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DeAndre Jordan, New York Knicks. (Photo by Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports)
The beauty of the New York Knicks is that even when they’re not in the playoffs, there are still plenty of former players that the fans can watch. Everyone in the league has played for the Knicks, right?
That isn’t far off. New York has been a revolving door for players in recent years and because of that, it’s nearly a guarantee that a former Knick will win an NBA championship in June. There are eight teams left in the playoffs and outside of the Golden State-Memphis series, the conference semifinals are a tight race.
Of course, Knicks fans can watch just more than their team’s past players. Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz being a first-round exit could end up benefitting New York, but all eyes are now on Jalen Brunson, who will be an unrestricted free agent if the Dallas Mavericks don’t re-sign him.
While waiting to see what moves the Knicks will make during the offseason, here are 5 players who once called New York home and could soon win a title.
5 former New York Knicks players that could win an NBA championship in 2022
5: DeAndre Jordan
DeAndre Jordan was with the Knicks just long enough to say hello and goodbye before making the short move to the Brooklyn Nets. The center was traded to New York via Dallas in 2019 in the Kristaps Porzingis trade.
Jordan played in a whopping 19 games for New York and averaged 10.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 63.4% from the field.
The 33-year-old is on the decline of his 14-year career. He spent a decade with the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the infamous ‘Lob City’ and was with the Lakers at the start of 2021-22.
If Jordan thought that he would be able to win his first ring in a return to Los Angeles, he was wrong, but he has a chance to do just that with the Philadelphia Sixers.
Jordan signed with the Sixers in March and played in 16 games in the regular season. In the playoffs, he’s only played in a total of three contests, in which he’s averaging 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks.
He isn’t the player that he once was and is no longer good enough to be Joel Embiid’s backup. Jordan’s role in Philadelphia is very limited, but if Embiid and James Harden can win a title for the Sixers, Jordan will get his long-awaited championship.
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New York Knicks</a> is that even when they’re not in the playoffs, there are still plenty of former players that the fans can watch. Everyone in the league has played for the Knicks, right?</p>
<p>That isn’t far off. New York has been a revolving door for players in recent years and because of that, it’s nearly a guarantee that a former Knick will win an NBA championship in June. There are eight teams left in the playoffs and outside of the Golden State-Memphis series, the conference semifinals are a tight race.</p>
<p>Of course, Knicks fans can watch just more than their team’s past players. Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz being a first-round exit could end up benefitting New York, <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/05/11/5-former-new-york-knicks-win-nba-championship-2022/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/28/jalen-brunson-playoff-performance-impossible-knicks-ignore/">but all eyes are now on Jalen Brunson</a>, who will be an unrestricted free agent if the Dallas Mavericks don’t re-sign him.</p>
<p>While waiting to see what moves the Knicks will make during the offseason, here are 5 players who once called New York home and could soon win a title.</p>
<h2>5 former New York Knicks players that could win an NBA championship in 2022</h2>
<h3>5: DeAndre Jordan</h3>
<p>DeAndre Jordan was with the Knicks just long enough to say hello and goodbye before making the short move to the Brooklyn Nets. The center was traded to New York via Dallas in 2019 in the Kristaps Porzingis trade.</p>
<p>Jordan played in a whopping 19 games for New York and averaged 10.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 63.4% from the field.</p>
<p>The 33-year-old is on the decline of his 14-year career. He spent a decade with the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the infamous ‘Lob City’ and was with the Lakers at the start of 2021-22.</p>
<p>If Jordan thought that he would be able to win his first ring in a return to Los Angeles, he was wrong, but he has a chance to do just that with the Philadelphia Sixers.</p>
<p>Jordan signed with the Sixers in March and played in 16 games in the regular season. In the playoffs, he’s only <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/05/11/5-former-new-york-knicks-win-nba-championship-2022/"https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/deandre-jordan-2022-playoff-stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">played in a total of three contests</a>, in which he’s averaging 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks.</p>
<p>He isn’t the player that he once was and is no longer good enough to be Joel Embiid’s backup. Jordan’s role in Philadelphia is very limited, but if Embiid and James Harden can win a title for the Sixers, Jordan will get his long-awaited championship.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/05/11/5-former-new-york-knicks-win-nba-championship-2022/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> A 2017 undrafted forward </a>
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his first chance to suit up for New York at Madison Square Garden</a> when Porzingis was out.</p>
<p>In Kornet’s debut, he finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 22 minutes and made history while doing so.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Luke Kornet blocks a 4th shot, which means he becomes the first and only player in NBA history at least 4 blocks and three 3-pointers in his first career game.</p>
<p>He also had 11 points and 10 boards. He’s the first Knick rookie w/ a double-double in debut since John Wallace in 1996</p>
<p>— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/05/11/5-former-new-york-knicks-win-nba-championship-2022/"https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/961793682356744192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>February 9, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>His story brought a lot of hope and optimism to fans, and while it was thought that he’d be able to one day play in a bigger role for the Knicks, he signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Bulls after the 2018-19 season.</p>
<p>In Kornet’s final year in New York, he averaged 7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 46 games (18 starts). He shot 37.8% from the floor and 36.3% from the 3-point line. The 26-year-old hasn’t been able to replicate similar numbers to that season, only having played in a total of 46 regular-season games over the past two years.</p>
<p>He’s been on three teams in 2021-22 alone and is currently with the Boston Celtics for the second time in as many seasons. He’s played in two of Boston’s playoff games, but only for a combined four minutes and all that Kornet has to show for it is one rebound and one foul.</p>
<p>Kornet’s role with the Celtics is even more limited than Jordan’s role with the Sixers, but Boston has a real shot at defeating Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and then to the NBA Finals after that.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/05/11/5-former-new-york-knicks-win-nba-championship-2022/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> A key part of the Knicks' 2020-21 season </a>
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be the least popular former Knicks player on this list</a>, although he could be the one to win a ring if Phoenix can find a way to overcome Dallas after losing two straight games.</p>
<p>The guard would get a ring, but so far he’s only played in a total of two minutes. That happened in the first round against New Orleans in a 118-103 loss in which Payton had 2 points and 1 assist.</p>
<p>It’s likely that Payton will be on the move again this summer, and possibly fresh off a championship, but he shouldn’t expect a reunion with New York.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/05/11/5-former-new-york-knicks-win-nba-championship-2022/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> A 2021 champion </a>
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Pass or Pursue: Top 10 NBA point guard 2022 free agent targets</a></p></blockquote>
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