Knicks legend Charles Oakley says after years of sucking, his former squad is finally starting to trend in the right direction ... but tells TMZ Sports he wants to see Jalen Brunson and Co. play more before he considers them legit contenders in the NBA.
The Knicks are currently right in the Eastern Conference playoff race ... and are just a few wins from passing their entire total from last season (37), thanks to solid play from Brunson, an offseason free agency pickup, and his teammates, Julius Randle and R.