New York Knicks
The New York Knicks shocked the basketball world when they finished the 2020-21 season with a 41-31 record, earning the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. Tom Thibodeau’s first season as head coach was a huge success, but the team was exposed a bit in the postseason by the Atlanta Hawks.
Despite having a lockdown defense, the Knicks just didn’t have the firepower to keep up offensively. They focused on changing that in the offseason in free agency, signing Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker.
Those two, coupled with continued development from RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley, will give New York a lot more firepower. Their rookie class of Quentin Grimes, Deuce McBride and Jericho Sims also looked fantastic during NBA Summer League.
The Knicks are no longer a laughing stock in the league. They have positioned themselves to be squarely in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, but their current ceiling isn’t very high. They will compete for a playoff spot and depending on who they draw, could advance to the second round.
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That would once again be a success, but to get this team to the next level, they need to swing a trade for a bonafide All-Star. Should a superstar request a trade, the Knicks are in a great position to vie for one given the contracts they handed out this season and the draft capital they have built up in recent years.
