After a summer of celebrations and preparations, the Knicks will have the franchise’s first opportunity to defend a title in 53 years once the 2026–27 NBA season tips off in October.
The defending champs drew the new-look 76ers with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown for the first game of the season, which also happens to be ring night at Madison Square Garden. It’s the cultivation of championship festivities for a franchise whose fan base went without a title for over a half-century.
Once the rings are handed out and the banner goes into the rafters, though, it’s back to business. The Knicks will aim to prove they remain the team to beat after much of the offseason chatter surrounded the movement of stars across the NBA. No team was at the center of that conversation more than Philadelphia, adding James and Brown next to Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe. A prime opportunity for New York to hush the hype and make a statement on its home floor.
Knicks fans enjoyed one of the most dominant postseason runs you’ll ever see as New York mauled through the competition and completed a couple incredible comebacks along the way. Jalen Brunson was the Finals MVP and has quickly etched himself as a New York legend. There’s no question that this Knicks run was the product of a great team with considerable depth, though.
OG Anunoby was just as key to New York’s title run with his heroics throughout the postseason and his incredible tip-in to win Game 4 of the Finals, specifically. Karl-Anthony Towns adjusted his role to make the offense thrive. Josh Hart made winning plays as always, while Mikal Bridges had his moments where he flipped games around. Plus, you can’t forget Mitchell Robinson’s defense and Landry Shamet’s sharpshooting off the bench.
Next season is about sustainability amid a much-improved Eastern Conference. No NBA roster stays exactly the same year after year, although New York’s core remains intact. Anunoby, the Finals hero, spoke with Sports Illustrated about the need for constant improvement even after you reach the NBA’s mountaintop.
On behalf of his partnership with Royal Canin and VCA Animal Hospitals to encourage cat owners to take a more proactive approach to pet health, the self-proclaimed cat lover says you can always improve, even after reaching the highest of heights.
“Just focusing on ourselves, not worrying about anything else and not worrying about last season,” Anunoby told SI on the Knicks’ mindset heading into their title defense. “Building off of all the other seasons, learning from wins and losses and trying to improve each and every day.”
Although the group of Anunoby, Brunson, Towns, Bridges and Hart remain at the center of the Knicks’ success, the bench will look different once the new season tips off.
OG Anunoby shares his thoughts on the Knicks’ offseason
The Knicks lost Robinson to the Celtics in free agency, and fellow big man Ariel Hukporti signed with the 76ers. New York signed veteran center Andre Drummond as Robinson’s replacement, while the franchise retained Shamet, Jose Alvarado and Jordan Clarkson on new deals.
Team president Leon Rose inked Mohamed Diawara to a four-year, $11.3 million contract this summer. Diawara will enter his second NBA season as a high-upside, lengthy wing who could work his way into a consistent role for coach Mike Brown.
While the loss of Robinson is significant, especially to an Eastern Conference rival, Rose adjusted the roster around the margins as he kept an increasingly expensive championship team together and clear of the dreaded second apron.
“Mitch and Ariel are big losses, we’re going to miss them a lot,” Anunoby told SI on behalf of Royal Canin surrounding National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day on Aug. 22. “But Andre has been a great player for his whole career. I played against him many times, I think he’ll help us a lot. Great player, very impactful, smart and just knows how to win. He’s a great teammate and a great person, too. We’re really excited to have him on our team.”
Even the younger players like Diawara and second-round pick Tyler Nickel could each make some level of impact as the Knicks head into a new season with a target on their back. Anunoby is excited about what they could bring to an already talented team as talented emerging players.
No NBA roster can remain fully intact in this era of restrictions by the first and second aprons, which result in creative salary cap gymnastics from front offices. The Knicks finally got over the hump and figured out a winning formula, though. Now, the mostly unscathed roster just has to replicate it.
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