The Knicks didn’t just win a title in 2026. They changed the whole shape of the offseason.
LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo were the two biggest names to switch teams this summer, with James officially landing with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday and Antetokounmpo going to the Miami Heat in a July 6 deal from the Milwaukee Bucks. But according to CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn, both stars had their eyes on New York first.
“The two most famous players that moved this offseason, LeBron and Giannis, both wanted to be Knicks and are now playing for their backup teams because the Knicks won the title,” Quinn wrote.
That lines up with what had already been reported around James. Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul said early in free agency that James would have gone to the Knicks if they hadn’t won the NBA championship in 2026. James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game in 2025-26.
Later, it was reported that James’ camp reached out to New York, but the Knicks weren’t interested. After winning the title, they chose not to make a major move this offseason and, at least for now, believe they’re still better than the 76ers.
That’s a Philadelphia team now built around James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and VJ Edgecombe. Even with that kind of talent, the Knicks are still carrying themselves like the more complete team.
The same logic appears to have applied to Antetokounmpo. Had New York not won the championship, it likely would have been in the middle of the sweepstakes for the two-time MVP. NBA insider Shams Charania reported last offseason that the Knicks had discussed a trade with the Bucks for Antetokounmpo, and multiple sources told him New York was the only place Antetokounmpo wanted to play outside Milwaukee at the time.
Charania later stood by that reporting, saying there was a stretch when both the Knicks and Bucks knew Antetokounmpo wanted New York. There’s little reason to think that feeling changed much over the past year. But with the Knicks off the table, Antetokounmpo, who averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game in 2025-26, ended up in Miami.
For Knicks fans, this is a very different kind of summer. In the past, missing out on stars like Antetokounmpo, James, Brown, and LaMelo Ball would have set off a familiar wave of frustration.
James chose Miami in 2010. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving went to the Brooklyn Nets in 2019.
This time, the mood is different because the Knicks don’t need to chase validation. They already got it. And the fact that they didn’t even go after every headline name, yet nobody is questioning the approach, says plenty about where the franchise stands now.
The bigger test is still ahead. The Knicks are trying to become the first team to defend an NBA title since the Golden State Warriors in 2018, and they’re trying to end a run of eight different champions in eight seasons.
That won’t be easy. But after what they just pulled off, they’re not a team anyone is rushing to rule out.
In Other News...
Another Recent Sixers Pick Already Feels Like A Front Office Whiff
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Broome spent most of his rookie year in the G League and then got hurt late in the season, leaving the Sixers with even less to evaluate as they weigh their next move. The bigger issue now is not just whether he can develop, but whether the current regime sees a path for him in a roster that appears headed in a different direction than the one that drafted him. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Fans Should Watch This Wing Market Drama Very Closely
The wing market is starting to take shape, and it is the kind of development that can matter far beyond Cleveland and Los Angeles. Jonathan Kuminga remains a name to watch, with the Cavaliers and Lakers both still in the mix even after Cleveland added Mario Hezonja on a one-year deal, a move that helps fill out the rotation but does not necessarily close the door on bigger swings.
For the Sixers, the real intrigue is how this kind of bidding war can ripple through the rest of the market. The Hawks are over the roster limit, which keeps the path to Kuminga tied to a sign-and-trade and gives the interested teams a reason to keep pressing, and any wing chase that heats up around him can quickly change what is available for everyone else looking to improve on the perimeter. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Are All In On Klay But One Problem Wont Go Away
Miamis free-agent board has narrowed quickly, and the focus has settled on Klay Thompson as the kind of shooting guard who could fit next to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. The Heat are reportedly willing to stay patient rather than jump into the market for DeMar DeRozan or Bradley Beal, with their $8 million exception sitting there as a possible tool if Thompson becomes available on friendlier terms.
The catch is that Thompson is still tied to Dallas on a deal that runs into next season, which makes any path out of the Mavericks complicated. Miamis interest is real enough to keep the conversation alive, but the Heat are waiting on a chain of events that has not broken their way yet, and until it does, the front office is left circling one target while other options sit just out of reach. [Read more 🡒]