May 29, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and guard Josh Hart (3) react in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game five of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

ESPN Analyst Challenges Knicks to Take Prime Opportunity

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Magliocchetti | Last updated Sep 14, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Like another metropolitan staple before them, the New York Knicks are about to learn that with great power comes great responsibility.

Many have pegged the Knicks as preliminary favorites in the NBA's Eastern Conference after a relatively quiet yet fruitful offseason: New York's latest additions mostly addressed their depth but the Knicks also kept its lead core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and more all together after they guided the franchise to its first conference finals showing in 25 years.

Developments from abroad have granted the Knicks a de facto preseason championship, or at least the best title forecast they've had in quite some time. With that in mind, ESPN insider and analyst Brian Windhorst called upon the modern Manhattanites to take advantage of the opportunity.

"They are in the best position we've seen the Knicks to win the East in a generation. They have got to take advantage of this season."@WindhorstESPN weighs in on the New York Knicks heading into this season ✍️ pic.twitter.com/qUjHbSqXAV
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 12, 2025

"They've got to look around at their opportunity," Windhorst said on Friday's edition of "NBA Today." "Jayson Tatum is going to likely miss most, if not all, of this season. Tyrese Haliburton, the same. The [Cleveland] Cavs are dealing with several players coming off surgeries."

"There have been a lot of years where the Knicks have had disadvantages that they couldn't control. Now they've got the breaks breaking their way. Their team has been built together. They're built out. They're in the best position we've seen the Knicks to win the East in a generation. They have got to take advantage of this season."

To Windhorst's point, the Knicks have accomplished plenty since Jalen Brunson arrived in 2022 but reaching the NBA Finals has continued to prove elusive. In 2024, for example, New York placed second to only the future champion Boston Celtics but a plethora of injuries derailed their championship run.

This time around, devastating injuries to the franchise faces in Boston, Cleveland, and Indiana have left a power vacuum of sorts in the East, one that the Knicks are in prime position to capitalize upon after surround their retained core headlined by Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns with valuable, incoming role players like Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele.

Of course, when a championship drought reaches five decades, one becomes well-versed in disappointments, and the Knicks themselves are aware of how fleeting such opportunities can be. Shrewd roster planning assures it might not be a true "now-or-never" aura, but the time may never be more ripe opportunity to finally make things right.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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