Derrick Rose had no trouble picking a side during the Knicks’ 2026 title run.
New York rolled through the playoffs with only three losses on the way to the championship, and Rose was among the former Knicks connected enough to feel invested in the ride. The run started with a tougher-than-expected opening round against the Atlanta Hawks, where the Knicks dropped two games, but they settled in after that and kept steamrolling opponents all the way to the end.
Rose’s bond with the franchise goes back to two separate stops in New York. He first played for the Knicks in the 2016-17 season after his run with the Bulls, then returned again from 2021 to 2023. That second stint helped turn him into something of a cult favorite for a segment of Knicks fans, even if his time there didn’t come with major team success.
The ties ran deeper than just the jersey. Rose had played alongside some of the current Knicks, and he also remained close with Rick Brunson, the team’s assistant coach and Jalen Brunson’s father. That made it easy for him to root for New York when the pressure ramped up in the postseason.
“I kinda had the Knicks winning the entire time. My son is a Jalen fan, so he was cheering for them the whole Playoffs.
I called Rick right before they got to the Finals. Told him that they were playing against Wemby, told them they were going to win.
I'm just happy for Jalen, his family,” Rose said to Sports Illustrated about being proud of the Knicks' success.
New York finished the job by beating the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals, and the title ended a 52-year wait. For Rose and others who had stayed connected to the franchise, it was a run worth celebrating.
In Other News...
Knicks May Face A Painful Miles McBride Decision Soon
As the Knicks look ahead to a roster that still needs more balance on the wing and another bigger body with perimeter touch, Miles McBride has started to surface in trade chatter for all the usual reasons. He brings the kind of shooting and point-of-attack defense that teams value, and the fit in New York has been obvious enough that moving him would not be a simple basketball call.
What makes the conversation more interesting is the timing, with McBride heading into the final season of a team-friendly salary, which is exactly the kind of contract situation that can force a front office to make a hard choice early. In this scenario, Orlando would be the other side of the deal, and the idea is that the Knicks could get a young forward who adds size and has made real strides as a shooter, but nothing has been confirmed and the whole thing remains in the realm of speculation for now. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Roster Choice With Veteran Help Suddenly Available
The Timberwolves trade of Josh Green and cash to Utah for Cody Williams and John Konchar created a ripple that could matter to the Knicks, who still have two roster spots to work with. Minnesota moved quickly to reshape the deal, and with the roster math changing again, one experienced wing suddenly found himself available at exactly the kind of moment teams around the league start weighing depth, flexibility and a low-risk add.
For New York, the appeal is straightforward: there is room to make a move, and there is always a premium on veterans who can fit without needing the ball. The speculation now centers on whether the Knicks see enough value to act before another club does, leaving a familiar front-office question hanging over a useful but unresolved free-agent opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Mikal Bridges Just Defined What Made These Knicks Champions
The Knicks championship run was built on more than talent and timing. After ending a 52-year title drought, they spent the postseason surviving the kind of moments that normally break teams, from big holes against the Cavaliers to another steep climb against the Spurs. Mikal Bridges emerged as one of the clearest voices on what held it all together, framing the run as a test of belief as much as execution.
What made those playoff nights feel different, Bridges said, was the groups ability to stay locked in on the next possession instead of the scoreboard. Even when the deficit looked daunting, the Knicks played with the sense that the game was still there to be taken, and that shared conviction became part of the championship identity. It was the kind of edge that can turn a comeback from a desperate scramble into something the whole locker room expects. [Read more 🡒]