New York Knicks owner James Dolan (center) celebrates with the Larry O'Brien trophy on Saturday night in San Antonio.Photograph: Ronald Cortes/Getty Images
The New York Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years may have been built on many things: Jalen Brunson’s brilliance, Mike Brown’s steady hand, a suffocating defense and a healthy roster when it mattered most.
According to much-maligned team owner James Dolan, it may also have required a little self-denial.
A video released Monday by the Roommates Show podcast revealed that Dolan urged Knicks players to consider abstaining from sex during what he anticipated would be a 10-week march to an NBA title, part of a broader appeal for sacrifice delivered shortly before the playoffs began.
“I had this idea that maybe you should give up sex for the next 10 weeks,” Dolan told players during a surprise speech to the team on 3 April. “The Spartans, they denied themselves, right, so they can have an edge. Get the edge.”
The remarks came as part of a lengthy address in which Dolan implored the team to seize what he described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to end one of the longest championship droughts in North American sports.
“This team can win it all,” Dolan said. “I don’t know if you understand what it would mean for you to win the championship this year. It would be life-changing for all of you.”
At the time, the Knicks had five regular-season games remaining. They would go on to win four of them before resting starters in the finale, then storm through the postseason with a 16-3 record, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games to capture the franchise’s first title since 1973.
Dolan’s comments have quickly become the most discussed portion of the speech, though the owner framed the suggestion as part of a wider message about commitment and discipline. He urged players to improve their diets, prioritize sleep and eliminate distractions during the playoffs.
“It’s not a long time,” Dolan said. “Sacrifice everything you’ve got these next 10 weeks to win that championship.”
The Knicks owner also acknowledged that any championship pursuit would require buy-in from players’ families.
“Go home, talk to your wives,” Dolan said. “Don’t tell them it was my idea. But let them know what this commitment is going to be like, and how they’re going to have to sacrifice too.”
“They were a little surprised, but the words hit,” a source told SNY.
Whether any Knicks players followed Dolan’s advice remains unclear. One person who apparently did not was head coach Mike Brown.
Speaking to the New York Post after the video surfaced, Brown said he had no intention of implementing the owner’s recommendation in his own household.
“There was no way that I could get that done,” Brown told the Post.
The speech was delivered during Brown’s first season in charge after replacing Tom Thibodeau, a controversial coaching change that Dolan also addressed during the meeting. He told players that Knicks leadership believed the roster was talented enough to compete for a title but needed a more collaborative approach.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: Isaiah Evans #3 of the Duke Blue Devils is introduced before the game against the UConn Huskies during the Elite Eight round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
According to Ian Begley of SNY, the Knicks hosted a group workout for draft prospects that included Duke guard Isaiah Evans. The World Champion Knicks are considering how best to use the 24th, 31st, and 55th picks in next week’s draft.
Knicks, fresh off a late night/early morning return from San Antonio on Sunday, hosted Duke guard Isaiah Evans today as part of a group workout for draft prospects, per SNY sources. Knicks have the No. 24, No. 31 and No. 55 picks in next week’s draft.
Evans is a 6-foot-6 wing from North Carolina who arrived at Duke as one of the top shooting prospects in his recruiting class.
After a limited freshman season, Evans broke out as a sophomore in 2025-26. He averaged 15 points per game and shot 38% from three-point range at Duke. During the Blue Devils’ NCAA Tournament run, he averaged 18.9 points per game.
Evans’ appeal begins with his shooting. He is one of the best perimeter shooters in this draft class, capable of stretching defenses well beyond the three-point line thanks to his deep range and quick release. He is particularly dangerous moving without the ball, whether coming off screens, positioning around the perimeter, or finding open space in transition. He possesses good size for an NBA wing, allowing him to play either shooting guard or small forward. Defensively, he remains a work in progress, but scouts have noted steady improvement in his team defense and overall awareness. Long term, he projects as a floor-spacing 3-and-D wing who can provide shooting, secondary scoring, and complementary defense alongside high-usage teammates.
For a Knicks team built around the gravity of Jalen Brunson and the interior scoring of Karl-Anthony Towns, Evans is the kind of prospect who could deliver some cost-controlled offensive juice with the second unit.
With the draft looming, the Knicks were active behind the scenes during their Finals run, bringing in multiple prospects for pre-draft workouts. Reports have connected them to several names, including:
Meleek Thomas (Arkansas) — athletic scoring guard with defensive upside.
Ebuka Okorie (Stanford)— productive scorer who can create offense.
Chris Cenac Jr. (Houston) — athletic big man who has appeared in multiple Knicks mock-draft projections.
Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan)— physical frontcourt player who has also been linked to New York in mock drafts.
Begley’s report indicates Evans was part of a group workout, which is normal for teams drafting in the 20s and early second round as they compare several similarly graded prospects side by side.
The bigger takeaway from the Knicks’ workout list is that they appear focused on three archetypes: shooting wings, defensive combo guards, and young frontcourt depth.
A guy like Evans makes sense. The Knicks are expensive, deep, and coming off a title. They don’t need a developmental point guard. They need players who can help off the bench. If the front office believes backup-big minutes remain a more pressing long-term need, someone like Chris Cenac Jr. or Morez Johnson Jr. could be attractive.
Of course, Leon Rose has a history of consolidating assets. Will the Knicks use all three picks, bundle them in a swap for a higher spot, or move some (or all) of them for better options in next year’s draft? Let the intrigue commence.
A California woman was mourning the death of her dog who was fatally shot by Los Angeles police officers on the evening of June 13.
Officers of Los Angeles Police Department's Topanga Patrol Division responded to a radio call of a "screaming woman" in an apartment unit located in Canoga Park around 8:55 p.m., according to a LAPD news release. When officers arrived at the apartment complex they were directed to the unit where the noise was coming from.
The woman, identified as Marie Marsielle, had her dog, Jameson, by her side as she was speaking with the police officers. According to the Los Angeles Times, Marsielle was born and raised New York and moved to California for work in 2014.
Marsielle was heard screaming and yelling in celebration of the New York Knicks' 2026 NBA championship, the team's first since 1973. Jameson was sporting Knicks apparrel the night they won and was allegedly barking at police, so officers requested the pet to be secured, the LAPD said.
Marsielle, according to LAPD, momentarily closed her door. When she re-opened it, Jameson exited the apartment and allegedly charged at one of the officers who then fired at the dog in an "Officer-Involved shooting", authorities said.
No community members or officers were injured as a result of this incident, LAPD said in a statement. But the dog, Jameson was pronounced dead.
In a video taken by neighbors posted to TikTok, Marsielle could be seen on the ground holding her dog while sobbing and weeping.
"Oh my God. My Jameson," Marsielle cried out in grief, as she laid out on the concrete with her deceased pet. "Oh no! No! No! No!" Over and over again, she repeated, "I can't, I can't."
"The Knicks just won a championship, we were just so happy. We were just celebrating the Knicks," she screamed. "We were just celebrating the Knicks. ...This is absolutely crazy, we didn't do anything."
Neighbors could be seen and heard on the TikTok video screaming at police officers.
(Video below contains language not safe for work.)
"He was such a good dog," a neighbor said in the video.
"You guys killed a dog when there's (expletive) drug dealers and (expletive) outside. Why don't you shoot those (expletive)," another neighbor exclaimed.
"Seriously? Seriously, for a dog? Are you serious?" another neighbor asked.
"What the (expletive)," one neighbor shouted as helicopters began to circle the apartment complex.
The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services was notified, responded to the scene, and took custody of his body.
Force Investigation Division (FID) investigators also responded to the scene to investigate the incident. Marsielle cooperated with the investigation.
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that the following information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence.
LAPD said their understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed.
EL SEGUNDO, CA - MAY 04: Darryn Peterson handles the ball during his workout on May 04, 2026 at Meyer Institute Of Sport in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
According to Ben Anderson, Darryn Peterson’s camp is “very confident they are going #1,” and this is the reason for the change of plans to work out with the Utah Jazz.
Latest on the NBA Draft:
After last week's workout with the @WashWizards, sources told @kslsports that Darryn Peterson and his camp are very confident he's going to be the No. 1 overall pick, leading to canceling his workout with the @utahjazz. https://t.co/DR42cGagNv
Does this mean that Darryn Peterson is avoiding Utah because he doesn’t want to play in Utah? It doesn’t look it. It appears that this has everything to do with him wanting to be the #1 pick.
From Anderson:
…there has been “plenty of communication” between the Jazz and Peterson, and the Kansas guard was not “trying to avoid Utah at all.”
This is definitely the biggest tell that maybe the Wizards aren’t as locked in on AJ Dybantsa at #1 as we thought. Shams Charania has also continued to talk about this story and says that “both AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson believe they will be the #1 pick in the draft.”
Reporting for NBA Today on top prospect Darryn Peterson deciding to only grant a visit — and access — to the No. 1 pick Washington Wizards ahead of the June 23 draft: pic.twitter.com/mzFM3VUByu
How this affects the Jazz is who they end up drafting. It has been clear since before the NBA lottery that the two best prospects in this draft are Dybantsa and Peterson. When Utah landed the #2 pick on lottery night, their pick was always going to depend on who the Wizards picked at #1. So, how this changes things for Utah is whether they are printing Dybantsa or Peterson jerseys next season.
On a side note, the idea that Utah would somehow pick Boozer at #2 keeps getting floated by NBA media like Bill Simmons and Kevin O’Connor, but this has always been a two-man draft at the top between Dybantsa and Peterson. Utah will get whoever the Wizards don’t pick, and you can bet they will be happy either way.
Nobody expected Scott Wedgewood to take over Colorado's crease, but training camp could determine whether he ever gives it back.
The most intriguing storyline surrounding the Colorado Avalanche next season won't be a trade deadline addition or a midseason surge. It'll begin the first day training camp opens.
Can Mackenzie Blackwood take the starting job back from Scott Wedgewood?
The Avalanche will continue to call it a tandem, and that's the expected answer. But when the games carried the most weight, the rotation largely disappeared. Wedgewood got the lion's share of the starts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, making it clear who Jared Bednar trusted when everything was on the line.
That has become a talking point for a fanbase still trying to process how a team that looked like a legitimate Stanley Cup favorite was swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.
As always, the search for blame began almost immediately.
Brock Nelson's production was scrutinized. Martin Necas became an easy target. Nathan MacKinnon's injury entered the conversation. But reducing Colorado's collapse to one player or one moment ignores what actually happened.
The Avalanche were pushed around from the opening faceoff of Game 1. They lost battles along the boards, struggled to manage the puck, and repeatedly surrendered leads. The speed and offensive firepower that masked so many flaws during the regular season suddenly disappeared, leaving behind the defensive lapses and careless turnovers that had quietly followed the team all year.
That's why the spotlight has now landed on Wedgewood.
He certainly had difficult moments against Vegas, but there were remarkably few instances where you could point to an obvious bad goal and say he cost Colorado the game. More often than not, he was dealing with odd-man rushes, broken coverage, or self-inflicted mistakes in front of him.
Ironically, this entire conversation may have started months before the playoffs.
Blackwood entered the season recovering from a lower-body injury that Bednar later acknowledged to The Hockey News took longer than expected to heal.
The Hockey News attended several voluntary offseason skates, and Blackwood participated in one late in the summer alongside several AHL players. From this writer's vantage point, he looked noticeably slow—enough that it raised concerns. During another session a few days later, Blackwood audibly groaned in pain during a drill before leaving the ice and disappearing from workouts for an extended stretch.
It became increasingly obvious he wasn't fully healthy.
While Blackwood worked his way back, Wedgewood quietly took advantage of the opportunity. He handled the majority of the reps, looked comfortable from the start, and carried that confidence into the regular season.
That's really where this story began.
Wedgewood came out flying and stayed that way for long stretches, while Blackwood never quite found a consistent rhythm. He started slowly, caught fire, cooled off again, and spent much of the season alternating between brilliant and ordinary performances. Even so, he closed the year with a tremendous effort in Game 4 despite the loss.
It's also worth remembering that Blackwood and Wedgewood are built differently as goaltenders.
Bednar has explained that Blackwood is at his best when he has consistent preparation, regular reps, and the chance to settle into a rhythm over multiple starts. Wedgewood, meanwhile, is almost a throwback. He can sit for a week, step into the crease without warning, and immediately give his team a chance to win.
That's been the story of his career.
He's bounced around the league enough to earn the journeyman label, but somewhere along the way he quietly became one of the NHL's most dependable—and underrated—goaltenders.
There's a reason Avalanche fans embraced the nickname "The Lumberyard."
Wedgewood didn't simply keep the net warm while Blackwood recovered. He grabbed the opportunity and turned it into the best season of his career.
He finished 31-6-6 in 45 appearances with a 2.02 goals-against average and a career-high—and league-leading—.921 save percentage. Those numbers went a long way toward explaining why he and Blackwood shared the William M. Jennings Trophy as the NHL's top goaltending tandem.
Blackwood's season deserves a little more context than the raw numbers provide.
Despite never fully settling into a rhythm, he still posted a 23-10-2 record with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. Considering his save percentage dipped below .900 at multiple points before climbing back over the mark by season's end, the finish was more encouraging than it might appear at first glance.
It's difficult to find timing and confidence when you miss training camp, skip the preseason, and spend the opening weeks trying to catch up while the goaltender sharing your crease is putting together one of the best statistical seasons in hockey.
And that's exactly what makes this training camp so compelling.
If Blackwood arrives healthy and finally gets the preparation Bednar believes he needs, the Avalanche could once again have the luxury of two starting-caliber goaltenders pushing each other every night. Wedgewood has already proven he can carry a contender for extended stretches, while Blackwood still possesses the ceiling that convinced Colorado he could be its long-term answer.
Maybe the Avalanche truly do have a tandem.
Or maybe Wedgewood has earned the right to keep the crease until someone takes it away.
Either way, "The Lumberyard" enters next season as one of Colorado's biggest strengths—and perhaps the most fascinating position battle on a roster built to win the Stanley Cup.
Every last move over the last several years, every tweak of the salary cap, every bold decision has all led up to this moment, with the Knicks ending a 53-year long nightmare on Saturday night in San Antonio.
All of the hard work that President of Basketball Operations Leon Rose and his staff have done to shape one of the greatest teams in franchise history should be enjoyed for a long time, but the beauty of being the ones to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy is that the turnaround is extremely short.
The NBA Draft is on June 23. Free agency begins one week later. In just over weeks, we’ll probably know the direction they’ll go as defending champions in 2026-27.
It’s a lot of work exploring every nook and cranny of NBA business. Thankfully, SBNation is partnering with SalarySwish to use their data and help answer every question we have about the Knicks’ financial situation and what it might mean this offseason and going forward.
Below are the full, comprehensive details from SalarySwish, as well as an FAQ breakdown.
Knicks Roster, Salaries, Draft Picks, Cap Space and More
Here is a table with all of the Knicks’ salary information, courtesy of our friends at SalarySwish:
FAQ
Now, let’s answer some of your most frequently asked questions about the Knicks’salary cap and draft pick situations moving forward.
What is the Knicks’ cap situation?
According to Salary Swish, the New York Knicks have a projected cap hit of $205.4 million for the 2025-26 season with eight players rostered, leaving them $40 million over the projected salary cap. They are $4.4 million over the luxury tax, $4 million beneath the first apron, and $16.9 million beneath the second apron
The first step in the offseason will be seeing what Jose Alvarado does with his $4.5 million player option. I feel like that could go either way. After that, you probably have to deal with restricted free agents Ariel Hukporti and Mo Diawara, who both should be reasonably affordable. The unrestricted free agents include Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson, Jeremy Sochan, and Jordan Clarkson.
Is the second apron inevitable?
For those living under a rock, here’s a second apron explainer. You do not want to be there.
The answer is simple. Yes.
The Knicks, fiscally, cannot retain this roster without going into the second apron. Shamet and Robinson alone will make more than the $17 million in space they have, and that’s not even factoring in their draft picks, Alvarado, or the potential for a Diawara offer sheet. Going under the second apron would be pointless, especially with the proof in the pudding that this roster is capable of a championship.
The good news is that the severe punishments of the second apron only come into place in the third year that you operate in it, so the Knicks have the green light to expand payroll to keep this roster together through the end of the 2027-28 season before resetting. That’s your championship window.
How much will the Knicks pay in luxury taxes this year?
SalarySwish currently estimates about $4 million, which isn’t much but that’s before the offseason signings.
This will be the team’s third year in the luxury tax, which will be the last before the team is in the extremely restrictive repeater tax. If we assume the Knicks run it back with market value contracts for some of these players, they’ll likely be $15 million over the second apron, which would amount to over $90 million in total luxury tax.
Get ready to pay up, Mr. Dolan.
Who are extension candidates?
Obviously excluding players hitting free agency, there’s a few players who will be eligible to extend this offseason.
The big one is the Big Bodega, who’s due to make $57 million next year in the final guaranteed year of his last extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves before a $61 million player option in 2027-28. Towns is eligible to sign a four-year, $272 million supermax, a deal worth $68 million per year. His Year 1 salary won’t be too dissimilar to what he’d get anyway in 2027-28 with the player option, but it’ll escalate as he enters his mid-30s.
Is there a chance he takes less? Sure, but we can’t count on that. Now that they’ve won a title, expect guys to get their due rather than sacrificing.
The second key player immediately eligible is sixth-man Deuce McBride, who, despite a disastrous Finals performance, is an integral part of the bench with a criminally low salary of $4 million. He’s now eligible to sign a four-year, $95 million extension, which he won’t get, but could sign for anything less. He’s probably worth $15 million AAV on the open market, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Knicks approach this.
The final player who’ll be extension-eligible is Josh Hart, who will be eligible to extend his current contract on August 10. He’ll be eligible to sign for over $30 million a year, but he won’t receive that. This one is also interesting, as despite how integral he is to the identity of this team, he might not have much longer here.
Hart has made it clear he doesn’t want to play too deep into his 30s, and he turns 32 next March. With a $22 million team option due in 2027-28, could it be possible that the Knicks ride out this contract through Hart’s age-33 season and see how much longer he wants to play at that point?
What draft picks do the Knicks have?
Hey, the Knicks have a first-round pick this year!
Unlike in the NFL, MLB, and NHL, the NBA champion’s pick isn’t automatically moved back to No. 30, so the Knicks will pick 24th in next Tuesday’s draft. They will additionally receive the 31st pick from the Washington Wizards after their flagrant tanking finally ended with the conditional pick not conveying, giving the Knicks their second-round picks in 2026 and 2027. They also have the 55th pick after complex pick-swapping rules resulted in them retaining their pick.
The Knicks actually made out like bandits here despite not receiving a first-rounder. Now, if a team finishes with the worst record in the NBA, their second-round pick gets thrown all the way back to No. 46 thanks to tanking reform. And with the Wizards trying to compete next year, the Knicks won’t have to worry about that with the pick they get for next season.
After those 2026 picks, the Knicks have seven future second-round picks (including three in 2027) and their own first-round picks in 2030, 2032, and 2033. Additionally, they have the lesser of theirs or the Brooklyn Nets’ 2028 first. Due to the Stepien Rule, the Knicks are not allowed to trade their 2030 or 2032 picks unprotected, but are allowed to use them in swaps. The status of the team in the second apron will ultimately determine if the 2033 pick is able to be traded.
If you want to take the role of GM and mock up some trades, check out FanSpo or ESPN’s trade machine. And don’t forget to check your numbers with Salary Swish!
If you found this page useful, please bookmark it and/or share, and if you have any questions or information you’d like to see included, let us know in the comments below!
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the first half of the Emirates NBA Cup game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 31, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Jazz 118-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Utah Jazz’s offseason checklist listed just two crucial items from the moment the regular season concluded: maximize value through the draft, and re-sign Walker Kessler.
Somebody please explain, then, why Kessler and the Jazz are butting heads in contract negotiations for the second straight offseason.
With restricted free agency soon approaching, reports are sprouting from the fertile soil of the NBA offseason — the basketball equivalent of Formula 1’s silly season, in which the public is peppered by a hailstorm of rumors and reports that athletes will be on the move. If it’s interesting or potentially consequential, the eagerly awaiting public will chomp at the first morsel to hit their news feed.
And the Jazz are dipping their toes into those choppy waters by butting heads with their franchise center, Walker Kessler, for the second consecutive season.
Walker Kessler is reportedly frustrated with the Jazz front office after not receiving an extension offer last summer and over how his upcoming restricted free agency is being handled, per @sam_amickpic.twitter.com/61o0lyZpQ8
Many, many NBA teams wouldn’t hesitate to overpay for a center this offseason, and letting Walker Kessler venture into the waters of free agency — even restricted free agency — will accomplish one of two things. Either the Jazz are forced to match an expensive offer sheet, or they lose a foundational piece of the roster they have spent the past three seasons meticulously constructing.
Finally, at the brink of fielding a competitive roster for the first time since Royce O’Neale was a Jazzman, Utah is letting a routine ground ball roll right past their glove.
Situations like these often boil down to a rousing game of “Who’s being unreasonable?” We’re forced to question whether Utah is being stingy, or if Walker Kessler’s camp is demanding too great a sum. We could be seeing a little bit of both, with lingering resentment and frustration impacting the numbers on either end of this negotiation. Contract negotiations are typically a tight-lipped interaction between the player’s representation and their team’s front office, so it’s hard to gauge which side needs to give way from an outside perspective.
But as negotiations become tense for the second consecutive year, I’d argue that both sides could do a bit more to meet each other in the middle without threatening free agency.
Alongside Markkanen and Jackson Jr, the Jazz place Kessler as the anchor of what might be the biggest, most fearsome front court in the NBA; if all goes according to plan, that is.
Losing Kessler simply isn’t an option for the Utah Jazz this offseason, and I expect them to match any offer sheet if this indecision eventually dips into free agency. JJJ arrived as part of a plan to fit alongside Kessler in the front court, and they’d be insane to quit on that plan before the pair have shared the court even once.
That’s why I feel the rumors that Kessler is “considering a future outside of Utah” are overblown — literally every NBA player has considered a career outside of their current location, so that means nothing to me. The two sides can and must come to an agreement.
A center of Kessler’s quality is hard to find these days — just ask Los Angeles — and the Jazz have invested far too much into this core of talent to let it slip now.
Sign Walker Kessler — it’s as simple as that.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
Knicks fan and “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon called the team’s visit “a booking 53 years in the making” in an official statement announcing the team’s appearance on tonight’s show.
New YOrk Knicks on 'The Tonight Show': what to know
When: June 15, 11:35 p.m. ET
Channel: NBC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
In addition to every member of the championship squad — including captain Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges — head coach Mike Brown and the Knicks City Dancers are also set to appear on the episode.
Tonight’s episode of “The Tonight Show” will also feature a performance from the Wu-Tang Clan. The hip-hop group performed during halftime of Game 4, where the Knicks recorded the largest comeback victory in NBA Finals history.
The NBA champion New York Knicks will appear on the June 15 episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” The show begins at 11:35 p.m. ET.
How to watch the Knicks on ‘The Tonight Show’ for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream “The Tonight Show” for free. One option we love is DIRECTV, which comes with five days free and starts at $34.99/month, with plenty of subscription options and genre packs that include NBC.
TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE
You can also watch “The Tonight Show” live for free with a Peacock Premium Plus free trial (seven days, then $16.99/month).
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Timothée Chalamet celebrates with Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Mikals are your NBA Champi- I mean, the New York Knicks are your NBA Champions. This has honestly come as quite a shock to me. The Knicks were not the championship favorites coming into the season, the playoffs, the Conference Finals, or even the NBA Finals.
I, like many foolish people, watched the Western Conference Finals thinking that I was watching the deciding series of the playoffs. Surely either the Thunder or the Spurs would take down any team in the East over the course of seven games, right?
Apparently not.
I am elated by this outcome, though. Not only do I love to see the Spurs lose, but I loved watching one of my all-time favorite Suns win a chip. Most of all, though, I love what this outcome tells us about the NBA in the modern era.
SAN ANTONIO, TX – JUNE 13: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait after winning Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When I think of the NBA, I think of dynasties. I think of Magic and Bird, Jordan, Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, LeBron, Wade, Steph. I don’t think of Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups. The NBA, more than any other sport, is defined by its dynasty-building superstars. That is the image that has skyrocketed the NBA brand to its current popularity.
But, the NBA has implemented many changes in recent years to break the chain of dynasties and lead us to our current parity paradise. The most impactful of these changes was the second apron, forcing teams to break up talented cores and make tough choices about who to keep. In many ways, this new parity era has taken the NBA away from its previous dynasty-heavy identity to something more akin to the MLB.
Until very recently, when the Dodgers decided to ruin the game I love, the MLB playoffs have been defined by an “every team has a chance” spirit. If your favorite team made the playoffs, they could get hot at the right time and beat any other team. The Arizona Diamondbacks experienced this in 2023, making a run to the World Series in a season where they went just 84-78.
Every now and then you get a big run in baseball. The Yankees will rip off three in a row here, the Red Sox will win two in three years there. But for the most part, every playoff team has a shot. In the NBA, this isn’t usually the case.
Let’s take a look at the last seven NBA champions going into these playoffs:
2025 – Oklahoma City Thunder
2024 – Boston Celtics
2023 – Denver Nuggets
2022 – Golden State Warriors
2021 – Milwaukee Bucks
2020 – Los Angeles Lakers
2019 – Toronto Raptors
Four of these seven, OKC, Boston, Denver, and Milwaukee share a commonality. Each of these teams, I would argue, were at the beginning or middle of their championship window. Milwaukee was closer to the end than any of us knew, but would have probably had a longer run if it weren’t for injuries.
The Warriors were clearly at the end of their window when they won in 2022. The Lakers title, though legitimate, was won in the bubble so I don’t want to use it to identify any trends. Finally, the Raptors window closed after Kawhi Leonard left town for the Clippers.
For each of the other four, I looked around the league after they won and asked, “Who could possibly beat this team next season?” For Milwaukee and Denver, I thought their best players were simply unbeatable. For Boston and OKC, I thought their systems were unbeatable.
But all were beaten.
And now we have an NBA champion in the New York Knicks that looks a lot like the Texas Rangers, who beat the Diamondbacks in 2023, and that is strange. Much like the Diamondbacks themselves, the Rangers weren’t really in contention before their 2023 title run, and haven’t really been in contention since. They simply got hot at the right time and went on an incredible run.
Since the Bulls dynasty ended almost 30 years ago, the New York Knicks are just the fourth team to win a title that “wasn’t supposed to be there” (2019 – TOR, 2011 – DAL, 2004 – DET). Every other champion could have been considered a contender going into their title year(s).
Oh, the Knicks were good, and have been for years now. But the Raptors, the Mavericks, and the Pistons had all been good going into their title years too, and they weren’t expected to win either.
The difference is the environment. The Raptors won a title in the Warriors dynasty years, the Mavericks in the Boston/Miami years, and the Pistons in the Spurs/Lakers years. Everyone knew that the following season, one of the big dogs was likely to find itself back on top the food chain. It isn’t like that anymore. The Knicks have won an NBA championship in what could have been the second year of an OKC dynasty or the first year of a Spurs dynasty, but wasn’t. Next year, it could be Miami, Atlanta, or Indiana that gets hot at the right time and beats the next “unbeatable” team.
But, this isn’t Bright Side of the Knickerbockers, so why should Suns fans care that the Knicks won a title?
You should care because it means this ship may not have to sink after all. It means that the Suns can find their way to a title in the Devin Booker era. It could be the Suns who do the impossible and beat the unbeatable, like the Knicks did this season.
New York found their guy, Jalen Brunson, and surrounded him with the pieces he needed. They got long, defensive wings, a stretch big, and a deep enough bench. They built around him well with the pieces that fit best alongside him, and it paid off.
The Suns did this once with Booker as well. They gave him a point guard to run the offense, stretch bigs off the bench, long defensive wings, and paint defense. It resulted in the Suns’ first NBA finals run since the Barkley era.
I have been a bit doom-and-gloom since the Suns traded away Kevin Durant. Though trading him away was the right call, I thought it meant the end of the possibility of the Devin Booker era championship parade.
Now, the New York Knicks are champions. Their best player is a small point guard who many thought would never be able to be the best player on a championship team. Brunson certainly has his limitations, but the Knicks mitigated them through excellent teambuilding.
If they can do it, so can the Suns.
The offseason has begun, Suns fans. Given the current roster construction, it is likely to be a quiet one but you never know what could happen. I am holding out hope for a Jalen Green trade, but if you fire up the trade machine, you’ll find that the right move is a bit difficult to find.
Still, the right moves may be out there. If Brian Gregory can pull them off, the impossible may just become possible.
The next major offseason domino is on June 23rd, when the NBA draft comes around. Curious who the Suns might be drafting?
Jun 12, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) runs the bases for his home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (29-42) vs. Houston Astros (33-40)
Time/Place: 8:10 p.m., Daikin Park SB Nation Site: The Crawfish Boxes Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (3-0, 2.81 ERA) vs. RHP Kai-Wei Teng (3-5, 3.71 ERA)
Major League Baseball handed down fines and suspensions to the San Diego Padres following a June 13 incident during an eventual, 9-3 win against the Baltimore Orioles where tempers flared and players were hit by pitches.
MLB senior vice president of On-Field Operations Michael Hill announced Monday, June 15 that Padres pitcher Ron Marinaccio received a three-game suspension for intentionally hitting Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson with a pitch during the bottom of the ninth inning of Saturday’s game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Marinaccio was ejected from the game on Saturday. He was additionally fined an undisclosed amount, according to a MLB statement from Hill.
Padres RHP Ron Marinaccio was ejected from the game after hitting Orioles' Gunnar Henderson with a pitch with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. San Diego is leading 9-3.
Padres manager Craig Stammen later got tossed as well after a long, heated argument with the umpiring… pic.twitter.com/nKLjgESJkB
The San Deigo pitcher wasn't the only one to receive disciplinary action from the league. Padres manager Craig Stammen was also disciplined by the league.
Padres manager Craig Stammen suspended
Padres manager Craig Stammen was upset after Marinaccio was ejected. He was seen arguing back-and-forth with umpires before getting ejected, himself.
MLB decided to suspend Stammen for one game and fine him an undisclosed amount. Stammen will serve his suspension Monday, June 15 when the Padres play the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ron Marinaccio files appeal
Marinaccio isn't going out without a fight. The 30-year-old pitcher elected to file an appeal of his suspension. His suspension was to begin Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals, however it will now be postponed until the appeal process complete.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 10: Mike Paredes #53 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 10, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):7:05 PM TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe: Lone Star Ball
It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for. That’s right folks. It’s once again MIKE PAREDES DAY!! I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.
Facetious ribbing aside, Paredes has actually been perfectly fine in limited action. A few too many walks for how few batters he strikes out, but that’s never been an issue in the minors so we can chalk that up to a small sample size. It will be nice to get Mick Abel back soon, but Paredes has held his own and kept the Twins in games in his bulk outings, which is more than could be said for a lot of other pitchers currently on Minnesota’s roster.
On the other side, they’ll be facing lefty Mackenzie Gore who has dazzling stuff with the ability to throw a no hitter if he can command while also running the risk of imploding if he can’t. Gore has 3 or more walks in 8 of his 14 starts this year. In those 8 games, he has a 6.27 ERA. In the rest he has a 2.78 ERA. That’s a bigger difference than the one between reigning NL Cy Young Paul Skenes (2.75 ERA, 2.5 fWAR) and and current pitching Least Valuable Player Matt Strahm (5.40 ERA, -1.0 fWAR). Walks will haunt and patience is a virtue.
Meanwhile, the Twins will have one thing in their advantage: the promotion of 26-year-old Kyler Fedko. Fedko broke out in 2025 with 28 home runs, 38 stolen bases, and a 130 wRC+ in 130 games across AA and AAA. He’s kept that going in 2026 with a 138 wRC+ and has crushed lefties to the tune of a 1.262 OPS. Fedko is capable of playing all three outfield spots as well as first base and has enough speed and base running acumen to be a pinch runner late in games. I wouldn’t expect him to become a lineup fixture, but the Twins have been searching for a right-handed bench outfield bat for a half decade and may have stumbled into one on accident.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 5: New York Knicks fans watch their Game 2 NBA finals game against San Antonio Spurs at a bar on June 5, 2026 in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. New York Knicks fans are expected to fill the streets once again as they seek the franchise's first championship since 1973. (Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images) | Getty Images
48ish hours later and still feeing . . . altered. In a good way.
The best way. Saturday night, millions of Knicks fans finally caught that dragon we been chasing most if not all our lives. I’m still kinda in a daze. You?
I bring it up because for this mailbag invite, I need you to know I could not care less about any “break up the Knicks” questions. Giannis Antetokounmpo did not appeal to me as a trade rumor during the season; he sure as shit don’t now. Got an idea for how the Knicks can turn Mikal Bridges into Dylan Harper? Keep it to yourself. I. Do. Not. Care.
S’cool if you do. But the New York Knickerbockers have been champions for not yet 48 hours. Far as I’m concerned, they can give everyone on the roster a 5-year extension on top of wherever their contract stands now and I’m good with it. These people did it! They did the thing! What comes next isn’t just another sunset. This is a cosmic event streaking across the heavens. I will follow its light so long as any one single photon of it remains.
(Not to mention these Knicks are as well-positioned as any of the NBA’s Great 8 2019-2026 champs to break the streak and repeat. I think OKC this year is the only one of that lot to even make the conference finals the next season. I don’t bet on sports, but if I did I’d bet on NYK joining them next spring.)
(Also I’m gonna try “NYK” for a bit as a proper noun. The Knicks don’t really have a ton of nicknames. Like, the Mets are the Metropolitans, the Amazins, the Metsies, the Miracle Mets. The Yankees are the Yanks, the Bombers, the Bronx Bombers and the Pinstripes, as well as the Damn Yankees across vast swaths of this land. The Giants have G-Men and Big Blue, the New York Football Giants and, once upon a time, more so, the Jints. The Rangers are both Blueshirts and Broadway Blues.
And yet, besides New York, Knickerbockers and some syntax featuring “blue” and “orange,” there’s not much to do with the Knicks. So I’m giving NYK a 10-day contract. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.)
Wanna talk draft? Or pros potentially on the move who you think would work added to the mix? That works. The rest of the NBA? These Knicks in a historical context? Summer ice cream shop go-tos? Bring it. Commas versus dashes when setting off an appositive? Maybe a bit narrow for a Knicks mailbag. But it never hurts to ask.
The comment section awaits. Dive in. The water is champagne.
The team flew back to New York Saturday night, immediately after their celebrations at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, foregoing a night in Texas and a flight Sunday morning. They quickly joined the celebrations throughout the city, including throwing a party at a private club in Manhattan and hopping around to various media appearances on Monday.
During a guest appearance on “Good Morning America,” OG Anunoby went viral for being appearing to be completely checked out and his fellow teammates couldn’t contain their laughter.
After host George Stephanopoulos asked about the “difference” coach Mike Brown made in their run to the title and how he made the most of his team, there was an awkward silence as Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges all turned to Anunoby for him to answer.
However, Anunoby didn’t do so nor did he give any signs that he heard the question as he kept a stone face on live television.
Everyone burst into laughter and Brunson went on to say, “I guess I’ll answer.”
It was instead Towns who stepped up to the question as Anunoby stared into space.
Karl-Anthony Towns has a tough time looking at OG Anunoby without laughing on “Good Morning America.” X @SG212MSGKnicks teammates laugh at OG Anunoby’s deadpan on live television.
The usually reserved Anunoby was later forced into a smile by the hosts, which sent Towns and Brunson even more into a laughing fit.
Knicks fans also joined in on the fun on social media, laughing at their player.
Jun 2, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) reacts after stranding a runner at third and striking out Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger (not pictured) to end the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals return to Busch Stadium Monday night as they’ll host the San Diego Padres. Dustin May will make the start for the Cardinals while the starter for the Padres is to be determined. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm at Busch Stadium and the TV broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
(@SG212MSG) 
