Jayson Tatum’s Dad Admits Knicks Are Better Than Celtics

The New York Knicks have not had the most active offseason after winning the NBA Championship in June, but their expectations are still higher than ever. 

After reaching the pinnacle and achieving their first championship in over 50 years, New York has prioritized bringing back key players that helped them win the championship. 

The Knicks decided to re-sign Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson, and only lost one notable piece in Mitchell Robinson due to free agency. 

Other top teams in the Eastern Conference have made major moves to jump ahead of the Knicks in 2026, but some stil believe this is the team to beat. 

Jayson Tatum’s father, Justin, shared his thoughts on whether or not the Boston Celtics are a better team than the Knicks going into next season. 

He expressed very little faith in Boston and is not impressed with the roster they’ve currently built. 

This offseason the Boston Celtics traded away former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, and in return, the Celtics got Paul George. 

Losing a piece like Brown could prove to me more drastic than some may think. When Jayson Tatum spent much of last season sidelined as he battled back from an Achilles injury, Brown had a career year. 

Brown averaged 28.7 points per game and took command of this Celtics team for a full season. Now Boston is back to having Tatum lead the helm, but it will be different not having Brown as that second option.  

The Knicks are a team that is going into this next season without so many question marks. New York has a very established roster with essentially their entire starting lineup returning, and they could be eager to repeat. 

In the postseason, the Knicks were a team who can jump on opponents at any given moment and not look back, and if they keep up that same play style, it would be hard to find a team that could beat them in the East. 

The only way Boston can dethrone the Knicks for that top spot in the East is if they can find their identity again as an elite defensive team that can shoot really well from the perimeter. 

They had their shooting struggles in the first round of the playoffs against Philadelphia, but if they can turn it around they could be back to where they were initially. 

The goal for every Eastern Conference team to assemble a roster better than New York’s, and it will be interesting to see how teams approach the Knicks moving forward.