are the Knicks LEGIT contenders?!

[bstein14]

If they could trade Randle for someone like Jerami Grant they'd be much better served IMO. Grant is a versatile defender that can switch onto Brown/Tatum. If they keep Randle as a starter Boston is going to target him they've done it over and over again in playoff series getting teams to switch their weakest defender onto one of Brown/Tatum and let them go to work.

[rzzzzz]

Re-assembling the best of the Villanova dynasty is a fascinating tactic.

[blueNorange]

If they could trade Randle for someone like Jerami Grant they'd be much better served IMO. Grant is a versatile defender that can switch onto Brown/Tatum. If they keep Randle as a starter Boston is going to target him they've done it over and over again in playoff series getting teams to switch their weakest defender onto one of Brown/Tatum and let them go to work.

randle is 100x’s better than grant

come on now, randle is a 2 time all nba player

[Ursusamericanus]

Yes.

[hugepatsfan]

Of course.

https://nbarankings.theringer.com/

Lists like this shouldn't be taken as gospel, but if they manage to keep Hartenstein and OG, then they'll be the only team in the NBA with 7 top 100 players.

Now, by this same list, BOS has the best player (Tatum ranked #5 compared to Brunson at #11) and then BOS has 4 more players (Brown #15, White #37, Holiday #38, Porzingis #42) show up before the next Knick (Randle #45). So they'd still be rightly favored, but Knicks have established themselves as a clear #2 in the East IMO. And closer to BOS at #1 than whoever is #3.

I'm skeptical they're going to be able to keep both OG and Hartenstein though. They'd have to salary dump Mitch Robinson most likely to keep all of these guys and that still requires both OG and Hart taking decent sized paycuts to stay. Seems inevitable they lose one. Or maybe they salary dump Randle to accommodate keeping both.

The key for them is going to be PHI. They have a real shot to outbid NY for Anunoby. If they manage to steal him with a $40-45M offer, that undoes a lot of the positives of this move for NY.

[Mak]

Of course.

https://nbarankings.theringer.com/

Lists like this shouldn't be taken as gospel, but if they manage to keep Hartenstein and OG, then they'll be the only team in the NBA with 7 top 100 players.

Now, by this same list, BOS has the best player (Tatum ranked #5 compared to Brunson at #11) and then BOS has 4 more players (Brown #15, White #37, Holiday #38, Porzingis #42) show up before the next Knick (Randle #45). So they'd still be rightly favored, but Knicks have established themselves as a clear #2 in the East IMO. And closer to BOS at #1 than whoever is #3.

I'm skeptical they're going to be able to keep both OG and Hartenstein though. They'd have to salary dump Mitch Robinson most likely to keep all of these guys and that still requires both OG and Hart taking decent sized paycuts to stay. Seems inevitable they lose one. Or maybe they salary dump Randle to accommodate keeping both.

The key for them is going to be PHI. They have a real shot to outbid NY for Anunoby. If they manage to steal him with a $40-45M offer, that undoes a lot of the positives of this move for NY.

Embiid is just so much better than anybody on the Knicks, Brunson is closer to Maxey than he is to Embiid. Sixers have a chance to leapfrog the Knicks with a good move. Knicks still have to sign OG , if OG somehow ends up on the Sixers then even with Nova Knicks its a disaster.

[___Rand___]

IF they stay healthy, and IF they get lucky like THIS year when Embiid, Giannis, and others are injured, they might give Celtics problems. Both are big IFs. This trade brings them to ECF contenders. But Pacers were in ECF.

[Decipher]

Of course.

https://nbarankings.theringer.com/

Lists like this shouldn't be taken as gospel, but if they manage to keep Hartenstein and OG, then they'll be the only team in the NBA with 7 top 100 players.

Now, by this same list, BOS has the best player (Tatum ranked #5 compared to Brunson at #11) and then BOS has 4 more players (Brown #15, White #37, Holiday #38, Porzingis #42) show up before the next Knick (Randle #45). So they'd still be rightly favored, but Knicks have established themselves as a clear #2 in the East IMO. And closer to BOS at #1 than whoever is #3.

I'm skeptical they're going to be able to keep both OG and Hartenstein though. They'd have to salary dump Mitch Robinson most likely to keep all of these guys and that still requires both OG and Hart taking decent sized paycuts to stay. Seems inevitable they lose one. Or maybe they salary dump Randle to accommodate keeping both.

The key for them is going to be PHI. They have a real shot to outbid NY for Anunoby. If they manage to steal him with a $40-45M offer, that undoes a lot of the positives of this move for NY.

Embiid is just so much better than anybody on the Knicks, Brunson is closer to Maxey than he is to Embiid. Sixers have a chance to leapfrog the Knicks with a good move. Knicks still have to sign OG , if OG somehow ends up on the Sixers then even with Nova Knicks its a disaster.

Yep

Everyone is comparing the Knicks to Boston and forgetting about the fact that they have nobody to stop a healthy Embiid (or Giannis for that matter)

The question is not whether a healthy Embiid will steamroll the Knicks

He will

The question is whether he’ll be healthy

[Larry_Russell]

They are in the 2nd tier if they keep everyone else on team.

I think I still take a healthy philly and Milwaukee over them.

And of course the champs

But NYK is next up with the Pacers

lol

fair.

[DimesandKnicks]

With all due respect, I don't think an addition like Mikal Bridges would overly concern Boston too much.

They still don't have enough quality perimeter shooters and defenders, injuries aside, the Pacers exploited that weakness in their East Semi Finals series (as well as being way too quick on transition offence)

OG whilst a fantastic defensive beast, is not really renowned for his shooting prowess (plus his injury history)

They added a wing that made nearly 3 threes a game last year and OG is one of the most efficient corner three point shooters in the league and Divo I think top 3 in the 3PM

[KingofTheClay]

Knicks now have an armada of defensive 3-D wings to throw on the perimeter. Brown will still get his, because he has consistent go to moves that he can rely on and his midrange is mostly unguardable, but I think the Knicks can stymie Tatum and his inharmonious, haphazard assortment of offensive counters.

The Knicks still have Randle and the best scorer (and thus probably best player) on either team, Jalen Brunson. A player that can score with the best of them. Finals MVP Brown has a heavy lift now when he plays NY, to spearhead the team on offense AND defense. He can do it, because Brown has that “dawg” so to speak. But it won’t be easy.

Porzingis is perennially injured unfortunately and Horford has one foot in the nursing home. Horford had a hell of a career, nothing but respect.

So Losing ihart will hurt but it’s likely inconsequential for a Boston team with aging/injured bigs that will likely be playing Tillman/Kornet significant minutes in the playoffs.


TLDR; The Knicks have the best scorer and the best defenders to slow down the Celtics players.

I have them making the finals against OKC/MIN. The Bucks and Celtics tied for 2nd favorites.


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[Larry_Russell]

As I said before, they are a tier below the top tier of the east at this point.

There is no way that OG is going to stay, and I feel like moving for Bridges they either knew OG was leaving, or they are just dumb.

I personally think OG is the superior player of the 2 of them, but OG wanted out of Toronto because he didnt like being 3rd option, Now he would be the 3rd or 4th again.

No Thibs team has ever been an offensive juggernaught, but lets look at shot distribution. LAst season team took 89fga. Looking

Brunson - 21.5 fga (more in playoffs)
Randle - 18
Bridges - 15
DDV - 12.5
Hart - 8.5
Thats 75.5 shots right there for just 5 guys.

Lets assume 15 shots per game from your 6-8 guys combined and you are already taking more shots than last season, and that is without OG.

NYK knows OG is leaving, and they must be hoping on a S&T for a couple of picks or something, there is no way they keep both players.


Honestly, I NYK loses both OG and Hartenstein (Orlando) this offseason. So they moved a boatload of picks to move laterally from OG to Bridges.

[Larry_Russell]

With all due respect, I don't think an addition like Mikal Bridges would overly concern Boston too much.

They still don't have enough quality perimeter shooters and defenders, injuries aside, the Pacers exploited that weakness in their East Semi Finals series (as well as being way too quick on transition offence)

OG whilst a fantastic defensive beast, is not really renowned for his shooting prowess (plus his injury history)

They added a wing that made nearly 3 threes a game last year and OG is one of the most efficient corner three point shooters in the league and Divo I think top 3 in the 3PM

OG is gone mate.

[YogurtProducer]

Celtics won 60 games and the title.

Slow down here

[omerome]

Celtics won 60 games and the title.

Slow down here

That's last season's news.

[Statlanta]

The Knicks don't even know how their pre-trade squad looks in high pressure situations. How will they win the East integrating new talent that's not even guaranteed to be better than Boston?

[Celts17Pride]

As long as the Knicks have Julius Randle chucking up shots going 5 for 19 instead of passing it to Brunson, DD, Bridges, OG etc. the Knicks are nothing to worry about.

[KingofTheClay]

Celtics won 60 games and the title.

Slow down here

The Celtics had healthy Porzingis in the RS.

No Porzingis in the playoffs (which at this point is probably expected, sadly) and they showed major cracks against Indy.

Very fortunate that every team they played had their best player completely injured or significantly hobbled.


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[omerome]

IF they stay healthy, and IF they get lucky like THIS year when Embiid, Giannis, and others are injured, they might give Celtics problems. Both are big IFs. This trade brings them to ECF contenders. But Pacers were in ECF.

Huh? The Pacers were literally in the ECF because of the injuries of the aforementioned teams.

Why bring them up in the conversation while downplaying the Knicks based on bad luck of injuries. They were injured themselves.

[Celts17Pride]

No Porzingis in the playoffs (which at this point is probably expected, sadly) and they showed major cracks against Indy.

Celtics 16-3 in the playoffs and 4-0 against Indy. Go get some fresh air.