3 Knicks Playing Their Final Season in New York

Despite having lost four in a row heading into the All-Star break, the New York Knicks are in good shape. When they had their entire roster healthy, they looked unbeatable since the O.G. Anunoby trade. They are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference and look like a good bet to have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The main reasons behind the Knicks' success are team chemistry and depth. Yes, Jalen Brunson has made the leap to become a surefire superstar, but the Knicks' calling card is their stacked roster across all positions. They have a ton of players on good contracts that they would love to bring back next season.

Therefore, unless a disaster happens in the playoffs this season, the Knicks should bring most of their core back next season. The Villanova crew of Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo is still under contract and should be with the team for a long time. O.G. Anunoby will need a new contract in the summer but after trading for him, the Knicks will do everything in their power to retain him.

This leaves only a handful of players at risk of not returning next year. Here are the least likely Knicks to be on the roster past 2024.

Alec Burks

Burks was only recently acquired at the trade deadline and he is a Tom Thibodeau favorite. He fills a need for this team as an off-the-bench scorer.

But he is also turning 33 and on an expiring contract. He is not as efficient as he used to be earlier in his career, only shooting 39% from the field this season. Plus, he has defensive deficiencies which should only get worse over time as he declines with age.

There is a scenario in which Thibs wants him on a veteran's minimum type of contract, but if any team is willing to offer him anything above that, he is likely gone. The Knicks should dream bigger and look for upgrades now that they are on the verge of becoming a championship contender.