Knicks Morning News (2026.07.21)

You know what I woke up remembering, you guys?

The Knicks are the reigning NBA champions.

That seems kinda cool. And is something that we should remind ourselves of as often as possible.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom: Game Plan Summit in New York, “I would like [James] to make his announcement already, so we can finish the schedule.”

If I were LeBron I would add another month to my timetable after hearing this.

“If I were LeBron I would add another month to my timetable after hearing this.”

Yeah. I kinda doubt it’s gonna go that way, though.

It’s amazing how many people care where James is going. I just think of it in basketball terms. How will his choice affect the Knicks?

I’m actually wondering if the money involved will be a problem for some teams. Maybe his ego is demanding a big salary but the teams he likes can’t afford it. Brooklyn can probably pay him and needs the fan interest, but they have Randle at the same position. I don’t know what Philly, Miami or Golden State can afford.

I can’t stand Drama Queen LeHasBeen, but Adam Silver trying to milk every dollar out of the team he winds up with is very unseemly. Just make the fucking schedule and let the chips fall where they may. He’s obviously going to one of 3 teams, and all of those teams will be good with or without him.

just wanted to share – my colon is cleaner than yours…

well, maybe except for ess-dog and rama whom seem to be some seasoned pros with fasting…

dang rama – 6 to 7 day fast – that is pretty bad ass sir…

my digestive system salutes you…

Lots of folks fast for 5 days or so a couple of 3 or so times a year. There is virtually nothing to it other than making sure you ingest normal amounts of salt, potassium and magnesium and of course plenty of water. Those who go longer must be aware of refeeding syndrome.

Cam Boozer looking at the Knicks as a model for his game: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7459255/2026/07/21/cameron-boozer-grizzlies-knicks-nba-rookie/

“It’s amazing how many people care where James is going. I just think of it in basketball terms. How will his choice affect the Knicks?”

That’s pretty much the only reason I care, too.

It’s amazing how many people care where James is going. I just think of it in basketball terms. How will his choice affect the Knicks?

Someone’s going to get one of the 20 best players in the NBA for the vet min. It’s a pretty big deal.

As for how it would affect the Knicks, if he goes to Cleveland or Miami they both become serious contenders in the East. Without him I don’t think either of them are.

If he goes to Philadelphia, I wouldn’t be bothered in the slightest.

And if he comes here we might field the greatest team of all time.

I know the thought of signing Tony Bradley as our third C is kind of revolting, but looking at his career advanced stats, he isn’t godawful. In 2500 minutes, he has a career -0.5 BPM, 18.3 PER, .641 TS% on 15.5% usage, 2.2 blocks per 36, 15.4% OReb%, 1.7 TOV per 36, .684 FT%.

Hard to tell much from the very limited minutes he has played since the pandemic, but he’s only 28 and probably would be more reliable than some of the kid names being bantered about (Cisse, for example, was really pretty raw.)

Obviously the most unexciting “reasonable” pick out there, but far from a worst case scenario if he’s healthy. And Leon could still explore trades for a guy with Pacome/Kolek/picks, or even involving Deuce if it was for someone like Diabate or Cardwell.

I also wonder if Bradley would go for a partially guaranteed deal. That would keep some doors open as well.

is there really any one who doesn’t believe lebron has already made his decision as to where to play next…

this just feels like unnecessary theater…

The Knicks are the reigning NBA champions.

In the four days following the conclusion of Game 5, Knicks Nation got to behave like the fans of other sports franchises do after winning a title.

We rejoiced.
We showered laurels upon the players & FO.
We sang Kumbaya together and professed an undying love for our fellow fan.

Man, it was weird.

Thankfully the owner then went on WFAN and, with a few brief words, reminded us who we really are.

We bemoan our fate.
We bicker with one another.
We embrace the gallows humor that sustained us as a people for 53 years (h/t to Tim Watley)

So good to be back in our comfort zone.

Four days of carrying on like Lakers fans was more than enough.

The league waiting to schedule games that LeBron probably isn’t going to play in anyways is a bit too panglossian even for Adam Silver.

I only see 1.6 blocks per 36 for Bradley in his career (although only 0.6 blocks per 36 last season, which is concerning); the 2.2 blocks are per 100 possessions, which inflates things a little bit.

Bottom line, though: I’d be OK with him, given our current options.

Aah, correct Doogie, I looked at the wrong chart for blocks. Thanks!

Alan, that article made me really want boozer on our team.

I would have wanted Boozer even if that article had never existed.

I don’t think LeBron on his own is enough to get any of those three leading teams a chip. As such, he should probably just go to Golden State where his talents are probably needed the most, and where he can create the most outside business. Brooklyn is interesting though because they have some better players now, could give him a decent salary, and could probably offer him some business interests within the organization. Philly and Cleveland just seem like dead-end moves. Idk maybe he can tackle the drug/homeless problem in Philly and become a hero there? Otherwise, just stay in Cali and make money.

is there really any one who doesn’t believe lebron has already made his decision as to where to play next…

this just feels like unnecessary theater…

Garden leave is really peaceful, geo.

[Highly drafted incoming rookie] studied the [reigning champs]. Their blueprint can be his success plan.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat. This time next year.

Alan, that article made me really want boozer on our team.

Having never seen Boozer play (I don’t watch college hoops), every article written about him and every podcast discussion about him fascinates me. Because they’re all like, “He’s far from the most athletic guy in the draft, he’s not the best shooter, he’s not the best this or that,” and it sounds like his only truly elite skill is his processing. But by all accounts, it is so elite that it more than makes up for his deficiencies relative to this year’s other top prospects. Like, if I’m remembering right, his dad was similarly a jack of all trades, master of none, but was never referred to as a basketball genius in the way that Cam is — as if he’s the power forward version of Jalen Brunson. (Obviously, Brunson has elite skills, particularly in his ballhandling and eventually with his pull-up shooting, but it’s his ability to read every situation perfectly that makes him as great as he is.)

Does that sound about right?

Bradley as compared to Mitch would give us more scoring, only slightly less rebounding, definitely less rim protection, better free throw shooting, and (hopefully) more minutes/availability.

“Bradley as compared to Mitch would give us more scoring, only slightly less rebounding, definitely less rim protection, better free throw shooting, and (hopefully) more minutes/availability.”

You are not going to replace a $15-20M AAV “nominal starter” level player with any career journeyman vet’s minimum type. The options tend to be a young, inexperienced, somewhat raw guy with upside but who “as is” is not ready to help yet, or burning some assets and possibly some depth at another position for something better (e.g. Cardwell, Diabate.)

It’s not impossible to hit on a youngish minimum guy (Celts did that twice with Kornet and Queta) but that generally requires patience and a couple of years of development. Cisse is sort of that archetype, although I think he is at least a couple of years away from being playable for more than spot minutes. Queta took 3 years to break the 300 minute mark, and Kornet was pretty useless until he broke out for the Celts at age 27. That raw type with potential is fine when you have reliable player in front of him. I think Leon will eventually roster one of those this season, possibly in the G-League, and possibly even Cisse himself if he gets waived due to a roster crunch (his contract is partially guaranteed.) But we need something more reliable right now.

Hey Alan, that does sound about right. His dad Carlos was, if memory serves, just a fairly talented big lug — powerful and classic power forward with a strong under-the-basket game and a decent shot from 15 feet in. Sort of an Oakley Lite. Arguably equivalent to Oak.

But yeah, the son seems to have really thought through the game. I suspect he’s going to be a fun one to watch.

Alan, I was just thinking how dynamic of a player a 6’10” Jalen Brunson would be if Cam could get there. But the things that make Brunson so special are pretty rare. It’s a lot harder to walk the walk, especially if you have gifts like Boozer. Brunson was driven by wanting to prove his doubters wrong as much as anything else. He doesn’t look the part, but he’s as much of a “killer” as Kobe or Jordan, who both had insane work ethics. Magic and Bird too. We’ll see whether Cam has that in him.

Actually just ran the numbers, which suggest that Boozer Sr. was a good bit better than Oakley.

YMMV.

Oakley.

Amazing that oak is the only k without oak status, aak really needs to be followed by udbyfbad as a parenthetical.

Not really, though.

nailed it

udbyfbad

is the last d dick or drunk?

I’d probably go udbyfbb, with the last b equaling belligerent, and drop the parentheses.

OAKAAKUDBYFBB

“Brunson was driven by wanting to prove his doubters wrong as much as anything else.”

First of all, have no idea what drives JB. But unless you do, speculation. He said winning, Please quote that proving the doubters wrong was what drove him equally as winning.

Unlike most other athletes, Bronson is driven by winning. OK.

boozer sr reminded me of a poor man’s terry cummings rather than oakley….oakley could never really operate in the key with the ball…those other two had an array of stuff to get their shots off closer to the hoop

James may be the most tone deaf top alhlete of all time.

He has to be the center of attention at all times and doesn’t realize that’s one of “many” reasons people don’t like him. He probably thinks everyone is anxiously waiting to see who he’s going to pick, praying it’s their team, when a lot of us couldn’t give a crap and just want to see where the rest of the players are going to go.

This may be the first time I ever looked forward to a star retiring.

LeBron is the Apollo Creed of basketball.

Bronson’s got a death wish. He gonna fuck you up

Thank you, Clarence. I was thinking much the same thing, of course.

Damn, voice texting got me again!

Don’t blame LeBron one bit here.

He’s simply acting in accordance with the motives once so aptly articulated by Bob Marley when he sang, “Every need got an ego to feed.” His just needs a lot more feeding than yours or mine.

Direct your scorn instead towards Mr. Silver who is now holding up routine league business in order to put even more food on the plate of that one, particular ego.

I feel like Silver has other methods of contacting LeBron if he wants him to announce so that he can finish making the schedule, other than through the media. That was clearly for show.

I haven’t really watched ESPN for analysis for quite a while, but I also feel like there were others they could/should have fired before they let Ryan Clark go. They actually let him go while he was in the middle of taping a show. Pretty cold.

Pepper, interesting comparison and I don’t disagree with you, my only minor rebuttal is if memory serves Terry Cummings could spend time in the air, while both Oakley and Boozer Sr. were ground-bound.

Also of course Charles has been known to get in his cups, while Carlos as the apt last name.

boozer sr, if I recall, was not as dynamic as a power dunker like Terry…but he might not have had the vertical like cummings but he had the power (kind of like OG)…

back in the day…Depaul put out some good NBA players

One of my best friends is a diehard Heat fan and he’s doing a lot of chirping about “you know He’s coming here, right” with the capital H implied.

If we don’t win another chip I at least insist on beating those fuckers.

One need not be especially insightful to recognize that performers who remain humble after reaching the highest pinnacles of fame are the exception, not the rule. The extent to which a lack of humility detracts from the enjoyment of a particular performer can vary wildly from person to person.

My dad used to tell a story about a show he once attended at a Vegas casino back in the 1960s. Among those in the audience was Frank Sinatra accompanied by a sizable retinue of hangers-on. At some point in the show, Frank grew bored and decided he wanted to leave. Instead of slipping away quietly, Ol’ Blue Eyes stood up and shouted “We’re getting out of here.” When some in his party failed to get up quickly enough, Frank yelled, “LET’S GO. NOW!”

My dad had long since forgotten who the performer on stage was but he never forgot Sinatra’s behavior as it essentially became The Main Event that night. He harbored a visceral loathing for him til the end of his days.

I continue to think of Frank as a pretty good singer, tho’.

If we don’t win another chip I at least insist on beating those fuckers.

Funny you mention that…

I don’t expect to win another chip with this team and I’m completely at peace with that. One is more than I ever imagined.

But there’s a couple of side quests that would give me immense satisfaction:

1. Beating the Indiana Pacers in a playoff series 4 games to zero by an average margin of 35 pts.

2. Beating LeBron James in the playoffs, ideally as a member of the Heat.

Beating Kevin Durant would be fun, too, but alas he is hiding in the West.

I haven’t really watched ESPN for analysis for quite a while, but I also feel like there were others they could/should have fired before they let Ryan Clark go. They actually let him go while he was in the middle of taping a show. Pretty cold

They did indeed inform in the middle of a show. The reason was, they discovered their plans to fire him had leaked to the press, and they decided it would be better to tell him right away, rather than have him learn it from a third party. I’m not sure hoe he would have learned from a third party right in the middle of a taping though..

Those guys always have their phones in hand even when taping. It’s in some ways part of their jobs to hear from people wherever and whenever, so it was a valid concern on ESPN’s part.

what a fool believes – i totally expect us to win another chip in the next season or two…

D is for Drunk, just like is was for Shel Silverstein when he wrote his ABC book.

somewhere around the middle 60 hour mark on fasting…

never got to the second wind for energy or acute clarity stage…for me maybe happens closer to the 90 hour mark…

still waiting to go in for procedure, been waiting about an hour…patience not being one of my stronger qualities…

got my next meal all planned out: chicken/rice/beans/sour cream/cheese burrito…gonna wash it down with a pacifico…

most definitely open to trying out another extended fast period, get past that 90 hour mark…probably a lot easier to do if I can find some time alone for a while…

been months now since I’ve had a few days alone…not sure exactly how i feel about that…it’s different, that’s for sure…

(Alcohol is Dolan’s 2nd Apron, it’s probably how the CBA was explained to him in the first place)

Gondrezick, I’ve been pondering for WAY too long the intersection of ego and ambition, and whether the root of all evil lies in the simple definition of narcissism.

It seems way too simplistic, but I keep stripping it down to the bones, and it keeps popping up as a basic truth.

If it is true, society really needs to think hard about its reward (and penalty) system…

whatcha lunching on donnie?

Somebody to look at for a two way spot . I saw him on the Raptors summer team and was impressed https://x.com/SBGreatestPF/status/2076545827145736566

Imagine you got fired from your job, took some time off for the first time in your adult life, and people called you a narcissist for not choosing your next job fast enough to make everybody happy.

Or get the 7-foot-9 guy from Egypt who can dunk without jumping.

Sharp is big and tall but pretty raw. I’ve checked him out before. He’d be fine for a 2-way under the circumstances.

“whatcha lunching on donnie?”

I hear he’s be on a nothing but crow diet for a while….

Turned forty eight today. Went outside on my patio to catch the brief sunlight in between love bagels and pastries and a big bird dropped a dead little bird at my feet. Thank you bird.

5

Lol Geo I had literally just admired this before reading your post: https://lbactionfigures.bigcartel.com/product/michael-mcd

Clarence, speaking of birds dropping other birds, Lady Raven had a merlin calling off the back porch this morning that she ID’d using Merlin. Which feels like a self-intersecting curve, or an infinity loop, or perhaps only a metaphor for something ptmilo would have to explain.

Cam Boozer looking at the Knicks as a model for his game

The Knicks are NBA Champions and the Knicks serve as model for young players… finally we were able to make the shift to an alternative universe! Let’s just be happy and enjoy this as long as we can! 🙂

Used to be obsessed with Merlin and then he/she started showing up in all the new Anime and I was like woah.

“Let’s just be happy and enjoy this as long as we can! 🙂”

In other words, until our last breath!

Bad storms with tornado watches and warnings all over the place in the tri-state area, stay safe y’all!

Happy birthday Clarence!!

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/88/32/09/8832091a14160876d5d1950eefef1b76.jpg

Talking to me? 😀

Enjoy what’s left of life under 50, Clarence!

Happy B’Day, Clarence! 🥳

there were others they could/should have fired

Really unhappy that Stephen A. managed to – yet again – survive this latest round of layoffs at ESPN.

Sure, he’s just another blowhard in an industry that’s lousy with ‘em. What sets him apart is his self appointed role as the national sports media’s #1 Knicks fan. That Disney markets his contrived, over-the-top schtick as representative of Knicks fandom is a fucking embarrassment.

50 isn’t so bad. You think you’ve seen the world, then the Knicks win a championship and you’re like “whoa, anything can still happen, aight.” Happy birthday Clarence, enjoy the crow I had postmated to you, it doesn’t taste as bad as the bird of Haliburton’s achilles blowing out.

Only had to wait 48 years (or more accurately 47 and 11 months)) for a chip while a good amount of us had to wait 53 years. Seems unfair, but best wishes on your birthday…

He has to be the center of attention at all times and doesn’t realize that’s one of “many” reasons people don’t like him.

I think you’re in a bit of an epistemic bubble on this one. LeBron James has very high approval ratings with the general public, and notwithstanding a post-The Decision blip, this result has been replicated a bunch of times. Among public figures, and particularly those who have actually weighed in on thorny issues, these numbers are about as high as you’ll see.

I say this as someone who is decidedly not a Stan. I certainly won’t deny he can be self-aggrandizing and passive aggressive, nor would I say he has much plausible deniability when it comes to the charge he often drags out these kinds of, ahem, decisions as much as possible to maximize publicity.

All that said, I do have to admire someone who’s been in the public eye since he was a teenager and to my knowledge has never been so much as accused of anything truly immoral. He’s also willingly subjected himself to all kinds of vitriol from people who love to spew it by speaking out when he’s compelled (which, yes, can be selective, as is the case with basically any public figure who has spoken out about anything, ever).

I basically find him kind of annoying, but also think he’s a very good role model all things considered.

Donnie, it seems to me that Indiana is getting overlooked in the upcoming battle for the EC. Obviously the draft lottery was not kind to Pritchard, but they are still not all that far removed from the team that took OKC to 7 games. Hali should make a good recovery, Siakam is hardly ancient, Zubac might be an upgrade from Myles Turner, Nesmith and Nembhard are now in their mid-prime, and Obi, TJ, Oubre Jr., Huff, Jarace and Shephard seem to round out a potentially damn good rotation. Maybe even Furphy takes a decent step forward. Carlisle is one of the best in the business. Yet lots of folks don’t even have them in the top 6. Was Myles and Mathurin that much of a loss?

Turner was a weak link, Zubac is better. But the Math will never add up.

Oubre’s better than Mathurin. The Pacers will be formidable again. The East is gonna be tough.

I don’t think that Oubre is demonstrably better than Mathurin, if indeed he is better at all. Not much difference, other than Donnie (I believe) said he thinks that Oubre is attractive, and thus (if I’m remembering that correctly) is probably happy that he moved from one of his teams to the other one.

Oubre is hot as shit, but he’s no Ben. At 22 he was, for extended periods including in the NBA finals, the best player on the court. Oubre makes posters just by standing still, it’s not quite the same.

Thanks gents. All yall are beautiful. Even you ugly motherfuckers. Also my brother reminded me 47 not 48. Im an idiot.

Turner was a weak link, Zubac is better. But the Math will never add up.

I’m not sure how one comes to that conclusion.

While Turner was always the little girl with the curl who looks better than he plays, he does a few important things well.

He is mobile for a 5, has excellent range for a 5 where he must be guarded and is an outstanding rim protector.

Having Zubac improves the rebounding greatly, but he also collapses the spacing for a team that wants Siakam, Toppin and Hali slashing to the rim and sprinting on the break.

Zubac is unswitchable on defense and literally half the rim protector that Turner still is.

Zubac neatly fills a gaping hole, but I don’t see how that makes them as good as in 25.

If I had to pick any coach to figure out how to modify things so that they suit Zubac’s strengths rather than Turner’s, Carlisle would be at or near the top of the list.

I do think they will miss Mathurin, though.

Clarence there was a year that I did that, and it might have been around the same age. Or maybe not. Anyway, at least you are younger than you thought!

https://x.com/krispursiainen/status/2079709829870842115?s=46&t=0wqff4cNt-sCGcDs-uMExw

Really enjoyed this clip of future GM Deuce McBride

If I had to pick any coach to figure out how to modify things so that they suit Zubac’s strengths rather than Turner’s, Carlisle would be at or near the top of the list.

I do think they will miss Mathurin, though.

Carlisle is held in high regard by all, but he can’t improve Zubac’s lack of foot speed straight ahead or laterally, can’t increase his range nor have him defend the rim like Turner when Obi or Hali get beaten off the dribble any more than Brown could make Mitch a better free throw shooter.

The Pacers should be a contender in the east, but I don’t see how they will be as good as 25. Zubac is an excellent finger in the dike, but I don’t see how he makes the dam any stronger or this group any better than the 25 group (and likely net a bit worse), IMO.

favorite type of chocolate:

dark chocolate cherry cordial…yum, totally worth not eating for a few days…

top that one…

Really enjoyed this clip of future GM Deuce McBride

https://x.com/krispursiainen/status/2079709829870842115?s=46&t=0wqff4cNt-sCGcDs-uMExw

“Reward guys who impact winning the game.” Perspicacity unleashed by Mr. Deuce Mc Bride.

favorite type of chocolate:

dark chocolate cherry cordial…yum, totally worth not eating for a few days…

top that one…

This could only be done properly by one Mykelti Williamson reprising his role as Benjamin Buford Blue extoling the virtues of chocolate rather than shrimp.

Turner was benched in game 7 of the finals, which pretty much says it all. His minutes were given too… Mathurin (who scored a game high 24 and grabbed 13 rebounds (7 offensive)) and Obi Toppin.

Turner was so clearly the weakest link on that team. Sure he could make a few 3s in a row, but he could miss a lot too, and he was a bad rebounder. He had some blocks, but blocks are overrated.

If Indiana had competed this year, they would have been pretty good. I hated the punt.

“If Indiana had competed this year, they would have been pretty good. I hated the punt.”

You would have hated it a lot less if they wound up with a top-4 pick.

good point Bob…

let me ask this then – one final piece of chocolate to be eaten, ever, what is it going to be…

also, forgot to mention – just like milk, chocolate is best served chilled…mmmmmmmm…together even better…

and a double ha…ha ha…had no plans on stopping by sees candies, after picking up burrito, until I read mister clarence’s post of pastries…

that got my my mind moving in the right direction…

Turner was so clearly the weakest link on that team. Sure he could make a few 3s in a row, but he could miss a lot too, and he was a bad rebounder. He had some blocks, but blocks are overrated.

In 2025 the guy shot 39.6% from 3 and was THIRD in the league in blocks so saying he made the occasional 3 and could block some shots is playing fast and loose with the English language.

We shall see in the fulness of time if the team is better or worse with Zubac vs Turner. That can’t be settled tonight.

good point Bob…

let me ask this then – one final piece of chocolate to be eaten, ever, what is it going to be…

I am not an aficionado of fine chocolate, just an admirer. It would be like asking me who was hotter in the 70’s: Cheryl Tiegs or Christy Brinkley? Does it really matter at that level.

I do know one thing. If I am ever in my death bed suffering from incurable cancer and it is time to off myself I am asking my son for a pint of Haagan-Dazs White Chocolate Raspbery Truffle ice cream and devour it as I down a bottle of Roxanol.

I will die a happy man.

Wow.

Jamarion Sharp signed a 2-way with the Clips

the thumbs up seems quite inadequate at the moment – cuz i LOVE your post Bob…

The answer is Brinkley. I am prepared to die on this hill.