The NBA Is Clearing the East for a Knicks Finals Run—Here’s my Prediction

Don’t be surprised if the New York Knicks make the NBA Finals next season. Not because they bulldozed through the toughest teams in the East—but because the path is being paved for them in real time.

Let’s call it what it is: NBA ownership is gutting the Eastern Conference, and the timing couldn’t be more convenient. The Knicks are rising—and the competition is folding before the battle begins.

Start with the Boston Celtics. Once the dominant force of the East, they’ve already pulled the trigger on two shocking deals: Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis—gone. Just like that, two major pieces of their Finals-contending roster dismantled. And now, rumors are circling that Jaylen Brown might be next. A $300M star, and they're reportedly shopping him around. If that’s not waving the white flag, what is?

Then there’s the Indiana Pacers, who pushed the Knicks in last year’s playoffs and were building something dangerous. Not anymore. In separate deals, they’ve traded away Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis. And now, after reportedly dealing Myles Turner, they’re searching for center depth—clearly pivoting from contention to restructure.

Let’s not pretend this is all about “cap space” or “future flexibility.” This looks like a power shift by design. The East isn’t getting weaker by accident. It’s being disarmed.

And who benefits most? The New York Knicks.

Of course, the Knicks deserve credit. Jalen Brunson is a certified star, and Tom Thibodeau has them playing defense-first, gritty basketball. But that doesn’t change the fact that this is no longer the deep, competitive Eastern Conference we knew. The Knicks’ road to the Finals might look earned—but behind the scenes, it’s being engineered.

It’s no secret the NBA loves a Knicks Finals run. The money, the headlines, the ratings—it all explodes when MSG is in the spotlight. So when key competitors suddenly start selling off their best assets, ask yourself: is this about team-building—or building a narrative?

If—when—the Knicks hang that Eastern Conference banner, don’t just thank the players. Tip your hat to the owners and GMs across the East who cleared the way.

Because in this version of the NBA, the Finals aren’t just won they are planned