The Los Angeles Lakers have made no secret of their long-term vision since acquiring Luka Dončić. The franchise’s focus is building its next championship contender around the 27-year-old superstar, and that strategy could have major implications for both LeBron James and Austin Reaves this offseason.
According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, Reaves has emerged as a higher organizational priority than James as free agency approaches.
The Lakers reportedly view Austin Reaves as a bigger priority than LeBron James this offseason. AP
“If it comes down to whether you’d rather pay Austin $40 million per year for the next five years or LeBron $40 million for one year, they’re going to prioritize the long-term contract,” Buha said. “Austin is more of a priority for the Lakers than LeBron.”
The reasoning is straightforward. Reaves is entering his prime at 28 years old and fits alongside Dončić’s timeline.
After averaging a career-best 23.3 points and 5.5 assists during the 2025-26 season, Reaves has evolved from an undrafted role player into one of the franchise’s foundational pieces.
President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks to the media during a press conference at UCLA Health Training Center Getty Images
The Lakers have also publicly expressed their desire to keep him. President of basketball operations Rob Pelinka recently stated that the franchise wants Reaves’ “odyssey” in Los Angeles to continue, while Reaves himself told TMZ he wants to “run it back” with the Lakers.
That doesn’t mean James is no longer wanted. The Lakers still hope the NBA’s all-time leading scorer returns for a 24th season.
Reaves has repeatedly spoken about his close relationship with James and said it would “mean the world” to continue playing alongside him.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, grabs a rebound away from Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein during the first half of Game 4 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series AP
Still, the franchise’s priorities appear clear. Dončić is the centerpiece, Reaves is viewed as a long-term co-star, and James, despite his legendary status, is operating on a year-to-year timeline.
For the first time in decades, the Lakers’ future may matter more than their past.
Nov 17, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) throws a pass beside Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
In an article by Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, he describes where the Cavaliers’ ‘brain trust’ lands on a potential trade centered around Evan Mobley for Antetokounmpo.
“The Cavs love Mobley, they believe in him and there are multiple members of the Cleveland brain trust that would be vehemently against a Giannis-Mobley swap…(Mobley) is viewed as not only a future star but also a proverbial safety net when it comes to another rebuild.”
There has been a lot of discourse around Mobley as the player to be moved if the Cavaliers want to reshuffle the deck. It would make sense if the Cavaliers were angling for a win-now mentality. With a soon to be 37-year-old James Harden and a will be 30-year-old Donovan Mitchell, you can’t have this two-timeline sort of mentality.
Everyone wants to point to the Golden State Warriors’ 2022 title and how they were able to navigate this, almost impossible feat. However, when you look at that championship from a 3,000-foot view, you would notice that in 2026, no one considered as a young building block really panned out. It was the old guard that made that title team who they were, Golden State would soon offload all those players (Jordan Poole, James Weisman, Jonathan Kuminga, etc.) to try and keep their core (Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green) relevant.
If the Cavaliers brass reportedly already is thinking about “safety net(s),” they may be setting themselves up to blow up this nucleus sooner rather than later. A half-in, half-out mentality will hamstring whichever direction the franchise would prefer to go.
To achieve either a rebuild or trying to improve their title odds, the Cavaliers need to go all in. By acquiring a veteran Harden at last deadline, there was a clear signal of going for the title now. If they decide not to move Mobley because they are thinking about the future, they’re likely not maximizing their current title window.
May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with guard Dylan Harper (2) in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Back in August, in the midst of the Spurs third offseason with Victor Wembanyama, I wroteabout the state of the franchise and how the Spurs were progressing on their way back to the top of the proverbial NBA ladder.
Since the summer of 2022, the San Antonio Spurs have gone through four phases of the NBA life cycle; The Teardown, The Rebuild, The Playoffs and The Contenders. In August, the storied franchise was sitting at the start of The Playoff phase after seven years without a postseason appearance. Brian Wright and the front office made the requisite moves to signal they were ready to break their playoff-less streak. What happened next was unforeseen by everybody, even by the most optimistic of Spurs believers.
On Wednesday night, the five-time NBA Champions will be hunting for their sixth when the basketball world assembles in the Alamo City for Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals. So how did one of the youngest and least experienced teams go from a playoff hopeful to a championship favorite in the span of just ten months? Let’s take a look.
The emergence of the new best player in basketball
It’s hard to call it an emergence when once upon a time on NBA Draft lottery night, the great Adrian Wojnarowski called Victor Wembanyama “the greatest prospect in team sports history”, but after a blood clot halted his second season in the league, Wemby came back with a vengeance this year. All-Star, All-NBA first team, Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defense first team and third in MVP were just some of the accomplishments that the French phenom accumulated in his age 22 season.
What allowed the Spurs to make it to their seventh NBA Finals was that in the biggest games and on the biggest occasions, they had someone who not just only embraced the responsibility of the moment but demanded it. From his game-winner against the Phoenix Suns to clinch their playoff spot, to his 39-point performancein Game 3 in Minnesota, to his masterpiece of a Game 1 against the defending champions, every time San Antonio has called, Vic has answered.
There’s been a lot of reasons the Spurs have exceeded expectations but none bigger than the 7’5” alien.
The fearless duo that doesn’t care how young they are
Were the Spurs lucky last May when for the third straight time, the lottery gods blessed the franchise with another top 4 pick (which, under new lottery reform, won’t happen again for anyone else)? Yes, but that’s not for them to worry about. They just did what they were supposed to do and added guard Dylan Harper, the second-ranked prospect, to their already young talented core.
At the same time, reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle was out to prove a point. The two guards were like two peas in a pod with not just how they played on the court, but in their drive for success. Castle made a major leap in year two, becoming a more efficient scorer while levelling up his already elite perimeter defense.
For Harper, after an up-and-down start in his first forty-one games, the flip switched for the New Jersey native, and with each passing week he was becoming a star in front of our eyes. Unstoppable getting to and finishing at the rim, under control with the ball in his hands and a stern and reliable defender.
But the biggest point of difference that turned the league on its head was the improvement from three-point range from the two young guards. From shaky shooters to 40% in the blink of an eye, and their confidence was as high as ever to finish the regular season.
A lot of questions were then asked heading into their first playoff run. Would they be able to meet the moment? Would they wilt under the pressure? Would they get figured out? The answer is a resound YES. Every time they have met with someone or something in front of them, they have just gone right through them, literally.
Buying in with only one goal in mind
To win any championship, everyone must be on the same page. If one person goes rogue, it can shift the dynamics, and there goes your chance at glory. You need selfless players who are willing to sacrifice personal numbers and recognition for the betterment of the team.
This Spurs team has good people. There’s De’Aaron Fox, who for five years was a 25-5-5 guy but has routinely sacrificed to help the growth of the aforementioned fearless duo. Then there’s the longest-tenured Spur Keldon Johnson, who has averaged 22 points a game in this league, buying into his role as a sixth man. And don’t forget Devin Vassell, who has had a million different roles over his six seasons, but has never complained once and now makes all the winning plays.
It doesn’t take just one player. It takes a village, and the Spurs have one heck of a village. With Wemby ascending to the top of the mountain, Castle and Harper breaking the mold of what young guards should look like, everyone embracing their role for the good of the team, and Mitch Johnson and his coaching staff rising to the occasion, everything clicked into place and here the Spurs are, back at the top of the NBA ecosystem.
So what now? Well, in the words of the legendary Tim Duncan:
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The NBA Finals rematch New York has waited 27 long years for is finally here.
Starting Wednesday, June 3, Jalen Brunson’s Knicks are going head-to-head with Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs in the second-coming of 1999’s Big Dance.
If you’d like to be there, tickets are available for all three potential Knicks home games at Madison Square Garden. They’re scheduled to go down:
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on tickets for MSG contests was $3,808 including fees on SeatGeek.
While prohibitively expensive, there really is nothing like playoff basketball at the Garden.
New York Post social media guru Olivia Silio attended a number of games over the Knicks’ 11-game postseason win streak and told us “MSG makes you feel like you’re a part of history…the roar of the crowd, the fans jumping up and down after every shot, the celebrities hyping up the crowd, the MSG organist leading the chants, the announcer after every point.”
Should you attend a game in San Antonio, prices start at $1,000 including fees for games at the Spurs’ Frost Bank Center.
Want to go?
Make sure to use promo code NYPOST10 for $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).
Over the course of the 2025-26 regular season, the Knicks and Spurs met three times; New York won two of those three contests (including the NBA Final in December).
There’s a little more on the line than that, though.
“They definitely want to beat me and I want to kick their a–,” Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown — who was a Spurs assistant from 2000-03 — said in a press conference. “I love them and you can always love them before and after.”
Gear up.
We’re in for hoops history.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about seeing the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals below.
New York Knicks NBA Finals home game tickets
A complete calendar, including all announced Knicks NBA Finals home game dates and the best prices on tickets, can be found here:
New York Knicks NBA Finals home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 3 Monday, June 8
$4,258(including fees)
Game 4 Wednesday, June 10
$3,808(including fees)
Game 6 Tuesday, June 16 (if necessary)
$5,043(including fees)
San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals home game tickets
All Spurs playoff home game dates at the Frost Bank Center and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.
San Antonio Spurs home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 1 Wednesday, June 37:30 p.m.
$1,000(including fees)
Game 2 Friday, June 57:30 p.m.
$1,297(including fees)
Game 5 Saturday, June 13 7:30 p.m.
$1,742(including fees)
Game 7 Friday, June 197:30 p.m.
$3,983(including fees)
Knicks playoff home game giveaways
Silio also let us know that there are some perks to attending games at MSG.
“The first home game of the series, you’ll go home with a souvenir t-shirt, commemorating the game,” she said.
“Other games have ‘Always Knicks’ towels for fans to keep as well as interactive arena bracelets, used for light shows and hyping up the crowd. Another bonus is you may see your favorite actor, singer or athlete, rooting alongside you.”
About Knicks-Spurs
As noted above, the Knicks and Spurs played three times this year.
In their first contest, the stakes were high. New York and San Antonio met in the championship game of the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup on Dec. 16. OG Anunoby dropped 28 points while Brunson netted 25 and ended up winning MVP for the in-season tourney.
“This is great and we’re going to enjoy this,” Brunson said. “But once we leave tomorrow, we’re moving on.”
Game number two — just a good, old-fashioned regular season showdown — saw Julian Champagnie score 36 and lead San Antonio to a surprise, come-from-behind 134-132 victory on New Year’s Eve.
When the elite clubs played a third time, New York stomped on the Spurs and walked away with a commanding 114-89 blowout. Mikal Bridges scored 25 while Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart chipped in double-doubles.
Notable storylines swirling around the Finals are center Mitchell Robinson’s broken left pinky finger, whether Anunoby and/or Hart will be able to stop Wemby, New York’s week of rest versus San Antonio’s non-stop schedule following their seven-game bloodbath with the Oklahoma City Thunder and NYC local ties for Spurs players Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 25: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks talks to the media after the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Four of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
One month ago, I was certain the New York Knicks had made an irrevocable mistake with the Mikal Bridges trade. It would be remembered as the deal that changed the landscape of NBA trades forever, and the tragic end to the Villanova Telenovela.
Buried in the sands of time, there exists an unpublished trade retrospective that I submitted the morning of April 25, also known as the day the Knicks began the most dominant stretch in NBA Playoff history. I do not believe in jinxes or karma or anything of the sort, but if I did… let’s just say this was suspicious timing. To quote from the lost files:
“The problem is that Bridges is basically the sixth or seventh most important player on the team, behind Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and perhaps even Mitchell Robinson. He also makes $150 million to be a decent three-and-D wing, and cost all their draft capital — money and picks that could have been spent on a different player cough cough Giannis Antetokounmpo cough cough. Sure, the Knicks don’t actually need him to take 15 shots per game, but they’re paying him (and paid for him) to. Meanwhile, he’s pretty much putting up peak Bryce Sensabaugh numbers in 32 minutes instead of 23.”
None of that was wrong at the time. But Bridges, sensing a disturbance in the force, activated destroy mode and flipped every switch he had to propel New York Knicks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. His play has been the difference between the faltering Knicks team that struggled with the Atlanta Hawks and the one that has not lost in a month. Sure, it would have been more embarrassing if we had actually gone through with publishing the piece, but I’m exposing its existence here and now so, erm, yeah.
It’s worth noting that I wasn’t the only one who thought the Bridges trade was a disaster. He was benched in April, and his own teammates and coaching staff were having to defend his play publicly as recently as March. Stephen A. Smith was beefing with Josh Hart over it. Now? I am retrofitting a column that suddenly “became wrong” even though I mostly stand by the original points. Our take culture was not designed for situations like this, in which results dictate reality. It’s Schrödinger’s Bridges, who either is good or bad depending on an unknown outcome.
Does that expunge the multiple years of evidence I was drawing on to claim that the trade was bad for the Knicks and arguably not effective for the Nets? No, but I also failed to consider one of Brian Windhorst’s most well-known NBA truisms: Winning a title means never having to say you’re sorry. You pony up whatever it takes to get your guys because there is a chance they can be the difference between being good and being great. Whether the player you trade for is Kevin Durant or demon-time Trevor Ariza, if you win, that’s all there is to it.
Bridges has been terrible for chunks of his Knicks tenure, especially since New York traded a price that warranted the type of play one would expect from, if not a second scoring option, then at least for a 2A behind Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. But this version of Bridges has been supremely adaptable, basically becoming the world’s greatest role player in their 11-game run. They never need him to create, but he can. They never need him to score, but he can. They don’t even need him to guard the other team’s best guy — OG Anunoby can handle that — but Bridges can. It took two years to manifest, but he has become exactly what the Knicks needed him to be; questioning his “worth” in retrospect now feels positively absurd.
What will Bridges look like in the NBA Finals against much stouter defense than the Knicks have seen so far? Who knows, but I’ve certainly lost the right to concern myself with how much they gave up for someone who’s simply been a winning player on a championship-level team. The trade was still an overpay, but they’d probably do it again and throw in some cash considerations if they knew he’d be doing this in a Finals run so bright it burns the sky. You do what you have to do to win — right now, that meant trading whatever it took for Bridges.
The Larry O'Brien Trophy image will be back on the court for the 2026 NBA Finals. So will the classic script logo.
It became a social media controversy during last year's NBA Finals when there was no image of the NBA's championship trophy on the court. The NBA has special courts made by all 30 teams for the NBA Cup to make them stand out, but here was the league's biggest stage and the court itself looked like it would for a Tuesday night game in January. It sent the league scrambling during the Finals.
This year, the logo will be at center court for both teams.
This is the first time the large trophy decal will be on the court since 2009. It went away because previously it had been applied as a sticker back in the day, and that sticker got slippery and endangered player safety. Now, it will be painted on the court (with a laminate over it), so there is no issue.
Draymond Green is standing with Becky Hammon and challenging Jalen Brunson to “prove me wrong” during the NBA Finals.
The Warriors star and opinionated basketball observer was revisiting some old Knicks takes on the latest episode of his eponymous podcast now that they Knicks have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Among those opinions was one about the Knicks’ lack of a “1A” player and how that makes it harder to win a championship.
Green’s mind hasn’t changed one bit since he first voiced that opinion, he said during the segment.
Jalen Brunson is not a 1A player, accoring to Draymond Green. NBAE via Getty Images
“And I double down on this. Just like Becky Hammon said, prove me wrong,” he said. “Prove me wrong, double down, absolutely double down. Getting out of the East has never been a surefire way at a championship.
“What are ya’ll talking about? You get out of the East cause you’re supposed to get out of the East. It’s the f–king East, of course, you’re supposed to get out of the East. That just don’t mean you win a championship because you get out of the East. It’s the f–king East.”
Green ended the thought by saying that he was “happy for Mike Brown.”
Draymond Green doubles down that the Knicks need a true 1A player to win a championship:
“Just like Becky Hammon said, prove me wrong. Absolutely double down. Getting out of the East has never been a sure fire thing to winning a championship. What y’all talking about? You’re… pic.twitter.com/celImEmvl3
The Western Conference player was referencing comments made by Hammon — the former Spurs assistant coach and current Las Vegas Aces coach — who had said in 2023, during an appearance on “NBA Today” on ESPN, that the Knicks were a “pretty good team” but lacked a “1A” dude and that Jalen Brunson was “too small.”
Brunson has helped lead the Knicks back to the NBA Finals this season, but Hammon seemed to be unwavering from that opinion when it was recently brought up.
Becky Hammon has previously said that Brunson is not a player that can lead a team to an NBA Championship. NBAE via Getty Images
“I speak from experience,” Hammon said earlier this month. “Allen Iverson got MVP, and he lost in the finals. I think the two best teams are probably in the West, but I’m up for being proven wrong. That’s the other thing, I think Jalen Brunson’s a hell of a player, a hell of a player. I’m speaking historically on the NBA with what I said. I don’t know why everybody’s so stuck on that. I said it two years ago.
“I said what I said. If he proves me wrong, he proves me wrong.”
Game 1 of the NBA Finals begins on Wednesday between the Knicks and Spurs, and Brunson’s first chance to prove Green and Hammon both wrong.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’ll never forget Tim Duncan leaving the floor for the last time in Oklahoma City. A talented, interesting, and ultimately lacking Spurs team had just lost to the Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Timmy slipped off the court, raised his hand briefly, and disappeared into the tunnel. Blink and you miss it. The Spurs as we knew them were done.
I remember panicking in that moment because you could tangibly sense that something bigger than basketball was leaving with him. I wasn’t sure what things were going to look like moving forward, but I knew I’d never experience anything like it again.
Sure enough, I spent the next ten years settling into that feeling. Understanding how the rest of the world lived and just exactly how scary it is out there. Star players decide they want to leave. The playoffs aren’t some birthright you’re entitled to. You lose a lot. You check out from time to time. That thing I was so scared of when Tim walked off the court did come to pass. It really was over. Sure, it became less scary the more it became our reality, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still a little sad. Every season felt a little bit more like a cold reminder that not only was what we had singular, it was also finished. We should just be grateful we got to see it at all.
I had fully accepted all of that. Made my peace with it. Spurs fans don’t get to have nice things forever, and that’s fine. That’s basketball. That’s life.
This season has been special though. Frankly, everything has been a little special since that ping pong ball bounced our way three years ago, but this is the season where it really started to click. Where this team stopped feeling like an idea and started feeling like a reality. It was a familiar feeling, even if I think a lot of us were still keeping it at bay. We’d made our peace, right? The other shoe had come. We’d had our golden era. We’d had our time in the sun. Ignoring the evidence piling up in front of us seemed prudent. Necessary. Wise, even.
So yeah, I wasn’t really expecting this game to cleanly close the loop on Duncan’s last dance. It didn’t occur to me that it was even something that was on the menu. The thing about making your peace with something is that you stop looking for it. You can’t recreate what Tim Duncan was. I’d accepted that. What I hadn’t considered was that maybe you don’t have to.
The other night in Oklahoma City didn’t feel like a recreation. It didn’t feel like an echo. It felt like something new that somehow carried the same specific gravity that made those old Spurs teams feel like more than basketball. These kids have never really known a Spurs team that mattered. They’ve heard about it. They’ve seen the highlights. They play under those banners every night and they know what it means. But they carry themselves with the focus and urgency of a group trying to build something of their own. They put on the silver and black and inherited the franchise the same way you might inherit a house. Maybe you didn’t build it, but it’s yours now.
For the rest of our lives, we get to remember guys like Julian Champagnie, who hit six threes in a Game 7 on the road. He didn’t exactly win the game on his own, but he went out of his way to disprove my theory that there can only be one Champagnie Game. In the third quarter alone, off the same Wemby screen run again and again, Champagnie just kept shooting. Kept making them. A guy who by every reasonable measure should not be here and should not be capable of meeting this moment was absolutely owning it.
We get to tell stories about Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson. These are guys who lived through the other version of this. They absorbed every tough stretch and false start, every early exit, every “we’re building toward something” speech that probably started to feel a little hollow after a while. Every trade rumor too, and there were plenty of those. They took all of it in stride, kept showing up, kept believing in what this thing was becoming. Last night Keldon was out there hitting impossible threes and Devin was throwing down exclamation point dunks as time expired. They celebrated harder. Laughed louder. When it was over they looked like guys who understood exactly what it had taken to get there, because they were there for all of it.
And then there’s Victor Wembanyama, who doesn’t fit neatly into either group. He’s not a veteran carrying the weight of the bad years, but he’s also not some kid unburdened by history. He’s something the league hasn’t quite seen before. Importantly, he’s also not Tim Duncan, something that’s worth saying out loud every once in a while.
They play differently. They carry themselves differently. They almost feel like they come from different planets entirely. Tim seemed to float above everything, a silent pillar, steadfast and consistent. Victor crashes into it, a wild and extraordinary talent bursting at the seams, always pushing against the edges of what’s possible. The contrast is almost remarkable. And yet somehow, in this moment, the feeling was the same. Twenty-two points. Seven rebounds. Western Conference Finals MVP. Quiet in result if not in method, and without any apparent concern for how impossible this was all supposed to be.
Tim Duncan raised his hand and walked into that tunnel ten years ago and left something hanging in the air that I eventually stopped looking for. Saturday night, in that same building, down that same tunnel, Victor Wembanyama walked off the court, and I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Not relief, not joy, but something closer to recognition. Like the answer had been coming all along and I had just stopped asking the question.
Whatever is happening right now might feel familiar but, rest assured, it’s something else entirely. The Wembanyama era isn’t going to look like the Duncan era. They probably aren’t going to win five titles over the next decade. They probably aren’t going to set the standard for professionalism. They certainly aren’t going to do it quite so quietly. What they are going to do is make it their own. The possibilities are endless.
We’re not going back and we never were. What we are doing is moving forward. This isn’t a return at all.
It’s an arrival.
How amazing is that?
Takeaways:
I can’t believe we got our LeBron James chase down block moment and that Luke Kornet was the one who did it. Or should I call him by his full official title, “The Much Maligned Luke Kornet”? Lost in the sauce of how crazy that play was is that I think my body almost had a full blown panic attack at the turnover that preceded it. Harper, God love him, trying to force that pass into Luke, and Hartenstien screaming in front of it and then racing down the court. Can you imagine a seven footer trying to run a fast break? Where does he even get these ideas? Anyway, the idea of I-Hart of all people being the one to make this amazing play and draw the score back to a four point game almost ended me. The crowd was going to erupt and my insides were going to leak out of my ears. I don’t know how Kornet got there so fast. I don’t know how he got it so clean. I don’t think I want to know. Some miracles don’t need to be explained.
I can’t believe the Thunder led twice in this game. Excluding Game 1, it felt like in this series that shifting momentum back once you lost it was almost impossible. Like we were only allotted one big swing, and if you let the other team regain the upper hand it was over. When Shai caught fire in the second quarter, every alarm bell in my head went off, blaring about how we’d seen this movie before. The craziest part is that I didn’t even really have time to have a panic attack. The Spurs calmly just regained control. Fox hit a three. KJ scored. Fox hit another three. They just shut it down. The half ended and I was out of breath, like, what just happened?
Same thing when Caruso put them up in the second half. 61-60. Before I could even recognize the icy dread closing around my throat, Jules banged in a few threes and we were off. I think it was like a 16-2 run directly from that moment. It was like the Thunder put everything they had into clawing back that lead and all the Spurs had to do was outlast them. Y’all, Game 7s are insane.
I’ve been steadfastly avoiding even thinking about the concept of playing the Knicks in the Finals because, obviously, that would’ve been a death blow to the Spurs chances here (yeah, I guess in a way it is like I’m on the team, thanks for asking). But now, oh my god, I can’t believe we’re about to play the Knicks in the Finals. This is going to be insane. The dirtiest basketball secret I hold in my heart is that I kind of love watching playoff games at MSG because it’s fun watching that crowd go insane and the arena is so old school and all the celebrities, etc. It’s very fun! The concept of our sweet boys rolling into that cauldron as the enemy sort of hurts my heart. Please allow me like 10 more minutes to grieve before I put my game face back on.
Have you inquired yet about getting a press pass for the Finals?
No, look, as much as I think it’d be swell to go cover these in person, I think it would go against the integrity of what I do here to actually be in the building for one of these.
You think so?
Yeah, I mean, what I do here is raw. Right? Like, this is pure, uncut fandom over here. I’m not out there hobnobbing with the big shots on media row acting like some capital J journalist. I’m over here getting real. I’m writing notes on the back of a Moana coloring book with a red crayon about disliking Chet Holmgren’s face. I’m spinning up charming anecdotes about my dogs perking up whenever they see Carter Bryant on screen because “Real recognizes Real.” Plus, I think if I ever saw Tim Bontemps in person I’d need to be escorted out by security.
So, on the record, if you were offered a press pass to one of these finals games, you would politely decline?
Hello?
It’s gone quiet on your end, everything ok?
Hi, sorry, the connection got choppy, didn’t hear that last question.
You would turn down a press pass and a chance to cover the Finals in person?
Look, pal, you’re breaking up, let’s pick this up later, GO SPURS GO!
If at any point between, let’s say, March 6 and April 26, you had asked us to forecast what the summer of 2026 might look like for the Boston Celtics, we might have suggested a rather quiet offseason could be looming.
From the moment Jayson Tatum returned to parquet in early March until the night Boston took a 3-1 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers, even the immediate future felt limitless. Drunk on Green Kool-Aid from an expectation-shattering regular season, we wondered out loud about Boston’s title chances this year, especially given Tatum’s absurd recovery, Jaylen Brown’s MVP-caliber season and the internal development of young talent thrust into bigger roles.
Then the Sixers won three straight games. Boston got bounced in Round 1. If that alone didn’t kill our buzz, watching the Knicks rip off 11 straight wins while Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs arrived at the Finals waaaaaaay ahead of schedule sure did.
The playoffs have a way of thrusting teams into a harsher spotlight. And in the span of just 10 bad quarters, it became fair to wonder if more drastic measures are needed to get Boston back on the level of the league’s elite.
While we believe all options should be on the table for the Celtics this offseason, is there still a case for a quieter summer? For Part 1 of our annual “The Path” series, we’re examining an offseason where the Celtics don’t overreact to an early playoff demise and how that might give the team the best long-term chance to get back to the title stage.
That doesn’t mean punting on the 2026-27 campaign. What it means is banking heavily on the idea that the experience the Celtics gained this past season — combined with some upgrades at key spots — might be enough to position Boston as an East favorite without having to shake up the core. A chance to be a bit more aggressive with roster upgrades would loom next summer.
So what might a small-tweak summer look like? Let’s break it down:
Mission statement
Commit to bringing back the entire core of the 2025-26 team while hunting upgrades at key spots.
The Celtics could utilize exceptions to add talent, potentially scaling above the luxury tax line to start the season, but with an expectation that they would evaluate the roster in advance of February’s NBA trade deadline and dip back below the tax at that point in order to reset repeater penalties.
The path
The small-tweak summer leaves the Celtics banking that …
A healthier Tatum, further removed from the Achilles injury that sidelined him for the first 62 games of the 2025-26 season, will reemerge as an MVP candidate, particularly given the strong numbers he posted throughout his return.
Brown, fresh off a Top-six finish in MVP voting, will rebuild his chemistry with Tatum, combining to provide maybe the best 1-2 punch in the NBA if both are willing to sacrifice in small ways for the betterment of the team as a whole.
Soon-to-be 32-year-old Derrick White shakes off this season’s shooting woes and finds the offensive consistency to match his sustained defensive dominance.
Neemias Queta, hindered by foul trouble throughout Boston’s first-round fumble, finds motivation to make yet another leap and continues to be an analytical darling as one of the top bigs on this team.
Payton Pritchard, before he puts pen to paper on a lucrative three-year contract extension, pledges again to embrace whatever role the Celtics need to be the best version of themselves.
Boston identifies the young players it plans to lean heaviest into from the group of Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr., and ensures consistent playing time to further accelerate their development.
From there, the Celtics would make a series of moves. Our wish list would include:
1. Sign center Robert Williams III utilizing the $15.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception.
Williams III played in 59 games last season, even as Portland delicately managed his minutes. He showed well in the postseason, even while jousting with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in the first round.
The combo of Queta and Williams III gives you a legitimate 1-2 punch at the center spot with Luka Garza there to eat up leftover minutes.
2. Trade up in the 2026 NBA Draft to select Santa Clara forward Allen Graves.
Utilize available assets to navigate the draft board with the goal of adding Allen Graves with a first-round pick and home-growing the next power forward on your roster.
We were already intrigued by the Draymond Green comps, then Graves said he’s been crushing tape of Naz Reid and Al Horford. Wow we’re sold this is the guy for Boston.
3. Consider high-upside trades utilizing a portion of the Anfernee Simons traded player exception.
The Celtics likely would be hard-capped at the first apron if they use the non-taxpayer MLE and can’t spend too richly if that is utilized. But they should be ambitious hunting a big guard or an established power forward to beef up the roster.
We’re calling Orlando to check on Wendell Carter Jr. given the Magic’s bloated cap sheet (though that would likely mean sitting out a full midlevel splurge). Can you tempt Detroit with some shooting in a quest to trade for Isaiah Stewart?
Instead of introducing elevated risk by moving on from championship-proven pieces, the Celtics give this core a chance to see what’s possible with a healthier Tatum and kick bolder decisions further down the road.
If it’s clear the Celtics remain a tier below the league’s elite, there are pathways to start a transition before February’s trade deadline. Regardless of how it plays out, the Celtics are well positioned in the aftermath to make some far bolder swings in the summer of 2027.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 23: Marjon Beauchamp #16 of the Philadelphia 76ers arrives to the arena before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 23, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
MarJon Beauchamp was the last player the Sixers acquired before the 2025-26 season began. After the final preseason game, the team waived Emoni Bates and signed Beauchamp to an Exhibit 10 contract.
He spent the majority of the season in the G League playing for the Delaware Blue Coats. In 19 games for the Coats he averaged 25.2 points shooting 47% from the field and 35% from three-point range.
The Sixers rewarded his strong play there, cutting undrafted free agent Hunter Sallis to give Beauchamp their final two-way roster spot. Beauchamp wouldn’t appear in a game for the Sixers until Feb. 9, helping fill in on a night the team was decimated by injuries, illnesses, suspensions and the trade deadline.
His appearances continued to be sporadic, but he shot it well in the time he was given. In the first nine games Beauchamp appeared for the Sixers, he shot 49% from the field and 38% from three.
That was good enough to earn a start, albeit in a game the Sixers were so injured they were basically punting it to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Beauchamp went 5-of-18 from the floor in his 31 minutes against the defending champs. He would only appear in garbage time the rest of the season as the Sixers’ wings got healthy to end the campaign.
It’s a shame Beauchamp’s production came when the team was so depleted. Not that it would have led to any huge impact, but the random 3-of-4 three-point nights he had can swing a regular season game. It’s just the type of fun, random end-of-bench production the Sixers haven’t had since… Corey Brewer?
Of course, there’s a reason those were the only times Beauchamp got the opportunity. His struggles to translate his success in the G League to meaningful minutes is catapulting him towards “4A player” territory.
That type of 4A player, one that does have the ability to hit some shots on any given night, is a pretty good use of a two-way contract. Unfortunately for Beauchamp, he is running out of two-way eligibility; only players with four years of experience or less can be signed to them. If he’s able to find a team next season, it would be his fifth year in the league.
Beauchamp’s fate looks destined to be lighting up the G-League or somewhere in Europe. As a wing-sized player who possesses at the very least, the idea of a jump shot, that could be enough for someone to take another flyer on him.
The NBA Couldn’t Have Asked for Better Finals Than Knicks-Spurs
Wemby's coming-out party. New York's lightning-in-a-bottle opportunity. Spurs-Knicks is the NBA Finals the league needed, and why the Knicks have to win it.
The NBA couldn't have drawn this up better if it tried.
On one side, you have the New York Knicks, a franchise that hasn't won a championship since 1973, that spent the better part of two decades being the punchline of the league, and that is somehow, improbably, four wins away from ending one of the longest droughts in North American professional sports. On the other, you have the San Antonio Spurs, a team that won just 34 games last season and hasn't exceeded that mark since 2018, that wasn't supposed to be here for another two or three years, and that is being carried to the NBA Finals on the back of a 22-year-old alien from France who just won the Western Conference Finals MVP.
Spurs vs. Knicks. The NBA Finals tip off Wednesday night. And full stop: This is the best possible outcome for the league. And it's not even close.
Let's start with Victor Wembanyama, because, well, you have to. In seven games against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, he averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.7 blocks. He helped keep two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander mostly in check throughout the series, and then went on the road for Game 7 and delivered 22 points and seven rebounds to close it out. When it was over, he was in tears. This is his coming-out party, not just for the casual fan, but for the world. The numbers have always been there. The moments are arriving right on schedule.
Here's the thing about Wembanyama that gets lost in the highlight reel. This isn't a flash in the pan. He's 22 years old, in just his third season, and he just led a franchise that missed the playoffs for six straight years all the way to the NBA Finals. The Spurs are going to be here again. And again after that. The dynasty machinery in San Antonio — the culture, the coaching, the front office discipline — doesn't go away just because Tim Duncan retired. It went dormant; Wembanyama just woke it back up. The rest of the league has a decade-long problem on its hands, and most of them are just starting to realize it.
Which is exactly why, if you're thinking about what's best for the NBA, the Knicks need to win this series.
That's not a popular opinion in many markets. But it's the right one. The Spurs will be back. Wembanyama will have his moment, probably multiple moments, a dynasty's worth of them. He doesn't need this particular trophy to cement what he already is. The window for what's happening in New York right now is a different conversation entirely.
The Knicks are seeking their first championship in 53 years. Madison Square Garden hasn't hosted a Finals game since 1999. Jalen Brunson took a $113 million pay cut to build this team. Karl-Anthony Towns was traded here and immediately bought in after coming home. OG Anunoby had every reason to test the market and chose to stay. Mikal Bridges absorbed every criticism thrown at him and is now playing some of the best basketball of his life when it matters most. This roster was assembled with intention, with sacrifice, and with a belief that this window was worth betting everything on.
The #Knicks starting-5 earned $81M more than the #Spurs starting-5 this past season.
Average Starter Age NYK: 29.5 SAS: 24.0
How They Got Here NYK: 1 Free Agent, 4 Trades SAS: 3 Draft, 1 Waiver, 1 Trade pic.twitter.com/GnJYSe2fvs
And while the window is real, windows close. Brunson turns 30 next year and is due for an extension in 2028 after giving the Knicks a massive discount in 2024. KAT's contract also gets complicated with a $61 million-plus player option set for 2027-28. The picks are spent. The margins get tighter. This specific version of this specific team, riding this specific momentum, in this specific city that has been starving for this moment for half a century; this doesn't come back around on demand.
That's what makes this matchup so perfect and so urgent at the same time. The Spurs losing this series costs them nothing in the long run. They just knocked out the defending champions in seven games with a roster full of guys who are 22 years old. They have Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper (who has looked like an absolute future star in this league in his first playoffs as a rookie), and Devin Vassell all locked in together for the foreseeable future. San Antonio is going to be a problem for a long time. One Finals loss doesn't change that math at all.
But for New York? This is lightning in a bottle. The kind of run that a city talks about forever -- win or lose -- but that means something entirely different if it ends with a parade down the Canyon of Heroes. You can feel it in the way the city has leaned into this. The Knicks haven't just won games in this playoff run; they've won back a fanbase that had genuinely given up. Brunson hit a game-winner against Detroit. They swept Cleveland. Brunson won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. The narrative is writing itself. The only question is whether it gets the ending it deserves.
And just to illustrate the point further, imagine if the Thunder had won Game 7 instead. Oklahoma City is a great basketball city. Gilgeous-Alexander is a legitimate superstar. But the rest of the world has already made up its mind about the Thunder. They were the favorites all year. They won the championship last season. A repeat run was the expected outcome, not the compelling one. Nobody outside of Oklahoma wants to watch the predetermined winner collect another trophy, and that fatigue was real heading into Game 7. The Spurs saved the league from that storyline. Now it's on the Knicks to finish the job.
That's what New York brings to this that nobody else can. The MSG effect is real, and it is measurable. When the Knicks are relevant, the entire sports conversation shifts. Every national broadcast becomes an event. Every highlight gets three times the engagement. Every casual fan who grew up watching the league in the '90s -- when the Knicks were appointment television -- suddenly has a reason to tune back in.
And then there's the room itself. Spike Lee in his courtside seat. Timothée Chalamet losing his mind on every big shot. Ben Stiller on his feet in the fourth quarter. The Garden celebrity row during a playoff run is its own cultural moment, the kind of organic star power that no other arena in the country can replicate. The Knicks are seeking their first championship in over half a century, and that storyline alone is worth more to the NBA's bottom line than almost anything else the league could put on the floor.
The sport needs New York the way Broadway needs an audience. When the Garden is loud, everybody's watching.
The NBA has spent years searching for its next great story. It found two of them at the same time. A generational talent arriving on the biggest stage for the first time, and a city that has waited longer than most fanbases can even comprehend. One of them is going to win, and one of them is going to go home. The Spurs will get their moment. They have all the time in the world.
After 27 years, the Knicks are back in the NBA Finals, with a real shot to win a championship for the first time in 53 years.
Standing in New York’s way are the 62-20 San Antonio Spurs and 7-foot-4 superstar Victor Wembanyama. Both teams have some familiarity with each other, as the Knicks defeated the Spurs in the NBA Cup championship game in December.
The Spurs are coming off a highly competitive seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. New York has cruised through much of the playoffs, entering the Finals with an 11-game winning streak.
As we’ve seen in the NBA, these opportunities don’t happen often. Last year’s NBA finalists, the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, did not repeat, continuing a recent trend of teams unable to get back to the finals. That adds more pressure for the Knicks and Spurs to make the most of the moment.
Let’s dive into three keys to the NBA Finals opener on Wednesday night in San Antonio...
Forcing turnovers
The Spurs are a young team, and from time to time, that youth shows up in the form of turnovers. One of San Antonio's weaknesses exposed during the Conference Finals was a tendency to cough up the rock. The Spurs had at least 15 turnovers in four of the seven games played against the Thunder. In the postseason, the Spurs have a turnover rate of 15.2 percent, which is ranked 11th out of 16 playoff teams.
Specifically, Spurs guard Stephon Castle had some shaky moments, recording 11, nine, and six turnovers in three different games against the Thunder.
Forcing miscues from San Antonio will also help New York’s offense, since the Knicks can create transition scoring opportunities. New York thrived in the Conference Finals, scoring on misses and makes against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the postseason, New York is averaging 1.32 points per possession on transition opportunities, per NBA Stats, the No. 1 scoring rate among all playoff teams. That would put less pressure on having to consistently create great looks in the halfcourt.
Paint touches
There’s no better rim protector in the NBA than Wembanyama. He led the NBA in blocks per game during the regular season and is tops in the category during the postseason.
But the most meaningful indicator of Wembanyama’s impact is how little teams attack the paint when facing the Spurs. In the first two playoff rounds, 41.4 percent of the Thunder’s points were scored in the paint, per NBA Stats. That number dipped to 34.9 percent against San Antonio, which would be last in the NBA during the regular season.
New York has relied heavily on attacking the paint in the playoffs, with 44.4 percent of its points coming near the basket, fourth among all playoff teams.
Wembanyama and the Spurs will look to limit the interior scoring opportunities, with him defending Josh Hart for much of this series and lurking on the backline to disrupt any drives. Jalen Brunson's ability to pull up from three and midrange is valuable in a series like this.
Can the Knicks pull the 7-footer away from the basket? There’s some possible solutions, such as using Hart as a screener more often, or going to five-out lineups with Landry Shamet or Miles McBride in Hart’s place.
Paint points in the halfcourt will be a challenge the Knicks have to figure out.
Going to Towns
With Wembanyama expected to be guarding Hart, San Antonio will have a smaller defender on Karl-Anthony Towns for a lot of this series. In New York’s most recent game against the Spurs in early March, Castle defended Towns at the start of the game, and other defenders like Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson checked the big man.
Towns doesn’t have to score relentlessly like he has in the past. During this playoff run, he’s averaging a modest 16.9 points, the second-lowest scoring numbers of his career. Some of that can be attributed to the high number of blowouts where the Knicks have been able to rest their starters. But Towns has also become more of a distributor, averaging 5.9 assists in 14 playoff contests.
A second-year pro, Castle is a great defender, but he’s listed at 6-foot-6. Towns should be able to find windows to make plays both for himself and his teammates. His scoring, playmaking, and offensive rebounding will be important in this series.
“Winning the Larry O’Brien is a childhood dream and having a real shot at it, having a chance, a tangible chance at winning it, realizing a dream, it’s a lifetime chance,” Wembanyama said to the NBC crew at the end of Game 7 against the OKC Thunder.
“You never know what’s going to happen again. The day we win it, it’s going to be an amazing day of realization of a dream. It’s almost like the meaning of my life.”
For the past 3 years I have watched almost all Victor Wembanyama’s games in a Spurs uniform. For the most part, and despite the gravity of last year’s DVT, a possibly career-ending condition, Victor’s ascension has matched my wildest dreams. I started to watch his games when he was just 15 and got a silver medal at the U16 Euro Championship with France. This was the beginning of a trend resembling a curse… “the eternal second”. Silver at U16 Euro, silver at U19 Worlds, silver at Paris 2024 Olympics.
A curse?
In French sports lore, Raymond Poulidor, “The Cycling Legend Who Never Won” was also called the “Eternal Second”. Over a 17-year career, he finished on the podium of the Tour de France an incredible eight times, yet he never once wore the coveted yellow jersey. Despite missing the top step at the Tour, he was a great champion with 189 professional wins, but so often finishing second in major races.
French racing cyclist Raymond Poulidor during the 1963 Tour de France. (Photo by Roger Viollet via Getty Images) | Roger Viollet via Getty Images
Internally I started to develop a superstition, a fear, that Victor could become the next Poulidor.
This season a shift happened. Despite his calf injury in November, Victor’s ascension started to accelerate. My pre-season predictions for this team, a play-in at worst, and a 6th seed in the stacked West at best, were blown apart entirely by the team’s run starting February 1st. But superstition is a hard thing to shake. With Vic’s obvious rise, I was tempted to write my thoughts, share some basketball analytics with Pounding The Rock, but I was also scared I would be wrong, that I was counting my chickens before they had hatched. So, I kept my thoughts for myself.
Pilgrimage to the Alamo
In February, I finally made the trip to San Antonio. Almost a “childhood dream” of mine. My first time in Texas. I absolutely loved the vibrancy of the city and its people. I was there for the 2026 Western Heritage Parade & Cattle Drive, watching in awe longhorn bulls ridden by local cowboys and cowgirls in San Antonio streets, singing along both TexMex-inspired music and the Scottish marching band.
That morning, up early due to the jetlag, I also enjoyed a beautiful wander by the River Walk, all by myself, under a winter blue sky. Finally, 2 hours before tip-off, I made my way to the Frost Bank Center, checking numerous times that the ticket I had bought online 5 months before was still in my Ticketmaster app, that it wasn’t a scam and pinching myself that I would, finally, see the Championships banners hanging up in the rafters, see the Spurs homecourt, the Spurs players and Victor Wembanyama.
As I arrived early, I was almost first in line for the security check, and made my way to the main glass doors, upfront, where I could see the Spurs dancing squad warming up and rehearsing. When the doors finally opened, I made my way to section 101, row 9, and the seat closest to the tunnel!
Some players were on the court doing shooting drills with their respective trainer. DeAaron Fox was very impressive from the 3-point line, so fluid. Then Devin Vassell walked just past me, emerging from the tunnel, on his way to the Spurs bench. He is so much thinner in real life than I expected. His muscles are super lean, and he walks with a mix of regal demeanor and nonchalance. Quite the combination!
Finally, Vic arrived and started shooting free throws, a mere 10 meters from me, towering everything around him. Felix Wembanyama arrived too and sat courtside opposite to the bench players.
This was the second game against the Mavs in 2 days. The Spurs had won in Dallas where both Vic and Cooper were sensational. Although this time was not Cooper Flagg’s best game, I was nonetheless impressed. Very competitive, fluid, good handles and a much better shooting stroke, especially from 3, than I anticipated.
The star of the night, though, was our very “Stephan WOW Castle”, to qu0te Floyd. A 40-12-12 triple-double masterpiece. You had to be there to feel his energy. His will power. Absolutely incredible. The whole crowd was just pumped up, feeding off Steph’s energy.
Close Encounter Of The Third Kind – Wemby the Alien
During the game, Vic went to one of the gym bikes under the tunnel to keep warm, with Guillaume Alquier by his side. We exchanged a couple of words, in French, but he quickly stopped there and just smiled back, clenched his fist in appreciation of my mentioning of Nanterre, his youth club, but that was it. Vic is Vic. Always 100% focused during a game.
The San Antonio Spurs legacy
After the game, I went back to Downtown San Antonio, enjoyed a nighttime River Walk perambulation. The atmosphere was just so friendly. I was just on cloud nine.
Visiting San Antonio, attending a Spurs game had been a dream of mine for almost 30 years, since Timmy was drafted to play alongside my favorite – at the time – player, David Robinson. Growing up, I had posters of the Admiral covering the wall above my bed. Since then, French players had started to play for the Spurs: Tony Parker, Ian Mahinmi, Nando De Colo (all selected via draft picks) and of course Boris Diaw… making my passion for the Spurs even stronger, more personal.
But nothing compares to what was coming. In my wildest dreams, I wanted Victor Wembanyama to join the Spurs. The 16th of May 2023, I was in a meeting, with my cellphone next to me, waiting for the results of the lottery. First. Pick. San. Antonio. Spurs.
I knew then and there. I would have to visit San Antonio. Victor Wembanyama was about to join the best organization possible, not only on paper, but for him, as he is unique and needs to be free to grow and maximize his potential.
The 2026 NBA Finals
It took only 3 years… And to quote Vic again “You never know what’s going to happen again. The day we win it, it’s going to be an amazing day of realization of a dream. It’s almost like the meaning of my life.”
And for me, I had to make it happen. I had to visit San Antonio. That’s how you make your dreams come true. You control what is in your control. I planned it, saved some money, and did it.
And these young Spurs, they are going to the 2026 NBA Finals knowing that “You never know what’s going to happen again”, thus you never squander an opportunity in front of you.
I can now go back to my analytics, thinking about every match ups the Finals have to offer.
Vic and the Spurs have won the Western Conference Finals, he is the WCF MVP.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Morgan Givens/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2026 NBA Finals are set, and in their first return in 27 years, the Knicks seek to get revenge for their last appearance, a five-game loss in 1999 to the San Antonio Spurs. It won’t be the walk in the park the Eastern Conference was, so let’s break down the strategies and adjustments we’re likely to see and predict this year’s eventual champions.
Any series including San Antonio will center around the team's defense, and especially its anchor and star, Victor Wembanyama. The third-year player is living up to the most optimistic fans’ hype, leading his team to the Finals behind 23.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 4.4 stocks per game.
It’s his presence in the paint that fundamentally changes how teams approach their offense. Players are either too timid to attack the rim around his otherworldly length, or they test it to mixed results, with Wembanyama sometimes even baiting guys by pretending to not see a driver before quickly turning and swatting the ball into the eighth row.
New York has a built-in advantage with its ability to spread the floor with five shooters, but the Spurs will challenge that early by letting Wembanyama hover off Josh Hart. The Knicks have had to switch lineups or hope Hart connects on threes to punish this adjustment, and they’ll have to again.
Until then, Karl-Anthony Towns’ pinch-post creation and flex-action fun won’t be so effective. He’ll get lots of one-on-one opportunities and similar looks he got against Cleveland, and will have to take advantage that way.
Of course, Jalen Brunson will be pivotal as the Knicks' captain and leader of their offense. His ability to kill teams from the mid-range and pulling up from three will need to be leveraged specifically against Wembanyama, so he has to actively work and cover ground vs. wait in the paint.
Drop conservatively and Brunson can hurt you with his jumper, play more aggressive coverage and the Spurs get in rotation, Wembanyama gets fatigued. Expect lots of switching and random traps when Wembanyama isn’t guarding the action directly.
The good news is Brunson will get opportunities to matchup hunt. San Antonio is stocked with positive defenders, but few perimeter standouts and some real targets for Brunson.
De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Julian Champagnie and Carter Bryant will be tested in isolation. Stephon Castle likely gets the initial matchup and is the best defender Brunson’s had to face since Dyson Daniels, so how he fares will be crucial, especially if Wembanyama’s mucking up the off-ball stuff.
Mar 1, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts during the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The other big edge for New York here is its wings. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby outsize and out-talent San Antonio’s swingmen, each recording a 25+ point game against them this season, and both are playing exceptional offensive ball these Playoffs, so the Knicks will need them to aggressively attack mismatches and the paint.
One concern for the Knicks is getting enough out of their bench. The Spurs aren’t especially deep with their current rotation, but do boast the Sixth Man of the Year plus the explosive Harper.
Meanwhile, New York’s bench was quietly comatose for much of the Cleveland and Philadelphia series outside of Landry Shamet. The Knicks will need big performances out of him, Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson (who appears to be playing through a broken pinky) to take advantage of the non-Wembanyama minutes.
Surprisingly the Spurs haven’t been dominant on either side of the glass this postseason, opening the door for the Knicks to win extra possessions here, especially from their wings and guards. Both teams are pretty careful with the ball, so the first to get sloppy with it will be fighting an uphill battle.
It’s not a big edge to bank on, but the Knicks should have the experience and fatigue factors in their corner here. San Antonio has played a couple full-length, physical series now while New York’s coasted, and frankly carried a “do or die” business-only attitude while the young Spurs look genuinely thrilled just to be here.
But those don’t impact the court like the actual basketball does, and San Antonio will need a strong plan of attack for its offense against this stifling New York playoff defense. The Spurs want to get Wembanyama going in the paint to open up their three-point shooters, and the Knicks will try to shut them down like they did their previous postseason foes.
It’s possible Anunoby gets the start on Wembanyama to try to make post positioning difficult, and put Towns on Castle so he can roam and clog the paint. Options to “hide” Brunson are scant, so it’ll likely be Champagnie or Castle if the Hart treatment isn’t working.
Bridges and Hart will likely get the Fox and Devin Vassell assignments. Bridges has been instrumental in shutting down opposing guard play, so if he can cut off many of Fox’s and Harper’s pick-and-rolls it would do wonders to muck up the Spurs offense.
The Knicks can win the series on this end by continually getting stops and getting out in transition, not allowing the Spurs defense to ever get set or get a rhythm. They’ve played with terrific pace thus far, but their opponent likes to go up-and-down too, so it may not be a big advantage like in past series.
Towns and Robinson will get their one-on-one opportunities to guard Wemby and will have to step up. He’s shown he can get muscled out of comfortable positions, but other guys have stepped up, so it will need to be a top-to-bottom effort.
All of San Antonio’s guards have strong creation ability and the shooters to space the floor for them, so they’ll need to be guarded closely and run off the line. They’re also incredibly effective at getting out in transition, so New York will need to control the ball, crash the offensive boards and, most importantly, convert its shots to avoid this.
The last two Spurs series were grind-it-out defensive battles, and this Finals falling into that pattern could be beneficial to them. But it’s hard to shake the feeling the Knicks will have a better chance as the series goes to six and seven games. It’s possible this all comes down to 2-3 close games, but San Antonio’s only 1-3 these playoffs in crunch time, though New York hasn’t had many convincing reps either.
After three grueling rounds, there isn’t much left to discover about either of these teams. We know what they want to do, we know the counters they might employ, we just don't know the ultimate result.
Given a day to reflect on how a potential repeat NBA championship got away, league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was still feeling the pain of a Game 7 loss.
"I failed at my goal," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "I didn't achieve what I wanted to achieve. But I learn the most about myself and make the greatest amount of increases in my career when I fail and don't get what I want. I look at this no different."
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: “It was a failure. I failed at my goal. I didn't achieve what I wanted to achieve. But through those experiences, I learn the most about myself and make the greatest amount of increases in my career when I fail." pic.twitter.com/xoKTiavlei
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points in the season-ending defeat, but the Spurs' defense on him was a key factor in his reduced efficiency in the series. His scoring average and shooting percentages in the series were considerably lower than they were in the regular season, when he won his second consecutive MVP award.
The Thunder, however, weren't completely at full strength during the series. Second-leading scorer Jalen Williams reinjured his hamstring in Game 2 and was limited to just 54 minutes the entire series. And semifinal round star Ajay Mitchell suffered a calf strain in Game 3 that ended his season.
Those losses, combined with the imposing presence of Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, made things much more difficult for SGA and the Thunder to return to the Finals.
"I didn't get where I wanted to go this season. There's a reason for that," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Now I have to look at that reason and try to make sure it never happens again."
