The Celtics/Knicks rivalry has been restored over the past couple of seasons, as both teams were towards the top of the Eastern Conference.
The two teams faced off in the Eastern Conference Semifinals this past postseason, as the Knicks came out on top in six games.
The Knicks finally got over the hump, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals, something they haven't been able to do since 2000.
They were very close to achieving that with one former Celtic on their roster.
What former Celtic did the Knicks almost sign?
The Knicks have been plagued by injuries over the past few seasons, especially to center Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson was finally healthy during the postseason and made a huge impact when he was on the floor.
Despite this, he wasn't as healthy during the regular season and missed a good chunk of time because of it.
MORE: Celtics waive 6-foot-10 forward to set up expected imminent roster moves
New York knew they couldn't solely rely on Robinson's health, so they attempted to go out and add another big man for some protection.
Recently, former Celtic Daniel Theis revealed he was offered a contract mid-season to sign with the Knicks, but decided it wasn't the right decision to make, barring the circumstances with the team.
"I could have gone to the Knicks, for example, but it was more for insurance that Mitchell Robinson came back from a long injury" (via BasketNews).
Theis decided to decline the offer and sign with AS Monaco in Europe, where he'd have a bigger/more important role.
Robinson ended up holding up well once he came back and gave the Knicks a nice spark in their lineup in the playoffs, especially in the Celtics series.
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