Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, the New York Knicks have high expectations on their shoulders.
Tom Thibodeau led the franchise to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Now, with Mike Brown in the hot seat, he must at least match that, or go one step further by taking the Knicks to the NBA Finals.
According to Zach Lowe, speaking via his “The Zach Lowe Show Podcast,” this could be the most pressure the Knicks have faced since Patrick Ewing was suiting up for the franchise.
“This is the most pressure a Knicks team has faced, I’m gonna say, since [Patrick] Ewing’s prime,” Lowe said. “This is the first year in forever where the Knicks legitimately face pressure of like, ‘If you don’t make the Finals, it’s a disappointing season.”
On paper, the Knicks have all the ingredients needed for a championship run. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are the two stars. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are the do-it-all wings who both excel on defense. And, Josh Hart is the lead-by-example hustle player who operates as a connector.
If Brown can find a winning formula, the Knicks should be more than capable of coming out of the East. All eyes will be on Brown and the changes in playstyle that he implements.
Ty Lue Questions Knicks’ Firing Of Tom Thibodeau
Thibodeau had overseen the Knicks for five seasons. During his tenure, he turned the franchise from a struggling roster into a powerhouse in the East.
During a recent appearance on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast, championship-winning head coach Tyronn Lue shared his thoughts on the Knicks’ front office choosing to part ways with Thibodeau. Lue is currently the head coach of the LA Clippers.
“The city was on fire, the fans were on fire, the players did a hell of a job, and Thibs did a hell of a job,” Lue said. “It just doesn’t make sense. I thought Thibs did a great job.”
"The city was on fire, the fans were on fire, the players did a hell of a job and Thibs did a hell of a job… It just doesn't make sense. I thought Thibs did a great job."
– Tyronn Lue speaks on the firing of Tom Thibodeau 😳
(Via @ClubShayShay) pic.twitter.com/q8dTjlCGSg
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 28, 2025
Brown will certainly need to hit the ground running. Otherwise, questions may be asked of the Knicks’ front office, and their decision-making after Thibodeau helped the Knicks move one step closer to a championship.
Knicks Should Avoid Adding Ben Simmons
There’s no doubt that New York needs some additional bench depth ahead of the new season. The front office has reportedly been showing some interest in Ben Simmons, who is an unrestricted free agent.
However, during a recent episode of “520 In The Morning,” former NBA guard Jeff Teague shared a warning over Simmons’ injury issues and the limitations he now faces as a player.
“Yeah, it’s over, bro. Y’all seen him when he was playing? He can’t move anymore,” Teague said. “…He runs like his back hurts. He’s hurt. I used to always be like Okay, whatever, but no, he’s legit hurt. What made him effective was pushing the ball and being dynamic in transition and he can’t do that anymore. Or he doesn’t have the opportunity, like nobody believes it.”
If Simmons is unable to elevate the Knicks’ second unit, then the front office would be wise to explore other options in the coming weeks. After all, a key aspect of a contending team is viable depth.
Right now, that is arguably the one weakness of the current Knicks roster. It will be interesting to see how that need is addressed ahead of the new season.