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.
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
The Knicks celebrate their title.Photograph: Ronald Cortes/Getty Images
New York Knicks owner James Dolan says his team will become the first NBA champions to visit Donald Trump at the White House.
“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said during an appearance on WFAN New York on Wednesday. “We still have to figure out the details … but yes, of course. Look, I invited the president to come down for [last week’s Game 3 of the NBA finals]. He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
The visit may not go down well with large sections of the Knicks fanbase. The president was greeted with boos and jeers when he appeared on the jumbotron at Madison Square Garden at the start of Game 3. The reception was unsurprising: NBA fans skew liberal and the Knicks play in a city that firmly backed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
It is also questionable how many of the Knicks players will attend. Forward Josh Hart celebrated Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election by calling Trump a “dumbass” on social media. Other players may be more supportive: center Mitchell Robinson is a registered Republican and called Trump’s visit to MSG “cool, I guess”.
Last season’s NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, did not visit the White House due to a “timing issue”.
Title-winning teams in major US sports have traditionally received invitations from the president to visit the White House after their victories. Such visits have become politically fraught during Trump’s two terms in power.
The last NBA champions to visit the White House were the Boston Celtics in 2024, during Biden’s presidency.
The Golden State Warriors chose not to visit Trump’s White House after their 2017 title – he later said he had withdrawn their invitation – and they were not invited after their 2018 championship.The Warriors had visited while Barack Obama was in office, and made the trip under Biden’s administration after their 2022 title.
The 2019 champion Toronto Raptors did not visit while Trump was in office, with players ruling out a trip before an invitation had been offered, and the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers skipped their visit to Biden’s White House because of pandemic health and safety protocols.
Turnover in professional sports is common, especially when it's a salary cap sport.
But after the Knicks' generational run culminated with their first NBA Championship in 53 years, is it possible that notable names won't be returning next season?
Well, Knicks owner James Dolan was a guest on WFAN's Carton Show on Wednesday and was asked what the chances are that some players won't be returning, and Dolan was honest.
"If we could bring back the whole team, exactly as is, why wouldn’t you?" he said. "I don’t know if we’ll 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. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron."
The second apron in the NBA is, essentially, a cap that penalizes teams that overspend.
Dolan points out that most of their team is under contract, a few guys aren't, but he'll leave the roster construction to team president Leon Rose and he's willing to spend big, just not go into that 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," Dolan said.
"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."
So, what does that mean for the Knicks? It's hard to say, but Jonathan Macri of Knicks Film Skool put it succinctly on social media.
The second apron is set at $222 million with the five starters (Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns), Miles McBride and Jose Alvarado making $200 million. To fill a 14-player roster, the Knicks will have to make some hard decisions to stay under the second apron.
The biggest question mark is Mitchell Robinson. The longest-tenured Knick is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will likely get a big payday on the open market. He made nearly $13 million this past season. The big man could be the first casualty of the Knicks' offseason.
Alvarado does have a player option that would pay him $4.5 million next season. If he doesn't exercise it and hits the market, that would free up space, but the assumption is that the guard will stay with the Knicks.
Other notable unrestricted free agents to be are Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson and Jeremy Sochan.
Ariel Hukport and Mohamed Diawara are restricted free agents.
The New York Knicks will visit the White House to celebrate their NBA championship, an administration official confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump’s hometown team will be the first NBA champions to visit the White House during either of his terms in office.
Knicks owner James Dolan first shared the news in an interview with WFAN sports radio Wednesday.
“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said. “We still have to figure out the details, etc., but yes, of course.”
A White House official told NBC News on Wednesday that administration officials have “been in touch with the Knicks and look forward to hosting the team at a date to be determined in the near future.”
Dolan on Wednesday touted his relationship with Trump, whom he invited to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 8.
“Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House,” Dolan said.
Trump was booed at the game, the only one the Knicks lost to the San Antonio Spurs during the five-game series.
He watched the game from Dolan’s box, where he was joined by several administration officials, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.
Trump celebrated the Knicks’ championship early Sunday on Truth Social, congratulating Dolan and top players Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson.
“What a year it has been but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four — Maybe the greatest in the history of basketball,” he wrote.
The Knicks are expected to visit the White House after NBA championship-winning teams skipped the meeting for years, starting with the Golden State Warriors in 2017.
Star player Stephen Curry said in September 2017 that he was not interested in visiting Trump’s White House, sparking a furious social media post from Trump.
“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!” Trump wrote on X in September 2017.
The Warriors did not visit the White House the next year after they won the championship again. The Toronto Raptors did not attend the White House after their 2019 win, either.
In 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship win was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the team did not visit the White House. However, Trump told reporters in 2018 he would not invite Lakers player LeBron James to the White House after James stood behind Curry’s criticisms.
When Trump returned to office last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder said they would not visit the White House after their championship win because of “timing” issues.
Three teams visited during President Joe Biden’s term — the Milwaukee Bucks, the Warriors and the Boston Celtics in 2021, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: JR Smith and Kevin Love smile after the game between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. 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 Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Several players from the 2016 championship Cleveland Cavaliers, are celebrating the 10th anniversary of that achievement on the golf course. J.R. Smith is among the group that went across the pond. However, according to him, he hasn’t been invited back by the organization he helped bring a championship to.
In a recent episode of The Pivot Podcast, Smith talked about the importance of teams taking care of their former players. He pointed to the New York Knicks as the gold standard of doing this. And in the process, he singled out the Cavs for not being up to snuff in this department.
“I won a whole chip in Cleveland, they haven’t invited me back once, and it’s been 10 years,” Smith said. “This is our 10-year anniversary. They haven’t invited me back once.”
The official Cavs account on X replied to this with a video of Smith being at a game during the 2022-23 season and saying that he “ALWAYS has a home here.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Whether or not Smith was invited back for that appearance is unknown. What we can say is that he hasn’t been among the former players who’ve been asked to pull the sword out during player introductions before recent playoff games. Anderson Varejao, Booby Gibson, and Matthew Dellavedova all did so during the Cavs’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Smith didn’t.
It’s worth pointing out that Smith and the Cavs’ relationship didn’t end well. He was a member of the 2018-19 team, the first one that didn’t feature LeBron James after four-straight trips to the NBA Finals. The Cavs struggled at the start of the season, fired head coach Ty Lue, and traded away many of their veteran players before the deadline.
Smith wasn’t among the players dealt, but he wasn’t a part of the team after late November. He and the Cavs agreed to part ways after he played in only 11 games that year. The Cavs weren’t able to find a new home for him with a trade, and ended up waiving him the following summer. Smith played part of one more season as he appeared in six games for the bubble championship Los Angeles Lakers.
We don’t know whether or not the exit still lingers over that relationship. What we do know is that Smith was an indispensable part of the 2016 championship team and played a large role in a group that made four consecutive Finals. He should be celebrated for his role in bringing a championship to Cleveland for decades to come. Hopefully, we see that come to fruition in the coming years.
As the Knicks prepare to celebrate their first NBA title in 53 years, The Post’s writers and columnists provide insight into the indelible moments they’ll remember forever from this championship season and legacy this team will leave after an incredible run.
Stefan Bondy
The final buzzer went off for Game 5 and my mind went to two places: Jalen Brunson and my sneakers.
Neither was for sentimental reasons. The sneakers are clean and white, a proud accomplishment I’ve been able to maintain, shockingly, throughout an entire season in airports, snowy slush in Toronto and the sticky floors of every NBA arena.
A league official warned prior to tipoff that the sneakers would certainly be doused by champagne if the Knicks win, and maybe stained with cigar ash or beer or whatever else tends to spray in the locker room celebrations.
I’m not accustomed to these things covering the Knicks for 11 years. Remember — they didn’t celebrate the NBA Cup very enthusiastically.
“Oh yeah,” the NBA PR person said. “RIP to those sneakers.”
Brunson was on my mind for a practical reason. He was the subject of my column that required filing ASAP. And through the typing, it crossed my consciousness — too briefly to put in the story — that I couldn’t recall Brunson’s first game with the Knicks.
When a player of his magnitude joins a team, the first appearance is usually a big deal. We all remember Carmelo Anthony’s “Coming Home” game. Since I was there, the Knicks debuts of Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose are also logged in my memory. They were certainly the subjects of my story those nights.
But Brunson? The outlook of his impact seemed so mediocre that there’s no recollection. As it turned out, Brunson debuted on Oct. 19, 2022, in Memphis. It was a thrilling overtime loss for the Knicks and the hero — the subject of my main story — was … Cam Reddish.
Jalen Brunson #11 drives to the basket against Ja Morant #12 in his Knicks debut in 2022. Getty Images
Brunson had 15 points — fewer than Reddish, Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein. Of the 10 Knicks to play that night, only Brunson and Mitchell Robinson are still on the team.
And for the point guard, it’s been a ride through the impossible, through the humble beginning in Memphis and on to the championship podium. My sneakers? They also shocked the world (my version of it, at least), leaving San Antonio still crispy white.
Zach Braziller
It really didn’t hit me for several minutes after the final horn, when the media was allowed onto the floor. The Knicks chants were deafening, fans of the orange and blue taking over Frost Bank Center.
It was particularly gratifying for them, because of that trip to the Finals in 1999, against these same Spurs; Ewing couldn’t play, due to a torn left Achilles tendon in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. Houston did all he could, but it wasn’t nearly enough against Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Co.
This championship, the franchise’s first in 53 years, holds great meaning to so many. To fans. To former players. To everyone who has followed this team.
Jeremy Sochan #20 of the Knicks and Patrick Ewing high five after winning the NBA Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
“It means everything to the city,” Ewing said.
Growing up in the city in the 1990s myself, the Knicks owned the sports landscape every spring. Baseball season didn’t really begin until the Knicks’ season was complete. There isn’t a team that unifies everyone quite like the Knicks. We’ve seen that this spring, Knicks fans taking over road arenas in each round. There is a different buzz when the Knicks are this good, when they play this deep into the spring.
I thought: I’ve been doing this job a long, long time. I’d had the privilege of writing the column nine times after one of the teams we cover has won a championship, either here at The Post or elsewhere at papers in Newark and Middletown, N.Y.
Each one of those columns — five for the Yankees, two for the Giants, one each for the Devils and Rangers — I keep in a safe place, preserved and protected. Maybe someday I’ll make a collage out of them for a wall in my office. Maybe not. But I sleep better knowing I have them safely tucked away.
One thing, though.
Growing up, my father always insisted: “We root for New York in this house.” So while peer pressure later on insisted I needed to declare one or the other in every sport — and I picked the Mets, Jets, Knicks and Islanders — I never rooted against the other teams. And it was a joy to chronicle their titles.
But they weren’t “my” teams.
It’s here I should mention: I genuinely haven’t lost an ounce of sleep over any team since 1993 or so, with the notable exception of the St. Bonaventure basketball team. Whatever devotions I had previously have been channeled into the Bonnies, exclusively, for almost 35 years. Generally I root for me: good stories, early start times, no overtime.
But a few years ago it occurred to me: You know, at some point, I’d really like to write at least one column on the day after one of the teams I grew up rooting for won a title. And when the final seconds bled off the clock, it occurred to me: now I would.
I, like most New Yorkers, am too young to have seen the Knicks’ first two championships.
I spent decades looking at names — Frazier, Barnett, Monroe, Reed, DeBusschere, Bradley — in the rafters of Madison Square Garden, described as less than gods but more than men, representatives of the way the game should be played.
Finally, the torch has passed to another Knicks team guided by selflessness, to a group that was constantly reminded about a 53-year drought and saw it as an opportunity, rather than a burden.
The title celebration was surreal — thousands of Knicks fans taking over San Antonio, players passing around bottles of booze like frat brothers, lining up to take pictures with the Larry O’Brien Trophy — but Game 4 remains at the forefront.
It was the one moment of doubt, when unimaginable joy looked set to be replaced by familiar pain. The Garden was eerily silent — en route to a 29-point deficit — overshadowing six weeks of a dominant, dream-like run. Somehow, that night ended with the Garden’s all-time apex, capped by OG Anunoby’s mind-melting, heart-swelling, series-saving tip-in.
OG Anunoby’s makes an iconic game-winning tip-in during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
In the bowels of the building where he first became a champion, Bill Bradley, 82, walked down the hall, smiling, shaking his head in disbelief, speaking to no one in particular — “Incredible” — and for everyone who bleeds orange and blue.
He knew they would be making room in the rafters, that the moment would live longer than those who witnessed it, becoming iconic to the unborn, who one day will look up to the pinwheel ceiling and long to have seen those legends — Brunson, Towns, Anunoby, Hart, Bridges — representatives of the way the game should be played.
Jared Schwartz
I was born in 1999. I was only a few months old when the Knicks lost in the Finals that year. By the time I started making tangible memories, the electric ’90s were well in the past and the Knicks had already established themselves as a perennial laughingstock.
Like so many kids my age, all I had was stories from those older than me. For me, it was my father and grandfather. All I heard was: “It wasn’t always like this,” or “You don’t get how special it is when they’re good.” To me, it felt as close as the stuff I learned in my history textbook in school – it was then, not now.
I am lucky to also have a father in the industry who covered the first half of that magical ’90s era. Back then, they let the reporters sit courtside. He spoke of smelling the burning rubber of their sneakers on the court.
Josh Hart hugs New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (front) after the Knicks win the NBA Championship. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
He told stories of waiting around Michael Jordan’s locker – after he repeatedly broke the Knicks’ hearts – and meticulously screwing in his earrings. He reminisced about Patrick Ewing telling everyone to “watch the toes” as they crowded around him. He had endless tales about Pat Riley.
Meanwhile, I was building my fandom around guys like Nate Robinson, Jamal Crawford and Danilo Gallinari. The way longtime MSG PA announcer Mike Walczewski used to yell “Threeeee point goalllll, Daniloooooo Galllllinarrrrrriiii” made him one of my first favorites.
What did I think of when the Knicks won the championship? I thought of Carmelo Anthony hitting those two 3-pointers — at the end of regulation and overtime — against the Bulls on Easter in 2012.
For most of my life, that was the most electric moment I could think of surrounding the Knicks. When I went to college at Wisconsin, and tried explaining to non-New Yorkers what MSG was like, that was the highlight I’d show them. They’d, of course, retort that it was a regular-season game.
“As a matter of fact, thank you for asking me that, we just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said during the appearance. “We still have to figure out the details, et cetera, but yes, of course. Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
The acceptance may prompt polarizing reactions from some of New York’s players who may be on opposite ends of the political spectrum.
Forward Josh Hart, for example, posted a social media message after Joe Biden’s victory in November 2020 in which he used a derogatory term to describe Trump.
The previous five NBA champions crowned during a Trump administration each declined to visit the White House, starting in 2017, when the Warriors won their first of two consecutive titles during a Trump term.
“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team,” Trump wrote in September 2017. “Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!”
LeBron James even became involved, firing off a post of his own in which he called Trump a “bum” and added that “going to the White House was a great honor until you showed up!”
The Warriors declined to visit after their 2018 title, and the Toronto Raptors opted in 2019 not to visit either the White House or Parliament Hill in Ottawa over scheduling conflicts.
The Lakers won in 2020 and also declined, though the COVID-19 pandemic would’ve complicated any potential White House visit.
Three of the following four NBA champions, the Bucks, Warriors and Celtics, each visited the White House, but that was under the Biden presidency.
The Nuggets had scheduled a visit following their 2023 title, but scheduling conflicts with the White House led to a postponement. The rescheduled date, however, fell the day before what would be a crucial game against the Timberwolves, so the Nuggets chose to forgo the event.
Then, after Trump won back the presidency after the 2024 general election, the Thunder won the 2025 NBA Finals. They, too, declined a visit, though Oklahoma City cited scheduling conflicts.
“We have been in touch with the White House, and we are appreciative and grateful for the communication we have had, but the timing just didn't work out,” the team said in a statement.
Dolan has long been a supporter and donor of Trump and sat alongside the president in his suite June 8 during New York’s 115-111 loss against the Spurs in Game 3, the team’s only defeat during the series.
“Well, I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan,” Trump said June 4. “He’s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win, and he’s a competitive guy. He’s got a team that’s amazing.”
Two of the Knicks' biggest stars were in the Bronx Wednesday night to throw out the first pitch before the Yankees' game against the White Sox.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart toss out first pitches at Yankee Stadium after securing the New York Knicks' first NBA championship in 53 years 😤 pic.twitter.com/V7eFvdriys
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Darryn Peterson shoots the ball during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, the 2026 NBA Draft is now less than one week away. And one of the Washington Wizards’ recent stars gave his endorsement on who he would like to see picked No. 1 overall.
John Wall was recently asked who he would like to see drafted No. 1. He endorsed former Kansas guard Darryn Peterson t No. 1.
John Wall wants the Wizards to take Darryn Peterson with the No. 1 pick 👀
It goes a bit further than that than Wall saying that Peterson should go No. 1 and former Brigham Young star AJ Dybantsa going No. 2 to the Utah Jazz.
Peterson is going “all in” on the Wizards himself. He reportedly visited the Wizards recently for extended workouts and decided not to visit the Jazz for the same thing. It’s a high risk high reward move for sure.
When NBA free agency officially opens at 6 p.m. Eastern on June 30, there will be a rash of signings, but the biggest deals of the summer likely will already have happened. Free agency is not how the best players change teams anymore — if Giannis Antetokounmpo is leaving Milwaukee this summer, it's via trade. That's essentially how all the top players change teams — a year ago at this time, it was Kevin Durant being traded to the Houston Rockets. When it comes to free agency, changes to extension rules and unrestricted free agency make it generally smarter for a player to re-sign with his existing team (and then force a trade later, if that's the goal).
Still, free agency saw some signings worth noting — last summer, it was how Myles Turner ended up in Milwaukee, Al Horford landed in Golden State, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in Atlanta. Who will be on the move when free agency opens on June 30? Here are the biggest names on the board. (Reminder, a "restricted" free agent means his current team has the right to match any offer from another team.)
1. Jalen Duren (restricted)
Detroit will re-sign Duren, who proved to be a critical core player for the No. 1 seed Pistons, averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game, shooting 65% and playing high-level defense.
A CAREER NIGHT FOR JALEN DUREN!
36 PTS (career-high) 12 REB
At 22 years and 119 days old, Duren becomes the 2nd-youngest player in Pistons franchise history to record 35+ PTS, and 10+ REB in a game, trailing only Isiah Thomas (21y, 284d). pic.twitter.com/JSED2aKyfU
The only question is, did his playoff swoon cost him money? After making All-NBA last season, his max is five years, $287.1 million. The Pistons would like to get him at a slightly lower number, but if they get too cute, there are teams with cap space — Chicago and Brooklyn are rumored to be lurking — who could put a max offer sheet and force the Pistons to match. All that said, Detroit can't afford to lose him.
2. Austin Reaves (player option)
There's a theme to the top of this list: The team with a player's rights can't afford to let the player walk, but would like to get them in at a lower number than the max. Enter Austin Reaves and the Lakers. Reaves has proven to be a quality second option next to Luka Doncic and averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists a game. At 28, this is Reaves' shot at generational wealth and he will opt out of the $14.9 million on his contract and is not giving the Lakers a steep discount this time around. Do the Lakers lock him up for five years at around $200 million or less, or something more like four years and $160 million? If the Lakers mess around here, Brooklyn is lurking, has cap space and can offer a max of four years, $178 million, forcing the Lakers to match. However it plays out, Reaves will be back with the Lakers next season.
3. James Harden (player option)
Harden will be back in Cleveland, that's a done deal. Harden and his team pushed to be traded from the Clippers last season because they did not want to extend the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer, but there is no way Harden signed off on a trade to Cleveland without a handshake deal for an extension already in place. The question is the number. Harden will decline his $42.3 million player option and sign a deal with a lower per-season number but a higher total, maybe something like two years, $70 million. Whatever the number, Harden is staying put.
4. LeBron James
There is a growing sense that LeBron James will re-sign with the Lakers, according to league sources NBC Sports has spoken with. Nothing else fits quite right. Part of that is simply money. LeBron is taking a steep pay cut from the $52 million max he earned last season, but if he goes to a team like Golden State, the best they can do is the $15 million mid-level exception (and if things break down with Los Angeles, expect that to be the outcome).
The Lakers have LeBron's Bird rights and can (and likely would) pay more. Plus, LeBron is playing with his son, Bronny, in Los Angeles, and his family has established a life here. It's a big ask to think he would give that up to go to Cleveland (who could only offer the $3.9 million veteran minimum — LeBron is not a minimum player). The Lakers have other priorities this offseason — re-signing Reaves, improving the center and wing positions around Doncic — but LeBron and Doncic mesh well, and it just seems like the best fit.
5. Peyton Watson (restricted)
Watson's value to the Nuggets was on clear display through his absence in the playoffs — he was out injured, and Denver was not the same team without his two-way wing play. Other teams noticed — the Lakers would love to bring Long Beach Poly's own back to SoCal, he's the kind of player they need — but Denver knows what they have and very likely re-signs him. Watson averaged 14.6 points a game last season, played well off Nikola Jokic, is a plus defender on the wing and shot 41.1% from 3-point range. The reported plan in Denver is to re-sign Watson and trade someone such as Christian Braun. Watson has some injury concerns, so the likely number he signs for is a little less than Braun's five years, $125 million, but Watson should make something like five years, $95 million or more.
6. Isaiah Hartenstein (team option)
Hartenstein's defensive physicality against Victor Wembanyama in the playoffs — he did a very respectable job on the Spurs' alien — showed why the Thunder need to work out a long-term deal to keep the German big man. He's not really hitting free agency, the Thunder will work out a deal where the team declines its $28.5 million option for next season, and he signs for three or four years at a slightly lower per-year number (maybe four years, $110 million).
7. Trae Young (player option)
The widely held expectation around the league is that Young will decline his $48.9 million player option for next season and re-sign with the Washington Wizards on a multi-year deal at a lower number (something like three years, $120 million, maybe with a partial guarantee on the final season). That said, the Wizards are a rebuilding team, and teams are eyeing Young as a potential trade target if they strike out in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes (Miami has been mentioned). If Young picks up that player option, it's a sign he's on the move. That said, his staying in Washington on a more team-friendly deal seems the most likely outcome.
8. Walker Kessler (restricted)
For a guy who played just five games last season due to shoulder surgery, there is a lot of buzz around Kessler. That's because the 7'2" big man brings to the table what a lot of teams are looking for: rim-protection, good on the glass, efficient scoring, and can body up Wembanyama defensively. Utah wants to keep him and pair him in a front line with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen.
The sticking point is money. The latest report, via ESPN's Tim MacMahon, is that the Jazz offered five years, $140 million ($28 million per year average) and Kessler is unhappy with the negotiations and what's on the table. For comparison, that salary is slightly higher than what Myles Turner got from Milwaukee a year ago and slightly lower than what Jarrett Allen is making in Cleveland ($30.2 million per season). While the Lakers and other teams are interested, they are not coming in much higher than what the Jazz have on the table, if at all. Expect the Jazz and Kessler to work out a deal, and we can debate if he holds a grudge about how this went down the next time his free agency comes up.
9. Norman Powell
If Miami lands Giannis Antetokounmpo — and has to trade away players such as Tyler Herro and Kel'el Ware to make it happen — then they need to re-sign Powell for the depth. Powell is coming off an All-Star season in which he averaged 21.7 points per game, but at age 33, he has physically broken down before the last two playoffs. Miami likely re-signs him for a little more than $20 million a season (two years, $45 million?). If the Heat make the big trade, then Powell has leverage because the Heat need him. If the Heat strike out, it's worth noting that it proved hard to play Herro and Powell together on defense last season, and Miami might want to rethink its options.
10. Ayo Dosunmu
Minnesota may end up paying more than it wants to keep Dosunmu because he has all the leverage here. The midseason pickup proved his value in the playoffs, where he averaged 15.6 points a game off the bench, dropped 43 on Denver and showed he can be part of a dangerous team in Minnesota. With Donte DiVincenzo out most or all of next season, the Timberwolves need Dosunmu back. While they could offer the non-taxpayer mid-level exception at $15 million a season, to keep the unrestricted free agent, they may need to go a little higher (three years, $55 million?). If Minnesota tries to low-ball him, teams like Detroit or Miami could try to poach him.
11. Mitchell Robinson
After a championship run, New York has let it be known they want to re-sign Robinson and run it all back — and he earned his next check with some critical plays and minutes off the bench in the NBA Finals. He's a starting-level center who pretty much has to come off the bench and play limited minutes due to health issues — expect 15-20 minutes a night for 60 games, then hope he's healthy for the playoffs. Combine that with the Knicks being deep in the tax, and there start to be questions about the future, with teams like Boston, Los Angeles and Atlanta lurking. Still, after that run, expect Robinson to re-sign in New York at a little below the mid-level exception (three years, $40 million?).
12. Rui Hachimura
There are not a lot of 6'8" players who shot 44.7% from 3-point range last season and have shown the last couple of years they can step up and be better on the big stages in the postseason. Hachimura — and Luke Kennard — are players on the bubble to return to the Lakers as they rework the roster around Doncic, would a team like Detroit take a look at Hachimura and think he could slot nicely into the Tobias Harris minutes? Wherever he signs, look for him to make a little more than the mid-level exception ($18 million per season, or does that go up to $20 million?).
13. John Collins
Collins has proven to be a rock-solid NBA rotation big man, a quality pick-and-roll big who can pop out and hit the 3 (he shot 40.6% from 3 last season) and is a respectable shot blocker and rim protector. The Clippers have his Bird rights and need him at the five with Ivica Zubac gone, so expect him to re-sign in Los Angeles, but other teams in need of a big man could do worse than to talk to Collins and see if they can get him at a fair price.
14. Coby White
White is good enough to be a starter somewhere, but thrived after the trade deadline coming off the bench in Charlotte, where he averaged 15.6 points and shot 39.1% from 3. The expectation around the league is that he re-signs with the Hornets (and he might be an early Sixth Man of the Year favorite if he does). However, if a team looking for more shot creation, like Detroit, came calling, he'd have to listen.
15. Tari Eason (restricted)
One of the more interesting free agents on this list. He's a 6'8" high-level defensive wing player who has started to find his shot and hit 35.8% from 3-point range last season. He is exactly the kind of guy a lot of teams looking for two-way wings could use, and if teams like the Lakers can't poach Peyton Watson from Denver, they might call about Eason. All of that is driving up his price, and he may find a deal in the $25 million a season range. Houston likely pays that to keep him, but it's worth watching on a Rockets roster that is going to get expensive in the coming years.
16. CJ McCollum
He may be 34 and an undersized guard, but he was one of the biggest problems for the Knicks in the playoffs and showed he is still a threat. He was a great veteran fit with Atlanta after the trade last season, averaging 18.7 points a game, and the Hawks want him more than other teams. The buzz in league circles is that the Hawks want to re-sign him for one year with a big number ($30 million or so) as they continue to pivot to what is next.
17. Collin Gillespie
Gillespie played himself into a healthy raise at age 26, showing he could be a starting point guard in this league and fitting well with Devin Booker in Phoenix. The max that Phoenix can offer is $15.6 million, but that (or a little less to keep the Suns out of the luxury tax) should be enough to get a deal done.
18. Kristaps Porzingis
Can a team sign him and then put him in bubble wrap until the playoffs? Porzingis is exactly the kind of stretch big and elite rim protector who can help lift a team's ceiling — he was huge for Boston's title run. However, his injury history is too long to list here, and teams can't bank on him. For a playoff team looking to take the next step, it's a risk-versus-reward debate. Porzingis is only going to get a one-year contract (two at most), maybe around $15 million per season?
19. Draymond Green (player option)
Green isn't leaving the Warriors, the only question here is money and years. Green has a $27.7 million player option for next season, the expectation is he opts out and re-signs for two years at a slightly lower number (two years, $40 million?). Expect a deal to get done.
20. Anfernee Simons
What is the going rate for a guy who can get you a bucket but is not really efficient (at or below the league average true shooting percentage the past few years) and is a defensive liability? He averaged 14.3 points per game and shot 38.5% from 3-point range. Look for a shorter-term contract, and he might well stay with the Bulls.
The Knicks' pursuit of back-to-back championships begins this offseason with the 2026 NBA Draft. New York has picks No. 24, 31 and 55 in this year's draft.
Here's the latest buzz surrounding the Knicks and the upcoming draft, which will emanate from Barclays Center on June 23-24...
June 17, 5:35 p.m.
SNY's Ian Begley reports that the Knicks welcomed UConn star Alex Karaban and St. John's standout Dillon Mitchell for pre-draft workouts on Wednesday.
Karaban played four years with the Huskies, helping UConn win its fifth national championship in 2023. This past season, the forward averaged 13.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while being the only Husky to play in 40 games. In the National Championship game, Karaban posted 17 points and came down with 11 rebounds in UConn's 69-63 loss to Michigan.
Mitchell, the Red Storm's 6-foot-8 forward, averaged 8.3 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game in 37 games played for the Johnnies. In St. John's 80-75 loss to Duke in the Sweet 16, Mitchell scored 13 points on 86 percent shooting.
June 15, 11:10 p.m.
SNY's Ian Begley reports that the Knicks hosted Duke guard Isaiah Evans as part of a group workout for draft prospects.
Evans played two seasons at Duke and had a standout sophomore year. In 38 games, he averaged 15 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
Kendrick Perkins didn’t shy away from ripping into Victor Wembanyama.
The former NBA player and ESPN analyst eviscerated Wembanyama for his play in the Spurs’ NBA Finals loss to the Knicks during an appearance on a Yahoo Sports show Wednesday.
“Wemby was soft… let’s keep it real, he was soft and he was scared, especially in the big moments,” Perkins said. “He did a whole lot of barking in the interviews, but he did no biting whatsoever.”
“If I’m in the locker room and they bring me in, the first thing I’m going to do is actually tell him to embrace being the big man first with guard skills,” Perkins added. “After Game 1 and Game 2, they made an adjustment and started hiding Wemby so that he didn’t have to guard Karl-Anthony Towns. We’re talking about the Defensive Player of the Year… you’re [7 foot 5], you can be the most dominant player in the league by just embracing being a big man.”
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) goes up for a shot as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defends. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
"He was soft and he was scared." @KendrickPerkins sounds off on Victor Wembanyama's NBA Finals performance.
Perkins wasn’t the only person critical of Wembanyama’s offensive play in the Finals, however.
Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor also believed the Spurs star was exposed offensively in the Finals.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the New York Knicks during Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NBAE via Getty Images
“The inability to create a shot, the strength, it does go to show how far he still has to come as a player, particularly on the offensive end of the floor,” O’Connor said on his show. “He does not have a go-to move, he does not have a go-to spot that he wants to get to on the floor.
“Too often, I still feel like he falls in love with the jumper.”
Wembanyama, who finished third in MVP voting this season, averaged 26 points per game in the Finals, but shot just 42 percent from the field and around 27 percent from downtown.
DUBROVNIK, CROATIA - JUNE 13: Basketball Player and Team AlUla Co-Owner, Lebron James looks on in the E1 Owners Suite during the E1 Series Dubrovnik GP on June 13, 2026 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers achieved one of the most memorable NBA Finals victories a decade ago when they overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the 73-9 Golden State Warriors to secure the city’s first professional championship in over half a century.
To celebrate, six members of that championship team are spending a few days in the United Kingdom golfing. Fortunately for us at home, they’ve decided to keep us updated on what’s going on through social media.
LeBron James is back with the Cleveland Cavaliers — at least for a few days — as the 2016 team reunited for a luxurious European vacation to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their iconic NBA Finals victory. pic.twitter.com/uWdLnvlDx8
So far, there’s been plenty of great content shared on this trip.
First of all, we have J.R. retrieving his lost ball in the pond. That’s something we’ve all had to do, considering the price of quality golf balls these days.
As much fun as it’s been to follow their golf trip, it’s also worth noting the one starter that isn’t there: Kyrie Irving. The Cavs don’t win the championship without Irving’s stellar player, including his 41 points in Game 5 and game-changing three late in Game 7.
The 2016 championship team will always have a special place in the hearts of Cleveland sports fans. For once, a Cleveland team overcame the impossible and stole victory from the jaws of defeat on the very biggest stage. And they did so in the most dramatic way possible, led by the greatest player of all time, who just so happened to be from the area as well.
