are the Knicks LEGIT contenders?!

[Duffman100]

I tend to favour the team that has done and proved it and has roster stability.

Until the Knicks prove otherwise, it's still the Celtics.

[KingofTheClay]

This move puts them on top in the East.

OKC/NY will be insane.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jadoogar]

If they retain OG and if Brunson really is the guy we saw in this year's playoffs, then yes they are. Probably still a step below Boston in the conference heirachy but they can easily compete with the Bucks, Sixers and Pacers.

[iLLmatic860]

NO WAY

not with that dysfunctional organization

they haven't won the east in over two decades

[Jadoogar]

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.

Did the pacers not benefit from the Giannis injury luck? At least Embiid played
Healthy Embiid is a fantasy at this point. It's not lucky if he's hurt in the playoffs, it will be very lucky if he's actually healthy.

[Celts17Pride]

NO WAY

not with that dysfunctional organization

they haven't won the east in over two decades

Knicks are contenders but not the favorites.

[KingofTheClay]

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.

Indy didn’t have Haliburton.
Still almost lost 3 games.
Luka completely hobbled, barely jogging.
Mitchell didn’t play. Jarrett Allen didn’t play.
Butler/Rozier, half their starters injured.



Let’s be real. It should have been 16-1, at worst against those Swiss cheese hospital teams.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nikster]

I don't have them over Boston yet but they're right behind them. Will have to see what Bucks look like or if Philly makes any move but right now Knicks are clear #2 (assuming they keep OG)

[omerome]

NO WAY

not with that dysfunctional organization

they haven't won the east in over two decades

Thankfully the past doesn't guarantee the present or future.

[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.

Indy didn’t have Haliburton.
Still almost lost 3 games.
Luka completely hobbled, barely jogging.
Mitchell didn’t play. Jarrett Allen didn’t play.
Butler/Rozier, half their starters injured.



Let’s be real. It should have been 16-1, at worst against those Swiss cheese hospital teams.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Celtics finished 13-2 in the playoffs in games that Al Horford started at center.

[PistolPeteJR]

It depends what they can get for Randle on the market.

[Synciere]

Not sure if the OP is trolling.

We are in the parity era, so it stands to reason next year's champ will be someone besides the Celtics if recent history holds true.

But to say it'll be the Knicks is a stretch. Big stretch. Stretch Armstrong stretch.

[Triple M]

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.

Which is why if im NY im looking to trade him. I dont think he is a defensive fit as well. Apparently the Knicks are hard capped at the 1st appron but im not sure what that means for them in trades or how they release the hard cap.

[Celts17Pride]

Not sure if the OP is trolling.

OP has been trolling for 2 months now.

[dakomish23]

I thought they were last year when fully healthy. Not BOS DEN level - they're in a different tier last year. But right under that they were pretty great.

[Riot Randolph]

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.

sig or avy bet og stays ? OG signing was delayed so the trade had more flexibility ….

[Johnny Bball]

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.

Maybe Randle will average 7 assists and 8 rebounds in doing so and his lack of scoring will be entirely ignored and his play will be called excellent.

[Riverwalk2021]

QueenoftheClay dead wrong as usual

[shi-woo]

No, they are legit contenders, but they don't have an edge. We still need to see what moves they make before we can judge the full scope of things. As it stands, OG still hasn't signed the dotted lines, Randle still has a lot of question marks about being a winning basketball player, and we have no idea what they will do with the rest of their assets, mostly the 2 picks this year.

Assuming they do bring back OG and keep JR, then they are clearly a Top 3 team out East, and have a legit shot to win it all. I think it's hard to gauge injury status when you consider OG, Mitchel, Hart, and DDV are all injury prone players, or have struggled staying on the court at times in their career.

The way I view it, is this trade was more insurance for when those guys do get hurt, like they did this year, and the best case scenario is Bridges stays an iron man, and they are able to load manage the others all year, so they are ready for the playoffs. That's one of the more important parts of this trade.

Robinson- Sims
Randle
OG- Hart
Bridges- DDV
Brunson- McBride

They either keep the two picks and get hopeful rotation pieces for later on cheap deals, or they package them and Shake or another contract for another quality bench piece.

That is a stacked rotation, and will be a monster closing unit. Easily the best bench in the NBA as well, and probably the best wing defense in the NBA. I like their ability to get easy points at the FT line, and inside with Brunson and Randle. Another under rated aspect is that they are going to be beasts on the boards. This isn't going to be a Knicks team that you can give free possessions to, if you lose the turnover battle you are losing the game.

Right now I see them as on equal footing to Boston, but would be nervous given they have the wings to throw at Brown and Tatum. OG and Bridges are literally the answer for both of them on the wing. I don't see many teams beating these guys in a 7 game series if they are healthy.

Boston has the higher end talent though, the experience, and if KP is healthy, the greater mismatch potential. I think this is the ECF, and we get these two teams at 100%, because it's going to be a battle for sure, and hope this becomes a rivalry.

Th only team now out east that might come close is the Bucks, but we need to see what they do in the coming month or so. As it stands they are not on the calibur of BOS or NY even though I think they have a bounce back year, and Dame becomes Dame again. They have little depth, and teams are loading up on switchable defenders. Giannis would need to go Nova for that to happen, which he can, but MIL would be better served trying to find dudes that can help them now.

Out west I think Denver might be a battle, but if they lose KCP and can't replace him, that is a tough blow. OKC is too young, and this team would eat DAL alive just like the Celtics did.

My only issue with this Knicks roster is that they have a bunch of players that have similar roles, which is great as it gives consistency through the 48 minutes of a game, but in the PO where Tatum/Brown are going to be going for 40+ minutes, some of that is going to be mitigated. If Thibs is smart and doesn't burn his guys out and keeps them fresh all game, that could work in their favor, just throwing body after body at these dudes like they in WW1.

I think they keep Randle, and a lot of their success will depend on him. If he embraces this opportunity, and becomes a more contained player, they will hum. If he doesn't change his ways a little, then teams will be able to steal some games. I think he focuses more on passing and getting out in transition this year, and we see the best of Julius. I expect 62-65 wins, and a 7 game bloodbath with Bost in the ECF. Whoever wins that series wins the title, and handedly

[shtolky]

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.

So where is OG going to sign this offseason where he’s a second option or better? The team most heavily rumored to offer him a big deal is Philly where he’d have even less of a role in the offense than with NY. Not sure why some are saying OG is leaving. People think the Knicks traded away two young players for OG without realizing they’d have to pay him. His agent is Rose’s son for goodness sake. He’s staying and will be a part of the best defensive in the NBA. The Knicks are clearly contenders after this move and they gave up a ton. Both can be true.