Kevin Durant sees the Knicks’ championship as more than just a title run. To him, it was a loud reminder of how a team can be built - and how winning can still look a little different from the modern trade-and-free-agency model.
Speaking with Boardroom, the Houston Rockets forward pointed to New York’s five-game win over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals and the way the Knicks handled the series, even while facing double-digit deficits at different points.
“Not just because of the Knicks brand winning, but just the fashion they won those games in, it was insane. It really showed you the power dynamic in the NBA: a veteran team that was put together through trades… versus a team that drafted everybody that a lot of people would have loved to see win. For the Knicks to do it that way, I felt they made a statement.”
That statement matters because the Knicks did not build this group through the draft in the usual way. Jalen Brunson arrived as a free agent after his deal with the Dallas Mavericks expired, while Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges all came in via trade.
Durant’s point also lands because the draft still carries real weight around the league. The Golden State Warriors’ 2010s core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green remains the clearest example of how homegrown talent can fuel a championship run. Free agency can change the picture fast, and Durant’s own move to Golden State in 2016 was proof of that, but the draft still tends to sit at the center of team-building.
That idea hits close to home for Durant in Houston. At 37, he’s joined a Rockets team that has been reshaped by young talent and patient development after James Harden’s departure in 2021 sent the franchise into a rebuild and back into the draft lottery.
Houston’s front office has used first-round picks on Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun. The team also sent former No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green to the Phoenix Suns in the deal that brought Durant to the Rockets.
The early returns on that young core have been strong. Sengun has earned two All-Star selections, Thompson finished in the top 10 in Defensive Player of the Year voting for a second straight year, and Sheppard landed in the top 10 in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
With that group growing alongside Durant’s scoring, there is hope in Houston for a third straight 50-plus-win season. And if that happens, it would only strengthen the case for the old-school path: draft well, develop patiently, and let the roster grow into itself.
In Other News...
OG Anunoby Weighed In On Knicks LeBron Talk And Fans Will Notice
OG Anunoby has already become part of one of the signature images from the Knicks championship run, and now he is looking ahead with the same steady tone that has defined him since the Finals. Fresh off the game-winning tip-in that helped New York finish off the Spurs and later earned an ESPY for best play of the season, Anunoby said he is ready for the next chapter and reflected on how that moment fits into everything the team just accomplished.
The other topic drawing attention was LeBron James, and Anunoby handled it with the kind of perspective fans would expect from a player who has been through the grind of a title chase. He said James has earned the right to choose his destination, leaving the door open in a way that only adds to the speculation around what New York might look like if another star ever decides the Knicks are where he wants to land. [Read more 🡒]
Kylie Jenner Just Added A New Twist To Knicks Buzz
Kylie Jenners growing Knicks interest has become its own little subplot around the team, and it started with a familiar entry point for plenty of New York converts: Madison Square Garden. In a podcast interview, Jenner said she was never really into sports at first, but the atmosphere at a Knicks game changed that, giving her a new appreciation for the team and the buildings signature energy.
Jenner also talked about how quickly that fandom has spilled into her personal style, saying she has been putting together wardrobe choices around Knicks colors for games. Even the simple task of dressing for an arena night comes with a layer of pressure when every outfit can be picked apart in public, which helps explain why her new basketball interest is about more than just showing up and sitting courtside. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Player Just Added Another Layer To LeBrons New Sixers Rivalry
LeBron James move to Philadelphia already reshaped the Eastern Conference conversation, but it also gave the Knicks another twist to monitor as they try to navigate a crowded race at the top. James landed with the 76ers on a two-year deal this offseason, and the fit immediately made Philadelphia look like one of New Yorks biggest problems in the East.
OG Anunoby only added to the intrigue when he said it would have been fun if James had ended up in New York instead. From the Knicks side, it is the sort of what-if that lingers because the front office has been the one making the big calls, while Jalen Brunson has stayed focused on the basketball rather than the drama around it. For now, the more immediate reality is that James is in Philadelphia, and the Knicks have to deal with the consequences of that every time the two teams are mentioned together. [Read more 🡒]