In some ways, this has been a very usual October. In other ways, it has not.
For starters, the Giants and Jets being basically dead before Halloween is not a surprise.
On the other hand, the Yankees season being over for almost two-plus weeks and the Boston Red Sox being on the verge of yet another World Series still doesn’t sit well with a certain podcast and television host.
But I digress.
There is something that actually brightens my mood as we hit the winter months. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but it’s the New York Knicks upcoming season.
Yes, we are living in a world where it’s quite all right to be excited about New York Knicks basketball.
The Knicks were a ton of fun last season. They played hard every night, overachieved and had home-court advantage for a first-round playoff series.
The question going into the 2021-2022 season is what do they have in store for an encore?
I’m not delusional when it comes to the overall makeup and fabric of the roster. Despite the improvements in the offseason, the Knicks are nowhere close to being a championship contender. But that’s okay.
My hope for the franchise is that we are looking at yet another year of competence. The Knicks for the first time in a long time don’t appear dysfunctional.
I have admired their front office plan, and I’d run through a brick wall for head coach Tom Thibodeau.
I am curious to see if Julius Randle can follow up his All-Star season. I am excited to see if RJ Barrett can make a major leap in his third season in the league. I’m intrigued by the old soul point guard duo of Derrick Rose and Kemba Walker.
Eventually, the Knicks are going to have to push their chips into the middle of the table and acquire the sort of difference-making player that might make them a legitimate championship contender.
Sooner or later, the time will come for that. However, the biggest key for the franchise moving forward is to continue to be as competent and as appealing as possible.
A few years ago, the idea of any big player choosing the Knicks would have been laughable.
The times are changing on that front, but the fact that I’m actually excited for a Knicks season to start is all you need to know.
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