News & Blogs
Watch Jalen Brunson’s ‘SNL’ Monologue and Top Skits with Cameos from Knicks’ KAT, OG, Hart, Bridges – BleacherReport
Tyler Nickel and Kevin McCullar Jr. sign two-way contracts – Posting & Toasting
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson up for anything in a solid ‘Saturday Night Live’ season premiere – The New York Times
Knicks sign Tyler Nickel, Kevin McCullar Jr. to two-way contracts – SNY
SEE IT: Jalen Brunson brings Knicks teammates on stage during ‘Saturday Night Live’ monologue – SNY
Deuce McBride ‘Disappointed’ with Knicks Contract Talks, ‘I’d Love to Get Something Done’ – BleacherReport
Knicks’ Kevin McCullar: Lands two-way contract with New York – CBS Sports
Knicks Bulletin: ‘I’m a little disappointed’ – Posting & Toasting
Pod Strickland Patreon Preview Episode 626: KAT’s Care Package – The Strickland
Basketball Intellegence 📱 – Knick of Time
Top 10 Moments from Jalen Brunson hosting Saturday Night Live! (PLUS: KAT/Deuce Extension Update) – Knicks Film School
Knicks Training Camp Preview: Key Battles & Storylines To Watch – Knicks Fan TV
YT News
77 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2026.09.28)”
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7609440/2026/09/28/nba-over-under-win-totals-knicks-heat-sixers/
Hollinger suggests betting the under for our regular season win total, for reasons we’ve talked about here. More at the link, but this is the summary:
I think there’s a case for the Over if they run more of the KAT-centric offense in the regular season. It didn’t work the entire playoffs, but against the right teams it’s devastating.
Also, having Alvarado as the backup PG for the entire season is a big plus. His 4yr RAPM is +2.4, good for 60th in the league. If that holds, he’s an absolute steal at his price tag. He could go a long way towards offsetting the regular season loss of Mitch.
We tore through the Eastern Conference in the playoffs. Intuitively we should be able to throttle back and still win those games.
There are so many reasons I want to get the Pacers in the playoffs this year. But chief among them is that Jose vs TJ could be the most thrilling backup PG matchup of all time.
Media Day happening. So far, just platitudes.
UPDATE: Okay, this is at least somewhat notable, from Edwards:
Okay, here’s more:
UPDATE:
This is awesome:
It’s a very tough call. On one hand, the playing field is substantially different than it was last year. The anti-tanking measures themselves will make wins that much harder to come by. Then there’s player movement that has given a jolt to several middling teams (e.g. Miami, Philly, Toronto), internal development (Orlando), and return of several injured stars (Indiana, Boston).
On the other hand, the Knicks have some advantages going into this season compared to last:
1) Mike Brown has a year of coaching this roster under his belt, and winning the championship removes a ton of pressure. Had they come up short, he’d probably feel his seat getting warm. For this year, at least, it will be as cool as a cucumber, other than the usual pressure to win in general.
2) Related to 1), Brown doesn’t have to figure out lineups (e.g. he started last year with Hart on the bench) and doesn’t have to deal with a confused KAT. He will also have a bench that is nearly identical to his playoff bench, and more experience in how to best employ it. The dropoff from Mitch to Drummond will be a thing, but less so in the regular season. But the upgrade from Yabu to Alvarado for the first half of the season is also a thing.
3) I think our “deep bench” is going to be much more effective than it was last year, and Brown will use it a lot. Diawara, Kolek, and whoever gets the last couple of roster spots should give Brown even more ability to keep the starters fresh without risking losses.
The main disadvantage, beyond losing Mitch and the strength of the competition, is the target on our backs associated with being the defending champs. I understand that some folks don’t think that’s a big deal, but I believe it is. Even the worst teams in the league are going to be extra fired up, especially at MSG, not to mention the teams in the East that have a special axe to grind. Being a measuring stick every night is going to take a toll.
The last thing is injury luck. Obviously this is a very scary thing to talk about, but we’ve been very fortunate over the past 2 years. Hopefully that will continue, but in terms of the O/U, its a tough thing to rely on.
At the end of the day, I think there is going to be a greater parity in the NBA across the board, but I don’t think it will matter to us all that much in the win/loss dept because 50 wins seems like a lock and 60 seems like a reach. I’d probably go over, but not confidently, hoping to get to 53 again.
re: the KAT “no comfortability” quote:
KAT and his agent know that he’ll never have more leverage than now. He’s coming off the best basketball of his career, putting up a playoff leading BPM, actually played defense, and led the team to a championship.
If we don’t win a championship this year or KAT doesn’t play at the same level, everyone will remember he was considered a bloated contract.
We should call this bluff and dare another team to offer KAT $60M+ a year.
“We should call this bluff and dare another team to offer KAT $60M+ a year.”
I agree in theory, but “calling someone’s bluff” can invite distracting ugliness. This is where Leon’s vast experience as an agent should prove very valuable. I would hope that he knows how to finesse the dialog so it doesn’t come across as “we don’t think you’re worth that much so go ahead and try to get it somewhere else and see what happens.”
Our Pythag last year was 56 wins. We were the #3 offense and #7 defense in the regular season, and didn’t really figure out the defensive side until the second half. Closed out the season 28-11 and then went 16-3 in the playoffs for a tidy 44-14 mark if you combine playoffs and regular season.
Injury luck is definitely the biggest variable. If we’re healthy we should be very good on both sides of the ball.
Random thought. KAT and Wiggins are now both NBA champs. Kind of funny considering how people thought that DUO was kind of a bust and they eventually both got shipped out of Minny.
I think the parity thing is maybe being overblown a bit. I still think bad teams are going to fold up the wagons by the last month of the season and I don’t think it’s going to make THAT big of an impact on win totals.
I think, more likely, we will suffer from a championship hangover to start the season. Combination of guys maybe not putting in the hours this off season and getting rest plus other teams gunning for us a bit more.
I think the team chemistry and cohesion, though, will help and I think guys like Diawara and Kolek are gonna contribute a lot this season.
Did anyone catch Mitch’s interview with CP on KFTV? It’s so easy to root for that guy. I still love him..except 4 or more times a season
One possibility would be for them to sit down with KAT and his agent and to go over the consequences of signing KAT to a high number while staying under the second apron. Frame it as “we think you are worth what you think you are, but we just can’t get there without decimating the team. The ball is in your court as to whether you want to be a part of what we are trying to continue. We’ll go as far as we can to accommodate you. If that doesn’t work for you, let us know how you want us to proceed.
“Injury luck is definitely the biggest variable. If we’re healthy we should be very good on both sides of the ball.”
I agree but I don’t think using last year’s metrics in that 28-11 run account for the potential impact of the loss of Mitch, the demise of tanking, or the talent realignment in the East.
The tanking thing itself is pretty significant. A third of the league was actively trying to lose last year. Now all of those teams will be actively trying to win.
One other thing: The influx of talent from what was touted as one of the deepest drafts in recent memory might be a factor. Combine that with the return of Tatum, Haliburton, Kyrie, AD, Morant, VanVleet, Lillard, and to a degree Giannis and Embiid, and the playing field might be quite different from what it was last year.
That’s when my agent should bring up the fact that Guitar Jimmy has deep-ass pockets, and he should treat going over the 2nd apron like paying a parking ticket in Bismarck, North Dakota.
You nailed it. Spot on. I think that’s exactly what has already happened.
KAT is yet to decide how to proceed. He obviously loves the SNL comratery but wants his money too.
Leon and CAA are all waiting on him to either sign the max possible to keep the starters together and stay under 2nd apron or give them a greenlight to explore trade and sign extension with a new team.
Everyone is waiting on KAT but every day that goes by the odds go down by ~0.5% in my book.
I actually think we are the side that will never have more leverage than now.
A year from now he can either send us over the second apron by opting in or opt out and walk away for nothing. That’s quite a bit of leverage.
Everything rests on the answer to “will there be a market for KAT in one year.” I wouldn’t bet on no.
KATs pocket pretty deep too. The guy would have more than half a Billion in earnings before age 37. Thsi is not about who can afford it more…they both can. This is about pride…
Did a nor’easter just write a better SNL skit than SNL?
Porzingis is already out with a health issue… not sure why the Warriors didn’t see that coming.
Hubert, you know how these deals go down. If he doesn’t sign extension, he will get traded before February. It’s either sign or let’s work together to find you a team and a good package. It could get as ugly as Butler, dragged out like Giannis or somewhere in between.
Zero chance Leon let’s him walk away this summer for salalry space between 1st and 2nd apron.
I disagree. Just like Mitch didn’t and IQ didn’t and Deuce doesn’t. Leon doesn’t play that game. There’s a budget and a goal. If you don’t fit under the budget you’re out. The Knicks have this year and next out of KAT. Unless the cap moves or the penalties that the 2nd apron cause are removed, next year will be his last in a Knick uniform unless he settles for what is offered. At the end of the day, it’s a business.
JJ McCarthy now the Giants QB.
Exactly!
All this patronizing “sit down and explain it to KAT” like he’s some sort of child stuff assumes he’s as dumb as that radio show host.
Paying KAT won’t decimate the team, and his agency knows that. So call Dolan’s bluff.
Maybe the better thing to do is for KAT to sit down with Dolan and go over the consequences of being over the second apron.
You all do realize that KAT is represented by CAA.
I don’t see it.
This isn’t Quickley or Randle. KAT is his guy. And this is his team. I don’t think he wants to break it up.
You’re assuming he’s got another 10 year shelf life and is thinking about the 2030 Knicks. Maybe he just wants to win as much as he can with this team and ride off to the sunset.
If KAT doesn’t fold I suspect he’ll pay him enough to make him happy (not the max but something like 30% of the cap) and figure out the SA after the season. It’s a 2027 problem.
“That’s when my agent should bring up the fact that Guitar Jimmy has deep-ass pockets, and he should treat going over the 2nd apron like paying a parking ticket in Bismarck, North Dakota.”
If that happens, Leon’s response should be” Okay, let me make sure I understand you correctly. You want me to go up to James Dolan and tell him that either he pays KAT what you think he’s worth, even if it means going into the second apron to keep this team together, or that we are going to opt out and test free agency at the end of the season? Just making sure.”
I mean, how would this even play out? Even if KAT were to forego his player option (61 mil), what team would have room to sign him outright? Pretty much just the Nets and Clips… maybe Chicago… all organizations with, er, issues.
And since we can offer the additional year, it makes sense for both sides to just work out a deal. But yeah, that will probably look like around 30% of the cap.
The flip side of that, ess-dog, is how does it play out for us? Flipping him for Alperen Sengun is as bad for us as playing in Brooklyn is for KAT.
He’s got more ways to get his money than we have of getting another him. So I think our leverage is overstated and both sides are going to have to give. KAT won’t get his max, and we won’t get a deal that makes it easy to stay under the SA.
Actually there is one center out there who would make our team better… and he makes the same amount of money as KAT… and he also has a player option this summer… and he is rumored to be unhappy with his current team…
I would get a rose tattoo with Leon written under it if that man pairs Jalen Brunson and Nikola Jokic.
I mean, this is not beyond possibility. You’d assume if Jokic left Denver they would want a bunch of picks to rebuild but if Jokic said he only wanted The Knicks, then KAT would be the best they could do and they could then try to flip KAT for picks later.
One thing we know for sure is that if Dolan gets any sense that KAT and his agent are giving him an ultimatum, he is going to force Leon to get rid of him, even if it diminishes the team. I mean, is this even in question?
And I don’t see any way that Leon is stupid enough to think that he can pay Towns AND pay Brunson AND stay under the apron AND keep the team competitive at the very top. So his best strategy is to say (without saying it) that if you give us an ultimatum (by not agreeing to a $50M AAV contract, give or take a couple of million, I can’t promise that you are going to be here after the trade deadline because 1) it’s really between you and my asshole boss, and 2) it would be unwise for me to wait and risk getting nothing but cap relief in return rather than to take 80 cents on a dollar while your value is at a peak.
Let KAT and his camp chew on that and start asking around in a way that sources reveal that he is being shopped, while keeping the door open for a reasonable counteroffer.
I think this is exactly it, Hubs, and that’s not very good news for Deuce. My guess is that Deuce’s agent is out there currently looking for the contract he wants from other teams, and when he gets it, Leon will swing a trade to make it happen.
Here we go again, Swift! Fresh off the LeBron train, now we can both squint and see Jokic coming 🙂
Y’all I’ve been watching clips from SNL and I didn’t think it was that bad.
I always think it’s funny that people immediately go “that sucked” when they watch SNL because the sketches are dumb. Sketch comedy is usually dumb. That’s why they’re sketches and not full episodes of TV. You come up with a comedic premise, play the joke out for a few pages, heighten it and then you’re done.
Jalen is not a comedic actor but he was up for the challenge and was having fun. The cast members were supportive. Some of the sketch ideas were good for a laugh. I thought it was fine?
I don’t see a path to acquiring Jokic without running into the same problems Denver has now.
“My guess is that Deuce’s agent is out there currently looking for the contract he wants from other teams”
Wouldn’t that be tampering? My understanding is that unless they had express permission to do so, no other team is allowed to talk with Deuce or his agent.
Swift, I agree that Jalen was fine. I think the skits were terrible, and not even Eddie Murphy could have made them good.
watching nba today…lebron in a philly uni looks weird…
jalen duren may actually be on the move this week…
Checked out the baseball standings for the first time…
I see the three best teams in the AL are on one side of the bracket and the three worst teams are on the other. That makes a lot of sense.
It also seems like if they didn’t play an unbalanced schedule the last place team in the AL East would probably have been better than the first place teams in the AL Central and West. Clever.
Manfred’s MLB sure loves randomness.
It’s a shame about Judge. I went to a Yankees Mets game last month and was impressed with all the lineup improvements. If you’d only given me Ben Rice batting leadoff instead of Trent Grisham, Dayenu. But they got Garcia and a pair of exciting young kids, too! Nice job, Cashman.
I think there is an excellent chance that KAT and the Knicks agree to an extension. It will be a discount, just depends on the number. I think they will make it work. KAT wants to be here, very much, and Leon loves KAT. It would be stunning.
I hope we find a way to keep Deuce and extend him. He adds so much defense to our roster. He is very good at point of attack but holds his own even against players that are taller than him. He is a perfect 3-D guy.
Alan, i think this helps Leon… “come on, guys, we don’t even have money for the electricity and you’re trying to squeeze extra millions??” LOLOL
I don’t realize that only 7 teams are currently over the first apron. At least we’re spending more than most.
Law Murray:
Woof.
I mean, no doubt all the owners/ownership groups say they wanna win…
not so hard to imagine them all being waaaaaay sweatier for cash/crypto/other financial concerns/not sport stuff…
it’s not like a terrible thing…sucks for us, cuz we care…but yeah – light your candles, say your prayers, cross your fingers, do the salt over the shoulder thing…
whatever ritual is of your choosing, do it until you can’t do it no more…
sadly, the math, kind of inadequate reality that it is:
LOW PROBABILITY for a championship for this upcoming 82 game season that we are all pysched for…
maybe even a lower probability than previous – because we just won…
it’s going to be even harder to get back to the finals, the conference finals…
wonder if steve is sitting back in one of his other businesses, watching camera feeds from the dome…like gus fring…
offices, hallways, court, training rooms, locker rooms, bath rooms…
you know james ain’t the only one with cameras every where…
What. A. Shame.
geo, one of the more influential books I read back in my younger days is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. My favorite quote:
Now that we’ve actually been to the mountaintop, I’m looking more forward to the journey this year than ever, regardless of the destination. But in a larger sense, it’s always been about the journey, hasn’t it? Isn’t that why we have followed this team all these years, even when there was zero chance of reaching the top of the mountain?
Came to check if JK47 was alive and well and not face down outside of a bar still after the Raiders went to 3-0….
sense of necessity/desperation is definitely gone…
no doubt, they’ll be a losing skid, where we look awful…slow, uninterested…
that may even happen to start the season off…
they’ll be some in the moment gut wrenching fall/injury…probably several…hope we have everyone for the playoffs again…
Sounds like he didn’t do what he wanted to do because he cared too much about what people would say.
Lame.
.
honestly, I don’t feel like we have a superstar on the team…think we have a really good team of players that enhance each other…cohesion and synergy…
stats don’t lie, they also don’t really capture jalen’s on court impact…
not sure if it actually correlates, but felt like out team was like the pistons of ’04…
I’d put my absolute maximum starting number for towns at $55 next year but I’d really try and get it down to $50 next year. If we also renegotiate Hart’s contract to say starting at 15-18 but going 3 additional years that should give us enough to extend Duece.
Looking at similar high end bench pieces $10-15 seems like the first year number. Eason, Mitch, Timelord, Mathurin, Gillespie all got less than 15 for the first year. Mathurin only got like 7.5.
Then if Brunson takes number to match Towns after next year which would be closer to $55-60 accounting for Towns’s raise we should be able to keep the team fully together without having to go over the 2nd apron.
If Towns wants much more than that or Brunson wants a true Supermax then we are facing a similar future to Golden State as we play out the string, old and in cap hell.
I’d be cool with that.
And I suspect all Warriors fans wouldn’t trade their ’22 title for more cap space today.
Hell the ones I know are still annoyed Klay’s gone.
A) You could keep this team together and watch it to continue competing for titles but it will be in cap hell 5 years from now
B) You break up the team now to so that maybe you can do something with the cap space in 5 years.
Who’s choosing B?
We made it to the promised land and are quibbling about the rent.
KAT needs to sign whats in front of him, for both his own good and my sanity. Stop stalling. It makes everything worse.
Once KAT signs, then Leon knows how much he has left for Hart and Deuce.
Poor Deuce is like can you please settle for $50, – so I can have $10?
Not for at least 2-3 weeks and only if Jameis continues to suck eggs (assuming he isn’t playing with a hidden injury). Even when a veteran like Earl Morrall was traded to the Giants in 1965 and the Colts in 1968 he had 3-4 weeks to learn the syetem before starting.
It’s not like trading for a center fielder in baseball where you only need to learn the hit, take, hit and run and steal signs.
Vikings fans aren’t happy with the deal. Maybe there were personality issues or something else behind the scenes that made Vikings management trade him, but also maybe it just takes a lot of young quarterbacks time to develop in the NFL but the system usually doesn’t give them that time.
Interesting stuff from Spurs media day:
Probably confirming my own bias but I think these kids still have a long way to go.
Definitely doesn’t help Fox’s trade value if he’s right.
“JJ McCarthy now the Giants QB.
Not for at least 2-3 weeks ”
Why is that?
FWIW (not much right now), ESPN has our depth chart like this:
PG Brunson, Deuce, Alvie, Kolek, Clarkson
SG Hart, Shamet, Deuce, Clarkson, Konchar
SF Bridges, Clarkson, Hart, Konchar, Nickel
PF OG, KAT, Kool Moe D, Hart, Konchar,
C KAT, Drummond, Kool Moe D
Simply because he has to learn an entire new system, a new language to call the plays and to set the protection… things like that. He has to learn the entire route tree for every position. Quarterbacking in the NFL is very difficult besides the obvious skills. There is a reason why the have a number of off season mini camps and a 6 week pre season training camp with 3 games to prepare for the season. He has to install an new system in his head. One of the most difficult things for an NFL Qb with all the situational substitutions is getting everyone lined up for each play. Then 40% of the time they have to change the play at the line with 7 season left on the play clock. Way different from the NBA.
WTF? Nothing like reaching for a nick name that has zero connection to the person. What on earth emits “kool” about Mohamed Diawara?
There hasn’t been a kool Frenchman since Jean Paul Belmondo in 1960, FFS 🙂
Kool No D
There have been several instances in recent seasons of QBs showing up about a week after being signed and starting games: Phillip Rivers in Indy, Baker Mayfield on the Rams, Josh Dobbs in Minnesota, etc. There is definitely precedent.
Bob, presume you’re maybe aware of Kool Moe Dee, one of the more influential rappers of the 1980s who was the first rapper to appear on the Grammy’s, for instance. So if you’re going with Mo D (or variations therein) as short for Mr. Diawara, you kind of have to put Kool in front.
In the education business we used to say that February is the longest month of the year, even with the fewest calendar days and a week off for midwinter recess. I’m getting that same feeling with championship summer feeling longer than ever, even though we played longer into the year than we have since 1999. Maybe part of it is that the Mets and Jets suck, but I really can’t wait until Monday.
I used to live downtown 129th street
Convent everything’s upbeat
Parties ball in the park
Nothing but girls after dark
We chill nobody gets ill
In the place we call the hill
thought the nickname works so well because kool moe dee was from the city…
potentially mo could be good on defense, hope he’s good on defense…
The Raiders went from a truly dire coaching situation, with an ossified Pete Carroll in the head coaching position and his nepo baby son presiding over one of the worst offensive lines in NFL history, to a great coaching situation, with the highly professional and accomplished Klint Kubiak running the show.
The Raiders still have a lot of problem areas— that offensive line is still not very good even after they added a three time Pro Bowl center, their wide receiver room is very weak, and their secondary is a mix of unplayable veterans and talented but inexperienced rookies. They have a tough schedule coming up and could easily lose their next four games.
That said, the Raiders actually drafted well this year, nabbing two and possibly three DBs who are strong contenders to start, as well as acquiring a backup RB who has looked like he could easily start if Jeanty were to go down, plus Fernando Mendoza, who gets as much time as he needs to develop under a resurgent Kirk Cousins, who can still move the chains and make some big throws. This is the best draft the Raiders have had in a very long time.
They actually look like a normal football team and not some sort of weird freak show for once.
Apples and oranges:
Rivers was a 16 year vet who played his last season in INDY before his first retirement. When he came out of retirement to play again his new head coach in Indy was his former offensive coordinator with the Chargers, so he knew the system inside out before he arrived, He had played in the same system.
Baker Mayfield played the same week as the back-up to the world famous John Wolford who was the only QB on LA’s roster after Stafford’s injury. Wolford had one game of NFL experience before the Mayfield game and Mayfield had 79. Wolford was out of the league after the following season so it was a complete desperation situation.
So yes, it is possible to play an NFL game with a week’s preparation, but it really helps to be experienced and actually at least be pretty good only under dire circumstances.
He isn’t playing the next few weeks unless Winston is injured or completely wets the bed.
So everyone in the world named Mohammed or Maurice and had a d starting their last name is now eligible to be a “Kool MO D” even if there isn’t a scintillia of coolness about them? Seems pretty lame.
But WTF do I know. Just seems like trying too hard.
Wow, Bob, you just busted the needle off the GetOffMyLawn-ometer.
Maybe it needs recalibration.
What on earth is cool or kool about Mohammed Diawara? Wilt the stilt… understandable, Earl Monroe “Black Jesus” , sure…. Kool Mo D? Huh?
Maybe just call him Kool JP Belmondo then
So after all that the championship has given us, there’s still one more i didn’t counted on (No Lebron)? Sweet! 🙂
Happy for you JK!
If the Knicks and Arsenal can do it why not the Raiders….
This site uses User Verification plugin to reduce spam. See how your comment data is processed.