The New York Knicks, for the first time since 1973, are NBA champions. Their victory represents something unique in the modern NBA. They are the first team since Isiah Thomas and the 1990 Detroit Pistons to be led by an undersized, physical guard all the way to a championship. Sure, you can point to Steph Curry as the best player on the Golden State Warriors dynasty. But Curry doesn’t occupy the same space as Jalen Brunson. And once Kevin Durant arrived in Golden State, much of the burden was lifted from Curry’s shoulders for two of those four championships.
Brunson is different. He is the exception to the rule. Historically, smaller players struggle to withstand the physical toll of four consecutive playoff rounds. I think of how Chris Paul broke down in 2021 and am reminded that’s one of the reasons teams built around undersized guards rarely end up holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of the season. Yet that’s exactly what Brunson and the Knicks accomplished.
The NBA has always been a copycat league. Whenever a team wins a championship, the natural reaction is to point to that team and declare it the blueprint. Front offices study it. Fans debate it. Media members write about it. Everyone searches for the secret formula.
What I find fascinating about the Knicks’ title run is that it serves as another reminder that there is no singular blueprint. In fact, this is now the third consecutive season in which the league’s perceived North Star has changed. Three years ago, the focus was on one model. Then another champion emerged and shifted the conversation. Now the Knicks have done it again.
Three seasons ago, the Boston Celtics hoisted the trophy in 2024. Their recipe for success was straightforward. Build from within around two elite wings in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, then supplement that core through the trade market. They added Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday, creating a roster that was deep, versatile, and built to complement its stars. They also leaned heavily into modern basketball. The Celtics attempted more three-pointers per game than any team in the league while finishing second in three-point percentage. They combined elite shooting with elite roster construction and rode that formula to a championship.
The following season, the Oklahoma City Thunder won the title. Their path looked completely different. Yes, they benefited from acquiring Shai Gilgeous Alexander in the Paul George trade, and yes, he developed into an MVP-caliber player. But Oklahoma City’s blueprint centered on drafting and development. They identified Shai as their cornerstone, then strategically surrounded him with players and archetypes that complemented his skill set while creating one of the most disruptive defenses in basketball.
Then came this season and the New York Knicks. Their roster was assembled through a completely different process. Jalen Brunson arrived via free agency, but much of the roster around him was built through trades. Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart all arrived through deals that required New York to part with significant assets.
In many ways, the Knicks are an example of what the Suns attempted to become in 2023. Phoenix pushed its chips to the center of the table, sacrificing future assets in pursuit of a championship. The Knicks did the same thing. The difference is that New York found the right combination of players, chemistry, timing, and health to make it work.
That’s the lesson. Many teams attempt to build a champion through aggressive trades. Very few actually pull it off. This time, the Knicks did.
All of this is a reminder that there is no singular blueprint for building a champion in the NBA. This isn’t the NFL, where a dominant running game and consistent defense can dramatically raise your ceiling. This isn’t Major League Baseball, where the absence of a salary cap allows teams to backload contracts, stockpile talent, and overwhelm opponents with financial muscle.
The NBA is different. It’s restrictive. It’s unforgiving. And it requires an incredible amount of precision to build a contender, let alone a champion. What the last three seasons have shown us is that there are multiple paths to the top of the mountain. Boston built around homegrown stars and supplemented them through trades. Oklahoma City built through patience, drafting, and development. New York aggressively utilized the trade market and surrounded its star with complementary pieces that fit.
Different paths. Same destination. So, how does this relate to the Phoenix Suns?
Well, the Suns are operating with a $23.2 million anvil tied to their ankle in the form of dead cap money. Every decision they make is impacted by it. Every move they consider has to be weighed against it. It limits flexibility, limits options, and limits margin for error. If Phoenix were somehow able to navigate those challenges and win a championship during this era, it might be the most impressive accomplishment of all the examples we’ve discussed.
But that’s also why there should be hope. The last three champions have reminded us that there isn’t only one way to build a winner. There isn’t a universal formula that guarantees success. Every organization has different circumstances, different strengths, and different obstacles. The challenge is identifying who you are, committing to a direction, and executing it better than everyone else. That’s the task in front of the Phoenix Suns. And while the road ahead is difficult, recent NBA history reminds us that difficult doesn’t mean impossible.
Read the full article here