The New York Knicks took exception to the Boston Celtics’ dominant run to an NBA championship by going all in, acquiring Mikal Bridges in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets to form a big four of Villanova alumni, while also re-signing OG Anunoby to a long-term extension. The moves have them in a great position to be a serious contender for an NBA title, led by their two All-Stars in Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle.
Many around the league even feel that the gap between the Celtics and Knicks is significantly smaller and that New York has a legitimate chance to end an over 50-year title drought in the 2024-25 season.
Shaquille O’Neal gives unwarranted criticism to the Knicks
However, not everyone is buying into the hype surrounding the Knicks. NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal, who has been known for criticizing the Knicks over the years, said on his podcast titled “The Big Podcast” that the team is “built on hype.”
“They can hype everybody else up. They haven’t won [expletive] but ‘Oohh, New York, New York.’ So [Brunson] can play. I was wrong about him. He’s impressive,” O’Neal said. “But 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.”
The Knicks are in a position to quiet the critics
O’Neal and the national media haven’t been kind to the Knicks over the years, which is reasonable given the decades-long span of being a lottery team and being uncompetitive. Until they prove that they can reach the next step — which for them would be making it to the conference finals — that criticism is likely to only continue.
However, the Knicks have proven that they do need to be taken seriously. Last season, they won 50 games and finished just one game shy of making the Eastern Conference Finals despite missing half of the roster and a number of key players due to injuries. They only improved the roster further by adding Bridges and bringing back Anunoby. The Knicks were 26-6 in games that Anunoby played in last year, including the postseason.
The Knicks did suffer a loss, however, as reliable center Isaiah Hartenstein left in free agency to sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder. But, the Knicks still have a strong center group, with Mitchell Robinson returning to his starting role and Precious Achiuwa likely serving as the backup. The center unit is not a shiny one on paper, but it is one that can get the job done, especially under a defense-heavy coach in Tom Thibodeau.
In addition, Jalen Brunson is just now entering his prime fresh off of a season where he averaged 28.7 points, made the All-NBA second team, and finished fifth in league MVP voting. With a true superstar and a great supporting cast behind them, the Knicks are well-equipped to be a powerhouse in the East, with health being the main obstacle for them.
The Knicks now have a deep and loaded roster that is sure to bring a lot of success, but will O’Neal end up being right about them in the long run? Only time will tell.
