Tyler Rourke Tyler Rourke
The New York Knicks are on their way to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Frankly, they have demonstrated utter dominance in these playoffs, and they are currently on an 11-game win streak after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
New York hasn’t always had the luxury of being a championship-caliber team. This past decade was, in particular, a struggle. From Carmelo Anthony to Kristaps Porzingis, they couldn’t find the guy to lead them back to relevancy. Now, with Jalen Brunson and company, they have finally constructed a team that can compete with the league’s best.
One thing about this Knicks squad that may go unnoticed to most casual fans is that they did not draft a single player from their starting lineup. Interestingly, Mitchell Robinson is really the only rotational player who was drafted to New York. You may be thinking about the key bench piece, Miles McBride, but he was actually drafted to the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 36th pick in the 2021 NBA draft, before he was immediately traded to New York.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how this year’s finals-bound Knicks team was put together from the outside in.
Starting with Jalen Brunson
Brunson didn’t hold a grudge against the Knicks for passing on him in the NBA Draft and showed immediate commitment when he signed in the summer of 2022, after spending four years with the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas decided not to extend his original four-year $6.1 million rookie contract after the second-rounder exceeded expectations.
In the summer of 2024, when Brunson was up for an extension, he decided to take a $113 million pay cut. Brunson eventually signed for $156.4 million over four years. He did this so the front office would have more wiggle room. It benefited them when signing free agents or making trades
Big Hart in the Big Apple
Josh Hart was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers and is a key piece to the Knicks’ roster. Hart is a swiss army knife type of player. He may not catch your eye making a flashy play, but he will always make the correct one.
In his third full year with the team, Hart averaged 12 points per game. More importantly, he shot 50% from the field and 41% from three. Hart is a premier-level rebounder, an elite finisher in transition, and a great perimeter defender.
He was acquired for next to nothing in 2023 and has played a huge role in the Knicks recent success.
Enter OG Anunoby
OG Anunoby may be one of the NBA’s most underrated players. You can likely find him guarding the opponent’s best perimeter player, knocking down a couple of threes a game, all while showing no emotion.
Anunoby was recently named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team, recognizing him as a top ten defender in the league. What Brunson may lack on the defensive side of the ball, OG makes up for. He was acquired late in 2023 for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
Anunoby has drastically improved on offense as well. He began his career primarily as a perimeter defender, learning from Kawhi Leonard in just his sophomore season on the Toronto Raptors. He has blossomed into an elite wing, who is often the x-factor in close games. Anunoby is by far the third most valuable player on this team.
A True Ironman
People often say the best ability is availability. Nobody knows how true that is more than Mikal Bridges and the Knicks. Bridges has played in 638 consecutive games and has yet to miss one in his NBA career. What makes it even more impressive is that he has averaged 30+ minutes a night for the past six seasons. The only two years he didn’t average 30 or more minutes were his first two, where he averaged 29.5 and 28.
Bridges is a good scorer, but understands that it is not his role in New York. Bridges was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets mainly for draft capital. He bolsters New York’s perimeter defense and is a scoring threat on all three levels.
The Big Pur
Karl-Anthony Towns had a 2025-26 regular season in which he may not have met everyone’s expectations. Towns averaged 20.1 PPG, the lowest since his rookie season, and shot 36.8% from three, his worst since his sophomore season. However, he has stepped up for New York in the playoffs.
Towns adds a dynamic element to the Knicks with his increased playmaking and floor-stretching ability. He was acquired days before the 2024 season, in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. Although he was the last of the starting lineup to be acquired, he is undoubtedly valuable to the team.
