Knicks Core Trio Listed Among League's Best

Much of the preseason compliments drawn by the New York Knicks have revolved around their finally locating the depth to propel their already-talented core into championship conversations, as they've only added to their winning formula from the season before.

Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele are already well on their way to capturing the heart of New Yorkers, providing crucial bench minutes and inviting shooting potential that last year's bench unit sorely missed. As important as the margin pieces are, though, their ability to build around their core band of stars has been what's kept the contending momentum going.

ESPN is all in on the central pieces on the Knicks' roster with whom the organization prioritized the highest, ranking their top-three among some of the NBA's elite trios. Their combination of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby have put them squarely in the "Best of the East" category alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers, and right above everyone aside from the inner-circle machines in the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets.

"New York enters the season having moved on from coach Tom Thibodeau after reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years -- a clear indication that the Knicks believe this group is good enough to finally snap a half-century championship drought," Tim Bontemps wrote.

"Brunson and Towns are two of the best offensive point guards and centers, respectively, in the league, while Anunoby is as good as any defender on the wing on top of becoming an excellent 3-point shooter, too."

New York Knicks Forward OG Anunoby — Oct 9, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward/guard Og Anunoby (8) drives to the basket while defended by Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

Their commitment to running back the same top three is a signal of their trust in their current formula, even if they're short on defense in their top-two stars. That's where Anunoby comes in to assert himself as the third-best Knick, a position he slowly worked himself into over the course of last season as the only dependable wing defender within Thibodeau's regular rotation.

He may not be a creative scorer like Towns, let alone Brunson, but his value to the starting lineup is hard to recreate between his stout frame, mobile versatility and willingness to pick up his teammates' slack.

Mikal Bridges occasionally flirted with challenging Anunoby's spot in the totem pole during his first season in New York, but his own inconsistencies as a shooter and defender will continue holding him back from garnering that same respect from the Knicks fan base. He certainly makes for a formidable fourth-best player, coming off of a near-18 point per game campaign in which he shot 50% from the field and 58.5% true shooting in 82 regular season appearances, but the team's top-end talent gives him a lot of in-house competition in chasing a higher status.

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