Knicks have only the 4th-best NBA championship odds for 2027

Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News on Jun 15, 2026

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NEW YORK — The New York Knicks are underdogs again — already.

Days removed from winning their first championship in 53 years, the Knicks hold only the fourth-best title odds among NBA teams for next season, according to the DraftKings sportsbook.

The San Antonio Spurs, at +250, are the early favorites, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder (+260) and the Boston Celtics (+550), according to the odds as of Monday.

The Knicks came in at +650.

Nobody else is particularly close, with the Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets tied for fifth at 28-1.

The third-seeded Knicks entered this postseason as 17-1 long shots to win the NBA Finals before they surged past the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Spurs en route to the franchise’s first title since 1973.

Overall, the Knicks went 16-3 in the 2026 playoffs and did so in dramatic fashion, outscoring their opponents by 283 points in those 19 games — by far the biggest single-postseason point differential in NBA history.

The Knicks are set to bring back all five starters, as well as a key reserve in Miles “Deuce” McBride. Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet are the Knicks’ top free agents, while Jose Alvarado holds a $4.5 million player option.

As it stands now, the Knicks have about $209 million in payroll commitment for the 2026-27 season when including Alvarado’s option and what they are projected to pay the No. 24 pick in next week’s draft.

That gives the Knicks some flexibility, but not much, below the restrictive second apron of the salary cap, which is projected to be $222 million — a number they could very well go over in order to keep their title-winning team intact.

DraftKings’ early odds suggest the Spurs, who were favored going into this year’s Finals before the Knicks defeated them in five games, are expected to take another step now that 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama, 21-year-old Stephon Castle and 20-year-old Dylan Harper have a playoff run under their belts.

The Thunder, who were the 2025 champions, had the best record in the league this season at 64-18, and they are set to return a core led by back-to-back NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Oklahoma City lost to the Spurs in seven games in the Western Conference finals while dealing with injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell.

Boston, meanwhile, exceeded expectations by going 56-26 and finishing as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, despite trading numerous key veterans last summer and Jayson Tatum missing most of the season as he recovered from an Achilles tear.

Tatum is now healthy, and the Celtics — the 2024 NBA champions — are considered one of the favorites to trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

DraftKings gives the Celtics (+190) the best odds to win the Eastern Conference next season, followed by the Knicks (+250). The Detroit Pistons, who had the East’s best record in the regular season at 60-22, are a distant third at +900.

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