Nobody is expecting the Knicks to be a playoff contender this season without Kristaps Porzingis, but prognosticators are predicting that things are going to be pretty bleak this season.
Per FiveThirtyEight's CARMELO system, which factors each player's future performance based on trajectory of similar NBA players, the Knicks are expected to finish dead last in the league, with a 23-59 record and one percent chance of reaching the playoffs.
It would mark the sixth straight season the Knicks fail to reach the playoffs, but the good news is that they could potentially land the No. 1 overall pick in next year's NBA draft.
The Knicks have a new head coach this season in David Fizdale and young players with some potential in Frank Ntilikina and rookie Kevin Knox.
However, without Porzinigs -- who will either return late in the season or not at all -- it is a pretty safe bet the Knicks will be at the bottom of the league.
FiveThirtyEight's projections also have the Warriors as the best team in the league and favorties to win the NBA Finals, giving them a 49 percent chance.
They are not high on LeBron James turning the Lakers into champions, though, projecting them with just a one percent chance of winning the NBA Finals.
