The New York Knicks have plenty of celebrity fans willing to stand up for the franchise even through their struggles and more so during good times. Among those who would likely defend the team to the death is Ben Stiller . The comedian once opened up about his love for the Knicks, underscoring what lengths he is willing to go to support them.
Stiller is probably thrilled that New York has finally returned to relevancy. An impressive roster should make the squad one of the best in the East. However, ESPN predicted it would finish sixth in the conference, and the "Zoolander" star appeared to take offense to the forecast.
Are the Knicks disrespected?
It's interesting that the media outlet had the Knicks winning approximately five fewer games than last season when the front office managed to bolster the roster with several key additions.
Earlier in the offseason, NYK snagged Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, giving the team another seemingly complementary forward to star point guard Jalen Brunson. There were concerns about whether it could still re-sign OG Anunoby despite the financial challenges, but the potential All-Star forward chose to stay in the Big Apple.
However, the Knicks' earlier moves may have prevented them from keeping center Isaiah Hartenstein, who played a crucial role on both ends of the court. The lack of a healthy, serviceable center made some pundits skeptical of their capability to keep up with other top East contenders.
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The Knicks' gamble
Well, who said New York was done wheeling and dealing this offseason? The organization surprised everyone on Friday night by addressing its big man need with a trade for Karl-Anthony Towns.
Stiller's post on X (formerly Twitter) came well before the news, so it's unclear if he still feels the same way after the trade. While adding a four-time All-Star to patrol the paint should have people thinking that the Knicks upgraded, the jury is still out on whether the move made them better.
Of course, New York will miss Julius Randle, who had been instrumental in transforming the franchise into a winner, and Donte DiVincenzo, a 3-and-D wing who was one of the four Villanova University products on the team (along with Brunson, Bridges, and Josh Hart).
However, Randle wasn't a good fit alongside Bridges and Anunoby in the frontcourt, and the Knicks have several wing players who can soak up the minutes that were supposed to be allocated to DiVincenzo.
It's also worth noting that the deal will reunite Towns with his former coach, Tom Thibodeau. Their familiarity with one another should help them adjust quickly. The Knicks faithful, including Stiller, might also be enthused to know that KAT, a New Jersey native, has been vocal about his love for the franchise growing up.
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