Paul Pierce believes the New York Knicks still have one major problem standing between them and a real NBA Finals run, and in his view, it starts with Jalen Brunson.
Pierce is not questioning Brunson’s talent or toughness. He has been one of the biggest reasons the Knicks have become a serious team in the East again. But Pierce thinks there is a ceiling to how far New York can go when its best player is an undersized guard. In his eyes, if the Knicks want to truly compete for a title, they may eventually need someone bigger and even better than Brunson leading the way.Speaking on a recent episode of the ‘No Fouls Given’ show Pierce shared his take on Brunson and the Knicks’ hopes of championship gold.
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He said, “Your best player can’t be 6’2. On a championship team. Tell me what championship teams player was the best player at 6’2? Just Steph. All time though. We have to go all time for these players. We have to go Isaiah. We have to go Steph. You know what I’m saying? Like Jalen Brunson is a great player I wouldn’t consider him an all time at 6’2. If your best player is 6’2, it’s going to be tough for you to win a championship. It’s just throughout history. I mean, you only can name two teams that had their best player were 6’2.”
Paul Pierce Not Alone in How He Feels
Paul Pierce is not alone in thinking the New York Knicks may have hit a ceiling with their current setup. Even after finally breaking through to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, there is still a feeling that this team is missing one more piece before it can seriously talk about winning a title.
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A lot of that conversation comes back to Jalen Brunson. Nobody is denying how good he is. He has been the heart of the Knicks over the last few years and has carried them in huge playoff moments. But there is a growing belief that asking a six-foot-two guard to do everything offensively is just too much against the very best teams.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) © Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
That is where people like Max Kellerman agree with Pierce. The league has seen plenty of great undersized guards over the years, but very few have actually ended up holding the trophy at the end of the season. Allen Iverson made the Finals. Steve Nash won MVPs. Chris Paul and John Stockton were elite for years. None of them won it all as the clear No. 1 option.
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For the Knicks, the answer may not be replacing Brunson, but finding another star who can ease the burden. Right now, too much of the offense depends on him creating something out of nothing every single night.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.