It is their first time hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy since 1973 and the city is preparing for a party fitting of the occasion. MVP Jalen Brunson and his teammates will celebrate with the city at the Knicks' championship parade on Thursday, June 18.
Here's what you need to know for the Knicks' championship parade:
How to watch the Knicks' championship parade?
Mayor Zohran Mamdani made sure fans are prepared to enjoy the Knicks' parade whether they can attend the festivities or not. "We're bringing the Knicks Championship Parade to the people - no matter where you are," he posted on social media.
The Knicks' championship parade will run down Manhattan's "Canyon of Heroes," starting near Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan and traveling north to City Hall.
While New York is still celebrating its title — the parade on Thursday in Manhattan is expected to draw more than 1 million people — the NBA offseason is coming fast. And it's coming for the Knicks roster (more on that below).
Here is all the latest
Antetokounmpo saga drags on past draft?
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam set an artificial deadline of wanting to have the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga wrapped up by the NBA Draft. It makes sense. If the Bucks want picks in this deep draft class as part of any trade, they need it done by next Tuesday.
"From what I'm hearing this could drag on into free agency. This could drag on until July…. Boston seems a little bit from what I'm hearing and gauging, Boston doesn't seem a promising destination…. I do still believe he will be moved this offseason but I'm not as certain as I was before that it'd be done before the draft."
As NBC Sports recently reported, there is a growing belief around the league that Boston isn't all in on an Antetokounmpo trade, that it was exploring options but not serious. If the Celtics are out of the mix, that just leaves the Heat, with an offer the Bucks' front office clearly doesn't love (or they would have jumped at it long ago).
For a couple of weeks now, all the rumors out of Milwaukee have sounded like a team desperately trying to drum up a bidding war, trying to find other interested teams, to spark a market that is tepid now after being hot at the trade deadline. This sounds like more of the same, and maybe the Bucks just strike a deal with Miami at the deadline and move on.
Or maybe this drama will drag on longer — but it's not like the offers are not suddenly going to get better.
Kevin Love to the Lakers?
As we reported this week, league sources have told NBC Sports there is an increasing sense that LeBron James will re-sign with the Lakers. Money and comfort level on both sides are driving that.
If he stays in LA, LeBron may reunite with Kevin Love, reports ESPN's Marc Spears.
"I'm hearing that [LeBron's] likely coming back [to the Lakers]. ... Kevin Love could likely be joining the Lakers too."@MarcJSpears gives some insight on what could be next for LeBron pic.twitter.com/EV1Qwqiixf
As expected, Washington's Trae Young will decline his $48.9 million player option for next season, reports Marc Spears of ESPN.
This is the first step to him re-signing with the Wizards on a multi-year deal at a lower number (maybe three years, $120 million, or a little less). Young is not part of the long-term future in Washington — that will be focused around whoever they draft No. 1 next week — but he will be part of the transition.
League sources said Ballmer has maintained a firm stance against a Leonard trade, preferring to continue building around his star forward.
Will the league's eventual punishment of the Clippers for the Aspiration scandal change that? Maybe. Depends on what that punishment is. Just don't expect one of the punishments to be the Clippers being forced to void the remaining year on Leonard's contract (that's not really a punishment for either side, the Clippers would get their books cleared up and Leonard would just sign a massive contract somewhere else).
Other trade rumors
• Knicks owner James Dolan admitted that, as much as he would like to run it back with his championship roster, that may not be possible because he's not taking the team into the second tax apron. From an interview on WFAN’s The Carton Show (hat tip Hoop Rumors).
"If we could bring back the whole team, exactly as it is, why wouldn't you? But I don't know if we're going to be able to. We're willing to stretch, but there's certain things in the NBA that you'd have to be suicidal to do and we're not going to do those. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. … I'll write as big of a check as possible, but I can't write a check that goes into the second apron."
The core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Miles Bridges are locked down. However, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson are all unrestricted free agents, while Jose Alvarado has a $4.5 million player option. It may be tough to bring all of them back (don't be surprised if Shamet is holding the short straw when it's all done).
• The Atlanta Hawks have gauged Jonathan Kuminga's value on the trade market, reports Michael Scotto at Hoopshype. Atlanta has until June 29 to decide whether to pick up Kuminga's $24.3 million team option for next season.
• If Boston does decide to get serious about an Antetokounmpo trade — again, all the buzz in league circles is they are not serious — then there needs to be a third team to get Brown to a new home. It had previously been reported that the Bucks didn't want Brown — a player at his peak is not a fit for a rebuilding team — but now ESPN's Spears says the feeling is mutual: "I know Jaylen wouldn't want to play for Milwaukee.
• Draymond Green has a $27.7 million player option for next season, and if he picks it up, the Warriors are open to trading him, reports Anthony Slater at ESPN. That said, the expectation is he opts out and re-signs for two years at a slightly lower number (two years, $40 million?).
Feb 25, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) controls the ball against the Portland Pilots in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike is right on the border of being picked in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft. Ike is currently ranked as the No. 64 best available prospect, according to ESPN.
Even if he ends up going undrafted, that doesn’t mean the Aurora, Colorado native can’t find his way to making the league down the road. The best way to do that is by being signed on a two-way contract, splitting his time with a big club and its G League squad.
The 24-year-old has been a proven winner and scoring threat throughout his three seasons in Spokane, Washington. During that 101-game stretch under coach Mark Few, Ike averaged 17.8 points on a shooting split of 58.9 percent from the field, 35.8 percent on three-pointers, and 79.6 percent at the free throw line. The 2025-26 West Coast Conference Player of the Year also grabbed 7.5 rebounds per game and 31 double-doubles across that span.
As a 6-9, 250-pound leftie, he’s a tad bit undersized for the center position at the next level. Ike, who does have a 7-5 wingspan and 9-2 standing reach, will look to play a sort of throwback, brute-strength power forward position primarily.
The way that he improved his ability to stretch out the floor and controlled his personal anger after frustrating foul calls that didn’t go his way was quite noticeable throughout his final collegiate campaign at Gonzaga. Nine reported NBA franchises took notice as well this offseason while bringing him in for workouts leading up to next week’s draft.
Boston Celtics
Orlando Magic
Atlanta Hawks
Minnesota Timberwolves
Charlotte Hornets
Oklahoma City Thunder
Detroit Pistons
Los Angeles Lakers
Sacramento Kings
Ike mentioned in his post-workout interview with the Sacramento Kings that he has visited 11 total teams, all looking into taking a chance.
Few has had at least one alum drafted in four of the last five years. Can Ike make it five of the last six? Even if he fails to do so, recent Zags have found major success after grinding their way through the G League. Just take a look at Los Angeles Lakers forward Drew Timme, Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard, and Brooklyn Nets guard Malachi Smith, who all went undrafted.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
NEW YORK (AP) — New York is celebrating the Knicks in classic style Thursday, throwing a ticker-tape parade for the team that brought home the NBA championship longed for by generations of fans.
The Knicks' victory — after a 53-year drought - has electrified New Yorkers, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani has predicted that Thursday’s parade might be one of the biggest in the city's history.
The mere fact that it's happening is historic in itself. Although the Knicks won the championship twice in the 1970s, the city didn't host a parade for them either time. Then-Mayor John Lindsay had cut down on ticker-tape extravaganzas for financial and other reasons, and he instead honored the Knicks at a 1970 reception at the mayoral mansion and a jampacked 1973 ceremony outside City Hall.
This time, the city is going all out.
“There will be performances, there will be New Yorkers, there will be the team and there will be history,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday.
The parade is set to start at 10 a.m. Thursday near Battery Park and head up Broadway on the skyscraper-flanked route dubbed the "Canyon of Heroes.” The procession is to end at City Hall, where the players are to get another traditional tribute: keys to the city.
Knicks legends Walt “Clyde” Frazier — a member of the ’70s champion teams — and Patrick Ewing are expected to participate in the parade, according to a person familiar with the plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the details before they were publicly announced. The person said Mike Breen, the Knicks’ play-by-play announcer on MSG Network, was set to emcee the City Hall ceremony.
Alicia Keys, the singer who collaborated with Jay-Z on the New York-loving 2009 hit “Empire State of Mind,” has been tapped to perform.
“How could I not?” Keys said Wednesday in a social media video that featured her on the phone with Knicks forward OG Anunoby.
Police plan to deploy 10,000 officers to secure the event, which follows ebullient but sometimes chaotic street celebrations and some violence during the Knicks' run to victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
“We want people to enjoy this moment,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a planning meeting Wednesday, “but public safety comes first.”
Some 650 sanitation workers have been assigned to clean up what could be tens of thousands of pounds (kilograms) of debris, if recent history is any guide.
Ticker-tape parades derive their name from the narrow strips of paper used by telegraph-era “stock ticker” machines. New York brokerage firm workers took to tossing the paper out their office windows during parades in the late 19th century, adding a swirling aerial spectacle to the festivities.
Over the years, especially up to the mid-1960s, the city rolled out ticker-tape parades to honor visiting foreign leaders, mark historic anniversaries and hail feats in aviation, war, sports, music, space travel and more.
The Knicks' parade will be the 210th, and it comes after a ticker-tape bash for the WNBA's New York Liberty in 2024.
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AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney contributed from Southampton, New York.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: New York Knicks owner James Dolan and president Leon Rose celebrate behind the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after their team defeated 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
It’s hard to truly be a buzzkill the day before a championship parade 53 years in the making, but James Dolan really seems to be trying his hardest.
In an interview with WFAN’s Craig Carton on Wednesday afternoon, the Knicks’ owner, who had gained a nice PR boost after his 15-minute speech to the Knicks in April was leaked, said a couple of things that’ll rub people the wrong way. While one isn’t basketball-related, this one is.
"There's certain things in the NBA that you'd have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. I'll write as big of a check as possible, but I can't write a check that goes into the second apron."
This wasn’t a suggestion of any sort. It truly sounded like an edict from the man who’s cutting the checks.
As you can find out more from our salary cap explainer, which will continuously be updated, this is major news for the Knicks’ roster building as they look to defend their championship in 2026-27. The Knicks currently have nine players rostered (including Jose Alvarado’s $4.5 million player option) and under $17 million in space beneath the second apron.
With five mandatory spots to fill and a projected veteran minimum cap hit of $2,457,000 for next season, the Knicks will only have $4.63 million extra to play with outside of exclusively using the vet min. If the Knicks make their pick at No. 24, that pick holds a $3.325 million cap hit, so it’ll be more like $3.77 million.
In essence, this essentially means that both Landry Shamet and Mitchell Robinson have likely played their last games as a Knick, if Dolan’s word is to be believed. The Knicks are legally able to retain both for their likely market value, but would have to exceed the second apron to do so. In late May, ESPN reported that both were likely to return, so this might be a case of the front office wanting one thing and ownership wanting another.
As reigning champions, the Knicks do have an advantage in that they’ll likely have veterans lining up for “ring-chasing discounts”, so they shouldn’t have a hard time reworking the bench around tight cap parameters, especially considering they’d be able to use at least part of the taxpayer mid-level exception in the scenario they do not exceed the second apron.
If there’s any solace in this, it’s that the Knicks will have an easier time retaining rookie wing Mo Diawara, who will be a restricted free agent. Due to the weird circumstances surrounding his contract, the Knicks are legally able to match any offer sheet, but they would have to dip into their MLE to do so, which would trigger a second apron hard cap.
This means that, if someone (ahem, Brooklyn) offered Diawara a big enough deal that he would sign an offer sheet, the Knicks would have to choose between him and retaining other key free agents to exceed the second apron. Now, it’s entirely possible that NBA teams don’t view his potential in the way we’re all drooling over and he re-signs on an effective vet min, but it’s a possibility that needs to be accounted for.
Ultimately, despite it coming from the man in charge, I wouldn’t totally rule out the Knicks exceeding the second apron in 2026-27.
Why? I don’t exactly think Dolan has all the facts memorized about the aprons, especially considering we’ve already heard through the grapevine of the front office’s long-term plan of a four-year window since the KAT trade.
The penalties for being in the second apron for one year are as follows:
Not able to use the MLE
Not able to aggregate salaries in a trade
Not able to send out cash in a trade
Not able to utilize a sign-and-trade
Not able to use a trade exception
First-round draft pick in seven years (2033) is frozen and unable to be traded
The Knicks have been hard-capped at the second apron over the last two seasons because they utilized some of these. They aggregated salaries to acquire Mikal Bridges and used the mid-level exception to sign Guerschon Yabusele. That hard cap is immediately removed once the next league year begins.
So, sure, while it would suck to not be able to use the MLE, aggregate salaries in a trade, or use the 2033 pick in a trade, it would be worth it to retain a championship roster. So why is Dolan so afraid of the second apron?
If a team spends three years in the second apron in five years, the frozen draft pick is pushed to No. 30 in the draft, regardless of what record the team finishes with. As you might guess, that’s a built-in hard cap for teams because of the risk. By then, the Knicks could be in a total rebuild and wouldn’t have anything to build off of.
But the keyword is three. One year in the second apron doesn’t change that.
Is it luxury tax-related? Well, sure. If the Knicks run a payroll that high, Dolan could pay up to $90 million in luxury taxes, depending on how much the team exceeds it by. For a guy who’s paid the most luxury taxes in NBA history (including a bunch for horrendous teams), this isn’t ridiculous to keep together a champion.
But starting in 2027-28, the Knicks will be in the repeater tac, which will likely doom Dolan to spending nine figures in the luxury tax regardless of whether he’s in the second apron, but it’s not plausible for the Knicks to duck the tax this year, so this should be treated as an unfortunate inevitability.
Ultimately, we’ll know sooner than later if the head honcho’s word is bond. It would just be very hard to replicate the team’s success without paying up to retain it.
MTA to keep viral Knicks-themed NYC subway entrance through 2026-2027 NBA season.
The Knicks are going nowhere!
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the viral blue and orange 34th Street subway entrance will be kept as is through the end of next year’s NBA season “to keep the celebration going” after the Knicks’ historic Finals win.
The Madison Square Garden station was repainted in the Knicks’ iconic blue and orange scheme June 1 to honor the New York team’s first finals appearance since 1999.
The 34th Street subway entrance will keep its Knicks theme through the end of the 2026-2027 NBA season. James Messerschmidt for the NY Post
Fans flocked to the station for the perfect photo op, with many telling The Post that the remodel should be permanent.
Hochul appeared to hear the public’s pleas, and Wednesday announced that the station’s decorations will remain through the end of the 2026-2027 NBA season — when the Knicks will defend their coveted title.
Fans flocked to the subway station when it was first repainted on June 1. James Messerschmidt for the NY Post
“As we prepare to immortalize this Knicks team in the Canyon of Heroes tomorrow, it is fitting that we preserve this iconic subway entrance into next season to keep the celebrations going. The subway and the Knicks are two of New York’s most cherished institutions and now fans headed to the Garden to see the reigning champions will receive an orange and blue welcome to every game,” Hochul said.
Oscar-winning director and Knicks megafan Spike Lee flanked Hochul as she made the declaration. Both were decked out in Knicks gear.
“Nothing but orange and blue skies all around us,” Lee said.
The subway station is right outside Madison Square Garden. Courtesy of Xavier Serrano
“New York City will be Fun City again,” he added.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber teased that preserving the themed entrance will boost the “mojo” that led the Knicks to victory.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said the preservation will “keep the celebration going.” James Messerschmidt for the NY Post
The “K train” will start operations at 7 a.m. with stops stretching from 168th Street to the World Trade Center.
Thursday’s ticker-tape parade will process down the famed Canyon of Heroes — and is projected to be the city’s largest parade ever. Festivities officially kick off in downtown Manhattan at 10 a.m., but access points will open at least four hours earlier.
New York’s first ticker-tape parade was held for the dedication of the Statue of Liberty in 1886.
Teddy Roosevelt and Nelson Mandela were similarly honored, as were Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II, Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, soldiers, astronauts and Olympians, the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Rangers, Liberty, Gotham FC and so many more.
Finally, after 210 official ticker-tape parades, the Knicks get their turn to enter the Canyon of Heroes.
Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and the rest of one of the most beloved teams in New York City history will be honored with the franchise’s first-ever parade Thursday morning (10 a.m.) in lower Manhattan, celebrating the Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years.
The parade will begin at Battery Park and travel up Broadway to City Hall, where the Knicks will be presented with a ceremonial key to the city.
The 1970 title team was honored at Gracie Mansion. The 1973 champs were joined by roughly 2,000 fans at a celebration at City Hall. But millions are expected to partake in this long-awaited event that will rank among the largest celebrations in the city’s history, featuring (temporary) blue and orange signs declaring “Champions Way,” 2,500 pounds of confetti and the largest police presence (more than 10,000 officers) ever assigned to a planned event.
AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura
“From a playoff run that left New Yorkers breathless to a tip-in that will be talked about for decades, the Knicks have earned a hero’s welcome,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement Wednesday. “We have dreamed of this moment for generations. This Thursday, our city will rise to the occasion.”
The party hasn’t stopped since the Knicks stormed the court in San Antonio, returning from their champagne-soaked celebration Sunday to begin a whirlwind tour throughout the city.
The starters (Brunson, Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart) visited “Good Morning America” and the “Today” show, with coach Mike Brown and the rest of the team joining them on “The Tonight Show.” Brooklyn native Jose Alvarado, joined by teammate Jordan Clarkson, rode shirtless in the Puerto Rican Day Parade in his native borough.
Now, they will ride on floats that felt like a fantasy to fans who suffered through the heartbreak of the 1990s, the embarrassment of the 2000s, the false hope and face-plants of the 2010s, and the climb under Tom Thibodeau. They will come together as one, as they did at watch parties throughout the city, and while taking over arenas in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Cleveland and San Antonio, witnessing perhaps the most meaningful and unifying championship run the city has ever seen.
“Not only for the alumni, but for the fans, this was healing happening in real time,” Towns said on “Good Morning America.” “This is really a once-in-a-lifetime event you’re watching in New York sports history. They haven’t seen a win in [53] years. You’re talking about a whole generation that’s passed being told about the stories of how great the Knicks are, but not actually seeing that trophy be raised by a Knicks player … now you get to see it with your own eyes that the Knicks are, again, world champions.”
New York Knicks banners adorn the facade of City Hall ahead of the ticker-tape parade that will take place on June 18, 2026 in New York City. Getty Images
Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing, among other team alumni, will ride in the parade. Mitchell Robinson will ride in one of his custom trucks. Mike Breen, the Knicks’ longtime broadcaster, will emcee the ceremony at City Hall.
And the festivities will conclude there, with Alicia Keys singing “Empire State of Mind”:
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns #32, and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11, after the Knicks defeated the Spurs to win the NBA Championship. Charles Wenzelberg / NY Post
After finishing the regular season fourth in the NBA with a record of 53-29 and getting swept in the second round of the NBA Playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Luka Dončić admits last season was “bad,” and also revealed what kind of help he needs this offseason.
Essentially Sports, reported that Dončić appeared in two different interviews within the last week. The first was with Drafteados, revealing what kind of help he needs the Lakers to give him. The other was with Marca Jorge Quiroga, where he revealed why last season was not considered a success.
Both interviews were performed in Spanish.
Luka Dončić admits last season was “bad,” and also revealed what kind of help he needs this offseason JASON SZENES/ NY POST
When it comes down to how Dončić would like Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka to construct the roster next season, Dončić admitted the team needs more shooters and a big man to help him run the pick-and-roll.
“If I have shooters, they won’t double me as much and it helps me out. I think I always need shooters around me because I usually get double-teamed a lot, so I think I need shooters,” Dončić said to Drafteados. “And some centers who can jump high and block shots.”
The request to have more shooters and a big man around him makes sense for the six-time All-Star, as he has a wide range of success running the pick-and-roll during his eight-year career.
Defenses are forced to either play under the rim or off of it as Dončić’s playing style forces them to send multiple defenders under the rim, giving Dončić the chance to pass the ball to an open shooter or give him the opportunity to lob the ball up to a big man.
As a member of the Dallas Mavericks during the 2023-2024 season, Dončić led them all the way to the NBA Finals.
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The request to have more shooters and a big man around him makes sense for the six-time All-Star, as he has a wide range of success running the pick-and-roll during his eight-year career. Getty Images
Dallas ended up dropping the series 4-1, giving Boston its 18th championship.
The pick-and-roll played a vital part in the Mavericks success that year as Dončić had the highest frequency in the playoffs that season, running the play at 40.2%, while his teammate Kyrie Irving ranked behind him at a frequency of 28.3%.
When it came down to why Dončić considered last season a disappointment, it was simply because they didn’t win a championship.
“Whenever you don’t win, it’s a bad season,” Dončić told Marca, declining to soften the assessment even with the injury as a built-in excuse. “So if you don’t win, it’s not a good one.”
For Dončić, winning is everything. He went on to tell Marca that a roster is judged on banners, not seeding.
The New York Police Department said it will deploy more than 10,000 officers for the New York Knicks' championship parade on Thursday, June 18.
The police made the announcement on social media on Wednesday, June 17, saying that the number of police officers involved in the parade will be "the largest number assigned to any planned event."
Several security measures will be in place, including K9 units and drones.
Game 5 was in San Antonio, but NYPD arrested 63 people back home as the Big Apple celebrated the Knicks' landmark victory.
Several championship parades in New York City have been attended by millions of people. The 1996 World Series celebration for the New York Yankees brought out an estimated 3.5 million fans.
According to NBC News, officials are preparing for a “potentially historic” parade for the Knicks.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 14: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 14, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Washington Wizards guard Trae Young is expected to decline his $48.97 million player option for the 2026-27 season, ESPN’s Marc Spears reported Wednesday.
Wizards star Trae Young plans to decline his $48.97 million player option for the 2026–27 season to become a FA on Monday, sources. Washington remains the front runner for the four-time NBA All-Star as he loves the team and DC, but he still expects multiple team max interest. pic.twitter.com/a3ONGQgVJK
The four-time All-Star guard will now become an unrestricted free agent on Monday. Spears reported that Young loves the team in D.C. and that Washington remains the “front runner,” which aligns with Jake Fischer’s report that “the expectation remains that Young will find a new, longer-term agreement with the Wizards.”
Young is eligible to sign a four-year, $212.9 million contract in free agency. If he re-signs with the Wizards, that maximum contract jumps to five years at $288 million.
Young, 27, was acquired by Washington in a January trade that sent CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Atlanta Hawks. The nine-year veteran averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 assists while shooting 59.5% from the field across five appearances with the Wizards last season.
Young missed 67 games due to several injuries, most notably a quad contusion and an MCL sprain that forced him to miss nearly two months following the trade. Back irritation and another quad contusion caused Young to miss the team’s final 15 contests.
Michael Winger revealed on the Ryen Russillo Show that Washington’s front office ranked Young as the top 2026 free agent. Rather than wait for Young to decline his player option and test free agency, the Wizards used their abundance of cap space to acquire him via trade.
“We had two avenues to add proven talent: draft and free agency. You look at the free agent prospects in the 2026 offseason, and we had a ton of cap space. At the time, we were scheduled to have $85 million in room,” Winger said. “It was our opinion that Trae Young was the best free agent on the board … We got into friendly, professional conversations with the Hawks that escalated quickly, and we ended up trading for Trae Young.”
Wizards general manager Will Dawkins applauded Young’s court vision and said the organization acquired him to serve as the team’s floor general.
“You just see the playmaking, the scoring, the presence that he has for naturally moving and sharing the ball,” Dawkins said in March.
Dawkins praised Young’s desire to be in Washington — a feeling Young shared on a recent appearance on “The Pivot” podcast.
“I wanted to go [to Washington],” Young said. “It’s not like [Atlanta] just shipped me to Washington. Because that wasn’t the case.”
Trae Young said he wanted to come to the Wizards when he discovered he would be traded last season.
“I wanted to go [to Washington]. It’s not like [Atlanta] just shipped me to Washington. Because that wasn’t the case.”
If he re-signs, Young projects as Washington’s starting point guard alongside Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr. That leaves openings in the team’s starting unit for two of the following players: Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson and whoever Washington selects with the No. 1 pick.
With the NBA Draft now under a week away, that means that information is starting to leak and teams are starting to hone in on who they want to select on June 23.
One of the names that’s been garnering a lot of attention is one that’s near and dear to Illini fans’s hearts, Keaton Wagler.
NBA insiders, journalists and media professionals alike have been putting out reports of all shapes and sizes about Wagler while trying to predict where he may end up.
And it doesn’t seem like the kid from Shawnee, Kansas, is shying away from the spotlight either, as he even made a recent appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
Let’s take a look at all the buzz surrounding Keaton Wagler before the NBA Draft.
Keaton Wagler on SportsCenter
On June 22, Wagler joined SportsCenter for an interview about his college basketball journey and what he’s bringing to the next level.
And yes, later in the show he did dispel the rumors that he can’t dunk.
"Just different ways to use my body, use my length, offensively and defensively. … From the smallest stages to the biggest stages, I can compete with anyone."
Keaton Wagler joins SportsCenter and talks about what he learned in college and will carry to the NBA 🏀 pic.twitter.com/lgyEn9KGQT
Kevin O’Connor, NBA insider for Yahoo Sports, reported that both Keaton Wagler dropped out of a workout with the Brooklyn Nets, who currently hold the No. 6 pick.
Whether this means that Wagler has high hopes of being selected by a team with a top-four pick, the Clippers have already promised to take him if he’s available or if it means absolutely nothing, it’s an interesting piece of information nonetheless.
O’Connor mentioned both Wagler and guard Kingston Flemings, who according to reports across social media competed against one another in a workout in Los Angeles.
To be clear: Wagler & Flemings didn't drop out of a Nets workout to attend a Bulls workout. They dropped out from the Nets workout after a Bulls workout had happened the week prior.
According to ClutchPoints and their NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Chicago Bulls just might be interested in trading up for the former Illini.
It wouldn’t be the first time in recent memory that they drafted a guard out of Illinois, as the Bulls drafted Ayo Dosunmu in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
The Chicago Bulls hold interest in trading up from the No. 15 pick to draft Keaton Wagler, sources told ClutchPoints' @BrettSiegelNBA:
"Rival teams and personnel continue to talk about the Bulls exploring possible avenues to move up from the No. 15 pick, potentially adding… pic.twitter.com/NoJDERIykp
The suspense and buzz will almost certainly continue to build up around the former Illini as we get closer to drsft night.
And when the time comes, Keaton Wagler will hear his name called in Brooklyn, New York, walk across the stage, shake commissioner Adam Silver’s hand and his NBA dreams will become a reality.
The Knicks have won an NBA championship for the first time in 53 years, and on Thursday, their accomplishment will be celebrated with a parade through the Canyon of Heroes.
Despite this being the Knicks' third championship in franchise history, this will be the first ticker-tape parade to honor the team, so expect a massive turnout in lower Manhattan.
The festivities are set to begin at 10 a.m., but parade-goers should try and arrive earlier. If you're not going to the parade, SNY will have all the coverage live from the event.
What channel is SNY?
Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.
How can I stream the parade?
The way to stream SNY programming is via the MLB App or MLB.tv.
You can also stream coverage of the Knicks parade on SNY's YouTube page.
SNY will have live coverage of the Knicks' ticker-tape parade through NYC's Canyon of Heroes and City Hall Ceremony, and feature NBA Insider Ian Begley.
Knicks parade route
The Knicks' ticker-tape parade will start near Bowling Green and travel north along Broadway to City Hall.
With so many attendees expected, the city will be screening everyone who is looking to go. Here are other facts attendees need to know about the Knicks championship parade, courtesy of the City of New York website:
Pens will open at 6 a.m.
No bags allowed.
Other prohibited items:
Glass or metal water bottles NOTE: plastic water bottles will be allowed
Bats/batons
Bicycles or scooters
Chairs
Coolers
Drones
Backpacks
Pets
Strollers
Umbrellas
Weapons
Individuals who work in office buildings along routes will be allowed entry into those buildings with proper building identification.
Individuals who live in the area will be able to access their residences with proper identification.
As for the City Hall ceremony, this event is for ticket holders only and will be screened. No bags and the same listed items above will be prohibited.
Feb 21, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Tyon Grant-Foster (7) controls the ball against the Pacific Tigers in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images
One thing that hasn’t been talked about at all during this offseason is any of wing Tyon Grant-Foster’s offseason workouts with NBA franchises.
The reason for that is he wasn’t cleared by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel. That has now been authorized by the NBA, per DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony. Grant-Foster has had to jump through a lot of hoops in his career, starting with going into cardiac arrest twice.
The first was in November of 2021 in the DePaul Blue Demons’ season opener, and the second was months later in 2022 during an offseason pickup game back in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. The now 26-year-old had two heart surgeries, had a defibrillator implanted, and was forced to be away from basketball for 18 months.
Grant-Foster also had to gain eligibility from the NCAA to suit up for coach Mark Few’s program in the Pacific Northwest before the start of the 2025-26 season. Those court cases put a lot of stress on his life at the time.
NEWS: Tyon Grant-Foster has been cleared to play by the NBA's fitness-to-play panel, a source tells DraftExpress.
Grant-Foster had a defibrillator implanted after twice undergoing cardiac arrest before returning to play at Grand Canyon and then Gonzaga. pic.twitter.com/rlOixBtMhs
He’s late to the offseason workout game with NBA franchises. The 2026 NBA Draft is right around the corner on June 23 through June 24 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, but Grant-Foster wasn’t going to hear his name called anyway.
The other departing veterans from the Gonzaga Bulldogs, forward Graham Ike and wing Jalen Warley, will also most likely go undrafted and presumably start their professional basketball careers on the G League route. Grant-Foster looks to be following a similar path.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 3: Harrison Barnes #40 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3, 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Free agency won’t start until June 30th, but as soon as the Finals ended, teams have been able to negotiate with their own free agents. It’s an exclusive window that, on paper, allows incumbent franchises the opportunity to lock up guys they want to keep around before they get on the market.
In some years, the period is extremely important, as a team might have key pieces whose contracts expire. It’s not the case for the Spurs this offseason. In fact, it wouldn’t be a major shock if they don’t actually bring anyone back.
Let’s take a look at San Antonio’s free agents, how they performed in the regular season, and whether it seems likely that they’ll return.
Harrison Barnes | Unrestricted free agent
2025/26 stats: 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 39 percent from beyond the arc
Barnes was a starter for part of the season, and he looked like a solid placeholder. He didn’t make many mistakes, could play without the ball, and hit enough threes that the fact that opponents often left him open or parked their centers on him wasn’t a major problem. He ended the season as a bench piece, and the numbers suggest that he could be a solid backup who does a little bit of everything without compromising the team in any way. But the splits show a different picture.
The veteran forward started the season well before going ice-cold from beyond the arc and not being able to get to the bucket after closeouts. Just as the Spurs were finding their identity as a young, athletic team that applied rim pressure, Barnes looked like he had aged five years in a month. He lost his starting spot, and while he regained his touch from deep eventually, he never seemed like a dangerous weapon. Combine his lack of offensive presence with middling defense, and it’s no surprise he fell out of the rotation as the playoffs progressed.
Likelihood of returning: Medium
Barnes didn’t play in a few playoff games and got negligible minutes in others. He’s still just 34 and a good enough shooter to potentially get an offer with guaranteed playing time from someone else. There are two reasons why the Spurs might try to keep him.
First, he has been incredibly generous with the San Antonio community, with multiple donations and appearances in charitable events, which means he has the character the franchise has always coveted. And second, replacing a still useful player won’t be easy with the tools the front office will have available to them.
If he takes a pay cut and is fine with limited but consistent minutes in the regular season, a compromise seems possible.
Kelly Olynyk | Unrestricted free agent
2025/26 stats: 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists on 8.6 minutes a game.
There was a moment in the summer, right after Olynyk was acquired in exchange for Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley, when there were reasons to be optimistic about his addition. The veteran big man had clear weaknesses, mainly as a rim protector, but his passing and decent outside shooting made him a good match to share the floor with Jeremy Sochan.
As Sochan lost favor with the coaching staff, however, it was unclear how Olynyk fit. He wasn’t nimble enough to be a power forward next to Wembanyama or Kornet, and as a sole big man, his lack of athleticism made him a sieve on defense.
In the end, Olynyk played under 10 minutes a game and suited up for just 42 games. The Spurs didn’t use his expiring contract at the trade deadline, and now he’ll enter unrestricted free agency with a very limited market.
Likelihood of returning: Low
The Spurs were smart to kick the tires on a big man with a skill set the others lacked, but it became clear Olynyk didn’t fit their guard-oriented, rim-pressure-heavy attack and had a bad year as a shooter, which was the weapon that might have kept him useful. At age 35, his NBA career might be over unless some team wants a good locker room guy to fill their roster. It seems unlikely that the team will be San Antonio.
Jordan McLaughlin | Unrestricted free agent
2025/26 stats: 2 points, 0.9 assists, 42 percent three-point shooting on 6.4 minutes a game.
McLaughlin was a throw-in in the De’Aaron Fox trade who somehow managed to make a big enough impact in his short time with the franchise in 2024/25 to earn a fully guaranteed minimum deal with the team the following offseason. With a crowded backcourt, San Antonio seemed comfortable bringing in a journeyman who would not cause issues if he didn’t get minutes and who, in case of emergency, could handle the ball, guard with intensity, and shoot the three when open.
In that tiny role, he delivered. The Spurs didn’t rely on him heavily at all, but when he was on the floor, he did what was expected of him.
Likelihood of returning: Medium
The Spurs will need a guard with McLaughlin’s profile, so why not just bring the veteran back? At age 30, he’s likely a finished product and might regress, but since he’ll only play in the regular season when someone else is hurt, or the game is out of reach, it won’t matter.
At the same time, maybe bringing in a more dynamic, multipositional option could be a smarter move. Plus, maybe there’s actually someone willing to play McLaughlin, which is something the Spurs can’t promise to do.
Lindy Waters III | Unrestricted free agent
2025/26 stats: 2.4 points, 0.7 rebounds, 34 percent on three-pointers in 6.4 minutes a game.
Can you really be disappointed with a guy on a partially guaranteed minimum contract that stuck around? If it’s possible, Lindy Waters III would fit the bill. Waters arrived as a shooting specialist, and while he was rarely on the court for long enough to develop a rhythm, he shot a career-low from beyond the arc. Considering shooting is his one NBA skill, it’s safe to say he wasn’t good even for the small role the Spurs had in mind for him.
Likelihood of returning: Low
Small-ish wings who can shoot decently are not hard to find in the NBA. Unless Waters was more important in the locker room than anyone has reported, it seems unlikely he’ll get another chance with the Spurs.
Mason Plumlee | Unrestricted free agent
2025/26 stats (only with Spurs): 0.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists in just six games.
Plumlee arrived late in the season to occupy the roster spot left vacant after Sochan was waived. He took a while to get into shape and ended up playing just 47 total minutes wearing Silver and Black in the regular season. The most memorable moment in his stint with the Spurs was probably a hard foul on Jared McCain, as Mitch Johnson preferred to go small rather than play Plumlee when the team needed a backup center.
Likelihood of returning: Low
Plumlee, 36, has been declining for a while and might be done as an NBA player. It’s hard to come up with any scenario in which a return to San Antonio makes sense.
Bismack Biyombo | Unrestricted free agent
2025/26 stats: 0.9 points, one rebound, 0.3 stocks in 5.6 minutes a game.
Biyombo sat in free agency for the better part of the last year before the Spurs added him when Victor Wembanyama was out. They played him 19 minutes a game and, unsurprisingly, he wasn’t good, as the agility and athleticism that made him a solid defensive center with decent finishing ability had disappeared by then.
This year, he was even worse, but the difference is that he didn’t actually play much and was mostly around to provide veteran leadership.
Likelihood of returning: Medium (but should be low)
Biyombo shouldn’t be in the NBA at this point. He can’t move well enough to defend the pick and roll, and his shot-blocking is gone. He was never a good offensive player, but his lack of range and horrendous free-throw shooting make him a liability. There are no basketball reasons for him to be on the Spurs next season.
That said, the Spurs will need to fill out the bottom of their roster with players who have no expectations to get playing time and who seem like good locker room presences. Wembanyama appears to like Biyombo, so he might get a spot. If it happens, hopefully, there will be quality depth ahead of him, because he should only see the floor in garbage time.
But the multipart doc will go deeper than just the 2026 NBA Finals run, Stiller said.
The confirmation from Stiller comes after Page Six reported last week that Stiller was indeed making a Knicks program for HBO.
Ben Stiller filming Jalen Brunson’s June 7, 2026 press conference at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“It’s kind of gonna be about all eras of the Knicks,” Stiller said on the show. “And this team, obviously, there’s a culmination here of something that has been going on for a long time. So, it’s super exciting. And it’s great to have all this access to your team, which is great. And we’re probably going to be shooting a little bit more during next season.”
He said the program, which does not have a set number of episodes yet, all came together recently, and it will be worked on over the next year. A release date is not yet clear. Stiller said that owner James Dolan gave the green light and access for the project.
Madison Square Garden is home to the newest NBA champions. Jason Szenes for NY Post
Stiller took to X to share the news on his personal account.
“Couldn’t be more excited to make this doc with @a24 and @hbo about the NY KNICKS!!!!!!” he wrote.
Stiller, a fixture on Celebrity Row at Madison Square Garden and courtside on the road, was seen filming the Knicks’ playoff run from his phone, and he shared some of the snippets to social media as New York won its first NBA title in 53 years.
Stiller added that the project still does not have a title, but at the very least, it is happening.
