From the outside looking in, the 2015-16 New York Knicks have low expectations. From the inside looking out, the Knicks are ready to compete for a championship and disprove the critics.

If you ask head coach Derek Fisher, the 2015-16 Knicks could mirror another team that defied expectations and severely overachieved: the 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks, per Marc Berman of The New York Post,

“Based on the fact we don’t have a certain caliber of player on our roster other than Carmelo, people assume we’re rebuilding,’’ Fisher said after Wednesday’s second day of practices. “Was Atlanta rebuilding last year when they didn’t have quote-unquote [name] player on their roster. We think our group, as we figure it out, will be more competitive than people think. But rebuilding doesn’t mean we’re not trying to win right now.’’

That’s true to some extent.

The 2014-15 Hawks won 60 games and reached the Eastern Conference Finals after winning just 38 in 2013-14. They also sent four players to the All-Star Game, including Al Horford‘s third appearance and Paul Millsap‘s second.

Sharpshooter Kyle Korver and point guard Jeff Teague each made their first appearances.

Arron Afflalo could serve in Korver’s role as the sharpshooter who plays with such efficiency that his All-Star Game candidacy becomes impossible to ignore. Robin Lopez could fill Horford’s shoes as a do-it-all big man with extreme two-way value.

At point guard, Langston Galloway made the All-Rookie Second Team in 2014-15 and Jose Calderon can still shoot the lights out, which could place one of them in Teague’s shoes.

Given the Knicks’ heavy dependence upon Carmelo Anthony and his isolation tendencies, however, it’s hard to make a direct comparison between the two teams and the potential each individual possesses..

Fortunately, Fisher isn’t making a direct comparison of one team to the other. Instead, he’s making a statement on how the interpretation of a roster isn’t necessarily the reality of it.

Just because the paper roster has an aura of inferiority doesn’t mean the team is destined for it.