Draymond Green shared a brutally honest opinion on the New York Knicks’ success this season, calling it a fluke and comparing them to one-time Conference Finalists in recent seasons like the Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers.
“In the Eastern Conference, you can get to the Conference Finals, a la Atlanta Hawks by playing very mid teams. That’s what you’re doing right now. What’s that setting y’all up for is what happened to the Atlanta Hawks three years ago when they made the Conference Finals and never got back.”
Green shared the Blazers example as a team that they beat in the Conference Finals and they never reached that juncture again.
“Another team that did this, to give you some perspective on this was the Portland Trail Blazers. Years ago, they had Al-Farouq Aminou, Allen Crabbe, all those guys. They went to the Conference Finals and we swept them, pretty much without Stephen Curry. They paid all their guys because they thought they had a chance, but it was a fluke.”
Green sent a parting shot to the Knicks, claiming the fanbase is being set up for another 15 years of misery.
“That’s what the Knicks are setting y’all up for. Another 15 years of misery. We’ll all sit around and laugh at the delusion of Knicks fans.”
Draymond: "Hawks…made ECF & never got back…[2016] Blazers…Fluke. That's what the Knicks are setting y'all up for. It'll be probably another 15 years of misery & we'll all sit around at laugh at Knicks fans w/ their delusion because that's just what happens" 😆 pic.twitter.com/gLtcxNKwSa
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 10, 2024
Green makes a lot of good points, but those points might not apply to the Knicks the same way they applied to the Hawks and Blazers. The Hawks actively tried improving their roster with a move for Dejounte Murray which hasn’t worked out.
Green has gotten his timeline about the Blazers jumbled up, as the Warriors swept them in the 2019 Conference Finals, but players like Crabbe were off the team by then. The point holds true, though, as the Blazers made the Playoffs in 2020 and 2021 but were first-round exits.
The East might provide an easier path to the Conference Finals, but the Knicks are dealing with major injury issues of their own. Julius Randle has been out for months, OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson are banged up, and Josh Hart has been ground down by playing heavy minutes.
Draymond Green Doesn’t Believe Jalen Brunson Can Bring A Title To New York
Draymond has been consistent in his lack of belief in the Knicks as contenders with their present makeup. A lot of it stems from Green not believing that Jalen Brunson is an actual No. 1 option that can lead you to a championship win.
“I’m not a Knicks hater, I’m just honest. A lot of Knicks fans are delusional and they’re nuts. We know Knicks fans are nuts… I don’t hate the Knicks. I’m honest, and I am not delusional. A ball-dominant Jalen Brunson ain’t going to get you to the Promised Land.”
Brunson is averaging 35.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 8.1 assists in the playoffs, doing his best to prove people like Draymond and Becky Hammon wrong about being a No. 1 option. The roster around Brunson isn’t ready yet, but the Knicks might have already found the perfect role players to surround their stars with.
Given the Knicks’ continued success without Julius Randle, he might be moved to bring a new piece to New York that can help them build on what they’ve achieved this season. Brunson’s effectiveness with the ball in his hand can’t be questioned, but we’ll have to judge his ability to win a title based on the roster he has around him.
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