The New York Knicks, for the past three months, have been on top of the NBA world.
The franchise snapped a 53-year championship drought during a historic run that concluded with the dispatching of the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, in five games. New York City erupted and fêted the Knicks with a celebration that is still lingering any time one of the team’s players makes a public appearance.
But. now it’s time to turn the page.
The Knicks did suffer some roster losses this offseason, but the core remains in place. Another thing that remains in place are expectations. And now that this fan base has tasted a title, it’s clear Knicks faithful will want another — and soon.
Here's a breakdown of the New York Knicks' offseason moves and what to
expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
New York Knicks offseason review
- Record last season: 53-29 (3rd in Eastern Conference)
- Playoff finish: NBA champions (4-1, over Spurs)
- Coach: Mike Brown (second season)
- 2026-27 title odds: +900 (per BetMGM)
- Projected record : 52-26
- Offseason grade : B
Key roster additions
- C Andre Drummond (free agent signing)
Key roster losses
- C Ariel Hukporti (free agency)
- C Mitchell Robinson (free agency)
- F Jeremy Sochan (free agency)
Biggest question entering training camp
Will there be a post-title hangover?
- The roster is returning nearly all its key contributors, with Robinson being the lone departure of the core rotation. So, after New York celebrated a championship all summer, where does this team go from here? The NBA hasn’t seen a repeat champion since 2018, so the Knicks have a tall task. Players have publicly said all the right things about maintaining their desire to compete and their hunger to win, but that is much harder in practice, especially when they’re just months removed from an emotional championship run. A bit of a hangover or letdown might be in order, if not expected. But with the roster boasting the best continuity in the NBA, perhaps fans won’t have to wait that long for another banner.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
- G Jalen Brunson
- G OG Anunoby
- F Mikal Bridges
- F Josh Hart
- C Karl-Anthony Towns
Rotation players
- G Miles McBride
- G Landry Shamet
- G Jose Alvarado
- G Tyler Kole
- G/F Jordan Clarkson
- C Andre Drummond
- C Mohamed Diawara
What to expect in 2026-27 season
In short: a highly competitive team, looking to capitalize on a shrinking window to win championships. The Knicks, aside from the offseason coaching change over the summer of 2025 that ushered in Mike Brown, have been the roster with most continuity in the entire NBA. The problem for New York, however, is that it’s incredibly challenging to win a title in the NBA, and it’s even more difficult to do so in consecutive seasons. We are in an era of parity in the league that has failed to produce back-to-back champions since the Golden State Warriors did so in 2018. So, the odds are indeed somewhat against the Knicks to repeat. Either way, the facts remain: New York has a star guard and closer in Jalen Brunson, a nightmare matchup in center Karl-Anthony Towns and role players who understand their respective duties. The Knicks may not win another championship, but they should be elite competitors.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York Knicks season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction
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