New York Knicks: Atlantic Division shaping up to be competitive

Unfortunately for the New York Knicks, the Atlantic Division is shaping up to be one of the toughest in the NBA over the next few years.

For the longest time, much has been made about the imbalance between the two conferences that divide the NBA. Year after year, it seems like all 15 teams out West have to scratch and claw just to sneak into the playoffs, while squads in the East qualify with less than 45 wins.

Not only do teams face a discrepancy in their record, but the talent gap amongst those franchises is large, as well. Many of the league’s elite are suiting up for the likes of the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Little has been made, though, about the competition within the smaller divisions, of which there are three per conference. In that sense, the Atlantic Division is shaping up to be one of the best in the business.

Let’s start with the New York Knicks, who already possess a unique talent in Kristaps Porzingis, who, if healthy, should be a perennial All-Star.

Both Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson showed promise at Summer League, and with money to spend next offseason, the Knicks will look to be players in free agency.

The Boston Celtics are coming off a season in which they came within one game of the NBA Finals without two of their best players. Now, with both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward presumably healthy by the start of training camp, and the duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum developing at a rapid rate, there’s no telling what their ceiling is.

Up north, the Toronto Raptors decided to shake up the NBA landscape by acquiring Kawhi Leonard, along with Danny Green. That should improve a roster that won a franchise record 59 games last season.

Then there’s the Philadelphia 76ers, which possess two of the brightest stars in the game in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, along with an intriguing supporting cast that includes Dario Saric and former No. 1 overall draft pick Markelle Fultz.

The Brooklyn Nets may be the most intriguing team of the bunch. After winning an average of just 23 games the last three seasons, the Nets have set themselves up to have two max contract slots for the free agent class of 2019.

Led by head coach Kenny Atkinson, who had his team in a lot more games late than most would think, Brooklyn could shift the balance of power amongst these teams if it can lure just a single star player.

To be fair, there are plenty of question marks surrounding these organizations.

There’s no guarantee that Porzingis fully recovers from his ACL injury for the New York Knicks. The chances are slim to none that Leonard will stay in Toronto beyond this season.

Irving’s contract expires this offseason, with has some believing he may look elsewhere when the time comes. The Nets may have money to spend, but that doesn’t mean they’ll find All-Stars to take it.

There’s also the standard unpredictability of the NBA, in which teams make trades and players demand to be moved.

All of this may be true, but that doesn’t mean it will all come to fruition. After all, crazier things have happened, right?

With so much young talent across these five teams, and room for more, they’re all going to have a tough time matching up against each other, of which they will do a total of 16 times over the course of the regular season.

There will certainly be a bevy of storylines ranging from individual matchups to rivalries renewed as they all attempt to fight their way—most likely through each other—to the ultimate prize that is an NBA championship.

LeBron James no longer resides in the eastern time zone, making the conference as wide open as it’s been this decade.

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For the New York Knicks and the Atlantic Division, however, things may just be getting started.