The New York Knicks are about to enter training camp with nine new players on the fifteen man roster. During the offseason, the New York Knicks missed out on the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving sweepstakes. However, the Knicks gained a young, talented, and improved power forward with a chip on his shoulder in Julius Randle.
The Knicks added the third lottery pick in the 2019 NBA draft in RJ Barrett and a second-round gem in Ignas Brazdeikis. The six other players added to the roster consists of Elfrid Payton, Marcus Morris, Bobby Portis, Wayne Ellington, Reggie Bullock, and veteran Taj Gibson.
The new additions completely give the Knicks an entirely different aura and it will definitely show on the basketball court. It does matter that these guys are very excited to play under coach David Fizdale. Ladies and gentlemen, players admiration for their coaches should never be overlooked. These guys are ready to take on the identity of their coach right out the gate. Once the chemistry is gained, it will only mean bad news for the wide-open Eastern Conference. Knick point guard Dennis Smith Jr. wants nothing handed to him as he states his belief about the Knicks and their playoff aspirations.
The Eastern Conference possesses a few teams that could possibly make extra noise this season including the Knicks. Teams like the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, and the Toronto Raptors will be battling for leverage night in and night out against each other in the Eastern Conference. All of those teams just mentioned having their issues individually. Therefore, the New York Knicks chances in reaching the desired playoff goal whether it’s 8th-seed or higher is real even though most in the media won’t admit it. Some would say there isn’t a chance they’ll even come near a playoff birth. But the guys that sport the orange and blue thinks otherwise. Bobby Portis states,
“The naysayers, the haters, the people who are doubting us will say that we’re crazy as hell for saying that (the playoffs are a realistic goal),†Portis said. “We have a lot of pieces who can play. I think we’re loaded at every position; there are two-to-three players who could start at every position. When you have that much talent, that rises the competitiveness and improves the team as a whole.â€
Most importantly, notice Bobby Portis talks about the deep depth of this New York Knicks roster at every single position. Having good depth in the Eastern Conference is crucial for success. Can David Fizdale and the coaching staff have the Knicks finish the season strong for an 8th or 7th-seed playoff appearance? The defense will definitely be the key for this group and they can definitely get hot during the second half of the season like the Miami Heat back in 2017 when they started slow but finished with a 41-41 record with Fizdale as the assistant coach. New York Knicks playoff journey will be televised under the bright lights of MSG.