The Knicks just won a championship, kept most of their core together, cleaned up their offseason business, and still can’t seem to buy universal respect.
That might be the point.
New York’s biggest edge has become impossible to ignore: this group thrives when people doubt it. Josh Hart said as much during a post-championship episode of the Roommates Show, explaining that everyone on this title team "has been doubted before," which helped keep the Knicks "humble" and pushing for the biggest prize even when the playoff run started going well.
That mindset is already carrying into the 2026-27 title defense, because the outside noise has returned almost immediately. The Knicks are once again being treated like a team that needs to prove itself, even after proving it all the way through a championship run.
The latest examples are easy to find. Long-time NBA reporter Adam Mares placed New York second behind the Spurs in his 2027 title projections, while FanDuel put the Knicks behind both the Thunder and San Antonio in its own rankings. In other words, the league and the betting world seem to be lining up to say New York is not the favorite to repeat.
That kind of skepticism fits the Knicks just fine.
Jalen Brunson has been talking about this version of himself for a while. Early in his Knicks tenure, he said that even going back to high school, he’s always been doubted. The thing that has kept him going, he said, is that the doubters "don't measure heart."
That chip-on-the-shoulder approach has helped shape him into "the greatest overachiever we've seen in the modern era," as ESPN analyst and lifelong Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith recently put it. It also played a part in ending New York’s 53-year championship drought.
And yet even with the trophy in hand, the perception hasn’t really changed.
The Knicks did plenty this offseason, including getting under the second apron while also addressing a number of rotational needs. Still, they don’t appear to be getting the usual defending-champion treatment from media members or oddsmakers.
Strange as it sounds, that might be exactly what keeps them dangerous. For a team built on being overlooked, the league seems to be handing them the same fuel all over again.
In Other News...
NBA Star Just Said What Knicks Fans Have Been Waiting To Hear
At Fanatics Fest, Anthony Edwards gave Knicks fans a little extra reason to smile when the Timberwolves star framed Jalen Brunson as the kind of player who belongs in the leagues biggest spotlight. Edwards pointed to Brunsons recent championship run and Finals MVP season as the sort of rsum that carries real weight when the conversation turns to the face of the NBA, a discussion that always seems to circle back to winning.
Edwards also made clear he sees that standard as something he still has to chase himself, noting he has not won a championship yet. For New York, the larger takeaway is the endorsement itself, especially coming from one of the leagues most electric young stars, even as Edwards also mentioned offering advice to former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns before games against the San Antonio Spurs. [Read more 🡒]
Mavs Suddenly Face A Tough Moussa Cisse Decision
The Knicks have made a quiet but notable move in the center market, signing restricted free agent Moussa Cisse to a two-year offer sheet after he spent last season in Dallas. Cisse was part of the Mavericks frontcourt rotation for stretches, giving them a young interior option in a season when they leaned on him in a supporting role.
Now the pressure shifts to Dallas, which has to weigh whether keeping Cisse is worth matching a deal built with some flexibility for New York and some future uncertainty for the player. The Mavericks already have a crowded frontcourt picture, and the decision comes with a deadline looming that could force them to choose between preserving depth and letting the Knicks pry away another piece. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Costly Roster Squeeze Around Towns And Young Talent
The Knicks used the 39th pick on Jack Kayil, adding another young guard to a summer pipeline that also includes Mohamed Diawara, but the bigger picture in New York is still shaped by the hard edges of the roster and the cap. With championship expectations driving every move, the front office has to balance developing draft picks against the practical limits of roster spots, salary structure and the need to keep the core intact.
That squeeze is especially noticeable around the frontcourt, where the Knicks currently have only Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond at center and are weighing whether to add another big, keep the final roster slot open for camp competition or lean on a two-way solution. Towns contract situation only adds another layer to the planning, and while the summer league gives the team a first look at its newest prospects, the real decisions are still coming in the months ahead. [Read more 🡒]