On Chasing History presented by Michelob ULTRA, the Knicks roll and land a spot in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years.
When it came time to choose an architect for the New York Knicks, team owner James Dolan searched on a path barely traveled. So let’s start there to examine the hows and the whys about the smart makeup of this team, which has captured the attention and affection of the Big Apple.
In the past, the Knicks’ owner tabbed executives, former players and even a Hall of Fame coach – Phil Jackson – to steer the Knicks. Those choices never received the intended results. This time, he went with a former power agent who, like Jackson, brought no front office experience to the position of general manager.
But Leon Rose – who once repped LeBron James and Allen Iverson, among others – had the moxie for the job. He came as a sharp negotiator, knew the turf, had relationships with general managers and, as an agent, had obvious knowledge of players.
As it turned out, Rose was the right person, exactly the type Dolan craved to build a championship contender. The Knicks stand four wins away from sipping champagne for the first time under the Dolan family ownership.
Since taking the job in 2020, Rose has made a few gambles and made some moves that were under the radar at the time, and also got lucky – as successful GMs tend to do – because his biggest acquisition happened to be the son of a Knicks assistant coach. All told, a savvy performance, based on the result.
In fact, none of the top players in the Knicks’ rotation were first-round picks by the Knicks, and only Mitchell Robinson (second round, 2018) was drafted by New York.
Here’s how the 2026 Eastern Conference champions were built:
Jalen Brunson
Re-live the best plays from Jalen Brunson in the Eastern Conference Finals, as the Knicks swept the Cavaliers in four games.
Acquired: Via free agency in 2022
The backstory: The crown jewel of the Rose rebuilding project, Brunson has exceeded NBA expectations since arriving as a second-round pick. Not long after drafting him, the Dallas Mavericks figured they had added backcourt insurance for Luka Dončić at best.
Then, after Dončić missed games with injury, Brunson stepped in and looked more than comfortable as the lead guard. When Dončić returned, the Mavericks often went with a two-point-guard attack. The Mavericks never handed Brunson a big contract when they had their window, and this decision seemed reasonable at the time. Brunson hadn’t fully proven himself as a star (far more forgivable than Dallas allowing eventual two-time Kia MVP Steve Nash to walk as a free agent in 2004). Once he approached the final season on his contract, however, Dallas had no shot at keeping him — not with his father, Rick, sitting on the Knicks’ bench as an assistant coach. Even better for the Knicks, Brunson agreed to a below-market contract extension, allowing the club to extend others.
Karl-Anthony Towns
Acquired: Via three-team trade with Timberwolves in 2024
The backstory: Julius Randle was a scoring big who made All-NBA teams in 2022-23 and 2020-21, helping the Knicks travel deeper in the playoffs than they had in years. That said, he wasn’t as big as Towns or a better all-around scorer than the self-proclaimed “best shooting center of all time.” Besides, Randle was often reckless — especially with his ball-handling — he wasn’t a fan favorite and the Knicks felt Brunson would work better with Towns.
The Timberwolves loved Towns, but after giving him a $224 million contract extension, they flirted with potential cap issues and limited future roster options. The deal was made just before the 2024-25 season began and, since then, Towns made the All-Star team each season and was All-NBA in 2024-25. His passing has been a difference-maker on this postseason run.
OG Anunoby
Acquired: Via trade with Raptors in 2023
The backstory: This was Rose’s second-biggest trade after Towns and perhaps the toughest to make. Anunoby helped the Raptors win a championship in 2019, and even though Toronto wanted to shake up the roster a few years later, he would be expensive. Rose did so anyway, sending RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a second-rounder for Anunoby and the since-departed Malachi Flynn and Precious Achiuwa.
The reasoning? Anunoby’s defense was necessary and the Knicks knew they needed someone who could guard Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Celtics. Anunoby could also score in the paint and occasionally drop a timely 3-pointer. This trade, in retrospect, has worked wonderfully for the Knicks.
Mikal Bridges
Acquired: Via trade with Nets in 2024
The backstory: Until the last few weeks, this loomed as the biggest and most questionable dice roll by Rose. Anxious to add another good defensive wingman who could guard multiple positions and shoot with range, Rose sent five first-round picks and a swap to the Nets two years ago for Bridges.
Initially, it seemed like a reasonable bet: Bridges, long and athletic, helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals in 2021. Now, he was reunited with his Villanova teammates Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart, which made for a sweet story (the “‘Nova Knicks”). But he struggled, sometimes mightily, once joining the Knicks and was temporarily benched last month in the first round against the Hawks. Since then, the grumbling has been all but silenced as Bridges was tremendous in the conference finals. He has seemingly regained his shooting confidence in the nick of time.
Josh Hart
Acquired: Via trade with Blazers in 2023
The backstory: Three teams (the Lakers, Pelicans and Trail Blazers) bailed on Hart before he found a home with the Knicks. Acquiring him cost the Knicks three role players and Draft considerations, but it wasn’t a difficult call because Hart was viewed as a good reserve guard with a limited ceiling. Rose saw a tenacious player and the missing ingredient, a player every championship contender needed. Hart brought energy, refused to be intimidated by the moment, was tough and is a leader. Hart has been all of that and more and his teammates and coaches love him. His outside shooting is spotty, but Hart makes plays and is hard to keep on the bench.
Miles McBride
Acquired: Via Draft-night trade with Thunder in 2021
The backstory: This was one of Rose’s early moves and curiously done at the expense of Oklahoma City; the Thunder drafted McBride in the second round and swapped him on draft day for essentially nothing. He has been a helpful change-of-pace guard who in 2025-26 enjoyed his best season (though injury-interrupted) with solid 3-point shooting (41%) which endeared him to Knicks fans. He made Quickley expendable in the OG trade.
Mitchell Robinson
Acquired: Via No. 36 pick in 2018 Draft
The backstory: The longest-tenured Knick had a strange pre-NBA journey. He never played a minute of college basketball after leaving — and then returning — to Western Kentucky. After declaring for the Draft, he skipped the combine. That’s partly why he tumbled to No. 36 in the 2018 Draft. He has a limited basketball background (he didn’t begin playing until the eighth grade), which made Robinson raw and short on basketball savvy … but plenty athletic. Fast-forward to now and he is a valuable defender and rebounder as a backup center.
Landry Shamet
Acquired: Signed as free agent in 2024
The backstory: Waived by the Wizards two summers ago — and signed over Ben Simmons by the Knicks — he might be the best player, on a per-cost basis, on the Knicks after Brunson. That’s because Shamet, at $3 million, brings some much-needed shooting range. He was tremendous in the East Finals (shooting 11-for-12 on 3-pointers) to help New York sweep Cleveland. His three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and overtime of Game 1 helped spark a 22-point comeback win and he has been fairly consistent throughout the playoffs, too.
Jordan Clarkson
Acquired: Signed as free agent in 2025
The backstory: After spending six seasons in Utah, the Jazz pivoted to a youth movement and both sides agreed to a buyout last summer. Because of that, he agreed to a minimal deal with the Knicks and while his minutes have fluctuated, his desire to shoot hasn’t. Throughout his career, Clarkson’s trigger finger remained ready upon check-in. In that regard, he’s valuable to the Knicks bench because defenders must always be on alert.
Jose Alvarado
Acquired: Via midseason trade with Pelicans in 2026
The backstory: Rose grabbed him from the Pelicans on the cheap as they gave up Dalen Terry, cash considerations and a pair of second-rounders to give the Knicks a city-born player (Brooklyn). A pesky, hyperactive and annoying defender, Alvarado has made the most of his minutes — actually playing as if he’ll never play again. That level of energy on defense allows him to anticipate steals, especially inbounds passes, and make plays.
Coach Mike Brown
Acquired: Replaced Tom Thibodeau as coach in June, 2025
The backstory: He has been fired as coach four times: twice by the Cavs and once each by the Kings and Lakers. And he reportedly wasn’t the Knicks’ first choice to replace Tom Thibodeau last summer. Brown was always respected within the coaching family, but the public saw those firings and wondered why he was getting yet another chance — and in a pressure-cooker such as New York, with a ready-made team at that.
Rose went with his gut, though, with someone who was on Steve Kerr’s staff during the Warriors’ dynasty. Brown’s persona helped him convince Brunson to alter his game and also win over the locker room. His strategic changes after a pair of first-round losses to the Hawks made the Knicks undefeated ever since.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at [email protected], find his archive here and follow him on X.
