The New York Knicks made some impressive moves this offseason, to bolster their roster and prepare for a title run. Not only that, they also rewarded the loyalty of star player Jalen Brunson by making him their new captain. This has led former champion Kendrick Perkins to predict a great run for them in the league next season.
Recently on the NBA Today show, Kendrick Perkins was asked to give his take ahead of the new season. At that, the veteran singled out the Knicks as the team to watch in 2024-25.
Look, this is not an individual sport. It’s a team sport. My bold take is that the New York Knicks are going to have the best record, not just in the Eastern Conference, but in the entire NBA in the regular season. They’re going to have the best record in the league.
Kendrick Perkins said
According to him, the current squad depth at the Knicks will see them become very competitive next season. The New York Knicks brought in notable additions to their roster, like Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. His arrival means the former Villanova Wildcats boys are reunited once again. As a result, Perkins believes no other team in the league will come close to them.
The other three Wildcats players on the Knicks roster are Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart. Perkins also used Brunson’s performances last season to buttress his point, adding that Bridges and Hart will bring a different energy this time.
He further asserted that the current team have a family type of vibe, which will greatly add momentum. Others on the show appeared to agree with him on this. Indeed, if the Knicks manage to stay healthy, they will be a formidable force to reckon with next season.
Kendrick Perkins once called Jalen Brunson an ‘unguardable’ player
Jalen Brunson is perhaps one of the few players in the league with deeper ties to a team than most. Despite spending four seasons with the Mavericks, it was with the Knicks that he became an All-Star. His performances over the past few years evidently didn’t go unnoticed, with even Kendrick Perkins heaping praise on him.
In another episode of the same show, he once classified Brunson as ‘unguardable’.
He’s unguardable. When you talk about one of the most skilled guys in the NBA, his game is based on pure skillset. We’re not talking about a guy when we talk about ‘Big Body’ Brunson that is athletic, he has the mid-range… he’s great at finishing around the basket.
Kendrick Perkins added
The way Perkins saw it, the Knicks star guard is a player who is great at what he does. His comments back then mirror his latest statements about the team’s prospects ahead of the new season. With the Knicks and Brunson gearing up for the upcoming NBA season, all eyes will be watching how they’ll fare. Surely time will tell.
