Who should the New York Knicks worry about this upcoming season?
The New York Knicks are looking to become the first team since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018 to go back-to-back as NBA Champions.
Since 2019, there have been eight different NBA Champions.
The Knicks are bringing back the same starting lineup with Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns all under contract. They did lose backup center Mitchell Robinson, but signed Andre Drummond to serve as his replacement.
They also managed to retain Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson, and Mohamed Diawara on inexpensive deals, keeping their depth intact
They are likely done for the summer as far as signings and trades go.
With much of the same team returning, who are the biggest threats to the Knicks repeating?
The San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are not only bringing back the same young core that made the NBA Finals and challenged the Knicks in every game, but they are also adding Tobias Harris.
Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper will likely all improve over the next handful of seasons. They took their playoff lumps last season, blowing multiple games in the Finals to the Knicks.
The Spurs won 60 games in the regular season and then made it through the West in the playoffs, including a Game 7 victory over the defending champions.
Except them to return even hungrier this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder won the championship in 2025 and have kept their core together while maintaining their depth.
OKC went seven games with the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals and was missing Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell for much of the series.
A healthy Thunder squad is still one of the best teams in the league, as they've been on top of the West for three straight seasons. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains an MVP candidate, and he's backed by one of the deepest and most diverse rosters in the league.
The Team That Signs LeBron James
It seems like LeBron is down to three teams: The Miami Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
All are teams that the Knicks would have to contend with in the East, and all are teams that would be better if they added LeBron.
Miami has already added Giannis Antetokounmpo, giving them a new dynamic and energy next to Bam Adebayo. Philadelphia added Jaylen Brown to a core of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe. Cleveland is returning the same core that got swept by the Knicks in the conference finals, but LeBron would make them better while taking pressure off James Harden and Donovan Mitchell.
