The New York Knicks are sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference offseason power rankings, and it’s not hard to see why. After a championship run that was dominant enough to qualify as historic, New York heads toward the 2026-27 season looking like the standard everyone else is chasing.
The Knicks did lose Mitchell Robinson in free agency, but they moved quickly to plug that hole by bringing in Andre Drummond. Beyond that, they kept the championship core intact and stayed below the second apron, which gives this group a rare blend of continuity and flexibility.
NBA.com still has New York ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers, even with Philadelphia being widely viewed as one of the offseason’s biggest winners after landing Jaylen Brown and LeBron James in its push to catch the Knicks. In the rankings, New York checks in at No. 1 in the Eastern Conference.
“Only six of the last 22 champions were better statistically in the regular season following their title than they were the year they won. But maybe Anunoby is an All-Star, having made a huge leap (both literally and figuratively) in the playoffs, when he averaged 20.1 points on a true shooting percentage of 72.1%, up from 16.7 on 62% in the regular season. Robinson will be missed, especially on defense, and there’s now greater importance on Karl-Anthony Towns’ availability, defense and rebounding,” NBA.com’s John Schuhmann wrote.
Robinson’s departure is a real loss, especially because he’s considered arguably the best offensive rebounder in the league. Drummond gives the Knicks plenty on the glass as well, even if he doesn’t bring the same defensive value.
Still, this group has the kind of foundation that matters most after a title: shared experience, established roles, and a core that already knows how to win together. Mike Brown also enters the year with a much better read on his roster, including each player’s strengths and weaknesses.
That combination of continuity and familiarity is why New York remains positioned to be a major force again next season. The 76ers may look strong on paper, but the Knicks have already shown they can turn that kind of promise into results when the games actually start.
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Knicks Championship Window Suddenly Faces A Karl-Anthony Towns Pressure Point
The Knicks have spent plenty of time building toward a title window, but the next layer of roster planning may be just as important as the current one. Karl-Anthony Towns is already locked into a massive deal, and his salary climbs to $57.1 million in 2026-27, which means New York has to keep one eye on the court and another on the cap sheet while trying to hold this group together.
The bigger pressure point arrives after that, when Towns can choose whether to pick up a player option worth roughly $62 million for 2027-28, seek a longer-term arrangement or simply take the situation year by year. For a team trying to stay competitive without losing flexibility, that gives Towns real leverage and leaves the Knicks navigating the kind of second-apron math that can shape a contender long before the playoff run is over. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Fans Should Never Have Entertained A Mario Hezonja Return
The idea of Mario Hezonja back in New York has enough nostalgia attached to make a few Knicks fans pause, especially with the roster still carrying only one open spot and a clear need for forward depth. Hezonja last played for the Knicks in 2018-19, and the conversation around a possible reunion picked up because the fit looked at least theoretical on paper.
Still, the memories attached to his brief time in New York are doing most of the heavy lifting. Hezonja is better remembered for a couple of wild highlights than for sustained production, and he has spent the last four years with Real Madrid in the EuroLeague, which is where he remains for now. For a team trying to sort out its own roster reality, that kind of reunion always felt more like a thought exercise than a real plan. [Read more 🡒]