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Knicks Domino Effects: What if De’Aaron Fox didn’t foul Jaden Ivey? – Posting & Toasting
Karl-Anthony Towns and the burden of being picked first – Posting & Toasting
NBA Power Rankings: LeBron James vaults 76ers into top five; Spurs have early edge over Knicks – CBS Sports
Recently waived Jonas Valanciunas among centers on Knicks’ radar – SNY
The Latest Sign of Knicks Fever: ‘Champions Way’ Is Headed for Auction – The New York Times
Jordan Clarkson re-signing with Knicks on one-year deal – SNY
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70 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2026.07.29)”
Shit. Glen Hansard died in a motorcycle crash. I loved “Once” so much.
I saw Hansard a few months ago. Great performer. Very sad news.
Z-man said:
I’m sure I’ll have some days where I feel frustrated and have some emotional outburst here, but I’m with Z-man on this even if it takes until the trade deadline. The end result has to be a good one and not just another big body.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7394222/2026/07/29/jalen-brunson-knicks-nba-mentality/
The Athletic runs a whole series about sports psychology and leadership, and I mostly ignore those stories, even when they’re about players/teams I care about. But it’s a slow day, so I clicked on this one about Brunson. On the one hand, it’s basically the same anecdote told over and over again, about Brunson’s commitment to being in the gym whenever possible. On the other, the sheer tonnage of these variations on that anecdote is really telling about Captain Clutch.
Yeah, we can sign a big body to a cheap deal (either non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed) to get us through the season’s early months, playing them only when one of KAT or Drummond is out. And then Leon will make his move as the deadline approaches.
Donnie did you see Marcus King with Chris Dave earlier this year? I remember you seeing him at a show with other musicians, but don’t remember the others.
I’m seeing them tomorrow at Blue Note in NY. They play under the name Atomic Habitz and also feature two guys I’m unfamiliar with, Cleo “Pookie” Sample & DJ Ginyard.
I’m already excited about it but if this is the collaboration you were raving about I’ll be even more amped.
Hey Alan, it’s funny, I’ve been enjoying those NYT articles on leadership, and the Jalen one was indeed repetitive but then again I guess that’s what’s made him great, the repetitive nature of his focus. I actually notified my HR director about the series, as some pieces are useful in any venue (Jalen’s perhaps, not so much, as it’s mostly do more than anyone else, and do it with mindful focus…).
I’m very glad I get to watch Jalen’s career spool out to see where he ends up in the pantheon of Knicks’ greats.
Alan, one of the things that sort of bugs me about all the Brunson stuff is that there’s an undertone that it’s some kind of formula that anyone can follow. Meaning that it diminishes a) so many others that do the same things that Brunson does but just don’t have the innate natural talent to get to where he is, and b) Brunson’s innate talent itself.
The point I’m clumsily trying to make is that what Brunson does is not replicable through mindset and effort. He’s just as much of a freak as Wemby, or Curry, or Jordan. For him, that freakishness is wired into his brain, and the average-ish (for a professional athlete) body comes along for the ride.
The “replicable” or “transferrable” parts of Brunson’s aura are his single-mindedness (i.e. love of excellence), supreme confidence buffered with supreme humility, resilience, leading by example, and being a lifelong learner. Everyone can nurture these qualities within themselves. But doing that will not make a non-Brunson into a Brunson. It will only make them get closer to achieving their personal ceiling.
Does that make sense?
“Yeah, we can sign a big body to a cheap deal (either non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed) to get us through the season’s early months, playing them only when one of KAT or Drummond is out. And then Leon will make his move as the deadline approaches.”
Yeah, Alan, in a way, this offseason reminds me a lot of last year, when it was thought that Yabu was a key acquisition, one who would add both size and shooting at a low-ish cost. And it almost backfired, as it was only Yabu’s willingness to opt out of his $5+M player option (really, who does that?!) that enabled Leon to pivot to Alvarado. In my opinion, no Alvo, no ring.
In retrospect, we can see that Leon rushed into signing Yabu to a 2-year guaranteed deal based on exaggerated expectations based on a short run with a shitty team in an outsized role. The important thing to remember is that Alvarado became available at the deadline, and thanks to Yabu, we were in a position to sign him.
And that’s what I’m hoping happens this year. Leon uses the remaining cap space strategically to sign someone at a maybe a few bucks over the minimum, putting us in a position to trade for a $5-8M player before the deadline without including a rotation player. I’m pretty confident that a C worth that much will shake loose. The Pels, for example, have too many bigs, and at some point will be good with getting some assets back for one.
Dallas also still has way too many bigs.
In case it’s where you’re taking the conversation, having way too many bigs doesn’t mean you’re intrigued by Dadiet or Kolek.
“In case it’s where you’re taking the conversation, having way too many bigs doesn’t mean you’re intrigued by Dadiet or Kolek.”
No, it might require one or more seconds, or even a first, or even a guy like Deuce, to get something done.
Yeah, Chris Dave played drums on Mood Swings and I saw them together at Blue Note LA back in January. MonoNeon played bass that night, he’s an odd one.
When King made Mood Swings, his first R&B album, he wanted the D’Angelo sound. (Dave was D’Angelo’s drummer). He had the great Corey Henry play the hammond b3 on the album, and the three of them have done a few Blue Note gigs too. Sample toured with D’Angelo and Dave, so he is a natural fit. Should he a great show.
(To broaden this conversation to included other knickerbloggers of note, Chris Dave also played drums on the new Hornsby album previously discussed here:)
I agree that Brunson’s brain is elite, but I think his body is freakish, just not in the traditional NBA sense. He’s a lower body freak the way generational running backs like Barry Sanders are. The combination of balance, leverage, and body control is what lets all that processing and footwork actually work against NBA defenders. Put the same brain into the body of an average 6’2″ NBA point guard, and I don’t think you get the same player.
To support your point (which I agree with, btw, I was just adding to it a little), I’ll throw out another comparison for Brunson’s freakishness that probably wouldn’t come to mind: Simone Biles.
Obviously they’re completely different athletes, but both have freakish body control, balance, and proprioception. No one can replicate that through hard work. It’s a gift that is every bit as rare and generational as Wemby’s height.
Agreed on Brunson being an elite athlete in less obvious ways. Despite different play styles, the one he reminds me of is Nash. Maybe due to the soccer background, Nash had incredible feet. He didn’t have Brunson’s bottomless bag, but his balance and footwork made him a great finisher and an elite shooter off the dribble.
At the end of the day it seems like Brunson’s real superpower was the same as Steph Curry’s: an NBA dad. It does seem like the legendary mindset is downstream of the incredible skills training, access to elite coaching, and knowledge of how to navigate the basketball world generally.
Biles actually has the perfect body for a female gymnast.
I don’t think Brunson’s body is really much of a special asset. It’s the way his brain controls his body that results in the elite footwork. His strength and lower center of gravity are definitely assets, but if he didn’t have those, and instead had a body like Steph, or CP3, or Dame, or Spida, or any other small guard that is physically capable of being a solid NBA rotation player, he’d be just as good as he is (or even better)with the body he has now because he would have just adjusted his approach to that body.
The best example of someone like him is Larry Bird. While he was 6’9″, he was hardly the athlete that someone like, say, Dominique Wilkins was. My point is that if you put Larry Bird’s brain into any “viable” NBA body, he’d figure out how to be an all-time great.
(This conversation reminds me a bit of the movie Heaven Can Wait with Warren Beatty.)
Having an NBA dad is probably more notable for genetics than for training/mindset. I think every mind-body combination has a ceiling, and having a coach from birth might help you reach that ceiling, but not exceed it.
a lot of the elite athletes seem to have an elite ego as well…
jalen seems to be one of the few whom’s elite ego actually fits very well in to a team concept…
still something to think jalen needed surgery right after the season ended…
tough minded doesn’t even begin to describe that…more like maniacal…
“still something to think jalen needed surgery right after the season ended…
tough minded doesn’t even begin to describe that…more like maniacal…”
Not to diminish Brunson’s toughness, but I don’t think it’s all that uncommon for players to play through pain and then have surgery after the playoffs end.
Alan and Donnie. Such sad news about Glen Hansard. I love Once. Also saw him live when he toured with Markéta Irglová as Swell Season (years ago). They played so long and the concert kept going and going. No arguments from me. But, they were like we are going to play some songs we don’t even have titles for yet. Amazing show and amazing performer. He will be missed. Also great with The Frames, and great as solo artist.
“Not to diminish Brunson’s toughness, but I don’t think it’s all that uncommon for players to play through pain and then have surgery after the playoffs end.”
Agree, but the 2019 Warriors had Klay pulling a semi hamstring and KD a calf.
Yet another reason the gods were with us.
I actually wouldn’t trade Kolek, I think he’s going to make the leap this year.
The guy has a Brunson-esque work ethic, and if he can get on the Jowles glute-buster program, he’ll be able to at least hold his own on D.
I bet Brown uses a lot of 2-pg sets this year with Shamet at SF to get all these guys minutes… and to run other teams down in the 3rd quarter.
The craziest part of this entire postseason run might have been OG coming back from that hamstring injury.
Normally yes, but Rick Brunson’s genetic lottery win was only scratch-off level, not mega millions. If Brunson grows up in the same body without the PhD level basketball education, he is likely not sorted down the typical youth sports channels and does not end up an NBA prospect based on measurables.
pulled up to, and posted up at the portola a few days back…
lived here in monterey on/off during the 90’s…the military and then health stuff had me really mobile for a while…would have liked to have stuck here…different life though…
brought the kids and pooch…seems only doja doggie though enjoys walking/sitting by the water as much as myself…
that’s okay, walking for the sake of simply walking isn’t everyone’s thing…
something about that seal, seagull sound that just grounds me to a very pleasant present…helps create super immersive moments…
generally don’t give a shit about the past, except if i’m trying to balance some ledger/gripe/grievance, even then hard to stay too attached to that stuff…
so seductive to live in the future though, especially with an active imagination…oh well…
it’s 59 degrees with a nice breeze, few people, out at the end of pier 1, or maybe it’s pier 2, always get them confused…animals doing animal things…water being water…
may have a shirt now for every day of the week – so you know, rocking the national basketball association’s current world champion’s gear…
life is good…
RIP Glen Hansard. 🙁
And also Kavinsky passed away today, he was best known for the music “Nightcall” that was the title-track of the movie “Drive” with Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. I think John Richards said on KEXP that it was a stroke, he was only 50. 🙁
Brunson is also an elite teammate.
Re: having an NBA dad.
It seems like the best NBA dad to have is someone who was not an elite player.
Dell Curry was more successful than Rick Brunson, but neither of them were superstars in the league.
Wonder if having that Dad who knows what it takes to get to that level but also maybe knows what they did or didn’t do that kept them from being truly great helps them when they’re training/coaching up their kids.
Its obviously 2 very different sports so I’m not comparing them athletically but mentally the player who Brunson reminds me of the most is Derek Jeter. Their post-game quotes of not really saying anything meaningful and talking mostly about just winning is almost identical.
I also do think Brunson has elite athleticism, just not in the traditional NBA body sense.
I’ll say this, if he was 4 inches taller he’d probably be in GOAT conversations (but also we might not have snagged him because Dalls would have held on to him).
funny you mention that geo…i have been here in Seattle for a month now and can’t recall seeing one person wearing a Seahawks championship item (hat, shirt, etc) and I can’t figure out if its because it wasn’t a big deal or something or they that they had won one at least in this century….but….I just whistle in the morning now and my knicks hat comes over and puts itself on my head….
I wonder how the KAT extension talks are going, or if they’ve even happened.
KAT is definitely not worth 35% of the salary cap and I don’t think anyone in the NBA would give that to him.
On the other hand, that’s not a fun conversation to have with a guy who just won you a title! I don’t envy Leon having to deal with this one.
I’ve thought about this a lot. Bobby Bonds was an All-Star but never close to being considered the best player in baseball. Ken Griffey Sr. was a solid player. Klay Thompson’s dad was good but not elite.
Other than the Manning kids — and even their dad was a college hall of famer but not a pro hall of famer — are there examples of second-generation sports superstars whose dad were at least stars, even if the sons surpassed them?
It’s funny, Pepper, the Seahawks championship felt like it just sort of happened. Everyone was quite pleased, and then everyone just went on with their lives. I suspect that things would be different if the Mariners win the World Series, but hard to say.
Now if the Sonics win…
(This place is deeply, deeply bitter about the whole heist. They did have an article about NY celebrating when the Knicks won the championship, but otherwise the Seattle Times has a long-standing boycott on NBA stories.)
Alan, LeBron and Bronny…
brett and bobby hull…
howie long and his kid or maybe the bosa family…
No NBA all-star has begat an NBA all-star as far as I know. The closest is Sabonis, whose dad hilariously wasn’t an all star even though he was probably one of the top 5 basketball players ever.
In Baseball it seems to happen a lot, I saw a lot of last names that I remembered from the 90s during the world series against Toronto.
AI says the Currys, the Waltons, and the Sabonises have all been all-stars. It’s probably lying.
Sure, Luke Walton may have coached an all star team while interimming for Kerr and going 30-1 or whatever they started as that year.
You and I and everybody else knows Dell was never an all star. Neither was Arvydas.
AI is lying, and Donnie is right.
That should be very good!
I’m more familiar with Marcus King. I love the way he plays.
Have fun! Let us know how it was.
I think some of it is the fact that it must be really hard mentally for a young kid to think they can surpass their Dad’s greatness if their dad was a freaking hall of famer.
But if they were “just” a pro athlete journeyman, I think there might be a little “fulfilling the family destiny” going on inside the kid’s mind?
It’s interesting stuff to think about even if there’s no real science behind any of it.
clay matthews and clay matthews jr
Nobody even mentioned Kobe and Jellybean. I doubt Jellybean was anywhere near an All-Star at any point, but I’m still surprised that the duo hasn’t even come up once. Maybe it’s the Kobe Hate Factor.
Edit: Jellybean’s best three seasons were in the very early 1980s with the San Diego Clippers, averaging about 11/5. Clearly no All-Starishness there.
Dolph Schayes was an All-Star, but Danny never was (he was decent, though, right?). The Ken Griffeys have 16 All-Stars between them.
“No NBA all-star has begat an NBA all-star as far as I know.”
The odds of being an all-star in basketball are extremely low. In fact, the odds of being an NBA player at all are very low. As such, it should not be all that surprising that no child of an all-star became an all-star. Even with all-star parent gene pool, you kind of have to hit the genetic lottery to get to that level.
However, I would guess that the odds of an NBA player having an excellent athlete (meaning, top 1% in a given sport at some point) for a parent is quite a bit higher.
The Boozers will be.
I don’t pay much attention to baseball anymore, but seeing that Cecil Fielder’s grandson is now tearing it up made me feel really old.
Correct. He was the Alex Len of his day
Pretty apt comparison of Danny Schayes to Len, although Danny hung around for an extra 450 games or so.
Guy Who Had Job Cause He’s Tall doesn’t have many comps these days, Len was pretty much my only choice. (Was gonna go with Biyombo, but he may actually be more skilled than Danny was)
Then we can go with Bol Bol, son of the inimitable Manute Bol.
What about the Bibbys?
The best basketball families I can think of are the Barry’s and the Grants.
Wemby’s mother is 6’3 and was on the French national team.
Tim Buckley : Jeff Buckley :: Dell Curry : Steph Curry
Never got the Jeff Buckley hype despite used to having his album grace…
Same with New Order despite Joy Division being my most favourite ones…
How about the most Nepo-Forced Ones?
Thanasis and Bronny are possibly the GNOATS i can think of
Chris Smith
Both Bobby Bonds and to a lesser extent Griffey, Sr were stars.
Bobby Bonds was a terrific hitter hitting >30 hrs 6 times early in his career playing as a stone alcoholic. >300 hrs for his career and 3 all star performances in the pre steroid era. His WAR in the SF days was serious.
Griffey, Sr hit .296 over 8000 plate appearances and played a consequential outfield on one of the best teams ever. Also a 3 time all star.
This is a nice Glen Hansard story
https://x.com/exjon/status/2082638878197104978?s=46&t=0wqff4cNt-sCGcDs-uMExw
Had a three year old kid.
He was on Trackstar recently. Beautiful soul.
The tkachuk family…three generations of hockey studs
Speaking of Bonds, I just learned that Jeff Kent is being indicted into the Hall of Fame. He benefited from Barry’s steroids more than Barry did! Talk about white privilege, yeesh.
Indicted seems like the right word. Way to go Spell Check
Bobby Bonds was a borderline HOF player in his own right. The elder Bonds didn’t have a long tail to his career and was pretty much done by age 33, so he didn’t rack up huge counting stats, but he still managed close to 60 career WAR and was an elite player at his peak.
I’d say that Pete Rose was Bobby’s Jeff Kent (he stole the MVP from Bobby the way Kent stole the MVP from Barry); however, Rose’s status as white male has not gotten him into the hall of fame, so he’s not the same caliber of usurper that Kent has been to Barry.
random quotes from “insiders” re kawhi investigation THE DAY PABLO TORRES RELEASES A NEW VIDEO
KL is so cooked
“random quotes from “insiders” re kawhi investigation THE DAY PABLO TORRES RELEASES A NEW VIDEO
KL is so cooked”
They’re now saying that even after 10 months, it may not be resolved until (calendar year) 2027. Why should Toronto have to wait for that? Just rescind the trade because the guy is unavailable to you.
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