Colin Cowherd Podcast - Knicks Win The Title, Wemby Got Bullied, Brunson Greatest Knicks Leader

With the season wrapped, there’s a lot to unpack, and I’ll start here: the finals let far more contact fly, which makes life rough for traditional bigs. Even with Jokic as the exception, titles usually tilt to wings and perimeter creation, so San Antonio will need more shooting around Wemby because that stage is choppy water for centers.

We’ve swung back into a heavier, more physical era, and that favors guards once the ball is in their hands while power guys get mauled. Brunson lived at the line, and Wemby’s future is more perimeter‑oriented than post‑up; he’s confident yet self‑aware, which is rare, and that wiring will help him solve this.

Brunson took over when it mattered and just wears well over time; he’s not the flashiest or the best athlete, but he’s reliable, smart, and the heartbeat of a very likable Knicks group.

His edge is variety and craft. He beat elite defenders with floaters, threes, and slithery angles, and instead of getting solved as the series dragged on, he solved them, which is why his best work came late.

Championship teams usually have seven or eight guys in or near their primes, and that was the gap. The Knicks had grown men; the Spurs were pre‑prime and it showed in fourth‑quarter execution, so the right team won and the right team lost, and San Antonio will be better for it.

The age spread told the story, and clutch time did too: Brunson outscored the Spurs’ main trio down the stretch by himself. I’m high on Harper long term, but he and Castle struggled late, which is normal for young guards.

Regular‑season analytics love volume, but the conference finals and finals get situational. Too often the Spurs’ guards turned down clean threes, drove into a forest of length, missed, and fueled Knicks runouts; you can’t over‑coach that—take the open jumper.

Exactly. Castle and Harper kept attacking loaded paint, while Fox, for all his issues, will rise into the pull‑up if you concede it. I’d be cautious moving on from Fox until the kids add that off‑the‑dribble jumper or they’ll stay easy to guard in May and June.

The Spurs also mistimed Wemby’s rest, and while Fox’s new number looks heavy, their cheap young core can offset it. The bigger off‑season curiosity is the Knicks’ bill and who might not be back.

The core should return, but Mitchell Robinson could get priced out given his market. They’ve found workable big minutes elsewhere, Brunson’s discount keeps flexibility alive, and hitting on the margins—like a Shamet‑type pop—lets them run it back.

It’s a high‑IQ, low‑ego room—Brunson, OG, Bridges—guys who age well and lean into the work. My only worry is miles and health in a tougher East under a cap that punishes bad deals; the Knicks have largely avoided those.

They’re built to dodge the disease of more. Most of them are overachievers who got paid and embraced roles, and even Kat leaned into defense and lower usage. You’ll have to go through this Knicks team, with continuity, the Garden, and the best clutch player in the league.

Quick Lakers puzzle: Austin Reeves is going to cost real money. How do you make the leap without breaking the roster?

Lead guards at that level command around forty million, and Reeves is worth it relative to peers. The jump comes from surrounding your creators with tough, two‑way starters and hitting the edges, which is the Knicks’ blueprint for closing the gap.

Most Knicks moves drew heat in real time—OG’s trade, Brunson’s deal—yet those swings became pillars, and some luck and matchup fit helped. They often trailed late but their strengths mapped perfectly onto the Spurs’ weaknesses.

No revisionism: they were a second‑tier contender that got healthier, rode hot role players, and found the right bracket. In this era, seven or eight teams can credibly win if the breaks line up.

I’ll close with this: year three finals—Wemby’s line sat right next to young Shaq’s, and Shaq didn’t get his ring until later after he got stronger. Take a breath; the league is hard, Wemby will be fine, and we’ve got the draft around the corner—great stuff today, Jason.

Appreciate it. Can’t wait for next time.