perfectly fit their lineup, making their starting rotation incredibly strong.

Additionally, the Knicks drafted French prospect Dadiet in the draft.

Outlook for the new season:

Let’s talk about the team’s new addition, Towns. As the most proficient shooting center in history (he previously won the Three-Point Contest), his career three-point shooting percentage is 39.8%, even reaching above 40% in multiple seasons. Despite a reduced role last season, he still managed to be selected to the All-Star team at power forward, with statistics nearly achieving the 180 club (missing out due to free throw performance). He averaged over 20 points per game.

With such a player joining the New York Knicks, Towns can return to his preferred center position, allowing the team to field a lineup with extreme spacing, where every player poses a significant three-point threat.

Moreover, after acquiring Bridges, the Knicks have formed a formidable perimeter defense duo with OG and Bridges, supplemented by a high-level defender like Hart and head coach Thibodeau’s strict management. On the offensive end, they have Brunson, a versatile scorer, and Towns, an offensive maestro. The team can achieve a balanced offense and defense in the starting lineup, with Towns needing to put in more effort on interior defense. In the past two years playing alongside Gobert, Towns has shown significant improvement in his interior defense.

Although there are rumors that the team might trade Miro, nothing has been confirmed yet. After Miro returns, Towns can move back to the power forward position, giving the Knicks multiple tactical options.

In this major trade, the Knicks did not include McBride, a tough player, in the trade. His spacing and defensive abilities are crucial for the Knicks’ bench. With players like Cameron Payne and Achiuwa providing depth, the Knicks’ roster is deep, allowing them to launch a strong challenge for the top spot in the East after the Celtics’ Porzingis got injured and will miss some time.

Predicted starting lineup:

1. Brunson + Hart + Bridges + OG + Towns

2. Brunson + Bridges + OG + Towns + Miro

Predicted regular-season ranking: 1st-2nd in the East