The New York Knicks will enter the new NBA season as defending champions, but questions are already being raised over their chances of repeating their success.
The Knicks have kept most of their core intact, with nine of their top 10 playoff rotation players returning. Their key stars are also showing little sign of age-related decline, giving the team a strong foundation for another title run.
However, there are concerns over a potential championship hangover and whether their impressive three-point shooting can be sustained. The Knicks ranked first in three-point shooting during the 2026 playoffs, but a regression could make defending their crown much more difficult.
The team also lost an important piece in Mitchell Robinson, who left for the Boston Celtics, despite retaining players including Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson and Mohamed Diawara.
The challenge is made even tougher by the NBA’s growing parity. Eight different teams have won the championship in the past eight seasons, while no team has successfully defended its title since the Golden State Warriors won back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018.
With Jalen Brunson confident that the Knicks can repeat, the reigning champions will have plenty to prove as they chase another historic season.
