What happened: During coverage of Max Holloway's first-round TKO victory over Conor McGregor at T-Mobile Arena, combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani voiced confidence that New York will capture another championship. The remark adds to cross-sport support for the Knicks bandwagon during the 2026 offseason cycle.

Why it matters: New York enters the 2026-27 campaign as the defending NBA champions after securing veteran guard Jordan Clarkson on a one-year, $3.9 million deal and re-signing Jose Alvarado to a multiyear extension earlier in July. The front office has prioritized retaining core backcourt depth under head coach Mike Brown to position the franchise for back-to-back titles.

What to watch: New York will continue finalizing its 2026-27 title defense roster as NBA summer league play concludes and training camp approaches.