Eastern Conference 4th seed
4. New York Knicks
The New York Knicks took a pretty big step forward last season as their decision to sign Jalen Brunson couldn’t have looked any better. Brunson proved that he has no issue carrying an offense and it wasn’t until the Knicks ran into a buzzsaw in the conference semifinals that they quickly fell back down to reality. Nevertheless, it was still a successful run for the Knicks. New York did what they could to solidify themselves heading into this season, though.
The Knicks added much-needed depth on the wing and as they continue to practice patience when it comes to finding the right start to target via trade, I predict that they’re going to finish in the top 4 of the Eastern Conference standings. It’ll prove to be another step forward for a team that continues to improve.
As is the case for every team, if the Knicks can remain healthy, they should be able to make it to the conference semifinals again. But it’s hard to pencil the team’s ceiling any higher than that without another addition of a difference-making star talent. The Knicks are close and are knocking on the door. But it appears they may be another piece away from being a real factor in the Eastern Conference.