New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said the team must approach the 2025-26 campaign with the same hunger that fueled last year’s postseason surge, warning that an Eastern Conference Finals berth is not guaranteed.
“We can’t walk into the season thinking we’ll just pick up where we left off,” Brunson told Games Hub during a recent interview published September 17. “We have to embrace the grind again, get better, and push past the barrier that stopped us last time.”
The Knicks retained the nucleus that finished two wins shy of the 2025 NBA Finals and bolstered their bench by signing Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele. The franchise also replaced head coach Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown, who is expected to lean more heavily on roster depth.
Brunson said those offseason moves position New York to contend, but success will depend on collective commitment. “Our chemistry keeps improving,” he noted. “Experience comes from facing challenges together, and it will take every one of us putting individual goals aside to clear the next hurdle.”
The All-Star guard also praised center Karl-Anthony Towns, acquired from Minnesota just before last season began. Towns earned All-NBA Third Team honors in his first year at Madison Square Garden, and Brunson believes the 29-year-old can reach another level now that he is fully integrated. “People overlook how good a teammate he is,” Brunson said. “He shoots effortlessly, creates plays, and has great touch around the rim. He’s unique, and we’re fortunate to have him.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
