The Knicks finally crossed off the biggest item on the checklist last season, bringing home the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time since 1973 and snapping a 53-year championship drought. But even with that title in the books, there’s still another dry spell hanging around.
New York has not won the Atlantic Division since 2012-13, when Carmelo Anthony and head coach Mike Woodson pushed the Knicks to a 54-28 mark and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. That drought now sits at 13 years, and ending it won’t come easy.
On paper, the Atlantic looks loaded again. Last season, the division finished 220-190 overall, which was the best in the Eastern Conference and second-best in the NBA, trailing only the Northwest Division. Four of the East’s top seven teams came out of the Atlantic, even if the Knicks ultimately went on to win the Finals after finishing second in the division behind the Boston Celtics by three games in 2025-26.
The challenge only gets tougher in 2026-27. Philadelphia has made the loudest moves, adding Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.
Health, especially with Joel Embiid, remains the obvious question, but a healthy starting five gives Nick Nurse what could be the league’s best lineup. The 76ers also brought in Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons, giving the bench more punch.
Toronto has also raised its ceiling by eventually reacquiring Kawhi Leonard. The Raptors pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first round last season, and Leonard gives them a higher end point than they had before.
Boston, meanwhile, lost Jaylen Brown but will have Jayson Tatum for the full season. The Celtics also signed Mitchell Robinson away from New York, pairing him with Neemias Queta to form a center rotation that should hold up across 48 minutes.
As for Brooklyn, the Nets added Julius Randle, but it would be a shock if they were anywhere close to the top of the division race.
That leaves New York in a familiar spot: good enough to be in the conversation, but facing a brutal road to the top of the standings. One major sportsbook has the Knicks as the Atlantic favorite at +160, with Philadelphia and Boston right behind at +225. Toronto sits at +800, and Brooklyn is way out at +50,000.
Still, the Knicks already showed last season that the regular season isn’t the full story. Even if they don’t end the Atlantic Division drought next year, they’ve made it clear they can hit another gear when the playoffs begin.
In Other News...
Knicks Just Got A Small Cap Break That Could Matter Later
A small tweak to the NBAs long-range cap outlook just gave the Knicks a little more breathing room, and in a league where every dollar can shape roster-building, that kind of adjustment is worth noting. The leagues updated 2027-28 projections nudge New Yorks financial picture in a favorable direction, adding a modest cushion that could matter when the front office starts mapping out extensions and future moves around the core.
For a team trying to manage both present-day contention and longer-term flexibility, even a little extra space can change how aggressively it approaches its next decisions. The Knicks have several expensive considerations on the horizon, from high-end contracts to depth planning, and this latest shift gives them a slightly cleaner path as they weigh how to keep the roster intact without boxing themselves in later. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Risky Decision With Their Open Roster Spot
With training camp and roster decisions still hanging over the Knicks, the open 14th spot has become one of those small issues that can carry outsized importance. New York is already set at center with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, and the front office appears comfortable leaning on that pair rather than forcing a quick add just to check a box.
Still, the search for a low-cost option leaves room for a name like Mo Gueye to surface. The Hawks forward-center is the sort of player who could appeal if New York wants extra size without committing much cap flexibility, though any move would have to account for the fact that he is working back from injury as Atlanta sorts through its own roster crunch. For the Knicks, the question is less about filling space than deciding whether patience is the smarter play. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Brunsons Latest New York Moment Says Everything About The Knicks
Jalen Brunsons latest New York moment fits the Knicks as neatly as anything has in years. After helping lead the franchise to a championship, the Finals MVP has moved well beyond being just the face of the team on the court. He has become part of the citys wider conversation, the kind of player whose profile now reaches into the pop-culture spaces that define New York as much as basketball does.
Brunsons off-court role matters because it underscores how far the Knicks have come and how much expectation follows them into the new season. The on-court success is already established, but the bigger question now is how the team carries that momentum when the attention gets louder and the spotlight stretches beyond the arena. For Brunson, that means another stage in a city that rarely lets its stars stay hidden for long. [Read more 🡒]