The 2024-25 NBA season is here! We’re breaking down the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and fantasy outlooks for all 30 teams. Enjoy!
NEW YORK KNICKS
2023-24 finish
Offseason moves
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Additions: Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Payne, Pacôme Dadiet, Tyler Kolek, Kevin McCullar Jr., Ariel Hukporti, Landry Shamet, the draft rights to James Nnaji
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Subtractions: Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop, DaQuan Jeffries, Charlie Brown Jr., Duane Washington, Isaiah Hartenstein, Bojan Bogdanović, Alec Burks, Shake Milton, Mamadi Diakite
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Complete roster
The Big Question: Will it all be worth it?
After a ton of injuries and a hail of Indiana jumpers combined to stop them short of the Eastern Conference finals, the Knicks’ front office spent big to maintain their momentum. A half-decade’s worth of first-round picks for Bridges. Five years and $212.5 million for OG Anunoby. Another $156.5 million for Jalen Brunson.
(OK, so that last one was actually the mother of all sweetheart deals.)
It all had the Knicks looking poised to enter the season with one of the NBA’s best and deepest rotations — a team that, once Randle and center Mitchell Robinson returned from surgeries, had a chance to exceed last year’s limits.
“Obviously, you would’ve liked to have seen that one more time and just get a feel for that, fully healthy,” swingman Josh Hart said Monday at media day.
Team president Leon Rose had other plans.
“You know, you’re never content,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You always want to try to improve. And when opportunities present themselves, and you feel like it can improve the team, you want to try to take advantage of that.”
Rose took advantage, punctuating New York’s offseason with a thunderbolt. Out goes Randle, who averaged nearly 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per game across five seasons as a Knick, earning All-Star and All-NBA nods as the bully who helped bring the bright lights back to Broadway. Out goes ’Nova Knick DiVincenzo, who last season became the fifth player in NBA history to make more than 250 3-pointers and snag a steal on at least 2% of opponents’ offensive possessions. (The other four: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Paul George and the god George McCloud.)
And in comes Towns — a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection who’s about to become the fourth 7-footer ever to make 1,000 career triples; who’s fresh off a run in which he (partially) redeemed his postseason reputation by successfully guarding Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokić in series victories (before struggling in the Western Conference finals); and who, as an ostensible replacement for Randle and Hartenstein, promises to dramatically change the shape of the franchise.
Jalen Brunson, all 6-foot-2 of him, finished 12th in the NBA in points in the paint last season, despite playing almost exclusively with elbows-and-in centers. Going from indoor cats to outdoor KAT — a quick-trigger sniper adept at removing opposing centers from the paint — should widen Brunson’s pathways to paydirt. Surrounding that pairing with Anunoby and Bridges — central-casting All-Defensive wings who have shot 41% and 39%, respectively, on catch-and-shoot 3s over the past four seasons — puts lethal complementary targets all over the court.
Sprinkle in Hart — who, as he noted at media day, has “shown in the league I can do a little bit of everything” — and the Knicks have the makings of a starting five that could rank among the league’s best. Add in fourth-year guard Miles McBride, an ace point-of-attack defender who just shot 41% from deep, and a healthy Robinson and Precious Achiuwa up front, and that’s an eight-man rotation equipped to go toe-to-toe with the best of the best — especially if the offseason moves can even further unleash Brunson.
“The most important thing, when it goes into summer, is just: Where’s my mindset at? Where am I?” Brunson said Monday. “And I know where I’m at. And I like where I’m at.”
The key: getting to those marquee matchups in one piece. Towns and Anunoby have missed a combined 213 regular-season games over the past four years. Robinson has missed 81 games in the last two, and won’t be ready for at least a couple of months.
Sure, Brunson, Hart and Bridges are tanks. But these Knicks feel perilously close to “This Sure Is A Lot of Jericho Sims and Cam Payne” territory for a would-be title contender — especially in a conference featuring, among others, the defending-champion Celtics, the Paul George-bolstered 76ers, Giannis and Dame’s Bucks, and the Pacers squad that just ended the Knicks’ season.
“The East is definitely going to be tougher,” Hart said Monday. “A lot of teams made big moves this offseason, moves to shore up their rotation. It’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to be a cakewalk. We know that. … But we’re extremely confident in what we have.
Best-case scenario
If everything goes according to plan, Thibs will successfully integrate his new team, with Brunson leading the way and earning All-NBA First Team honors. Towns will seamlessly fit into the team, driving New York’s transformation into a dominant five-out attack that leads the league in points scored per possession. Bridges’ shooting efficiency will shine in his adjusted role, allowing him to excel defensively alongside Anunoby. With Towns and Anunoby staying healthy, and Robinson joining them, the Knicks will surpass 50 wins, reach the conference finals, and challenge Boston’s blueprint.
If everything falls apart
In a worst-case scenario, chemistry issues arise, and the team struggles to find its rhythm. Towns’ defensive responsibilities and adjustments in the scheme lead to a decline in defensive performance, especially with Robinson’s absence. Injuries plague the team, exposing vulnerabilities in the reshuffled roster due to significant absences from key players. While Thibs and Brunson may secure a playoff spot, the Knicks’ efforts fall short against more resilient opponents.
Fantasy spin
Following the blockbuster trade, Brunson and Towns have seen their fantasy value rise. Brunson has moved up in rankings to the second round, while Towns is now considered a second-round pick due to increased rebounding and shot-blocking potential. Anunoby’s stocks and three-pointers could outperform his ADP if he stays healthy. However, concerns linger over Bridges’ efficiency, despite his supporting role in the team. Fantasy managers should monitor his performance closely. Overall, the outlook for fantasy production looks promising for the Knicks’ revamped roster.
2024-25 schedule
While the Knicks have high hopes for the upcoming season, a significant improvement in wins may be ambitious given the team’s need to establish a new identity quickly. With key players’ injury histories in mind, achieving 55 wins before reaching the conference finals seems unlikely. It’s more realistic to expect gradual progress throughout the season.
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