The Knicks went 19,392 days between NBA championships. But the NBA calendar does not stop: The NBA Draft is just nine days away, free agency starts June 30, and Las Vegas Summer League is in early July.
Here are three key questions straight from the NBA Finals that will shape the NBA in 2026 and beyond:
Will Knicks Extend KAT?
The Knicks’ championship justified their transactions from recent years: from signing Jalen Brunson in 2022 and trading for Karl-Anthony Towns in 2024, to controversially shipping five first-round picks to the Nets for Mikal Bridges.
“Forget them picks!” Josh Hart said during the team’s postgame celebration on Saturday.
With the exception of free agent Mitchell Robinson, New York has its core players signed for next season. But the biggest offseason decision is whether they extend All-Star center Towns, who answered several questions about his all-around game during this year’s title run.
Towns can extend for either three years, $208 million, or four years, $272 million, depending on whether he chooses to accept his $61 million player option in 2027–28. The Knicks would not have won a title without him—but will James Dolan willingly pay a player turning 31 in November close to $70 million per year?
Where Will Giannis Go?
Five years ago, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first title in 50 years. But the two sides appear headed for a breakup—one that’s been heavily teased for the last year.
The decision may happen in the next week or so, as Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam said last month that he would like a resolution on the future of Antetokounmpo by the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23.
If Antetokounmpo is traded, multiple reports have indicated that the Heat are the most likely suitor. But other possible destinations are the Wolves, Magic, Trail Blazers, and Celtics.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said on his podcast Saturday that the Celtics made an offer for Antetokounmpo this past week: “I don’t know what the offer was, and I don’t know who’s in it, but they are in.”
The Knicks had long been a rumored option for Antetokounmpo, but it’s highly unlikely the team will make any major changes following a historic title run.
Who Goes No. 1?
The 2026 NBA Draft class is expected to be stacked.
There are four major names at the top: BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke big Cameron Boozer, and UNC forward Caleb Wilson. While Dybantsa is the projected No. 1 pick, all four candidates are expected to be impactful, possible All-Star-level players, at the next level.
The Wizards hold the No. 1 pick in the draft after winning the lottery in May. Washington finished with the league’s worst record last year in a season tainted by tanking across the league.
The tanking drove the NBA to make major changes, as the new “3–2–1 Lottery” format was approved last month. Among the several lottery changes is that teams with the three worst records will not have the best odds.
