Analyzing the Atlantic Division heading into the 2025-26 NBA season
As the Knicks and Nets enter their 2025-26 seasons on entirely opposite trajectories, the conference around them has taken a major step back. Multiple stars hurt or departed, few clear contenders in sight, and Brooklyn doesn’t even have much tanking competition.
Let’s dive into the Atlantic Division as a whole to see how they measure up to each other and a weakened Eastern Conference.
New York Knicks
Projected starters: Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson
Offseason additions: Mike Brown taking over as head coach for Tom Thibodeau, Jordan Clarkson, Geurschon Yabusele,
Offseason departures: Precious Achiuwa
The Knicks face a depleted East after winning 51 games and finishing second last season, sporting a relatively unchanged on-court roster outside of some badly needed added depth. The big question for the regular season is how quickly and effectively the Knicks adopt their new system under their new head coach.
Philadelphia 76ers
Projected starters: Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Kelly Oubre Jr., Paul George, Joel Embiid
Offseason additions: VJ Edgecombe, Trendon Watford
Offseason departures: Yabusele
Philly is this season’s ultimate anomaly, with possibilities ranging from the high lottery to the Finals. Step one, as always for this team, is health, as their big three of Maxey, George and Embiid only shared the court for 15 games and under 300 minutes last year.
Just playing together and building chemistry would elevate them on talent alone above much of the East, but if they want to make real noise in the playoffs they’ll need a lot more to go right. Most expect bad luck or bad construction (no bigs, small wings) to derail this team long before that, but in a frail East, you can’t ignore this squad’s upside.
