Mike Brown now has been part of 5 NBA championship runs. The Knicks got this one right originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Mike Brown didn’t seem to be the New York Knicks’ first choice to take over as coach last spring, when the team fired Tom Thibodeau and was linked to at least a half-dozen other candidates who held various jobs around the NBA.

In the end, he clearly was the right choice.

Brown is now a five-time NBA champion coach — four of those rings won as an assistant, the fifth coming as head coach of the Knicks. He joins only Red Holzman on the list of those who won titles as coach of the Knicks, and fittingly, he did it on June 13.

There’s a banner in Madison Square Garden that says “Holzman 613” to commemorate his win total with the franchise. Brown won this title on 6/13.

“I’m pretty good at trying to control what I can control,” Brown said. “I had zero control over who else was interviewing, who was denied permission. I had zero control over that. I just did the best I could in the interview process. I went about my business and waited until it was either going to progress or end. … I was pretty nonchalant about it as time went on. I just let it unfold the way it unfolded.”

Brown speaks fondly of his days with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, a place his family still calls home — and the place where the Knicks captured this title after topping the Spurs in five games. He raves about his years coaching with Steve Kerr in Golden State as well.

Brown was an assistant on the 2003 Spurs title team, then was with the Warriors for three more title runs. He was the NBA’s coach of the year while with Cleveland in 2009; the Cavaliers wound up firing him. He was the NBA’s coach of the year again while with Sacramento in 2023; the Kings wound up firing him, too.

But in New York, he’s a legend for life now.

“Mike was invaluable to this run,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said. “He understands what it is to be a champion. He understands how to build a team, how to build habits that will put you in this position. We’re so grateful, so thankful to have him at the top. He kept us even so many times. He’s brought the best out of us, as people first. I’m so happy for him. He’s the reason why we’re here. He’s the reason why we’re here, and we’ve got love for him.”

Brown kept the mood light throughout the postseason push, didn’t blink when the Knicks were down 2-1 in Round 1 to Atlanta after a pair of one-point losses, and always seemed to be the calm in the eye of the storm. Social media was blowing up with how Brown wasn’t the right coach for the job when the Knicks trailed the Hawks.

New York went 15-1 from there. And a 53-year wait between titles is now over.

“I am so tired. I mean, I’m gassed,” Brown said. “You know, this stuff is harder than what you think.”

Maybe so, but he makes it look easy.

The Knicks may be celebrating in more ways than one.

Prior to their championship run this postseason, James Dolan jokingly asked the players to avoid sex during the playoffs, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.

In the unexpected speech from Dolan, who took over control of the Knicks in 1999, he reportedly told players about the importance of sacrificing and how much he believed in this Knicks roster to end the team’s now-previous, 53-year title drought.

“They were a little surprised, but the words hit,” a source told SNY.

More than two months later, Dolan and the Knicks earned the championship they so desperately craved as they defeated the Spurs in Game 5 on Saturday night.

Dolan was front and center during the Knicks’ title celebrations, as he was presented the Larry O’Brien by commissioner Adam Silver and apologized to fans for the team’s struggles.

“Hey, New York, I’m sorry it took so long, but here we are, and hopefully it won’t take that long again,” Dolan said.

He also interrupted Josh Hart’s postgame press conference to urge New Yorkers to be safe back home during their celebrations.

That advice wasn’t entirely heeded, as 63 people were arrested, four were stabbed and one was shot after the Knicks clinched their title win.

The Knicks will hope their parade on Thursday goes off without any hiccups.

Video shows the exact moment New York lost its collective mind as the Knicks secured an historic first NBA Championship since 1973.

The viral clip shared on X was taken at the end of Saturday’s victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, as jubilant fans could be heard screaming across the city.

“Hear the exact moment Manhattan lost its mind,” said the caption for the video, filmed from a high-rise balcony.

“I could hear this from Queens that’s how loud it was,” one X user wrote.

Many users, even those with no connection to New York or the Knicks, highlighted how astonishing the video was.

“There are some people (not many but they’re out there) who don’t like sport. It leaves them cold, they don’t ‘get’ it. Imagine that? Could never be me,” wrote one X user.

“I love when real sports cities win,” added a second.

Soccer fans in New York for the FIFA World Cup were also caught up in the cathartic celebrations following the Knicks’ triumph.

“We thought we were coming for the World Cup, and here we are caught up in an NBA tsunami,” wrote one soccer fan who had come over from France.

Thousands upon thousands of New Yorkers took to the streets moments after the Knicks completed another double-digit fourth-quarter comeback to clinch the series against the San Antonio Spurs, 4-1.

Fans quickly took to the streets to celebrate the team’s first NBA championship since 1973.

However, amid the widespread celebration, there were also sporadic incidents of violence, with 63 arrests and a shooting near Times Square.

Knicks owner James Dolan, speaking after the victory in San Antonio, urged fans to stay calm.

“We need to tell everybody in New York that we know that they’re celebrating, we want them to have a great time,” he said at a press conference.

“Please be safe. Don’t get hurt, don’t hurt nobody.”

An official parade for the victorious team will be held on Thursday, culminating in a ceremony at City Hall.

President Trump, a long-time Knicks fan who attended Game 3 of the finals at the Garden with Dolan, congratulated the team on his Truth Social platform.

“What a year it has been but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four — maybe the greatest in the history of basketball,” the president said.

Of Jaylen Brunson, Trump said, “A star is born.”

Coming off one of the worst losses in franchise history, the Spurs faced elimination for the third time this postseason in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. At the Frost Bank Center, the crowd was split almost 50/50 between Spurs fans and Knicks fans. Nonetheless, like all five games of this series, the Spurs got off to a hot start in the first quarter. Leading by 10 after the first, New York cut the deficit to five at halftime. The Spurs’ defense was at its best, and the only engine that was working for the Knicks was none other than their captain, Jalen Brunson. The Spurs outscored the Knicks in the third and took an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter. In other words, heartbreak for the Spurs was unfortunately on the horizon yet again. The Spurs’ offense stagnated, and shots stopped falling, while Brunson fueled the Knicks. The result: New York outscored the Spurs 29-18 in the quarter and captured their first title in 53 years. The Spurs suffered their first Finals series loss since 2013.

Dylan Harper led the way with 25 points (10-19 FG, 2-4 3PT), five rebounds, four assists, and a block. In the rookie’s first postseason, he averaged 14 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 51% shooting. Dylan elevated and averaged 18 points per game in the Finals, which is the most for a rookie guard since Magic Johnson in 1980. Safe to say, that’s some good company. Dylan left everything on the floor and was easily the Spurs’ second-best player in this series. The 20-year-old showed he belongs on this stage and deserves consideration for a starting spot next season.

Dylan fought through contact multiple times, including flicking a floater over Karl-Anthony Towns for a tough two.

This was ridiculous. Dylan somehow got this reverse layup to go while under the basket!

Dylan dished out four dimes, including this laser to a wide-open Keldon Johnson in the corner for three.

Dylan shows off the speed and glides past OG Anunoby for the layup off the glass.

HARP3R shows off the range by draining one of his two threes in the game.

The true meaning of leaving it all on the court: Dylan gets his own rebounds and puts it back up and in for two.

Victor Wembanyama dropped a double-double: 19 points and 14 rebounds to go along with five blocks and two assists. Wemby had his best game on the glass and his best game with blocks. However, he struggled from the field, and it showed late. A key storyline of this series has been Wemby’s endurance, but the way his minutes were managed throughout this series (especially Game 4) was arguably questionable. Nonetheless, Wemby said after the game that he was not ready to win a championship and that he made too many mistakes. He averaged 26 points per game, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks in the Finals and 23.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game in his first playoff run. He joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to average those numbers and reach the Finals. The 22-year-old’s self-awareness will have to make him explore his game even more this offseason.

Defense to offense. Like Spurs fans have seen all season, Vic rejects KAT on one end, and he finishes on the other end with a reverse jam!

Wemby blocked three Knicks’ shots in the first quarter alone, with two on KAT and one on Anunoby.

Vic stayed active on the glass and finished this putback slam with one hand!

Vic’s lone three came early in the second quarter. In terms of efficiency, his three-pointer is something he needs to continue working on this offseason.

Spurs’ ball movement results in a Wemby and-one slam! Mitchell Robinson would receive a flagrant 1 on this play for shoving a defenseless player.

Vic’s last highlight of the season: a running one-handed slam from the corner!

Julian Champagnie dropped 14 points (4-8 3PT), seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Julian knocked down four threes, but also had some costly turnovers. Nonetheless, he averaged 11 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 40% three-point-shooting in the Finals, and near similar numbers throughout his first playoff run. Julian from the beginning of the season till the end was the team’s best three-point shooter, and set multiple franchise records, including threes in a game (11), threes in a season, and threes in one postseason. He has a team option coming up this offseason, but it is more likely that the Spurs decline it and give him a long-term deal.

Devin Vassell dropped 12 points (5-8 FG), seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. Dev gave it his all on both ends of the court and was a playoff riser all postseason long. He averaged 12.8 points per game, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 53.7% shooting and 46.7% three-point shooting in the Finals. In his first postseason, he averaged similar numbers on less efficient shooting. Dev has earned the respect of all Spurs fans, and he will continue being a glue guy for this team next season.

Dev’s patented midrange beats the first half buzzer!

HUSTLE. Dev shows the relentlessness by not giving up on the play and swatting Anunoby’s three out of bounds!

Dev was a sniper from long range in this series, including this deep one in the fourth!

Some tough pills to swallow from this series: The average margin of victory was 4.0 points per game, it is the second smallest combined margin of victory for a winning team in the Finals (20), and most importantly, the Spurs led for 72% of the series and still lost in 5. Although it was a gut-wrenching way to end the season, Spurs fans need to take a step back and appreciate this team.

At the beginning of the season, this team was projected to barely crack 40 wins and make the play-in tournament (ESPN). This team completely overachieved and had several highlights from October to June. A 62-win season (most since 2016-17), two all-stars (De’Aaron Fox and Wemby), a 6th Man of the Year (KJ), the first-ever Unanimous Defensive Player of the Year (Wemby), an All-Rookie First Teamer (Dylan), an All-NBA First Teamer (Wemby), and a run to the NBA Finals in its first postseason run since 2018-19. Not to mention, they defeated the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the Western Conference Finals. If that does not convince you of how well-suited this team is for the future, here is a quick reminder for all NBA fans: Dylan Harper is 20, Carter Bryant is 20, Stephon Castle is 21, Victor Wembanyama is 22. This loss will only fuel this team for the next season and for the seasons to come.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

To all PtR readers, thanks for following and reading along throughout this entire rollercoaster season! October can’t come soon enough!

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.

It only took 53 years!

That’s how long Knicks fans have been waiting for this moment. Over a half-century later, New Yorkers are going bonkers over our Knickerbockers.

Cheers of excitement were heard across the five boroughs last night as our beloved home team earned the NBA championship title in a nail-biting 94-90 win against the San Antonio Spurs.

Even Timothée Chalamet, one of the most notable Knicks celebrity superfans who has been nominated for four Oscars but has yet to win one, couldn’t contain his excitement for last night’s historic win as he loudly shouted to cameras, “Way rather this than the Oscars, c’mon, baby! Knicks are champions, baby!”

The actor celebrated by jumping up and down with the winning team, holding up a mockup of The Post alongside Mikal Bridges on the court at Frost Bank Center.

If you’re still trying to wrap your head around this incredible New York City moment, The Post has a ton of commemorative items up for grabs in our store, including the real star of the show, our entire June 14, 2026, edition.

Don’t miss your chance to score an original print of the day’s issue featuring front and back covers of the boys in orange and blue celebrating their victory.

2026 Knicks Championship Final Edition

Let’s ride this high for as long as we can. The Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy is back in New York for the first time since 1973, and The Post has been there covering the entire wild ride. Take home a copy of our paper for the ultimate collector’s item.

But why stop there? This type of thing doesn’t happen every day… or even every decade. We’re offering these iconic covers in a variety of options.

They’re home!

The world champion New York Knicks were greeted by jubilant fans as they arrived at Westchester County Airport Sunday morning, just hours after snatching their first NBA title in 53 years.

Dozens of fans draped in Knicks gear and holding up banners and signs lined up outside the suburban airfield for a parade of players’ cars and SUVs to welcome the hoop heroes home – with guard Jordan Clarkson seen high-fiving fans from one vehicle’s window.

Knicks star Karl-Anthony Townes and legend Patrick Ewing waved to fans from other SUVs, as the crowd chanted, “Let’s go Knicks!”

It’s just the beginning, with celebrations throughout the New York Metropolitan Area and a heroes’ parade planned for Manhattan on Thursday.

The hometown hoopsters stunned the San Antonio Spurs with a 94-90 victory on their home court, taking the NBA Finals 4-1.

It was a tough scene for Spurs fans after their Game 5 loss to the Knicks Saturday night.

Tempers flared with one fan sporting a Dennis Rodman Spurs jersey. Video went viral of him trying to fight every Knicks fan in his immediate vicinity inside Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, shoving and chasing down multiple people while throwing a few punches before a police officer came over to try to calm him down.

Cops then escorted the fan away while Knicks fans taunted him.

This wasn’t the only scene of chaos following the conclusion of the NBA Finals, which the Knicks won 4-1 to clinch their first championship since 1973. Some celebratory scenes in New York after the championship-clinching Game 5 grew out of control, such as one where a school bus was set on fire in Times Square.

Following some other games during the NBA Finals, fans of both teams were being attacked. During Game 4 on Wednesday, a 17-year-old boy was beaten into a coma during a livestreamed brawl in Midtown, started by a man chanting “Spurs in 7.”

The boy was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he came out of the coma and was listed in critical but stable condition.

Another Spurs fan was attacked in New York after Game 3. Twenty-one people were taken into custody and several NYPD officers were injured following the Game 3 watch party at Bryant Park.

Fans were even seen chasing down a bus they believed was carrying the Spurs team. Things got so chaotic that several people, including players, longtime Knicks fan Ben Stiller, and others called for an end to the chaos.

Former San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg called for Spurs fans to be kind to Knicks fans before Game 5, even after the violent events.

Knicks Finals MVP Jalen Brunson couldn’t help but make a subtle dig at New York’s high cost of living while celebrating his latest victory in Texas early Sunday.

In his post-game interview, Brunson, 29, was reminded that his two big college championship victories were both won in Texas, leading one reporter to ask him what he has against the Lone Star State.

“I have nothing against Texas. I love Texas. I miss the Texas taxes,” Brunson joked.

Texas famously does not have individual income tax nor corporate income tax, a far cry from New York, which has tax rates between 4% to 10.9%.

Brunson had played for the Villanova Wildcats during their big 2016 and 2018 NCAA championship victories, with the games played in Houston and San Antonio, respectively.

He then played for the Dallas Mavericks after the 2018 NBA draft, spending four years in Texas.

Brunson, who was born in New Jersey and grew up in Illinois, is on a 4-year, $156.5 million contract with the Knicks.

As Jamal Murray’s shot clanked off the rim and the final seconds on the clock expired, the ball fell to Karl-Anthony Towns, who looked down at his own hand in amazement at what he and his Minnesota Timberwolves team had just done.

For the first time in exactly 20 years, the Timberwolves were headed to the Western Conference Finals after defeating the defending champion Denver Nuggets in Game 7, coming back from 20 points down in the second half, with Towns leading the Timberwolves in scoring.

As KAT went from the visitors’ locker room at Ball Arena to the postgame press conference podium, he walked side-by-side with longtime Timberwolves reporter and Minnesotan Jon Krawczynski, who reminded Towns to take a beat and soak in everything that had just been accomplished.

Towns and Krawczynski, both pillars of the Timberwolves community, had seen it all: countless losing seasons, a carousel of coaches and general managers, a disastrous year with Jimmy Butler that saw Towns’s name sullied in the eyes of many, and, worst of all, a COVID pandemic and the loss of Towns’ beloved mother Jacqueline.

On the court, there were moments of immaturity as the growing process wasn’t always linear. Towns started as one of the “Timberpups,” and grew into the role of Timberwolves franchise player. He eventually became a multi-time All-NBA player who had just taken the Wolves to a place that only Kevin Garnett had before.

The feeling for KAT that night in Denver was one of validation. All the hard work he had put in, everything he had been through personally and on the court with the Timberwolves organization, had been worth it. Not only was the franchise that drafted Towns nine years earlier finding success, but they were doing it with him and because of him.

Everything in KAT’s Timberwolves tenure to that point led to that moment. Through all the turmoil during his nine seasons in Minnesota, Towns, like Andy Dufresne, had crawled through a river of sewage and come out clean on the other side.

“How much more we gotta lose?” Towns said in the most KAT way possible after the game about his team, “We’ve been losing for 20 years.”

That magical night in Denver may have been the first time Towns ended a team’s decades-long drought, but it would not be the last. On Saturday night in San Antonio, the New York Knicks, with Towns at center, became NBA champions for the first time in 53 years.

The Knicks and Towns stormed through the 2026 NBA Playoffs on their way to the title. New York finished with a 16-3 record in the playoffs, including nine straight road wins while clinching all four series away from Madison Square Garden. Among NBA champions, this Knicks team set the record for best Net Rating in a single postseason, outpacing the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers and the 2017 Golden State Warriors.

KAT himself finished with an NBA record plus/minus of +262 during the playoff run, finishing ahead of Steph Curry in 2017 (+246), Draymond Green in 2017 (+229), his teammate Jalen Brunson (+224), and Kobe Bryant in 2001 (+213).

The feeling again has to be validation for Towns, and this time, maybe even vindication.

Karl proved all of his doubters incorrect. People said he was soft, that he didn’t work hard enough, and that he didn’t have enough basketball IQ. They said KAT wouldn’t be able to control the “stray voltage” on the biggest stage, that he’d be unwilling to play as a team’s #2, or that he didn’t have the defensive ability to lead a quality defense at the center position.

All of it wrong.

“You work your whole life for this moment,” Towns said to ABC’s Ernie Johnson with the Larry O’Brien trophy in his hands. “Throughout my career, I’ve seen myself fall down. People tell me to stay down, and I got back up. Even when I was in the mud, I kept putting my left foot in front of my right foot.”

The trade that sent KAT from the Timberwolves to the Knicks was nuanced and will surely be debated in Minnesota for years to come. It was brought on in large part by the NBA’s then-new second apron, which punished teams for being a certain level above the luxury tax threshold, as the Wolves were in the summer of 2024.

While the success or failure of the trade for the Wolves is still up in the air, what is clear is that Towns still has an immense respect for the Timberwolves organization, his former teammates, including Anthony Edwards, and all the people of Minnesota.

The journey for Towns to get to this point was a long one. It started when the Wolves selected a 19-year-old kid out of the University of Kentucky, and it was filled with every manner of obstacles, difficulties, and loss. Through it all, Karl came out of it a better player and a better person.

“Y’all know my story, you’ve heard my story,” Towns said. “I just want to say, thank you, Momma, I appreciate you getting me one.”

New York Knicks.

2026 NBA Champions.

Mic drop.

Mike Brown

On Jalen Brunson being a true No. 1 star:

“I hope you guys will listen to me, he is a top-three MVP candidate. Everybody kind of mentions his name in passing, they don’t do it seriously enough — people say he’s too small, people say he’s a 1B or a 2B or whatever, he is a freaking 1A. I hope tonight you guys, and I’m talking to the media more than the fans, but I hope you guys recognize what this man is all about because he is A1 MVP — he is him.”

On Jalen Brunson being the face of New York basketball:

“He comes, and he probably takes a pay cut that I wouldn’t have taken, every time they would have thrown that number in front of me would have said no, and I feel like I’m a good guy.”

On the significance of the Knicks franchise:

“There are a couple of franchises that are pretty iconic just because of the history that they have, the location that they’re in, sometimes even the building that they’re in. New York is definitely one of the few that you could say that to in all three facets. Everybody goes through their ups and downs. I don’t really think much about the tough times [the Knicks] had because everybody has tough times, including individuals. You just want to try the best you can to be a part of whatever you can to bring joy to the city, to the organization. I feel blessed, fortunate, lucky, to be a part of what is going on now.”

On bringing a title to New York:

“It’s just a heck of a win. To have these fans that we have in New York City, and to bring home a championship to them after all of these years, it’s just an absolutely amazing. It’s surreal – I don’t know how long it’s been since that final buzzer, but I still don’t believe it. I’m pinching myself, I’m telling myself to try to be present, and all of the stuff I tell my guys every day because I still just can’t believe it.”

On his staff, players, and the Knicks organization:

“My staff, they carried me all year. Our players are fantastic – they’ve been ready from Day 1, and it’s not just our top-five, but 1 through 18 they have been ready from Day 1 of the season. You saw it we called on different guys at different times and every time they stepped up – I love my players, I love the organization, but most importantly Let’s Go New York, we can’t wait to get home and celebrate.”

Jalen Brunson

On winning a championship:

“It’s everything I dreamed of. It’s why I came to New York.”

On the Knicks’ late-game identity:

“For some reason I feel like the game for us starts for us 30 minutes later than it’s supposed to. We don’t show up at 8:30. We show up at 9 p.m.”

On winning the title:

“It’s everything I dreamed of. This is why I picked New York.”

On his emotions after the championship:

“Holy s—. I’ve got no words. Everything I ever dreamed of. I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’m in awe, I don’t know. Whenever someone counted us out, we found a way to come back and do something about it.”

On where his confidence comes from:

“My confidence comes from my work ethic. Every time I had the ball, all I could think about was all the hours I put in the summer… into making this a reality. So whenever I got the ball, I just thought about me being alone in the gym.”

On finding a way to win:

“We’re going to find a way, whatever you put in front of us, we’re going to find a way. I don’t know what I’m feeling.”

On becoming a champion:

“I got no words. Everything I ever dreamed of. I don’t know what I’m feeling.”

On winning Finals MVP:

“It was definitely more emotional than I thought it would be. Once I got on stage and everything, it started to settle, but it’s everything I dreamed of, seriously. I woke up this morning not wanting to play another game. At some point, I knew I was going to win [an NBA Championship]. The opportunity presented itself, and I didn’t want it to slip away.”

On the journey to a championship:

“Words can’t describe it. I put a lot of time and effort into being the best player I can be, and I’m just really thankful to have a coaching staff and teammates who have my back every day. At the final buzzer, I walked right to half court, shook Mitch Johnson’s hand, and turned around. My dad was there, and I felt emotions from that point on. But it still hasn’t sunk in. I honestly don’t know right now. I’m just thankful for the opportunity, and we were able to get it done. Through hard work and effort, I knew this was achievable, but it was only a small portion of it. Tonight, we played like we wanted to finish the game as champions. It means the world to me to go on the court with those guys.”

On his reaction to the championship:

“I got no words. It’s everything I’ve dreamt of. I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’m just like… I’m in awe. I don’t know. Whenever someone counts us out, we find a way to come back and do something about it.”

On his preparation and work ethic:

“My confidence comes from my work ethic. Every time I got the ball, all I could think about is all the hours in the summer. For every summer I had, since I ever could remember, making this a reality. Whenever I had the ball, I’m just thinking about just me alone in the gym.”

On the Knicks’ resilience:

“We’re going to find a way. Whatever you put in front of us, we’re going to find a way. It doesn’t matter. It does not matter whatsoever. We’re going to find a way every single time we step on this court. Every f–king time. Every time.”

On the “1A” haters:

“I didn’t respond to them then and I’m damn sure not going to respond to them now.”

On winning all of his NBA and college titles in Texas:

“I have nothing against Texas. I love Texas. I miss the Texas taxes.”

On his mentality:

“I’m just never afraid to fail.”

On what it took to win the championship and score 45 points:

“Everything.”

On finishing the job in Game 5:

“Tonight, we played like we wanted to go home champions, to finish the game. Not to start the game, to finish the game.”

On winning a championship:

“Words can’t describe it. I put a lot of time and effort into trying to be the best player I can be to try and help a team win. Just really thankful to have the organization, the coaching staff, my teammates, to have my back every single day.”

On playing through injury after yet another dirty Victor Wembanyama play:

“I’m hurting right now, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m hurting right now, but like i said before, the opportunity presented itself. Whatever you gotta do.”

Mikal Bridges

On when he knew Jalen Brunson would become a star:

“I knew through college, but I really knew when he signed (with the Knicks). I knew what he was going to do, especially in the league we play in. Him having the ball and being able to be ball dominant … his efficiency is out of the roof. I knew what he was going to be able to do with the ball in his hands here, more than what he was able to do in Dallas.”

On the five-pick trade and the haters:

“You talking about f–-k them picks. Very grateful. F–-k ’em. Through the times I’ve been struggling, fans said things about me, I want to always be better. Keep pushing me. I appreciate the tough love.”

On Knicks fans pushing him to improve:

“Given all of the times I’ve been struggling and our fans are on me, I want to always be better – so however they feel I always want to be better. I just hope that I’m still here and they just keep that edge and keep pushing me. If they strongly believe we have a chance every year and they strong believe they need me to be better I’m already thinking that – I appreciate the tough love, I know some fans might be crazier than others, but the ones that truly care, they just want me to be better so don’t stop now.”

Josh Hart

On the pressure of wearing a Knicks jersey:

“We don’t really talk about it, but the weight of that jersey. The expectations, the pressure of that jersey. Right now, it’s the lightest it’s ever felt.”

On Mike Brown’s impact on the Knicks:

“Mike was invaluable to this run. He knows what it is to be a champion. He knows how to build a team, how to build habits that will put you in this position. We’re so grateful to have him at the top. He kept us even at so many times. He brought the best out of us. He’s the reason why we’re here.”

On the Knicks’ togetherness:

“Oh, man, it’s been invaluable. I think you can look at the play (in Game 4), I missed the layup . . . I miss, and we come down and foul Wemby. I think I fouled him or KAT fouled him or whatever [Anunoby fouled him], and I ended up on the ground. I was frustrated and kind of down on myself. You see JB, KAT, Jose run up to me and pick me up. You see Landry [Shamet] on the bench yelling at me to get up and those kinds of things.

“When you have a team that has that kind of togetherness in the most adverse situations, that breeds championship habits and a championship team. I feel like we can go down the line of every guy in that locker room that has had moments like that during the season, and everyone has been there to pick each other up. When you have a team that can do that, no matter what happens in a game, you feel like you can get through it.”

On staying even through highs and lows:

“In an 82-game season, especially in New York, you know, there’s going to be mountains and valleys. If we win three or four in a row, you know, you’re the best team in the league. If you lose three or four in a row, everybody is on the trade block. We know that and that’s why during the course of a season, you try to stay even and you try to continue to build those habits, championship habits, that put you in that position at the end of the year.

“And that’s what you focus on. Sometimes it’s not about the result; it’s about the process. You know, every game, every second, every practice of the season, it led us to this point.”

On finally finding a home in New York:

“I had so much instability, traded, different coaches, and I found a home in New York and they embraced me. This city is built on toughness, grit, blue-collar people, and I feel like I’m the same person. They can look in the mirror and they can see [me].”

On the Nova Knicks:

“Those are my brothers for life. We have a bond that’ll never be broken. We won a championship together in college, but this one obviously takes the cake. We’ve been built for this moment. We’ve all been forged in the fire … Coach [Jay] Wright helped us be cut from a different cloth. No matter the moment, it’s never too big for us.”

OG Anunoby

On winning the championship:

“We did it.”

On Jalen Brunson:

“He’s an amazing player and he showed the world tonight.”

On the Knicks’ celebration:

“Just excitement, everyone just happy for each other.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On Jalen Brunson:

“Shout-out to everybody who told him he couldn’t do it because it gave him fuel for the fire. I think I speak for me and OG when I say it’s been an honor to be brought to this team to amplify him.”

On his father:

“He’s been everything to me. He taught me the game of basketball.”

On bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy to the Dominican Republic:

“Hell yeah, I’m bringing the trophy over there!”

On Jalen Brunson leaving Gatorade at the podium:

“You know JB’s happy, he left the Gatorade up here!”

On the Knicks’ unity:

“I talk about our unity, our connectivity. We just continue to believe in each other and believe in our team, our game plan. Whatever needs to be adjusted in the game, us as players will always talk it out, and we’re willing to have those conversations that are difficult. We’re willing to keep each other accountable.

“Regardless of what happens, we know, like I said, we all we got and we all we need, and it’s more than enough to have a chance to win every single night. I know a lot of people talk about it. I know you’ve heard a ton of people come up on this mic and say the same thing, but I hope our team shows the world that we truly mean it. Even though last year we didn’t get the job done, that unity and that connectivity and that continuity has always shown itself.

“I think that last game is just another example of us talking about how connected we are together and how much we truly do have love for each other as teammates, as a team, as brothers, as a family. Only brothers would keep each other going, especially in the game where it was last game. Because of that family, family stays close. When things got really bad, we got closer. We didn’t start fading away from each other.”

On feeling the presence of his late mother and the support of Jordyn Woods:

“Her presence is always felt in my life. You always pray you’re going to pick the right woman for you and I know I did in my fiancé. I damn sure know now with that bag, that bag held it down. Shout-out to Woods by Jordyn.

It’s crazy, when she passed, there was so much turmoil in my life. Funny enough, my fiancé was the one, who was a friend at the time, was the only person I got to call before I had to go out there and say bye to her at the hospital. Me and her have a real bond that goes deeper than just physical features and everything like that. We’ve got a true friendship that was built from the ground up.

I remember just always asking her if this was going to be my last time seeing her in the physical, let me feel her spirit at all times. In moments of true pressure and a lot of things going on, I always feel this calming come to me and it’s always her. It’s just great to always feel her arms around me and always to feel her love in my life, in so many different ways.

It’s a testament. I haven’t felt love from a woman like that until I met my fiancé. It really means a lot that, in a way – without sounding weird – Jackie Jr. was able to be here celebrating this moment with me.

It’s amazing. It’s truly a humbling feeling when you know you have walked the path. I stayed faithful. In every decision that I was supposed to make, I made the right one. Feels good to be at this moment.

“Y’all heard my story, y’all know my story. I just want to say: Thank you Mama, I appreciate you getting me one.”

On finally winning a championship:

“You work your whole life for this moment. As they always said with this team, it is written for New York.”

Mitchell Robinson

On bringing the monster truck to the championship parade:

“I just got asked to put my truck in it so I’m gonna be really excited.”

On Jalen Brunson’s Game 5 performance:

“It was unreal.”

On snakes being the Knicks’ lucky charm:

“You know what’s crazy? Yesterday at the hotel I caught a snake. I think it’s something about snakes.”

On finally winning a title with the Knicks:

“I’ve seen the recipe being made. I’ve been here when we’ve won 17 games, when we’ve won 60 games, and to finally be able to get it done in 2026, it’s been amazing.”

On his offensive rebounding and his late effort:

“That’s just something I always do. I trust my guys that they are going to make them, but I’m just going crash anyway – luckily I did and came up with a big rebound.

“Grabbed it, kicked it out and they fouled us again, so we got a chance to shoot two more and I almost got it again, so I’m just going to continue to do that.”

Landry Shamet

On Jalen Brunson carrying the team:

“We owe him. We weren’t great offensively tonight, but he is generationally great offensively.”

On winning a championship:

“Just really proud of this group and excited to celebrate and kick our feet up for a little while and enjoy this. This is special.”

Jose Alvarado

On winning the title with the Knicks:

“This is something we’re going to celebrate for life.”

James Dolan

On the Knicks ending the drought and hunting for more:

“Hey, New York! I’m sorry it took so long, but here we are, and hopefully it won’t take that long again.”

Walt Frazier

On his expectations for Jalen Brunson:

“I thought when we acquired him if he averaged 20 points and six assists it would be good. I thought like other people, in a playoff scenario where you get guys 6-[foot]-6 and 6-7 on him, he would have trouble scoring. But he found a way, against all these guys.”

On Brunson’s place in Knicks history:

“He’s got to be considered one of the greatest Knicks ever. He’s been magnificent the whole playoffs and all season. … Clutch, he’s Mr. Clutch. He comes up with the big baskets. He was the only guy scoring at one time for the Knicks. That kept them in the game.”

On Brunson changing perceptions of small guards:

“Brunson has definitely changed the mindset of that thinking, a guy 6-foot-2 can’t lead a team to a championship.”

On watching the championship run:

“I was living through the eyes of Jalen, saying ‘Wow, I used to be doing that out there on the court.’ I’m sure those guys [from our last championship team] are watching tonight, and they’re very proud of the team like I am.”

On what the title means for the New York Knicks:

“It’s a magnificent night for the fan base and the franchise.”

Patrick Ewing

On finally seeing the Knicks win a title:

“Fourth time is the charm. ’99, I did the same thing I did tonight, just sit and watch and cheer. I take my hat (off) to the team, take my hat off to Jalen. He did an outstanding job with putting us on his back and being able to bring a championship back to New York.”

On what the championship means for New York and the Knicks:

“It means everything to the city. It was a magical run, all the things they were able to accomplish.”

On Karl-Anthony Towns:

“This guy right here, this is my guy, right here.”

Charles Barkley

On Jalen Brunson’s contract sacrifice:

“I want to give him some credit. I want to give, you know, obviously what you said about Brunson, I said, it’s the greatest free agent signing in NBA history, but also he took so much criticism for guys when he took a hundred million dollars less so they could go out and get other players. He deserved like, hey, listen, a hundred million dollars is a lot of money, but he wanted them to go out and get him some help, and they went on and got him some help, and they are the World Champs.”

Mike Breen

On the Knicks’ title-winning moment:

“It’s over! It’s over! Knick fans, this is not a dream! Your long, long wait is ended. Go ahead and cry: after 53 years, the Knicks are finally NBA Champions once again!”

Stephen A. Smith

On the Knicks winning the championship:

“I don’t even know how to put it in words because I damn sure didn’t play. I didn’t practice like these guys did, they did it. But it’s been 53 long years, and there’s been so many moments of misery that we had to endure as New York Knick fans. And to be here tonight, I gotta confess until this series I never thought it’d happen.

“So many things have gone wrong: The layups that wasn’t with Charles Smith, the [Patrick] Ewings finger rolls, the Game 7s they didn’t come out on top. Time after time after time… And to be in attendance witnessing the end of a 53-year drought as born in The Bronx, raised in Hollis, Queens, New York City. I’ve been a New York fan all my life, I never thought I’d see it.

“I don’t even know what to say. I can’t put into words how this feels. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life covering sports. I’ve never had a feeling like this. It’s unbelievable.”

On why the Knicks ‘saved’ the NBA:

“Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks saved the NBA with this championship. Stay with me. If the Spurs win the championship, the entire NBA is evolving its scheme around how do you knock off the alien, the 7-foot-5 alien from France. How do you do it?

“Well, guess what? Now that a 6-1 guard, who’s not the most athletic above the rim dude — that ain’t his game, just savvy, brilliant as a basketball savant, footwork extraordinaire — that guy at 6-foot-1 led this team. And in a close-out Game 5 drops 45 on a Spurs defense that was pretty elite. That’s what they did.”

Ben Stiller

On the Knicks winning the championship:

“As happy as I’ve ever felt. It’s pretty amazing. It’s pretty amazing.”

The New York Knicks had been here before. As Jalen Brunson and his band of not-so-merry men stood at the top of this year’s NBA finals, they confronted not just the San Antonio Spurs, their foe on the court, but the very idea of what the Knicks themselves – as a team, as a franchise, as a symbol of New York City – could be. The team’s run to last year’s Eastern Conference finals was thrilling but had the aspect of an underdog romp, and ultimately ended in defeat. Was this the limit of what New York’s fans, Rabelaisian in their rages and saintly in their endless capacity for patience, could expect from their team? Brunson was dogged and clever but perhaps not quite elite, a Stakhanovite toiler in a league built for transcendent talents. Karl-Anthony Towns was elite but perhaps too soft, too sensitive, too “zesty” to carry a team to the NBA’s pinnacle. The questions hanging over the leading pair extended to a team forged in their image. The lineup was good; was it great?

Coach Mike Brown, in his first year with the franchise, had promise but no small amount of baggage, having landed at the Knicks after being dismissed by the Sacramento Kings following a horror start to the 2024/25 season. And then, of course, there was the weight of history: no title since 1973 and a litany of near-misses and false dawns in the intervening decades. New York had watched through the 1980s and 1990s as first Los Angeles, then Chicago (under the guidance of its own son, Phil Jackson, who won the 1973 championship as a Knick) propelled the NBA to global prominence, a narrative in which the Knicks filled the role of a dutiful punching bag. Hakeem Olajuwon’s block on John Starks to kill their hopes in 1994, the tragic heroism of Patrick Ewing, death by Tim Duncan in ’99, and all the fizzled promise of Carmelo and Stoudemire and Linsanity: the memories had faded but the scars lingered. The franchise was destined, it seemed, to remain forever on the fringes, a mournful witness to others’ joy. Could they do it? Surely they couldn’t: the curse of the Knicks had driven the fans, the team, the city itself to despair. Neurosis, not success, was hardwired into New York’s psychology. The center of the universe and the joke of the NBA: the city was Larry Fink off the court, and Larry David on it.

Related: Ecstasy and chaos grip New York City after Knicks win long-sought NBA title – in pictures

Could they do it? They could. Swatting away a half century of hurt, building on the inevitable momentum gathered from their historic comeback in Game 4, and riding their city’s early summer wave of boisterous (though possibly astroturfed) invention, the Knicks are NBA champions for the first time in 53 years. My Christian Dior, Knicks in four? Not quite. But 4-1 supplies an exorcising symmetry, mirroring the scoreline by which the Knicks fell to the very same opponent on their last trip to the finals in 1999. And the rhyme scheme is better this way: they got there in five, and the NBA is alive.

These were the second most-watched finals in NBA history – a testament not only to the size and cultural heft of the New York media market but to the rippling character of the entertainment on the court. Saturday night’s clincher distilled the series as a whole. The Spurs stormed to an early lead (as is their wont) and failed to hold on to it (as is their wont). Dylan Harper – finally given some time to run the play in place of the maligned De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs’ Game 4 scapegoat – hit a series of silky midrangers, and Julian Champagnie got into his groove from beyond the arc. Victor Wembanyama did what Victor Wembanyama does, which is cry and cajole and be much taller than everyone else. San Antonio’s divine linguine unfurled a volley of blocks, and then came those trademark second and third and fourth tips, which give Wemby the air of a stalled windmill or an unnailed Jesus, arms held out in supplication as the ball rebounds off his outstretched hands and cannons back towards the basket. At times Saturday night, as throughout these finals, he was tipping almost totally to himself, playing a game of one in the rare air above the rim. The Spurs’ lead stretched to 15 midway through the third quarter. The French star’s bullish pre-game predictions about a title in seven (“Everybody knows we’re gonna do it”) seemed on course to come true.

And then: San Antonio met their unsmiling assassin. Brunson went the full Bunsen, embarking on a historic second-half scoring spree to comprehensively incinerate the Spurs’ hopes of extending the series to a sixth game. Brunson was unanimously named finals MVP virtually the moment the game ended, and it’s no wonder: he had the highest-scoring finals series from a point guard in NBA history, and became just the second player in 50 years to record a 45-point closeout game in the championship-deciding series. Michael Jordan did it at the age of 35 in Game 6 of the 1998 finals, his last appearance for the Bulls; Brunson has done it at 29, and only a fool would bet against him replicating Saturday night’s outrageous punctuating stomp of a performance in future finals series.

Part of what makes these Knicks so fun to watch is how steely and unemotional they are, both on and off the court. Where other teams mince and peacock, they downplay and deflect. They’re a quiet team for a loud city: while Wembanyama was busy declaring “we’re gonna do it”, Brunson remained steadfast that the Knicks’ mentality going into Game 5 would be “zero-zero”. But amid all the “application” and “grit” – the two words that are usually thrown around to describe this champion ensemble – there’s a real craftiness there too, combined with an insatiable appetite for the game. More than any other title-winning team in recent NBA history these players love being on the court, and seem quite happy to make playing basketball the focus of their ambitions. They don’t dream of horses in Serbia or their next brand partnerships as they play; they dream of basketball.

Brunson is the soul of the team’s commitment, to each other and to the game, but he’s also something singular, a ball of gristle and will who blooms into grace and artistry just as you’re convincing yourself his game is all about graft. There’s a real density to his physique, which has offered a pleasing visual contrast over the course of these finals to Wembanyama’s reedy elasticity. The right shoulder – dropped and tucked as he barrels into the paint – and the left knee – raised with the delicacy of a drinking pinkie as he steps back to shoot – are Brunson’s main physical weapons, and he deploys them to devastating effect. Time and time again these finals we saw Brunson beaver and fend and bustle into the mix then pull back, the angles aligned to his satisfaction, for one of those impossibly high and gymnastic shots, the ball easing through the net as if with a sigh. This is the Jalen Brunson Guarantee: where there is bullying, there is also beauty.

Brunson, remember, is just 6ft 2in, and on court he looks even shorter. Much of his best offensive work in the finals was performed under the pressure of a double team and facing the attention of Wembanyama, who has more than a foot on him in height. A man of Brunson’s comparatively slight stature is not supposed to excel in basketball – in an earlier era perhaps, but not in the modern NBA, where the bigs handle the ball like point guards and the direction of physical travel is up, up, up. Yet here we are. A series that began with tremors of anxiety about how to stop a 7ft 4in freak of nature – and what it would do to the sport for such an outlandish and improbable talent to dominate the league for years to come – ends with the primacy of the human, the dogged, and the squat emphatically reaffirmed. The time of the short kings is upon us.

This was not a title built on the talents of one man alone, of course, but on speed in transition, blistering ball movement and a kind of sacrificial defensive commitment in the paint that recalled, at times, the very best of the Knicks’ brutish 1990s pomp. OG Anunoby, a fortress in defense, will best be remembered in these finals for his last-second tip to win Game 4, now destined to become the defining image of the Knicks’ historic charge to the summit. Towns, the No 1 pick in the 2015 draft who came to the Knicks in 2024, finally silenced the critics (of his game, of his voice, of his personality, of his everything) and picked up the title his rich talent deserves. Josh Hart is a noted menace under the glass but his best work these playoffs came from pushes in transition. In many ways he is the most violently lateral player in the NBA, a man whose guiding ambition seems to be to traverse the court’s 94ft of hardwood parallel to the ground. Some players glide across the floor; others juggle or dance or storm. Hart torpedoes. Mitchell Robinson played an important support role, receiving Wembanyama’s (now plainly incorrect) Game 4 taunt that he was “in” Robinson’s “head” and supplying the comic relief with his delightfully awful free throws.

Like Brunson, many of these players are around 30, and many of them have taken similarly winding paths – filled with doubt and public mockery – to basketballing nirvana. Can they stick together and build a dynasty? The back office arrangements are in their favor, but the recent history of the NBA, with no repeat champion since 2018, suggests it will be tough. The Spurs, with two recent first and second picks on the roster, are bursting with talent and youth. All they need is to figure out how to protect a lead, score in the fourth quarter and not pass into each other’s backs.

Related: ‘It’s euphoria’: New York City celebrates Knicks’ NBA title win after 53-year wait

After the gloom of the past few years – the negativity surrounding the league’s clammy accommodations with oil powers and private equity money; the “small town” finals featuring teams from Oklahoma City and Indiana; and the worries over tanking, the strategy by which franchises have tried to game the draft through regular-season failure – these finals brought a rinse of glamour back to the NBA. The series had the contrast of brilliant youth (San Antonio) against grizzled experience (New York); it had prodigious height (Wemby) and alien application (Brunson); it gave us TayTay, Hargitay and Chalamet in the front row, amped and activated into their LET’S GOs after every OG block and Landry Shamet three. In its hysteria, magnetism and sheer fizzing celebrity power, it reached back to the league’s halcyon days, summoning the tap and dazzle of Showtime and Jordan’s Bulls. More than just a basketball series, this felt like a cultural event – the type of thing that will define an era, or at the very least provide easy visual fodder for the documentarians in years to come. (“The 2020s: when fascism came to America, democratic socialism stormed New York, and the Knicks won their first title in half a century.”)

Most of all, this series had what the NBA has been quietly craving for five decades: a title for the biggest and baddest city in the land, a place with basketball in its blood and precious little silverware to show for it. This was a victory for holding on, for believing, for never giving up, for letting San Antonio implode. But it was also a victory for New York City – for all the fans who’ve spent decades living the particular psychodrama that is the Knicks, glued to the misery, resigned to the worst. A new sun is shining on pickup games across Elmhurst, Canarsie, Sheepshead Bay and Mott Haven. For years, the Knicks have watched as other teams and other cities write the NBA’s story. Now, New York ascends.

Shortly after the Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973, captain Jalen Brunson had a simple message for people denying his status as a “1A” player.

“I didn’t respond to them then, I’m damn sure not gonna respond to them now,” Brunson said.

Critics have often said Brunson isn’t a 1A player because he might not fit the typical definition. Large guards like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, and big men like Shaquille O’Neal or Tim Duncan, are examples of what people have traditionally thought of as 1A players.

Brunson has received criticism in the past, most infamously from Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon, for being incapable of the 1A status due to his size. But Brunson has been changing the definition of a 1A player with his impact on the Knicks as a franchise.

Brunson was named Finals MVP after scoring 45 points in the championship-clinching Game 5 Saturday night.

He was the unanimous selection for the Bill Russell Trophy as Finals MVP amongst 11 voters. Only three other players have ever scored 45 or more points in a closeout Finals game.

Since being signed to a four-year, $104 million contract in free agency in 2022, Brunson has been the cornerstone of the Knicks’ turnaround. Before Brunson left Dallas for New York, the Knicks had won one playoff series in 21 seasons. In the four years since Brunson came to town, they have won at least one playoff series every season.

The immediate success Brunson has brought to the Big Apple has the signing considered one of the best in NBA history.

“He understands what winning is about,” head coach Mike Brown said. “Now when you take his play into account, it’s off the charts, man. Brunson…he is him, man.

“When it comes to New York basketball, he is freaking him.”

Mike Brown now has been part of 5 NBA championship runs. The Knicks got this one right originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Mike Brown didn’t seem to be the New York Knicks’ first choice to take over as coach last spring, when the team fired Tom Thibodeau and was linked to at least a half-dozen other candidates who held various jobs around the NBA.

In the end, he clearly was the right choice.

Brown is now a five-time NBA champion coach — four of those rings won as an assistant, the fifth coming as head coach of the Knicks. He joins only Red Holzman on the list of those who won titles as coach of the Knicks, and fittingly, he did it on June 13.

There’s a banner in Madison Square Garden that says “Holzman 613” to commemorate his win total with the franchise. Brown won this title on 6/13.

“I’m pretty good at trying to control what I can control,” Brown said. “I had zero control over who else was interviewing, who was denied permission. I had zero control over that. I just did the best I could in the interview process. I went about my business and waited until it was either going to progress or end. … I was pretty nonchalant about it as time went on. I just let it unfold the way it unfolded.”

Brown speaks fondly of his days with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, a place his family still calls home — and the place where the Knicks captured this title after topping the Spurs in five games. He raves about his years coaching with Steve Kerr in Golden State as well.

Brown was an assistant on the 2003 Spurs title team, then was with the Warriors for three more title runs. He was the NBA’s coach of the year while with Cleveland in 2009; the Cavaliers wound up firing him. He was the NBA’s coach of the year again while with Sacramento in 2023; the Kings wound up firing him, too.

But in New York, he’s a legend for life now.

“Mike was invaluable to this run,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said. “He understands what it is to be a champion. He understands how to build a team, how to build habits that will put you in this position. We’re so grateful, so thankful to have him at the top. He kept us even so many times. He’s brought the best out of us, as people first. I’m so happy for him. He’s the reason why we’re here. He’s the reason why we’re here, and we’ve got love for him.”

Brown kept the mood light throughout the postseason push, didn’t blink when the Knicks were down 2-1 in Round 1 to Atlanta after a pair of one-point losses, and always seemed to be the calm in the eye of the storm. Social media was blowing up with how Brown wasn’t the right coach for the job when the Knicks trailed the Hawks.

New York went 15-1 from there. And a 53-year wait between titles is now over.

“I am so tired. I mean, I’m gassed,” Brown said. “You know, this stuff is harder than what you think.”

Maybe so, but he makes it look easy.

The Minnesota Timberwolves could make a big splash in the trade market this offseason as they look to try and return to the Western Conference Finals.

Bleacher Report contributor Grant Hughes suggests a trade that would send Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Joan Barringer, and the No. 28 overall pick to the Washington Wizards for Anthony Davis.

“This one is admittedly easier to understand from the Wolves’ side, as they’re giving up a player in Randle who used the most recent postseason to confirm he can’t be a second option on a contender,” Hughes wrote.

“Davis would replace him in the first unit next to Rudy Gobert, perhaps cramping spacing but very likely making up for it on defense. Minnesota would be assured of having a dominant force in the middle at all times, and Naz Reid’s shooting would complement both AD and Gobert.”

Trading for Davis would be a risk for the Wolves given his recent injury history, but it could unlock new potential for the Wolves’ frontcourt. Davis has desired to play the power forward spot recently, but he has been asked to play center. With the Wolves, he could be a legitimate power forward, which is his best position.

It would cost the Wolves a lot for Davis, but given the fact that DiVincenzo has one year left on his deal and Randle can opt out after the 2026-27 campaign, it isn’t a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.

Canis Hoopus community, would you trade Randle for Davis? Let us know in the comments section below.