2026-27 Knicks preview: The championship defense officially begins

For the first time in 53 years, the New York Knicks enter the season as reigning NBA champions and will receive their championship rings and celebrate with a banner ceremony on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, when they host the new-look Philadelphia 76ers. With a few roster changes and looming contract issues, what will the 2026-27 season look like for the champs? As the quest to defend their championship is on the horizon, head coach Mike Brown understands there is no room for complacency even after winning a championship the season before. “Regardless of what we accomplished, moving forward, our standard and how we approach our process is going to be really critical for us,” Brown said. “We can't afford to have any slippage in our process.” One of the biggest changes this offseason comes with the departure of Mitchell Robinson, the longest-tenured Knick on last season's team after spending all eight seasons of his career in New York. Robinson was widely considered one of the mos