The New York Knicks have impressed the basketball world at large with their offseason moves, that is, to the exception of a retired four-time NBA champion.
On Saturday, Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O’Neal had this to say about the Knicks on his “The Big Podcast,” who he does not take seriously as a team that could legitimately win the NBA Finals in 2024-25 as presently constructed (h/t Ben Stinar of Fastbreak on SI):
“New York is a place that’s built on hype. That controls the hype. They can hype everybody else up… They’re nowhere close to winning a championship. They’re gonna win some games and do this, but I’m more impressed with, at the end of your career, how many championships you won,” O’Neal said.
Knicks made big offseason moves that could prove Shaq’s criticisms wrong in 2024-25
O’Neal’s comments come on the heels of four critical moves the Knicks made to fortify their roster after a resurgent 2023-24 campaign. Their splash move of the offseason was acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for seven future draft picks, five of which being guaranteed first-rounders, and a package of players headlined by Bojan Bogdanovic.
The Knicks were able to add a third surefire 20-plus point-per-game scorer in Bridges next to All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, while somehow managing to improve their defense as well with 2022’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up. The Villanova product next to former 2023 NBA steals leader OG Anunoby, the latter of whom the Knicks inked to a five-year, $212.5 million deal to remain in the Big Apple, form a defensive duo on the wings that is rivaled by few, if any, in the Association.
New York also ensured that they’ll have Brunson around for the long haul after he agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million deal himself. New York’s front office also addressed their dire need for backup point guard support by bringing on seasoned veteran Cam Payne and drafting who many believe to be the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft in former Marquette guard Tyler Kolek.
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The Knicks elevated their championship-level defense and strengthened their offense
The Knicks, who advanced to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals without Randle healthy, have improved their offense and defense immensely while laying a foundation for the future with three sound selections in the draft, also including Pacome Dadiet at No. 25 overall and Ariel Hukporti at No. 58. Bridges and Payne in particular are two players that will help the Knicks space the floor and bring defenses out beyond 24 feet in the half-court, which will allow the ball club to continue moving the ball at an elevated rate around the arc and freeing up opportunities for Brunson to operate in the pick-and-roll and Randle to do work in isolation.
O’Neal’s experience winning and evaluating contenders will be put to the test
It appears that the franchise has all of the components that former champions have had en route to hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Albeit, O’Neal, who has been to the NBA’s mountain top four times over and analyzed the game for over a decade on TNT, knows more than a thing or two about what goes into winning a ring. His tough criticisms of players like Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid have directly led to improved play shortly afterward.
Perhaps the Knicks will have a fire lit under them in the 2024-25 campaign should they catch wind of O’Neal’s appraisal and set out to prove him wrong. The Eastern Conference has a stacked field at the top, with the defending champion Boston Celtics, the 76ers’ new three-headed monster of Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey as well as the perennial contenders in the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Knicks are in the mix with those powers in the East and have a roster that can make things interesting come 2025 playoff time. While the team is in a big market in the league with a notorious fanbase and attentive media, they can prove that they’re more than just a hype train next season.
