The New York Knicks may have just won the 2026 NBA Finals, but the front office is already hard at work when it comes to building their team for the upcoming season. While some big decisions have to be made, it’s clear that Jalen Brunson will be leading this team forward for the foreseeable future.
Brunson won Finals MVP after guiding the Knicks past the San Antonio Spurs in five games, and he has enjoyed the celebration that has come with this career-defining victory. However, if you ask Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant, he believes that Brunson has to be careful moving forward, or else New York could face another lengthy championship drought.
Kevin Durant Warns Jalen Brunson, Knicks After Finals Victory
Everything came together at the perfect time for the Knicks this season, and at the heart of all their success was Brunson. It was another typically strong year for Brunson (26 PPG, 6.8 APG, 3.3 RPG, 46.7 FG%), but he took his game to another level in the playoffs to help New York go on a blistering run throughout the postseason.
The Knicks are understandably celebrating this massive achievement, but you can only do that for so long until you turn your attention to the upcoming season. Durant, who won a pair of titles with the Golden State Warriors, knows this quite well, and considering how he only spent three seasons with the Dubs, he knows how fleeting championship windows can be in the NBA.
That is especially true in the current version of the league, where strict salary cap rules have made it more and more difficult for teams to build consistent championship contenders. Durant’s time with the Warriors came to such a quick end that he knows the pressure the Knicks are facing, even after winning a title, which is why he sent a strong warning to the reigning Finals champs.
“I would tell him to strike while the iron’s hot,” Durant said in an interview with Wall Street Journal Live when asked if he had a message for Brunson and the Knicks in the wake of their Finals victory. “This is a time that I don’t think New Yorkers or the Knicks are gonna get back. You gotta take advantage of this time right now, you don’t know if this will come around again. It’s been 53 years. It could be another 53-year wait.”
Knicks Have Their Work Cut Out for Them This Offseason
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 18: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy during the New York Knicks Championship ticker tape parade and victory rally celebrating winning the 2026 NBA Finals on June 18, 2026 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win their first NBA Championship in 53 years. (Photo by Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)
Considering how we haven’t seen a repeat champion in the NBA for nearly a decade, it’s clear that the Knicks have work to do this offseason. They already managed to re-sign Jose Alvarado, but they very well could lose guys like Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet. With the front office unwilling to become a second apron team, that limits what they can do when it comes to building around Brunson.
The majority of the key players around Brunson will be back in town next year, but the supporting cast could prove to make the difference when it comes to the team’s success. Durant knows what it takes to consistently win at the highest level in the NBA, so his words must be taken into account, even as the party rages on in New York.
Kevin Durant Sends Strong Warning to Jalen Brunson After Knicks Championship