Top 2 in the league in the strength list, top 3 in the league in the salary list! The embarrassing champions are not far away

Editor|Old Kankanqiu

NBA offseason has passed, and most of the teams in the east and west of the league have completed reinforcement operations. The West is particularly intense. In addition to the traditional Warriors (the most disappointing team in the league this summer), the Rockets, Nuggets, Clippers, Lakers and Timberwolves have all carried out lineup upgrades to varying degrees while retaining their core lineups. They have become the top teams in the playoffs. The Western Conference is competing with each other and are determined to encircle the defending champion Thunder. The Rockets are the biggest winner this offseason. After getting Durant, DFS, and Capela, the team solved the problem of scoring in the positional battle. The new season can form a starting lineup composed of Shin Kyung, Smith, Durant, Amen Thompson and Van Vreett. There are also many veterans and potential stocks such as Jay Jr. Capela, Adams, Ethan, Shepard on the bench, and the lineup is invincible. The Nuggets' operations in this offseason are also very successful. While they used Cameron Johnson to replace Porter Jr., they also obtained key puzzles such as Valan, Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown. Jokic's substitute and lineup depth are solved at one time.

Unlike the Western Conference, the Eastern Conference has suffered serious declines due to injury problems (superstars such as Tatum, Halliburton, Lillard and other superstars have been reimbursed due to injury season), and the overall strength has declined severely. The quarterfinals of the playoffs have surfaced, and the Cavaliers and the Knicks have become the most popular teams in the East with the championship.

, especially the Knicks, stood out in the reshuffle of the Eastern Conference. In the latest strength list officially released by the NBA, the New York Knicks ranked second in the league, second only to the defending champion Thunder.

Obviously, the Knicks' starting five-man team is indeed great, with a total salary of US$170 million, which is luxurious:

Downs: 53.14 million US dollars

Anunobi: 39.57 million US dollars

Brunson: 34.94 million US dollars

Bridges: 24.9 million US dollars

Hart: 19.47 million US dollars

Rely on this lineup, the Knicks did outstanding performance last season, winning 51 wins in the regular season, and eliminated the Pistons and Celtics one after another. Although they lost to the Pacers 2-4 in the Eastern Conference Finals, their strength has been recognized by fans.

In addition, this offseason, the management continued to make important reinforcements: signing Clarkson and Yabuselle, who was the sixth man of the best last season and averaged 16.2 points per game. In addition, the Knicks also completed a four-year, $150 million salary renewal contract with Bridges, which is also very cost-effective.

So far, the Knicks' total salary in the 2025-26 season reached US$205 million, ranking third in the league, second only to the Cavaliers (US$215 million) and the Mavericks (US$208 million).

The top two in the league and the top three in the salary list, but it is an embarrassing championship-winning giants, and the group is not far away. Obviously, the Knicks lineup is indeed luxurious, but there are indeed many hidden dangers. The starting lineup is indeed strong on paper, but its efficiency in the playoffs last season was not satisfactory: data shows that Brunson's On-Off value is -7.7, Towns's -2.2, Bridges's -25.3, and Anunobi, the second-salary salary, is -11.3, but Hart performed smoothly.

Some analysts even believe that letting the five substitute players on the Knicks may be more efficient than starting fives, which also reveals the deeper problems in the starting lineup - incompatibility, and Towns' positioning is very embarrassing. In addition, the team's locker room was not calm. During the playoffs last season, Towns had an argument with Anunobi. After the Knicks were eliminated by the Pacers, New York media revealed that some team executives expressed great dissatisfaction with Towns' defense.

And the team's salary structure also has big problems. Towns joined the Knicks last season and ranked first in the team's salary, while team leader Brunson took the initiative to cut his salary. The team's blue-collar Anuno's new contract was higher than Brunson, which was a bit embarrassing.

The most important thing is that the Knicks cut off coach Thibodeau, who had been coaching for five years this offseason, and chose to let the former Kings coach Mike Brown take over the coaching spike. Not to mention Brown's ability, whether he can calm the starting five tigers and the subsequent running-in are all big issues.

Obviously, the Knicks are facing huge time pressure, which is also a contradiction. Despite the head coach's running-in problem, the new season is also the Knicks' last chance to win the championship. If the 26-27 season is waiting, the salary of the starting five will climb to $190 million. Even if the team is willing to bear the league's super luxury tax, it is still doubtful whether this hidden team can go further.

If the Knicks fall again in a surprising round of series, the team's future will become an unknown and will not be far from disintegration.