New York Knicks Face Doubts in NBA GM Survey Despite Championship Reign

The New York Knicks, fresh off a championship victory, are facing a surprising lack of confidence from their NBA peers, according to the annual GM survey released Thursday on NBA.com. Only one out of the 30 league general managers predicted the Knicks to win the championship this season, marking the fewest votes for a defending champion since the Toronto Raptors in the 2019-20 season.

The Raptors' low vote count that year was attributed to the departure of Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. However, the current Knicks squad is set to return its entire starting lineup, which set a league record for positive point differential in the playoffs during their championship run.

Despite the skepticism about a repeat championship, the Knicks received significant backing to emerge from the Eastern Conference. Sixty percent of general managers picked New York to win the East, a substantial lead over the second-place Philadelphia 76ers, who garnered 23 percent of the votes. This marks the first time in the survey's history, dating back to 2002, that the Knicks have been selected to win the conference.

The GMs were prohibited from selecting their own teams or players. The survey results indicated a split in confidence, with the San Antonio Spurs receiving 50 percent of the votes to win the next championship, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder with 43 percent. Both the Knicks and the 76ers received only 3 percent of the championship votes, translating to a single vote each.

Individual accolades also saw Knicks players and coaches receiving recognition. Jalen Brunson was overwhelmingly voted the NBA's best leader, securing 53 percent of the vote, far surpassing Stephen Curry's 20 percent. Coach Mike Brown acknowledged Brunson's leadership qualities, stating, "He studies the game, and that helps a lot. He walks the talk. He works extremely hard, and he strives for perfection from himself. And when you do that — and when your peers see you do that and you’re looked upon as the best player on the team — it gives credibility to tell somebody else when they’re not giving their all, when they need to be better. But just as importantly, he’s not afraid. Because as a leader, sometimes you have to be on an island."

Brunson also placed second for the top clutch player, trailing only Curry, and third for future best coach. Mike Brown was recognized as the third-best current coach, behind Miami's Erik Spoelstra and OKC's Mark Daigneault. Brown also ranked fourth for top motivator.