Armed with probably their best shot at making the NBA Finals since Patrick Ewing’s ’90s heyday, the 2025-26 New York Knicks are hoping not to shrink under the weight of hefty expectations.
This summer, New York brought in free agents Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson to fill out its bench depth — the club’s biggest hole in 2024-25.
The Knicks also inked vets Malcolm Brogdon, Landry Shamet and Garrison Mathews to non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 training camp deals, although they’ll need to make some kind of accompanying move if they want to sign at least two players from among that trio.
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New York’s incumbent standouts, too, are looking to step up. The Eastern Conference is ripe for the taking, with the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers now in the midst of “gap years” as their best players, All-NBA Boston power forward Jayson Tatum and All-NBA Indiana point guard Tyrese Haliburton, recover from Achilles tendon ruptures incurred during the playoffs.
All-NBA forward OG Anunoby is looking to earn more accolades this year, writes Steve Popper of Newsday.
“For sure, defense, that’s what wins games, championships,” Anunoby said. “So it’s very important to me. Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Defense, those are always my goals.”
New head coach Mike Brown, for one, is confident the 6-foot-6 former NBA champ can get there.
“First-team All-Defense,” Mike Brown said. “He is more than capable. Really it’s up to him. That’s how good he is on that end of the floor. He’s a first-team — and I’ve been around those guys. Bruce Bowen. Tim Duncan. I’ve been around a few of them, and he’s right there.”
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The 28-year-old is embarking on the second season of a five-year, $212.5 million deal he inked with New York last summer. And he’s looking to prove his worth. To date, he has made the All-Defensive Second Team and finished seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting once, in 2022-23.
Across 74 contests with New York last year, Anunoby averaged 18.0 points on .476/.372/.810 shooting splits, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.9 blocks per bout.
The Knicks finished with a 51-31 record and advanced to the East Finals in 2024-25. New York and the Cleveland Cavaliers have now graduated to become the teams to beat in the conference, and Anunoby is a big part of that..
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