Brad Stevens' slight of Knicks is even more disrespectful than it seems

The day every NBA fan has been waiting for is here: the annual GM survey is out. Who's kidding? The day fans are actually waiting for is opening night of the 2024-25 season when the New York Knicks and Celtics tip off in Boston, but the GM survey is fun, too.

The Knicks appeared in several responses. Jalen Brunson received 10 percent of the votes for the best point guard in the league, 23 percent for best leader, and a few votes for an active player who will make the best head coach one day. Watch out, Thibodeau.

The response that stood out the most for New York involved the team that will win the Eastern Conference. The Knicks finished second in the East last season and could finish in that spot again in April. Boston is the favorite to win the conference (and the NBA Finals) after its dominant 2023-24 season, but teams like the Knicks and Sixers could be on the Celtics' heels.

Unsurprisingly, GMs overwhelmingly chose Boston to win the East with 97 percent of votes. GMs can't choose their own team, so who did Brad Stevens pick? Cleveland is the only other team that received a first-place vote. Stevens thinks the Cavaliers will win the East if the Celtics don't. Really?

Brad Stevens might not be taking the Knicks seriously enough

Interestingly, Stevens chose Cleveland over New York, Philadelphia, and even Milwaukee. Maybe he didn't want to choose a division rival because he thought it would look bad. Why give your rival that satisfaction?

Stevens could've chosen the Bucks (or the Pacers) by that logic. He must think something special is brewing in Cleveland, but not special enough to dethrone Boston. The Cavaliers signed Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen to extensions this summer. Cleveland fired J.B. Bickerstaff and hired Kenny Atkinson. Last month, the Cavs re-signed Isaac Okoro.

Cleveland's offseason moves don't stand out when you consider what the rest of the East did (especially New York), but expectations are high for the Cavaliers. Mitchell is entering his third season in Ohio after the infamous 2022 trade. There's renewed hope amongst the fanbase after two disappointing playoff performances.

Will Cleveland manage to finish above New York in the standings? It's not impossible, but it won't be easy.

The majority of the votes that the Cavaliers received were for third place in the East (20%). The Knicks received 43 percent of votes for second place, but the Sixers received more with 50 percent. Watching how the East shakes out will be entertaining, to say the least.

New York doesn't need another chip on its shoulder, and the team probably pays little attention (if any) to the GM survey. Their season won't be defined by what people like Stevens think. What matters is taking each game one at a time and stacking wins. Don't be surprised if the Knicks give the Celtics a run for their money as the top team in the East.