The New York Knicks are playing in one of the toughest divisions in the NBA, as their No. 5 finish in the East placed them as the No. 3 best team in the Atlantic Division last season. There are some question marks within the division, but the 2023-24 season will be just as competitive, if not more so.
New York could break into the top two of the division, especially if a particular process falls apart. Looking at all five teams in the Atlantic, the Knicks have distinct advantages over each, starting with the team predicted to finish at the bottom for the second year in a row.
1 advantage the New York Knicks over every rival in the Atlantic Division
Toronto Raptors: Poor front office management
The Raptors posted the worst record in the division last season at 41-41 and did not advance to the play-in tournament. After Fred VanVleet was not traded at the deadline, the 2019 champion walked in free agency to sign a three-year, $130 million contract with the Rockets.
Toronto is in a strange position after Masai Ujiri opted to keep most of the roster instead of entering a rebuilding period. Pascal Siakam’s name has been floating around in trade rumors, and like VanVleet, he could leave the Raptors next summer in free agency. The same can be said for Gary Trent Jr., and guess who has a player option for 2024-25? AND Anunoby.
Toronto was predicted to be an active team at last year’s deadline, but that didn’t happen. Depending on the Raptors’ position entering February 2024, Ujiri could trade Siakam, Trent, and Anunoby or gamble on the playoffs. That move could come back to haunt him even more than losing VanVleet.
There’s no telling what Toronto’s roster will look like a year from now. Ujiri’s stubbornness has gotten in his way in the past and may continue to do so this season.