The NBA Atlantic Division boasted the two top teams in the Eastern Conference last season, one of those being the New York Knicks. Of course, the other was the 2024 NBA champions. New York and Boston could finish as the conference's top two teams in 2024-25 after successful offseasons.
The Celtics haven't made any major moves, but didn't need to. It's a win that their starting five and depth will return next season. Meanwhile, the Knicks made the biggest offseason splash when they traded for Mikal Bridges. Jalen Brunson's four-year extension at a significant discount was another positive surprise for New York.
As much as Knicks fans might want to, you can't leave out the Sixers. Philadelphia signed Paul George to a four-year, $212 million max deal. Signing a 34-year-old injury-prone star to that contract could quickly come back to haunt the Sixers, but they needed to do it. Joel Embiid's never played in a conference finals.
For all the Knicks, Celtics, and Sixers reasons listed above, the Atlantic Division dominated ESPN's offseason survey (subscription required).
Eastern Conference scout says Knicks had worst NBA offseason
When asked which team had the worst offseason, one unnamed Eastern Conference scout listed the Knicks. The Nuggets (6), Bulls (5), Clippers (4), Lakers (1), and Pistons (1) also received votes. If you're wondering how New York appeared as an answer, here's what ESPN wrote:
"Surprisingly, an East scout said the Knicks had the league's worst offseason, pointing to the combination of losing center Isaiah Hartenstein, giving a near-max deal to OG Anunoby and paying a heavy price to land Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets."
ESPN added that the scout doesn't think New York will be better in 2024-25.
Losing Isaiah Hartenstein was a tough blow for the Knicks, especially because in his two seasons in New York, he missed only seven regular-season games. He upped his stock tremendously during that time, which is why he signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder.
You've probably heard this by now, but New York was 26-5 with OG Anunoby in the lineup. Is his injury history concerning? Yes, but it's impossible to overstate his importance to the Knicks. If he can stay healthy (which is a big if), New York will be hard to beat in the playoffs, especially with Mikal Bridges.
The former Nets forward isn't the star everyone thought the Knicks would get, but they proved they don't need another star. Brunson and Julius Randle are All-NBA/All-Star players. Over the past couple of years, Leon Rose added the perfect complimentary pieces to the roster (i.e., Josh Hart).
The Anunoby deal and Bridges trade could age poorly for New York, but that's the case for every NBA decision. Giving PG13 a max deal is far more concerning for the Sixers. It'll be a miracle if he and Joel Embiid play most of 2024-25 (and the seasons beyond). Maybe the scout is from Philadelphia!
By this point, Knicks fans should be accustomed to the non-believers. Not every move will work out, but Rose has a good track record in his four years in New York. The Knicks have a real chance to make their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000 and could even advance to the NBA Finals.