As is customary for all newly anointed NBA Champions, the New York Knicks will be headliners for tip-off to the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season, as their opener is slated to be held at Madison Square Garden against the new-look 76ers.
Along with being one of the first games to start the new regular season, New York will be taking part in the traditional pregame ring ceremony and raising of the NBA Championship banner into the rafters.
While it is an event experienced by every reigning champion, the Knicks have an opportunity to literally make theirs the most unique in league history, as they could realistically opt to unveil two legitimate title banners on the same night.
Knicks may want to consider raising NBA Cup Championship banner
Before running the postseason gauntlet and taking home the Larry O'Brien Trophy, the Knicks won the league's other primetime title with their 2025 Emirates NBA Cup Championship.
While it has become customary for the tournament winner to lift a banner for achieving such a feat, New York decided to forgo it, with coach Mike Brown saying that while there are "a lot of positives" about winning the NBA Cup, ultimately, their only focus was to hang an NBA Finals Championship banner "up in MSG, the most iconic arena in the league."
Fast forward eight months, and this mission of theirs is now set to be accomplished on opening night after besting the Spurs in five games during the 2026 NBA Finals.
With this, perhaps now it may be viewed as acceptable for them to officially celebrate their NBA Cup title as well -- after all, they are the only team in league history to win both in the same season.
Two Knicks championship banners would add more drama to LeBron bout
Even with just one championship banner being hoisted, opening night could be argued as the ultimate final blow to LeBron James from the Knicks, especially after how they reacted to his reported interest in joining them this summer.
After multiple occasions over the years when James has spurned New York in free agency and flat-out disrespected them during head-to-head matchups, this summer it was the Knicks who rejected him when his camp allegedly came inquiring about joining forces.
Watching him be forced to be in attendance while this very team celebrates its epic postseason championship run should already be enough for Knicks fans. Adding another banner into the mix, however, would only make the night that much more special.
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