Image credit: ClutchPoints

Kendrick Perkins claims Knicks are Eastern Conference’s ‘best team’

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 5:27 PM ET

With the New York Knicks adding players to the roster to further enhance their chances at a championship next season after losing in the Eastern Conference Finals, one person who has noticed the changes is ESPN’s NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins. As the Knicks prepare for the 2025-26 season, Perkins explains why the team is one to watch out for tremendously.

When asked about his thoughts on New York being one of the few teams in the Eastern Conference that are head and shoulders over everybody else, Perkins would agree tenfold. He would go as far as saying that the team is, in fact, the best team in the East since they checked the boxes regarding needs being addressed while keeping their main core featuring star Jalen Brunson.

“They are, to me, they’re the best team in the Eastern Conference,” Brunson said. “We know that the Celtics, they are somewhat in the rebuild mode, okay? The Cavs, I don’t trust them. I trust big body Brunson as the leader of that ball club, and they address the issues that they needed to address. You go and you get some bench players that’s going to come in and play their role while still keeping your entire core together.”

“They’re the best team in the Eastern Conference.”@KendrickPerkins believes the Knicks are the best team in the Eastern Conference pic.twitter.com/5SXhAedaCw

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 12, 2025

Kendrick Perkins further explains why the Knicks are the East’s best team

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

While the Knicks hired Mike Brown as the new head coach, there were some questions initially when the team fired Tom Thibodeau from the role, especially after many winning seasons, the latest taking them to the conference finals. Still, Perkins believes that Brown will bring the “best version” of himself, while still having impact players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and others.

“We know OG Anunoby, we know what he’s going to bring to the table for us, being that three and D guy, at times he looked like Scottie Pippen. Josh Hart, he’s going to come back on a mission. Obviously, they just resigned Mikal Bridges. And I’m looking forward to seeing what Karl-Anthony Towns looks like under a new voice of their locker room in Mike Brown.”

“I think we’re going to see the best version of him, if you ask me. I’m all in on the Knicks as far as in the Eastern Conference. No slight to nobody else, I just feel like they checked all the boxes and they’re the best team in the Eastern Conference right now on paper.”

At any rate, New York looks to further improve after finishing with a 51-31 record.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: