While the New York Knicks might not be upper-echelon championship contenders this season, their depth and talent is among the best in the NBA.
In a new top-100 NBA player ranking from CBS Sports, the Knicks tied for the league lead with six top-100 players. The other teams with six were the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Boston Celtics had five, all of whom ranked in the top 40.
Here's how CBS ranked the Knicks:
- 81: Donte DiVincenzo
- 77: Josh Harrt
- 54: Julius Randle
- 46: OG Anunoby
- 41: Mikal Bridges
- 13: Jalen Brunson
Former Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein was ranked 73rd. Had the Knicks been able to re-sign him in free agency, they would have had the most players in the top 100 in the league.
Of course, the Knicks are built differently than the other championship contenders: the Knicks' other Eastern Conference foes all had multiple players in the top 40. The gap between Brunson and the Knicks' second-best player, Bridges, is considerable, at least according to these rankings.
Knicks fans might bristle at Randle coming in at 54 — it's a low ranking for a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA member. However, it's understandable: Randle missed the second half of last season, including the Knicks' entire playoff run, with a shoulder injury. Randle doesn't have a strong postseason record and is facing questions about how he'll fit a revamped Knicks roster.
It's worth wondering if a strong, healthy season could also put Mitchell Robinson in these rankings next season. Robinson was off to a blazing start last season before suffering an ankle injury that kept him out for most of the second half of the year. With the Knicks thin at center, Robinson is set to play a key role for the team.
The Knicks have assembled this group, hoping that Brunson's star power, combined with nearly unparalleled depth from top-flight role players, will push them to a new level.
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