The New York Knicks‘ path to a second straight NBA championship just got a little tougher. LeBron James has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, giving the Eastern Conference a new powerhouse to contend with.
When speaking with ClutchPoints moments after LeBron’s decision became public, former Knicks guard Jimmer Fredette admitted that the Knicks “should feel a little bit threatened.”
“I think that you should feel a little bit threatened, obviously, but I think the East has gotten better as a whole,” Fredette said. “I think that the East is gonna be pretty good — [it’s] really deep. Indiana’s gonna come back, and they’re gonna be good with Tyrese [Haliburton]. Obviously, Philadelphia’s gonna be pretty good. Miami’s probably gonna make another couple of moves, and they’re gonna be strong.”
Philadelphia now boasts an elite seven-man rotation that features LeBron, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Dean Wade and flamethrower Anfernee Simons.
Despite the Sixers’ “on paper” strength, the Knicks boast considerable roster continuity, which will undoubtedly play a role. Despite the loss of Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti, the majority of last season’s championship-winning roster will be back for next season. Therefore, New York should feel that its still the front-runner to come out of the East.
Knicks Have An Elite “Closer”
During his conversation with ClutchPoints, Fredette did concede that New York boasts the best “closer” in basketball in Jalen Brunson.
“The Knicks should feel good about themselves,” Fredette reassuringly said. “Obviously, they won the championship, and they probably have the best closer in basketball right now in Jalen Brunson. And when you have someone like that, where you feel like if you can keep it close, that you can win games at the end, you should feel good about yourself.”
Right now, there’s no one in the NBA you would rather have the ball in their hands during the clutch. Once the playoffs begin, Brunson’s ability to shift gears and take his game to another level will still be one of the Knicks’ biggest assets.
Knicks Warned Of Potential Drop-Off
In a recent article from ESPN’s Ben Golliver, a source close to the Knicks was quoted as warning that next season will be a different level of task, and that they must understand the risk that comes with their three-point-dependent system.
“The Knicks are still in a good position to defend their title: Nine of the top 10 members of their playoff rotation are returning, and none of their key players appears headed for age-related decline,” Golliver wrote. “Still, a team source took a cautious approach when forecasting for next season, warning about the possibility of a championship hangover and noting that the Knicks’ 3-point shooting could regress next spring after they ranked first in the 2026 postseason.”
With the Sixers now a true threat in the East, and the overall conference improving this summer, the Knicks have little room for error. Fortunately for Knicks fans, they just witnessed this team rise to the occasion when it mattered most.
For that reason, no one in New York will be too concerned with what’s happening elsewhere in the East, at least not for now.
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