Last season, the New York Knicks finished fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 47-35 record qualifying them for the playoffs. In the first round, the Knicks upset the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers winning the series in a dominating 4-1 fashion. This series win gave Knicks fans hope as they moved onto the Eastern Conference Semifinal to face Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. The Knicks eventually lost the series 2-4, but were led by All-Star Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson both averaging 24+ points a game.
After falling short in the Eastern Conference Semifinal, the Knicks made some big changes to the roster for this upcoming season. However, some losses included power forward Obi Toppin going to the Indiana Pacers and Derrick Rose returning to the Memphis Grizzlies for $6.5 million.
One of the biggest signings for the Knicks this offseason was the signing of former Golden State Warrior, Donte DiVincenzo. DiVincenzo averaged just under 10 points per game while shooting nearly 40% from three for the Warriors last season, inking a four-year contract for $46,870,000 with the Knicks.
With Divincenzo being added to the roster, he is now reunited with former teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. All three played for Villanova, capturing the NCAA National Championship back in 2018. Many fans are excited to see what this new trio has in store for New York after many disappointing seasons. Hart joined DiVincenzo in a run to the bank, as the veteran signed a contract extension for four years worth $81 million.
Additionally, both Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart had experiences playing with Team USA over the summer. According to an interview with Tom Thiobdeau, he believes that the experience playing against international players will greatly benefit them for the upcoming season with the Knicks.
They are already showcasing their new talent as they took the win over the Boston Celtics with a score of 114-107 despite shooting 31% from beyond the three-point line.
The Knicks then went on to lose their next three preseason games. However, there was some flashes from certain players.
In a 112-121 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Forward RJ Barrett led the team with 23 points. Later on in the week, the team lost to the Boston Celtics, although multiple members of the team scored 10 or more points, it wasn’t enough against Jayson Tatum and the Celtics. The Washington Wizards defeated the Knicks in their final pre-season game with a score of 106-131.
The Knicks will face the challenge of playing the Celtics in their first game back in the regular season. With the new additions to different teams around the league, the Knicks will face many challenges this season, however fans are hopeful for the Knicks to return to playing competitive basketball.
