Southeast Notes: Magic, Wizards, Hornets, Hawks
President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman acknowledged earlier this week that the Magic will have limited flexibility compared to last summer, when they traded for Desmond Bane, but he said adding more shooting to the roster will be a priority again this offseason, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.
“Those are our challenges,” Weltman said. “I said last time at the deadline, do we really want to break into this core? Because if we’re going to make a major move, then you’re going to break into the core. So, we have to see what major moves are in front of us. We have to see what smaller nibbles we can take. I will say this, short of acquiring a star player, I do believe that the greatest impact that you can have on a team is to bring in a new coach.
“I do think that we have a lot of different avenues and ways that we need to improve and get better. We’ll kind of tap into all of those and see if we put our guys in the best possible position to succeed, including like rounding out the roster with veteran guys that know how to come in and win and reliable and consistent, that help our main guys facilitate their ceiling.”
Here’s more from around the Southeast Division:
- The Wizards are guaranteed to land a top-five pick in Sunday’s draft lottery in a 2026 draft class they view as having six potential stars at the top, according to David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who examine which players the team might target with every possible lottery outcome (one through five). If the Wizards land either the first or second pick, both authors expect the team to choose between AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. If the selection lands at No. 5 and Dybantsa, Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson are off the board, Robbins considers Darius Acuff to be the current frontrunner.
- Co-owners Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall were thrilled with the progress the Hornets made in 2025/26 but say there’s still plenty of room for growth, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “We have arrived at the point where we feel great about our leadership team, and we feel great about where we are, but we have a lot of work to do,” Schnall said. “You look at the playoffs, we would have had a tough time in the playoffs. We have to continue to build the team. We also have a lot of players on our team that reflect what we’re about. We have competitive players. We have high-character players. We have players who want to win. Gabe and I are incredibly competitive, as is our ownership group and as is our leadership team. We’re not going to be satisfied just being a competitive team. And so we will do everything we can to get better.”
- Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link) hands out performance grades for the Hawks, with Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu and CJ McCollum tying for the highest mark (B+). Williams also grades the coaching staff and front office, giving both groups a B.
Giannis Trade Rumors: Celtics, Magic, Blazers, Hawks, More
The Celtics were considered a “team to watch” for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo even before Jaylen Brown‘s recent comments about 2025/26 being his “favorite season” led to speculation about his future in Boston, league sources tell Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
According to The Athletic, Boston expressed a level of interest in Antetokounmpo prior to the February trade deadline, and rival teams expect the Celtics to be aggressive in searching for roster upgrades after an unexpected first-round playoff exit in which they blew a 3-1 series lead to Philadelphia.
While Brown’s comments — and those of his mentor Tracy McGrady, who said Brown was frustrated with the organization — raised several eyebrows around the league, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and Brown himself have since clarified there’s no discord between the two sides. A Celtics source and a source close to Brown confirmed as much to Amick and Nehm.
It’s worth noting that Jake Fischer of The Stein Line recently mentioned the Celtics as a possible suitor for Antetokounmpo, but he downplayed their deadline interest and also reported that the two-time MVP might not be enthusiastic about the idea of joining Boston.
Here are a few more Giannis-related trade rumors and notes from Amick and Nehm:
- Although a Magic source tells The Athletic that Orlando has not yet discussed the possibility of a trade for Antetokounmpo this offseason, the possibility can’t be ruled out after the team expressed interest in the 31-year-old a few months ago, according to Amick and Nehm, confirming prior reporting from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. As Amick and Nehm write, Antetokounmpo wouldn’t solve Orlando’s shooting woes, but he’d be an upgrade in just about every other way and the Magic’s front office has multiple ties to both Milwaukee and the 10-time All-Star. While it reads as speculation rather than firm reporting, Amick and Nehm suggest Paolo Banchero would likely be the centerpiece of any potential Magic offer.
- Fischer has reported multiple times that the Trail Blazers are interested in Antetokounmpo, and Portland controls Milwaukee’s first-round picks (via swaps) from 2028-30. Despite the ties between the two clubs — the Blazers have two of Antetokounmpo’s favorite teammates in Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard — rival teams are skeptical the Greek star would be interested in joining a Blazers club that could have a tough time making it out of the loaded Western Conference even if they add Antetokounmpo, per The Athletic. That same line of thinking has people around the league believing Antetokounmpo would prefer to end up with an Eastern title contender, Amick and Nehm add.
- The Hawks have been linked to Antetokounmpo in the past, but they seem unlikely to pursue him — or any other superstar — in the near future. Team sources tell The Athletic that Atlanta intends to be “very patient” with its young core, which features Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Fischer previously reported the Hawks planned to take a measured approach to the offseason, and GM Onsi Saleh seemed to confirm as much at his end-of-season press conference, Amick and Nehm note.
- The Warriors, Heat, Rockets and Raptors are four other teams mentioned by Amick and Nehm, who point out that the list of potential Antetokounmpo suitors could grow, depending on what happens to some other teams still in the playoffs.
Coaching Rumors: Splitter, Blazers, Pelicans, Thibodeau
Tiago Splitter did an admirable job in Portland after taking over for Chauncey Billups during the first week of the 2025/26 season, leading the team to a 42-39 record the rest of the way and earning a playoff spot. However, sources with knowledge of the situation tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) that Splitter appears unlikely to be hired as the Trail Blazers‘ permanent head coach.
The Blazers’ goal is to interview upwards of 30 candidates for the job, according to Fischer, who explains that new team owner Tom Dundon wants to gather as much intel as possible on the coaching market before making a decision. However, the manner in which Dundon has operated since taking over control of the team – immediately implementing cost-cutting measures and launching the head coaching search before the season ended – has turned off some potential targets.
According to Fischer, multiple assistant coaches around the NBA have declined to reciprocate the Blazers’ interest due to Dundon’s approach and rumors that the team is looking to pays its new coach well below the standard market rate.
Nets assistant Steve Hetzel and Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley are among the candidates to watch, per Fischer, though he notes that Hetzel is also in the running for the Pelicans’ vacancy. Hetzel previously worked in Portland and overlapped with Damian Lillard during the point guard’s previous stint with the team, and Lillard has suggested some potential candidates to management during the coaching search, Fischer says.
Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report (Twitter link) also identifies Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean as one possible candidate getting a look from the Blazers.
Here are a few more coaching rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- Both Hetzel and Bucks assistant Darvin Ham have made “strong impressions” on Pelicans team officials during New Orleans’ coaching search, Fischer reports. However, he says there’s a growing sense that Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney, who is also believed to be drawing interest from the Bulls and Magic, won’t be attainable for the Pelicans. It’s also unclear, Fischer says, whether anything will come of New Orleans’ reported interest in Jamahl Mosley, since it’s possible he won’t want to jump right into a new head coaching job after being fired by Orlando.
- Although Tom Thibodeau would be open to reuniting with the Bulls, the rebuilding club may not be a match for the veteran head coach, who is more likely to seek out a win-now situation, Fischer writes. Based on Fischer’s conversations with sources, the Magic job is the one viewed as most appealing to that type of candidate.
- Conner Varney, who had been working as a coaching associate under Quin Snyder in Atlanta, is leaving the Hawks to take a job with the Butler Bulldogs, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Varney will reunite with Ronald Nored, a former Hawks assistant who was hired as Butler’s head coach in March.
Former Hawks Owner Ted Turner Passes Away
Media mogul Ted Turner, the former owner of the Hawks and MLB’s Atlanta Braves, has passed away at age 87, per Matt Kempner and Christopher Quinn of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Turner, who was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2018, died peacefully surrounded by loves ones, a spokesperson told the AJC.
Turner bought a majority stake in the Hawks in 1977 to ensure the team remained in Atlanta and to provide content for his local cable station, WTCG, which was later rebranded as WTBS/TBS (Turner Broadcasting System). He continued to serve as the Hawks’ owner until after Turner Broadcasting System was acquired by Time Warner in 1996.
Time Warner later the sold the franchise in 2004 to a group known as Atlanta Spirit LLC, while current Hawks owner Tony Ressler took control of the team in 2015.
A banner still hangs at State Farm Arena in Atlanta honoring Turner. Ressler issued a statement on Wednesday recognizing the former Hawks owner’s importance to the organization.
“For me personally, owning the Atlanta Hawks and following in his footsteps – even in a small way – has been one of the great honors of my life. Seeing his name raised above the rafters at State Farm Arena serves as a constant reminder of the standard he set and the legacy he built,” Ressler’s statement reads, in part. “In many respects, my work in Atlanta – through the Hawks, the transformation of State Farm Arena, and the development of Centennial Yards – are all extensions of that legacy, rooted in our shared belief that sports and community can come together to inspire, uplift, and create lasting impact.
“Ted Turner showed us what it means to think boldly and act with purpose. His legacy will continue to guide and inspire all who strive to make a difference.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also put out a statement in the wake of Turner’s passing, referring to former Hawks owner as a “true pioneer whose vision transformed modern media” (Twitter link).
“He was a passionate steward of our game for decades,” Silver said. “Both as a longtime owner of the Hawks and as a devoted partner who played an integral role in advancing the league’s growth.”
We at Hoops Rumors send our condolences to Turner’s family and friends.
And-Ones: Sengun, A. Smith, G League Combine, More
In their annual player poll, Josh Robbins, Sam Amick, Joe Vardon, and other reporters for The Athletic solicited opinions from players around the NBA about the league’s most underrated and overrated stars, which coaches have impressed them the most and the least, and the best defensive players among their peers.
No player earned more votes as “most overrated” than Rockets center Alperen Sengun, who was named by 10 out of 81 respondents. However, for what it’s worth, many players polled by The Athletic declined to answer that question.
“I was part of the group that said Tyrese Haliburton for most overrated (in 2025), and what he did in the playoffs last year was unreal,” one player said. “So I’m not saying (who I think is overrated). We have a lot of really good players in this league.”
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA All-Star Adrian Smith, who earned All-Star Game MVP honors in 1966 as a member of the Cincinnati Royals and won an NCAA title in 1958 with Kentucky, has passed away at the age of 89, per the league (Twitter link). Smith spent 10 years in the league, averaging 11.8 points per game across 719 total appearances for the Royals and the San Francisco Warriors.
- Jaxon Kohler (Michigan State), Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State), and Malik Reneau (Miami) have been chosen as replacements for the upcoming G League combine, reports Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Twitter links). They’re stepping in for Isiah Harwell (Houston), Paulius Murauskas (St. Mary’s), and Alijah Arenas (USC), all of whom had been testing the draft waters. While it’s unclear if all three of those players are withdrawing from the draft, it sounds like Arenas, at least, has decided to remove his name.
- Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) questions whether the time is right for the NBA to implement its “3-2-1” draft lottery reform plan, pointing out that the changes will significantly impact the value of several traded picks for 2027 and arguing that the league might be better off taking another year to figure out a more effective long-term solution to combat tanking.
- Former Hawks finance executive Lester T. Jones Jr. was formally sentenced last week after pleading guilty to wire fraud in December, per an Associated Press report. Jones, who embezzled roughly $3.7MM from the team by submitting fraudulent expense reports and misusing corporate credit cards, received three years and five months in prison.
Hawks Notes: NAW, Johnson, Playoff Loss, Workouts
Nickeil Alexander-Walker was named the league’s Most Improved Player. Following the Hawks‘ loss to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, the 27-year-old expressed a desire to improve his game even further.
“I think for me, it allowed me to reshape my focus, to say, ‘You know what, I have a chance at making something special of this situation. I get to respond next year, try to go to the playoffs,’” Alexander-Walker he told Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “And, after losing the way we did, how I approach the game and having a whole season now under my belt and growing into it, and ‘OK, I can be so much better. This is how I improve.’ And then hopefully next year is different.”
Alexander-Walker sees the team continuing to improve, an exciting proposition for a player who signed a four-year contract prior to the season.
“It’s exciting and it’s promising,” he said. “And it shows that there is something there. Anytime you can have success to any degree when you work really hard, it’s reassuring to the process that you’re on. And it gives you that trial and error to say, ‘OK, we are doing the right thing. This is the right thing. Now, where did we go wrong along the way?’ Then you kind of, like, just reshape it and keep going and keep growing.”
Here’s more on the Hawks:
- The Knicks held Jalen Johnson to 19.5 points per game on 43.5 overall shooting and 29 percent from long range in the first round. Johnson vows to be better the next time he gets into a postseason series. “If I’m being honest, it was just bad,” Johnson said, per Williams. “It was a terrible feeling. Unacceptable. Like I said, there’s plenty of room for growth, and we’re going to continue to grow from this. We’re going to learn a lot from this series, and just making sure the non-negotiables never happen again.”
- Getting blown out by 51 points in the decisive Game 6 will serve as a motivator for the entire team, according to Johnson. “Just a lot of fuel going into the next season, a lot of fuel going into the offseason for everybody, and we’re going to make sure this never happens again, we never get this type of feeling again, just a sick feeling to our stomach,” he said.
- Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia), Peter Suder (Miami OH) and Milos Uzan (Houston) are some of the prospects the Hawks are bringing in for pre-draft workouts, Williams tweets. Those players are potential second-rounders — Bidunga is ranked highest at No. 46 overall by ESPN. Atlanta possesses two first-round picks via trades, including a lottery selection, and the No. 57 overall pick late in the second round.
Bulls Hire Bryson Graham As Head Of Basketball Operations
The Bulls have officially hired Bryson Graham to lead their basketball operations department, per a team press release. Graham’s title will be executive vice president of basketball operations.
“We’re excited to name Bryson Graham as our Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations,” Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. “Bryson is an elite talent evaluator who has earned tremendous respect across the league, and that stood out immediately during our process. He has worked his way up through basketball operations from the ground level, and that experience has given him a deep understanding of how to build and sustain a successful organization.
“He is an effective communicator, a disciplined and thoughtful decision-maker, and someone who truly connects with players and people. He understands today’s league, today’s players, and what it takes to develop talent and build a winning culture. Just as important, Bryson is committed to building a high-level group around him. He knows what he does well, and he is focused on surrounding that with strong leadership across strategy, scouting, and player development. This is an important step for our organization. We know there is work ahead, but we are confident in Bryson’s ability to lead, build, and move us forward.
The news was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links).
Graham was the Hawks‘ senior VP of basketball operations for the 2025/26 season. He spent 15 years in New Orleans before that, Charania notes, working his way up the ranks from an intern to general manager.
The 39-year-old was GM for the Pelicans under former top executive David Griffin until the end of last season, when Griffin was fired and replaced by Joe Dumars. Graham is highly regarded around the league for his scouting acumen, Charania writes, which will be important for the rebuilding Bulls.
While Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd had been reported by some outlets as the frontrunner for the top front office job in Chicago, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported over the weekend that Graham, Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey, and Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin were still in contention for the position as well.
According to Charania, the Bulls conducted in-person interviews last week and considered Graham, Lloyd and Lindsey over the weekend before selecting Graham on Monday.
K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network says (via Twitter) there were four finalists, and hears all of them interviewed well. However, Graham was the unanimous pick, Johnson reports.
In a full story for ESPN.com, Charania and Jamal Collier report that Graham (in his executive role with Atlanta) helped facilitate trade talks between the Hawks and Pelicans last summer, when New Orleans moved up from No. 23 to No. 13 to select Maryland big man Derik Queen. The 2026 first-rounder the Pelicans sent the Hawks is unprotected and will be the most favorable of the Pels’ and Bucks’ picks.
Trey Murphy III (No. 17 overall), Herbert Jones (No. 35), Dyson Daniels (No. 8) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17) are among the players Graham has been credited for drafting, in addition to his work on trades.
Graham will replace former head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, who was fired near the end of the regular season alongside ex-GM Marc Eversley.
Southeast Notes: Hawks, Magic, Banchero, Riley
While the Hawks‘ playoff run ended in disappointing fashion, it helped them gain a better understanding of the roster and where it needs to go moving forward, Lauren Williams writes for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The Hawks have two first-round picks and plan on not skipping steps as they work to build the team into a contender. They also have financial flexibility, which could be used to bring in free agents or negotiate new deals with current players. They are unlikely to make a huge swing, but will continue to build piece by piece.
“We’re not a single player away from being what we want to be,” general manager Onsi Saleh said. “When I came here, the biggest thing was, how do we become sustainable?”
CJ McCollum is likely to return, as is Jonathan Kuminga, Williams writes. On the other hand, she considers players like Gabe Vincent, Keaton Wallace, Buddy Hield, and Tony Bradley “a coin toss” to be back.
We have more from around the Southeast Division:
- The Magic failed to end a 16-year run without winning a playoff series, falling in Game 7 to the Pistons after having held a 3-1 series lead. They have to be wondering what would have happened had wing Franz Wagner not missed the final three games of the series, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The series showed that Orlando needs someone who organizes the offense, rather than the point-guard-by-committee approach the team employed this season. Guard Desmond Bane also pointed to rebounding as an area that cost the Magic, as they were out-rebounded in all four losses, notes Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter video link).
- Magic star Paolo Banchero had an up-and-down series, and he issued a warning that the team is not at the level it needs to be after the Game 7 defeat. “Losing in the first round is not acceptable. That should be the attitude,” he said, per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter video link). “It shouldn’t be comfortable in the building. It should be everybody on their Ps and Qs feeling pressure to be great. I think that’s the mindset that needs to be there from top to bottom.”
- Much of Pat Riley‘s end-of-season press conference has been widely discussed, but some talking points from the Heat president deserve more attention, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Twice in the presser, Riley seemed to hint that head coach Erik Spoelstra needed to be more willing to allow young players to play through mistakes. “Even if it costs you during the regular season, you got to play it through their bad times, and you got to play it through their ups and downs,” he said. “I’ve read all the criticism of our young players, but nobody ever really… gives them the space to be young and to make mistakes, and not to be who you think they should be in three or four years…. They’re not the top five picks in the draft.” He also seemed to hint at the possibility of putting the Heat’s lottery pick, which projects to be 13th overall, on the table in a potential deal for a star, while adding that he doesn’t want to bring in someone he considers “damaged goods.”
Fischer’s Latest: Blazers’ Backcourt, Young, Hawks, Rockets
The Trail Blazers expect Damian Lillard to be back next season, but his return raises questions about the direction of Portland’s backcourt moving forward, Jake Fischer writes for the Stein Line (subscriber link).
The Blazers have Jrue Holiday under contract for at least one more season – he holds a $37.2MM player option for 2027/28 – as well as former No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson, who had a torrid start to the first-round series against the Spurs before going cold in the final two games.
The team believes that Lillard and Holiday can function well together in the backcourt, according to Fischer, but with a long-term decision still to be made on Henderson, it’s possible the Blazers could look to open up minutes for the young guard, who averaged 15.0 points per game in his first career playoff series, by moving Holiday in a trade.
The veteran guard and two-time NBA champion said he’d prefer for that not to happen.
“I don’t like being traded and moved,” Holiday said. “I like being a part of something and building.”
We have more from Fischer’s latest newsletter:
- While rumors have circulated about Anthony Davis‘ future with the Wizards, including reports of potential interest from Portland, Fischer notes that the expectation remains that Washington will come to terms on a lucrative long-term extension for star point guard Trae Young. Young played just five games for the Wizards after being traded from the Hawks, averaging 15.2 points and 6.2 assists in 20.8 minutes per game.
- After a successful season followed by a devastating Game 6 blowout at the hands of the Knicks, the Hawks are not expected to go star-hunting this summer, despite having a handful of very good trade assets. Instead, the team is expected to focus on locking in deals for CJ McCollum, Jonathan Kuminga, and head coach Quin Snyder, who has one more year on his contract, Fischer reports. He adds that Bryson Graham, the vice president of basketball operations, remains in play for the Bulls’ head of basketball operations job.
- The Rockets came to terms with not being a true championship contender when they lost Fred VanVleet to an ACL tear before the season, but a first-round loss to the Lakers and chemistry questions surrounding Kevin Durant could lead to an “all options on the table” summer outlook, Fischer writes, especially given the possibility that players like Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Donovan Mitchell hit the trade block. Houston’s front office will now take stock of the team’s current ceiling and decide from there whether the roster needs margin tweaks or more substantial changes. Fischer adds that Amen Thompson is expected to be in the mix for a max contract extension after averaging 19.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game in his first playoff run, a year after being voted onto the All-Defensive first team.
Knicks Notes: Hart, Clarkson, Alvarado, Towns
The Knicks‘ series against Atlanta turned around after Josh Hart demanded to be given the full-time defensive assignment on CJ McCollum, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post writes in a subscriber-only piece. After McCollum hit a game-winning shot to give the Hawks a 2-1 series lead, Hart made sure the coaching staff understood his intentions.
“I cursed out one of our defensive [coaches] for taking me off him at the end of Game 3,” said Hart, who also walked into the coaches’ room at halftime of Game 4 to make sure it didn’t happen again. “I said, ‘I’m on him. Don’t take me off him. I’m guarding him. And that was the challenge I wanted.”
The difference was stark, Bondy notes, as McCollum averaged 27 points per game in the first three games of the series while shooting 51% from the field and 39% on three-pointers. Over the final three games, he was limited to 11.3 PPG while his shooting dropped to 39.5% from the field and 10% from beyond the arc. He averaged 3.3 turnovers in that span and only 1.3 assists.
“At a certain point, it’s just pride,” Hart said. “It’s wanting to obviously try to stop him, to limit him. Games 1 and 2, he had (about) 30 (per game). It was just a pride thing. Go out there and get stops.”
There’s more from New York:
- The additions of Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado have given the Knicks more depth than they’ve had in recent seasons, notes Howie Kussoy of The New York Post. That backcourt duo has teamed with Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride to provide a reliable second unit that takes some of the stress off the starters. Clarkson and Alvarado both fell out of coach Mike Brown’s rotation late in the season, but they’ve reemerged since the playoffs began. “[Being out of the rotation is] definitely challenging, but I’ve been in the league for 12 years. I know how it goes,” Clarkson said. “Just continue to stay ready. There’s a locker room of young guys and other people, watching me and seeing how I react to those things. Set an example for them. Continue to stay locked in. … Just wait for my opportunity to go out there and play. Everybody setting that example and having everybody ready is big for the team.”
- The first-round series featured Karl-Anthony Towns‘ best sustained performance since Brown took over as head coach, observes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. There were season-long concerns about whether Towns could adjust to Brown’s system, but he was dominant against Atlanta, posting a combined plus-62 rating over the final three games of the series. “I never doubted my ability,” Towns said. “I never doubted the work I put in. It’s just – you gotta adjust, you gotta adjust. Especially (with) a lot of new things being thrown at you, you’re being asked to do a lot more things – some things that (haven’t) consistently been asked of me in my career. It’s one thing anyone who knows me, who’s followed my career, I’m willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes for the team to win.”
- James L. Edwards of The Athletic considers whether the Knicks are now in the best position of anybody to win the East.