Everything That Happened in the NBA in the Past Two Months

By Ren Cai

The New York Knicks are the 2026 NBA champions, ending a painful 53-year title drought by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in a thrilling five-game series. The conclusion of the Finals capped off a wild two months of postseason basketball, which immediately transitioned into a franchise-altering 2026 NBA Draft and a chaotic free agency period. From historic playoff comebacks to blockbuster offseason moves, here is everything that went down in the NBA over the last few months.

The 2026 NBA Finals: The Knicks Reclaim Glory

The New York Knicks captured their first championship since 1973 by defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4–1. Led by star guard Jalen Brunson, who secured the Finals MVP award after a spectacular 45-point performance in the Game 5 clincher, New York proved to be an unstoppable force.

The defining moment of the series came in Game 4. The Knicks completed the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history, erasing a massive 29-point halftime deficit to edge out the Spurs 107–106. While Victor Wembanyama and the young Spurs put up a valiant effort, the chemistry of the “Nova Knicks”—anchored by Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges—proved too strong to overcome.

FINALS SERIES RESULTS (KNICKS WIN 4-1)
Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95
Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 104
Game 3: Spurs 115, Knicks 111
Game 4: Knicks 107, Spurs 106 (Historic 29-point comeback)
Game 5: Knicks 94, Spurs 90

The 2026 NBA Draft: Wizards Strike Gold

Fresh off the Finals excitement, the league turned its attention to the Barclays Center for the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23–24. College freshmen dominated the top of the board, marking a highly anticipated influx of young talent.

The Washington Wizards selected small forward AJ Dybantsa out of BYU with the No. 1 overall pick. Dybantsa, who set scoring records in the Big 12 as a freshman, is expected to step in immediately as a cornerstone franchise player.

TOP 5 DRAFT PICKS:

AJ Dybantsa – Washington Wizards (BYU)
Darryn Peterson – Utah Jazz (Kansas)
Cameron Boozer – Memphis Grizzlies (Duke)
Caleb Wilson – Chicago Bulls (North Carolina)
Keaton Wagler – LA Clippers (Illinois)

Blockbuster Offseason Trade Frenzy

Source: Shams Charania instagram profile

As July kicked off, the NBA’s competitive landscape completely fractured under a historic series of marquee trades. Front offices across the league aggressively re-engineered their rosters in a massive arms race.

LaMelo Ball to Minnesota: The Minnesota Timberwolves landed star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green from the Charlotte Hornets. In exchange, the Hornets received Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030), and three second-round picks. This blockbuster pairs Ball with Anthony Edwards to build a dynamic, young backcourt.

Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami: In a landscape-shifting mega-deal right before the draft, the Milwaukee Bucks traded two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, immediately turning Miami into a prime championship contender in the East.

Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia: The Boston Celtics shook up the Eastern Conference hierarchy by shipping Finals champion Jaylen Brown to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a massive package to retool Boston’s depth.

Paul George to Boston: The veteran wing joined the Boston Celtics via a major trade. George voluntarily waived his $3.9 million trade bonus to maximize the Celtics’ roster-building flexibility under the first salary cap apron.

Kawhi Leonard to Toronto: In a shocking twist of nostalgia, the LA Clippers traded Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors. The Clippers received star forward Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033), and multiple pick swaps.

Ja Morant to Portland: The Memphis Grizzlies parted ways with their explosive point guard, trading Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal that sent veteran forward Jerami Grant and Kris Murray back to Memphis.

Julius Randle to Brooklyn: In a notable multi-team trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls, veteran forward Julius Randle found a new home with the Brooklyn Nets.

Miles Bridges to Phoenix: The Charlotte Hornets continued their cultural reset by trading Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and a 2033 first-round draft pick

Lakers Retooling via Sign-and-Trade: The Los Angeles Lakers orchestrated a massive sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz to land defensive anchor center Walker Kessler, while simultaneously locking down free agents Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton.