The Knicks are dealing with a lot increased expectations in 2024/25 than in most up-to-date seasons, Stefan Bondy of the New York Put up writes. New York is projected to complete second within the East by most sportsbooks after the crew acquired Mikal Bridges by way of commerce this offseason. Their over/below for normal season wins is ready at 53.5 by BetMGM and FanDuel regardless of New York solely surpassing 53 wins in a season as soon as since 1997.
On prime of including Bridges, the Knicks are set to be more healthy to open subsequent season with Julius Randle again within the fold.
“It’s good to listen to that we’re contenders, however I believe now we have to enter coaching camp with out having that phrase be spoken,” star guard Jalen Brunson stated. “Clearly, I stated I wish to get previous the second spherical after getting there two straight years. However we are able to’t simply go into the season and soar proper again into the second spherical. We’ve received to return and begin yet again.”
Whereas the Knicks are in prime place to make it to not less than the convention finals, they nonetheless have some obstacles to beat, Bondy writes. For one, they’ll must be more healthy after lacking a number of members of their rotation within the ’23/24 postseason. They’re additionally not the one Jap Convention crew that improved within the offseason, which means the playoff competitors may very well be stiffer subsequent spring.
We now have extra from the Atlantic Division:
- Knicks and NBA legend Carmelo Anthony revealed on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast that he was supplied an end-of-bench position by New York in 2022 (YouTube hyperlink). “We sat down and had an actual dialog. ‘Hear, right here’s a spot. You will be on the crew tomorrow, however that is the spot,” Anthony stated. The ten-time All-Star defined that he at all times had a purpose of returning to New York, however after a handful of profitable sixth-man seasons with the Lakers and Path Blazers, Anthony didn’t wish to be relegated to the top of the roster. “The not realizing of whenever you’re going to play and never play—I’d reasonably not undergo that,” Anthony stated. “I’mma bow out gracefully. … Basketball ain’t the difficulty. I can’t try this. That’s a hell of a decline. After I have a look at it general, the general huge image, that’s a hell of a decline. So I simply needed to stand on that. No disrespect, however I can’t settle for that.“
- A city-sponsored impacts examine meant to information decision-makers relating to the Sixers‘ plan for a brand new downtown area was launched on Monday, per Jeff Gammage and Sean Collins Walsh of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Based on the report, the proposed 18,500-seat area would generate about $1.8 billion in extra financial exercise throughout its building and deliberate 30 years of operation. The examine confirmed the world might trigger oblique housing displacement by gentrification. Moreover, issues had been raised about affect on transit, an absence of out of doors areas on the area and a disparity between the precise quantity of recent issues the venue would have the ability to maintain.
- Isaiah Thomas established himself as a key determine in Celtics historical past after a pair of All-Star seasons and a yr by which he averaged 28.9 factors per sport. Nonetheless, his exit from Boston was a rocky one after he was traded following a postseason by which he battled by a hip harm and the dying of his sister to play for the crew. Thomas additional defined the state of affairs on the Knuckleheads Podcast (YouTube hyperlink). “After I received traded to Cleveland, I used to be upset as a result of at that time, I put my profession on the road for one thing you possibly can have simply damaged all the way down to me and advised me, ‘If you happen to do play, or if we do that, it might probably be what it occurred to be,’” Thomas stated (hat tip to HoopsHype). “It took me three years to actually get again to who I’m and work out what was occurring. Nevertheless it was a tricky state of affairs. It was a studying expertise for myself. I received actual love for Boston and everyone in that group, nevertheless it was positively the flawed solution to go about issues.” Thomas stated that no one was there to clarify that if he performed, his might have jeopardized his profession by worsening the harm.
