The New York Knicks are widely regarded as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, but star guard Jalen Brunson cautions that this status does not guarantee an automatic return to the conference finals. Speaking to D.J. Siddiqi of Games Hub, Brunson emphasized the need for focus and patience.
“Hopefully we don’t have that mindset going into the season where we think we’re just going to jump back into the Eastern Conference Finals,” he said. “We need to be able to go through this process again and continue to get better and to fight to get over that hump.”
The Knicks bring back the core of a team that fell just two games short of an NBA Finals appearance last season, but offseason additions and coaching changes have altered the landscape.
New faces like Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele provide added depth, while several other players will compete for spots in training camp. Mike Brown, the team’s new head coach, is expected to lean more heavily on a deep rotation than his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau.
Brunson believes the team’s offseason maneuvering has positioned them for success but stressed that continued effort and chemistry are key.
“I think we’ve been taking steady steps every year,” he said. “The best part about our team is the chemistry we’ve grown and we’ve created. A lot of people help us on this journey, and to be able to be where we are now, it’s nothing to be satisfied about. Everyone says, ‘Oh, you need to get experience.’ Well, this is us getting experience. This is literally us going through the trials and tribulations of being a good team. So continue to do that and just find a way to see what can we do to get over that hump.”
He added, “It’s going to take all of us. It’s not going to take just one change or another small thing. It’s going to take all of us together to kind of put everything aside and pull together.”
Brunson also praised the impact of center Karl-Anthony Towns, who enhanced the team’s offensive capabilities after joining from Minnesota just before last season.
With no learning curve expected entering his second year in New York, Brunson believes Towns can elevate his game even further after earning third-team All-NBA honors.
“Having him as a teammate has been really fun,” Brunson said. “I think that gets overlooked how good of a teammate he is. Obviously, he’s a great player and what he does on the court. But the teammate he is and what he brings to the locker room for us is special. So I’m really happy to have him. Don’t think you can compare him. He shoots the ball so effortlessly, and he can make plays. He has great touch around the rim, so he’s pretty much his own person. He picks different games of styles of basketball, and kind of makes it into his own.”
With the mix of returning talent, new additions, and a deep rotation under Brown, Brunson’s message is clear: the Knicks are focused on growth, cohesion, and overcoming the challenges that come with pursuing an NBA championship.
Jalen Brunson weighed in on what the Knicks need to do to get back to (and beyond) the Eastern Conference Finals: https://t.co/mTB9Vu8yT5
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) September 18, 2025
