Category: Basketball

After leading the Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years, Jalen Brunson had the honor of hosting the 52nd season premiere of "Saturday Night Live."

The Finals MVP received a warm welcome from the home crowd at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, joked about his cold-blooded demeanor, his "pretty good summer," and said he hopes his hosting duties will go like a Knicks' game -- "God awful" for the first three quarters and "amazing" for the final sketch like a fourth-quarter comeback win. 

Brunson discussed his "pretty good summer" and then held a "news conference" with the audience, where he was pestered by silly questions from Knicks teammates Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart. 

Anunoby got the biggest laugh by asking the point guard about missing the last-second shot in Game 4 of the NBA Finals -- which Anunoby famously tipped-in with 1.2 seconds left to pull off the miraculous 29-point comeback.  

Brunson was even nice enough to bring the group on stage to close out his monologue, which you can check out here:

 

Jalen Brunson's monologue! pic.twitter.com/FnPKYkGcu7

— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) September 27, 2026

After a week of preparation, NBA champion Jalen Brunson will walk the tightrope of hosting Saturday Night Live tonight. The newly crowned King of New York joins an elite club as one of the few NBA players ever to host the show, following Bill Russell, Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James. The fact that this is the 52nd premiere of the iconic show makes the honor even more special, and while Jalen might not kill like OJ Simpson (hosted in ‘78), he can least land a joke better than that knucklehead Travis Kelce (’23). Tune in and watch along with us!

Date: September 26, 2026
Time: 11:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 p.m. CT / 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC; streaming the next day on Peacock
Musical guest: KATSEYE

Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be good humans. And go Knicks!

The Bulls are shaking up their roster weeks before their season kicks off.

Chicago traded guard Rob Dillingham to the Hornets for veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield and cash, ESPN reported Saturday.

Dillingham, 21, played just 30 games for the Bulls last season after being dealt by the Timberwolves at the trade deadline.

The No. 8 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, Dillingham showed signed of improvement for Chicago after playing increased minutes. He averaged 9.6 points and 2.8 assists on 42.8 percent shooting in 21.5 minutes a night during his brief tenure with the Bulls.

Dillingham could see a further increase in minutes with Charlotte, who traded All-Star guard LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves earlier this offseason and with second-year swingman Kon Knueppel being sidelined with a hamstring injury.

He currently has one year left on his rookie contract via team option before reaching restricted free agency in the summer of 2028.

As for the Bulls, they bring in the more experienced Hield, who is entering his 11th season in the NBA.

Hield started last season on the Warriors before being traded alongside Johnathan Kuminga to the Hawks for star bigman Kristaps Porzingis in February.

The 33-year-old played in just seven games for Atlanta, with the Hawks trading him with Ryan Nembhard to the Hornets for Dorian Finney-Smith earlier this month.

Across 51 games with the Warriors and Hawks last season, Hield averaged 7.6 points while making 1.5 3-pointers on 34.9 percent shooting behind the arc.

Hield holds a player option worth roughly $10 million for the 2027-28 season.

The Post’s Stefan Bondy breaks down the Knicks’ top storylines heading into training camp.

Best battle

The starting lineup is set and the bench rotation feels settled enough. But there’s at least one roster spot up for grabs. The Knicks signed five established NBAers on nonguaranteed deals — Bruce Brown, John Konchar, James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks, Ochai Agbaji — and are letting them battle it out in camp. It’s similar to last season’s fight between Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon and Garrison Mathews. 

Assuming there’s no cap-clearing trade before the start of the season, the Knicks only have room to keep one player and stay under the second apron. Since their position of need is center, Wiseman and Eubanks have the inside track. But Konchar or Brown could impress enough to compel Leon Rose into a cap-clearing trade, most logically by shipping Pacôme Dadiet elsewhere. 

Story to watch develop

There are three contract situations percolating. Miles McBride, Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart have been eligible for extensions for months but still haven’t signed. We’ve already heard Towns is unlikely to reach a deal before the season starts. According to sources, he’s being asked to take a discount well below his $276 million max. Hart isn’t leaving New York, but he also has a team option in his current contract for 2027-28. So the Knicks aren’t pressed to make a deal until it makes sense for both sides. McBride is a long shot to sign even though he’s the most urgent.

Unlike Towns and Hart, there are no options in McBride’s contract, so he’ll become a free agent after the season with no extension. 

Coach’s toughest challenge

Keeping winners motivated. Mike Brown has to help the Knicks steer clear of complacency after capturing the title, and he has experience as the associate head coach of the back-to-back Warriors of 2017 and 2018. The chip can’t be removed from the shoulders. 

Most intriguing rookie

Not much is expected of the second rounder Tyler Nickel, and he’s most likely bound for the G-League, but his encouraging Summer League brought hope of real NBA potential as a 6-foot-7 3-point specialist. 

Most intriguing newcomer

Andre Drummond is actually the only rotational newcomer, representing an important piece as one of only two natural frontcourt players under contract. The Knicks need a productive Drummond, who has gained better shooting over the years but lost a lot of his mobility. 

Most notable absence

Mitchell Robinson became a cap casualty because owner James Dolan didn’t want to spend into the second apron, sending the former longest-tenured Knick to Boston in free agency. Nobody on the roster can replicate Robinson’s rebounding and rim protection. But the Knicks can also worry a little less about injuries and free throws. 

Biggest comeback

Miles McBride was tremendous last season before undergoing a sports hernia surgery, then rushed back and wasn’t the same in the playoffs. It bothered him. Now he’s entering camp fully healthy for very possibly a contract year. McBride also has to re-establish himself as the top guard off the bench after Shamet’s emergence in the playoffs. 

Don’t be surprised if…

The Knicks starters don’t play much in the preseason. They’re a veteran bunch, and maybe rust is an issue after three months off, but chemistry is certainly not a problem. The starters know their role, they know their strengths, and preseason minutes aren’t going to change that. 

The Post’s Brian Lewis breaks down the Nets’ top storylines heading into training camp.

Best battle 

Brooklyn’s starting five is set before camp even starts, while Mo Wagner, Keon Ellis and a backup point guard all have to play. But the forward fight between Noah Clowney, Josh Minott, Danny Wolf and Joshua Jefferson will be interesting. 

Story to watch develop 

Veteran Michael Porter Jr. is on an expiring $40.8 million deal and has been extension-eligible. His agent Mark Bartelstein said in July he planned to talk with GM Sean Marks “in the days ahead.” Since then? Crickets. Will the Nets extend him? Trade him? Do the former now and the latter next summer? No story will be more watched. 

Coach’s toughest challenge 

Spending camp and preseason crafting an attack around Porter and Julius Randle. The Nets were last in Offensive Rating, and Randle pounds the rock. But Porter moves, cuts and gets off the ball quickly. They can work well, now coach Jordi Fernández has to turn that theory into practice. 

Most intriguing rookie 

Mikel Brown Jr. comes into camp as the Nets’ highest-drafted player in 16 years, a rare combination of passing, deep range and downhill juice. The task is getting him to pack on pounds, rein in his risk-taking and learn to run an NBA team. 

Most intriguing newcomer 

It’s Randle. Brown might become the Nets’ most important player someday, but Randle is their best today. Their only All-Star, he’s averaged 21.7 points and 8.9 boards over the past eight years. He’s a floor-raiser and their only proven on-ball scorer. 

Most notable absence 

Nic Claxton is gone after seven years in Brooklyn, along with his rim protection and vertical lob threat. Brooklyn has no replacement for either, and must find a No. 3 center behind Wagner and starter Day’Ron Sharpe. Is it Wolf, Grant Nelson, Chaney Johnson or even Randle in case of emergency? 

Biggest comeback 

Egor Dëmin. Granted, Sharpe’s season-ending thumb operation was surgical, while Dëmin’s plantar fasciitis procedure was non-surgical. But the latter can become chronic, considering the lottery pick’s importance, his health will be scrutinized. 

Don’t be surprised if … 

Fernandez ends up having to make some tough calls between young and old, development and victory. Without their pick or incentive to tank, the Nets will aim to win. Does Fernandez give minutes to aging vets like, say, Terance Mann? Or force-feed sophomores Ben Saraf and Drake Powell, even if they’re struggling?

If you know Steph Curry, you know his priority is finding joy. 

He doesn’t like drama. He’s not interested in distractions. He’s single-mindedly focused on feeling the thrill of his jaw-dropping shots swish through the net over outstretched hands. 

That’s why it makes sense that he ended the chatter around him before Warriors’ media day on Monday, agreeing to sign a two-year, $116 million contract extension. 

Curry, who’s on an expiring $62.6 million contract, was eligible for an extension up to two years and $136.7 million on Aug. 29. 

When that date came and passed without pen-to-paper there were never any real concerns that he was considering leaving the Warriors, with whom he has spent his entire 17-season career.

But if he held out, that storyline would’ve become a distraction. It would’ve become a focus this season. Everyone would’ve been constantly trying to take his temperature and gauge his thinking instead of simply enjoying his artistry.  

Curry had all the cards.

That’s what happens when you’re the greatest shooter of all time who transformed the Warriors into the league’s modern-day dynasty, winning four championships in eight years from 2015-2022. 

He could’ve waited to see how things shook out this season. He could’ve signed a maximum contract. He could’ve taken a pay cut to give the Warriors a chance to further fortify their roster around him. 

He chose the latter after ruminating for a month. 

Curry’s decision will give the Warriors around $10 million in extra projected cap space next summer. That means Golden State could have between $38 million and a projected $55 million in cap space after this season, depending on what happens with Brandin Podziemski, according to ESPN.

In other words, next summer they’ll have flexibility to pursue big names. 

That’s an exciting prospect for Curry, who turns 39 in March, as well as a franchise that hasn’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs over the last four years. 

Jimmy Butler ($56.8 million) and Draymond Green ($27.6 million) are under contract through the end of this season. Kristaps Porzingis has only $3 million of his $20 million salary guaranteed. Podziemski has a $17 million cap hold next summer.

There are a lot of moving parts. A lot of optionality. A lot of flexibility. And Curry helped prop the door open a bit wider. 

Curry wants to play meaningful basketball in the sunset of his career. 

He’s still him. Last season he became the oldest point guard to start an NBA All-Star Game. He went on to close the season averaging 26.6 points on 46.8% shooting from the field (39.3% from beyond the arc), 3.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

For Curry and the Warriors, the last few seasons have been tough. They missed the postseason two of the last four years. 

Last season, their hopes of contending were dashed after Butler suffered a torn ACL in January. The Warriors then tried to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the February trade deadline, but the Bucks balked before dealing him to Miami this summer. 

This offseason, Curry and Green tried to recruit LeBron James, who’s entering his 24th season and will turn 42 in December. But James chose to sign with the 76ers in free agency. 

So, where does this leave the Warriors?

They’ll be without Butler and Moses Moody at the start of next season, and they aren’t considered contenders. 

But things could get interesting around the trade deadline or the offseason, when they’ll have significant potential cap space. 

Curry will make $55.7 million in 2027-2028, a pay cut from the $62.6 million he’s earning next season. He has a player option for $60.2 million for the 2028-29 season, per ESPN.

He made roughly a $20 million sacrifice. 

He’s doing his part to give the Warriors an edge.

And now it’s up to them to make sure we’re able to witness his joy deep into the postseason once again before the final curtain call for the greatest shooter the world has ever seen. 

While the message of President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick’s press conference on Thursday was one of excitement for the future, it started out with a brief acknowledgment of the past.

LeBron James’ departure this offseason ended his eight-year tenure with the Lakers, the longest single stretch with any franchise in his career. As much as both sides may have been ready to move on, they still accomplished a lot during their time together in Los Angeles.

“I thought it would be appropriate, just at the front, to express gratitude for the LeBron era here,” Pelinka said on Thursday. “Clearly new team, new players, and that’s what we’re going to talk about today, but we, just as an organization, are still grateful for the run that we had with him here. The Lakers have become, as they should, a perennial playoff team, won a championship, went to the Western Conference Finals, and it was a great era and we’re grateful for it.”

After a regular season which started rocky with LeBron on the sideline before he needed time to slot in as a third fiddle behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, the dynamic seemed to change a bit in the playoffs when LeBron showed his value once again.

There were also questions about who actually decided to end the partnership. When asked about that at his presser, Pelinka dodged the question while still praising LeBron.

“Again, we’re grateful for the LeBron era and I think the communications with him this offseason were held diplomatically and professionally and honestly,” Pelinka said. “I’m just so thankful for the partnership we had that continued up until this summer when a decision was made for him to play for another team. It was done amicably, professionally, gracefully.

And again, we looked at the whole thing with gratitude because it’s been an incredible era for us here.”

As for LeBron’s take, he spoke about his time with the Lakers on the latest episode of his Mind the Game podcast.

“A lot of people said when I came to the Lakers, like I was just coming to be in Hollywood and be in movies and shit like that. But I’ve always loved a huge challenge and to come to a historical franchise that has some of the greatest basketball players that we’ve ever seen in the history of sports, to be a part of that, one, was a super duper big thing…The expectations around here in Los Angeles when it comes to the Lakers is like, ‘Let’s win championships.‘ And I heard that and I understood that. For us to be able to win one, that was something that I’ll never forget. With that group, with that team, for this city.”

It’s not common for things to end amicably when LeBron leaves a franchise. All things considered, this is about as good as things could have gone.

LeBron will return to LA and get a loud ovation while the Lakers get to move onto a bright future with their new superstar. It’s a win-win for everyone.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Dereck Lively II is tired of all the internet chatter surrounding the level of progress — or lack thereof — in his recovery from the foot injury he suffered just seven games into last season.

All you meanies on the internet. All you do is speculate and exaggerate and take things out of context and blow things out of proportion. How dare you, honestly. The nerve. The nerve and the gall.

Lively had season-ending surgery on Dec. 21, as you may remember.

Since then, there was a second procedure, then a startlingly long period of silence about the big man’s recovery, followed by some reports of slower-than-normal progress as the 2026-27 offseason ramped up. In June, the news of note was that, at that point, a full seven months removed from surgery, he hadn’t progressed to running in his rehab. Earlier this week, now more than nine months removed from surgery, it was an ESPN report that Lively had yet to be cleared for training camp, which started Saturday, raising fans’ antennae.

“I’m sick of seeing things on the internet thinking, like, I can’t run, I can’t jump, which I can,” Lively said on the Locked on Mavs podcast on Friday after the team held its media day. “I’m thankful for the Mavs just letting me take my time.”

Oh, you’re tired of it? Two suggestions for the basketball-man-slash-content creator.

1. Log off, sir. Being terminally online is not a requirement for a career in the game of basketball. Tim MacMahon reported that ESPN bit. Christian Clark reported the June bit. Those are not internet rumors that sprung up out of nowhere. Those are reports from dudes with sources whose job it is to write down what they learn. If they were wrong on a consistent basis they’d be let go. What they’ve reported has been backed up by the lack of progression you’ve showed in your recovery. If the news or the chatter surrounding the news hurts your feelings, you have the option to get rid of X, The Everything App. But that’s not an option for today’s NBA athlete, much less one who was welcomed to life as “a YouTuber now, just like us,” by Locked On host Nick Angstadt at the beginning of the interview.
2. Don’t protest so much (thou doth), especially when you are not playing basketball 10 months after surgery for an injury that was initially disclosed as “soreness.” And especially, especially when those protests will be betrayed by a clip from practice the very next day. Nabbed by the very same outlet you just used to push your narrative that everything’s fine in your recovery and people should just mind their business.

Dereck Lively II getting some light jogging in after Mavericks practice #MFFLpic.twitter.com/tAZFZZEIFc

— DLLS Mavs (@DLLS_Mavs) September 26, 2026

The Locked On guys charitably used the words “light jogging” to describe the broken-down hobble they recorded from the opposite sideline of the practice court. He runs in that clip with the unmistakable gait of the fat kid on your kid’s tee-ball team.

Lively does not appear ready for anything remotely close to basketball activity at this point. And, to be fair, he hasn’t used the word “close” to describe where he’s at. But get a load of that continued quote.

“I’m thankful for the Mavs, that just let me take my time and be slow. Making sure that I’m doing everything I need to do to make sure my body will never have to worry about anything ever again,” Lively said.

That came out of the mouth of a man who played seven games in the third year of his NBA career. That came out of the mouth of a man whose highest games-played total came in his rookie season (55) and has fallen sharply in each of his three years in a Mavericks uniform. Never have to worry about anything ever again? Buddy, when you are done rehabbing this foot, you will immediately be enveloped by team trainers in rolls upon rolls of heavy-duty bubble wrap.

There is no “never worry about anything” with players like Lively.

He’s an amazing athlete. He had a ton of potential coming into the NBA, and we’ll see how much of that he’s retained at some point in the very open-ended future. But he’s also gaslighting you.

Lively can’t run, and you’re in the wrong for noticing.

The Post’s Stefan Bondy breaks down the Knicks roster ahead of training camp:

Player, age, position, height, weight

Ochai Agbaji, 26, SG, 6-5, 215 

Agbaji is a long shot to make the final roster but carries intrigue as a former 14th overall pick. He finished last season with the Nets and could only secure a non-guaranteed deal in free agency. Has a lot to prove. 

OG Anunoby, 29, F, 6-7, 240 

Achieved well deserved acclaim after an outstanding playoff run, including the most important shot in franchise history. The next step is a first-time All-Star appearance. But health is always a question. 

Mikal Bridges, 30, G, 6-6, 200 

A championship means the five first-round picks are an afterthought, perhaps easing Bridges’ mind as he enters Year 3 with the franchise. He’s also set to earn a career-high $33.5 million this season as the fourth or fifth option on offense. Not bad, right? We should see a happier Bridges starting in training camp. 

Bruce Brown, 30, G, 6-4, 202 

Surprising that Brown was only able to secure a non-guaranteed deal in free agency, leaving him in a tight battle for a roster spot. Brown has better pedigree than the competition as a real contributor to the 2023 Nuggets championship team — not to mention he started every game for Denver last season — but the Knicks don’t need another guard. He will need to impress in camp and preseason to earn a spot. 

Jalen Brunson, 30, PG, 6-2, 205 

You don’t have to worry about Brunson’s motivation after being crowned the King of New York. But his surgically repaired wrist is worth watching in preseason. Does it impact his shot? His dribble? Did the two-month recovery disrupt his training? 

Jordan Clarkson, 34, G, 6-3, 194 

The Knicks elder statesman isn’t expected to have a huge role in a crowded backcourt, but he found a way to contribute by committing to defense. Clarkson made a lot of money in his career, scored a lot of points, won a championship. Now he’s the veteran on a one-year deal who is popular in the locker room.

Pacôme Dadiet, 21, F, 6-8, 220 

Entering his third Knicks camp, Dadiet, a 2024 first-round pick, is standing close to the label of draft bust. He underwhelmed in Summer League, and there’s no reason the Knicks should pick up his $5.4 million option by the Halloween deadline. Assuming the Knicks pass, Dadiet will be a free agent next summer. That means he’s a trade candidate — especially if the Knicks want to clear cap space to keep a second training-camp invite. The problem is Dadiet has no value in the trade market, so the Knicks would have to attach draft capital to shed his salary. 

Mohamed Diawara, 21, F, 6-9, 225 

An encouraging rookie season meant Diawara signed a new contract — four years, $11.3 million. Only about half is guaranteed, which means he still has to show progress to stick around. He has the skill and the prototype NBA body but needs to learn more about schemes to truly grow. 

Andre Drummond, 33, C, 6-11, 280 

The vet newcomer is attempting to fill the shoes of Mitchell Robinson with a slightly different skill set. Drummond’s conditioning has been an issue the past few seasons, and we’ll get a glimpse of his mobility in preseason. One frontcourt injury could catapult Drummond into a huge role with the Knicks. 

Drew Eubanks, 29, C, 6-10, 245 

Needs to distinguish himself in his training camp competition against James Wiseman, who is the other center on a nonguaranteed contract. The Knicks will probably only keep one of them. Eubanks carries an experience advantage as an eight-year journeyman. 

Josh Hart, 31, F, 6-4, 215 

Dealt with back pain, knee pain, finger pain, ankle pain and just general pain during his tenure with the Knicks. Hart sacrifices his body and, as he enters camp extension-eligible, you wonder whether there’s a limit. The good news is Hart’s fitness and conditioning is top level, even for professional athletes. And there’s no way the Knicks are letting Brunson’s best bud leave. 

Tyler Kolek, 25, PG, 6-3, 195 

Demonstrated in spurts last season that he can shine as an NBA playmaker, though his defense and inability to break presses ultimately took Kolek off the court. A strong preseason could help Kolek’s case for a rotational spot. As it stands, he’s on the outside with Jose Alvarado, Miles McBride and Landry Shamet as the backcourt backups. 

Jon Konchar, 30, G, 6-5, 210 

Reportedly spurned other offers to join the Knicks, and now has to battle for a roster spot on a nonguaranteed contract. Positionally, he doesn’t fit a Knicks need — they have plenty of guards — but he can be a capable NBA backup. Beating out Bruce Brown in training camp is Konchar’s first quest. 

Miles McBride, 26, PG, 6-1, 195 

Under a microscope, as the Knicks have to decide what to do with their two-way guard. An extension seems unlikely, leaving McBride as a pending free agent and trade candidate. If the Knicks find a way to keep one of their nonguaranteed guards — Bruce Brown or Jon Konchar — McBride becomes more expendable. McBride struggled in the playoffs but had the excuse of recovering from hernia surgery. Now he’s healthy and has a lot on the line. 

Kevin McCullar Jr., 25, G, 6-6, 210 

Failed to gain traction in the NBA since being drafted by the Knicks in 2024, but the team has have invested its development resources into McCullar, and he’s a candidate for another two-way contract. It would be McCullar’s third year on a two-way deal, which is the max allowed by the league. Then he has to really make the league. 

Tyler Nickel, 23, F, 6-7, 220 

Probably the most encouraging Knicks performer at Summer League, Nickel, a second-round pick this year, likely will play in G-League this season. Still, his game translates well to the NBA as a tall catch-and-shoot 3-point specialist. 

Landry Shamet, 29, SG, 6-4, 190 

Holds the security of a multi-year contract after two consecutive camps of surviving on non-guaranteed deals. Shamet is established in the rotation and has the backing of coach Mike Brown, who always believed in the shooting guard. The key is to stay hungry. 

Karl-Anthony Towns, 30, C, 7-0, 260 

Coming into camp visibly lighter, which is probably a good thing for quickness and injury prevention. Preseason will be the first look at Skinny KAT in action. Towns is eligible for a contract extension for a second straight year, and that might get dicey if he doesn’t want to accept a discount. 

James Wiseman, 25, C, 6-11, 240 

The most intriguing nonguaranteed contract in camp for a couple reasons: 1) The Knicks need a third center, and Wiseman is the biggest option. 2) As the No. 2 overall pick from 2020, Wiseman’s upside still carries intrigue. He will get a legitimate opportunity to make the roster. 

Jordi Fernández is going into his third training camp in Brooklyn, and for the first time, he finally will get to coach.

That’s not to imply he has been sitting around doing nothing through his first two seasons with the Nets. But with them overtly tanking, it’s been far more teaching than coaching. That should change, starting with this training camp.

Make no mistake, the Nets are still a young, rebuilding team that’s going to be closer to the cellar than a championship, tabbed to be the third-worst in the league by oddsmakers.

But even if they aren’t likely to be a winning team, at least they’re going to try to be one. That should bring a different feeling into the preseason, and ultimately the regular season.

Michael Porter Jr. has proclaimed they can win 50 games, and newcomer Julius Randle vowed that they would “shock the world. … Whatever your expectations are, whatever expectations are put upon us, we’re going to exceed them.”

Fernández has told Randle — and presumably his team — as much.

“Just talking to [Fernández and GM Sean Marks], they’re really excited to have me here,” Randle said over the summer. “Jordi is really excited. He feels like we’ve got a chance to win every single game.”

Just ingraining that as an expectation will be one of the key tasks this training camp and preseason. There is a fine line between playing hard — which the Nets largely did last season — and expecting to win.

In essence, mentally putting the tank behind them.

Of course, winning in the short term is going to have to be driven by Porter and Randle. Coming off a 20-62 campaign, they’re projected to win just 19.5 to 24.5 this season, even challenging for the Play-In is unlikely. If either Porter or Randle get dealt, unlikely becomes all but impossible.

But that’s a tomorrow problem, not a today one.

And a worry for Marks, not Fernández. His concern is coaching the players he has, for as long as he has them.

That means using training camp and the preseason to craft a competent offense, because Brooklyn didn’t have one last season. They were dead last in the league in offensive rating, effective field goal percentage, true shooting and 3-point percentage.

But Fernández has proven adept at wringing career years out of Cam Johnson two years ago and Porter last season. Now having Randle to pair with Porter should help the Nets, giving them an on-ball scorer and floor raiser they’ve desperately needed.

Though Randle tends to pound the ball — his 4.02 seconds per touch last season would’ve trailed only point guards Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf — his game can accentuate Porter’s. The latter was miscast as an on-ball threat, and is best suited cutting and shooting off the catch. That’s why the pairing should work.

Just 9 percent of Porter’s 3-point attempts were wide open according to the league website, the lowest among 307 players who took at least 100 attempts. But Randle was fourth — behind only Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic — in assists on 3-pointers over the past seven seasons.

Randle has proven in the past he can be a bridge player — one to help a team transition from cellar dweller to competent — and a floor raiser.

Now as the Nets come into training camp, it will be up to Fernández to find ways to make Randle just that, to maximize his two proven talents.

That process starts this week.

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Star 27-year-old guard Luka Dončić is now unquestionably the Lakers’ franchise centerpiece. But that doesn’t mean he wants to dip his toes into front office operations regarding roster personnel.

Rob Pelinka, Lakers GM and president of basketball operations, made this clear during an interview on ESPN’s “Mason & Ireland Show” on Thursday.

“I think Luka has been amazing. I said today, I feel like we’re co-creators with him. That’s kind of because he’s a very creative basketball mind. Ultimately, I have the final responsibility to make calls on the roster. And Luka is very clear, like, ‘I want you to do your job. I don’t want to be the GM. I don’t want to be the head coach. JJ [Redick], you’re the coach. Rob, you’re the GM and president. Do your jobs,'” Pelinka said, quoting Dončić.

“‘But we can co-create. Let’s share ideas. Let’s break down pros and cons and look at all aspects of a potential decision point before we make it,'” Pelinka continued, quoting what Dončić told him.

“He has been thoughtful; he’s brilliant. And I think he’s really excited about this group, and I think we saw that with some of the clips and footage we’ve seen from Luka’s little minicamp in Slovenia,” Pelinka added.

Much of the basketball community has criticized that the Lakers haven’t done enough to improve their roster this offseason.

Los Angeles will prove whether that’s true once the season begins on Oct. 21.

Another summer has come and gone with another Nets season about to begin under the harvest moon. Media Day is on Monday and Training Camp begins on Tuesday. The Nets ought to hope the seeds planted in the dark over this long rebuild are finally ready to bear fruit in the light.

We’re calling it a new era in Nets basketball after an offseason filled with noise — both good and bad. We’ve said that plenty of times before, but this one is different and here’s why…

The Knicks won the NBA Finals and in less than a month will raise a banner or two (they won the Emirates Cup as well.). It broke a cycle for Nets fans that might’ve been necessary in order for the organization to move on. Maybe not. I’ll get to that shortly.

Brooklyn’s offseason began inauspiously with the NBA lottery. You may not want to remember it, but afterwards, Joe Tsai’s son was seen hugging his dad, consoling him. But then they used the sixth pick to take Mikel Brown Jr. already a fan favorite after the Summer League. Days earlier, they traded Nicolas Claxton and the No. 33 pick for three-time All-Star Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick which became Joshua Jefferson.

Brooklyn added other system fits with marginal moves by signing Moritz Wagner and Keon Ellis, choosing a trio of young players, including the No. 43 pick, Tyler Bilodeau, for two-way slots. They enter training camp in a (so-far) peaceful stalemate with Michael Porter Jr. Then again, Egor Demin looked great at Summer League adding both muscle and confidence.

Off the court, the team is embracing its history more than ever. In 2020, we asked for these things and they’re doing them and more. We still don’t know what the next iteration of the Brooklyn Brigade will look like, however.  

So where do we stand less than a month before Opening Night at Barclays Center and two days before Media Day? I’ve been getting questions regarding how I feel about the Knicks winning a Championship, among other things. It isn’t an easy question to answer because the timing was tinged by the personal as well as feelings far beyond the baselines.

My first Nets game was when I was five. My father bought season tickets in 2001 when Jason Kidd was traded to the team from the Suns. I watched the team my entire life, and the good people with the Nets gave me a credential to cover the team after one season with NetsDaily — I was 18. (We’ve had three younger fans cover the team since.)

I’m no seer, but I see the way the community talks to one another and engages and can get a sense of things. Experience does that to you. Some fans are more vocal than others, more opinionated, and sometimes more nasty. There’s purity taken out of being a Nets fan when you’re being told how you should be a fan, especially when it encourages losing. It’s annoying.  

Then, it always feels like there’s a disconnect, an up-and-down wave moving fans from highs to lows, more shock than awe. The Nets ended the 2018-19 season as a surprise sixth seed, which led to the Clean Sweep, then the so-called Big 3 and then … oh never mind. We’re still dealing with that pain.

Now, after the tank, it’s a new era, but uncertain nonetheless. You have to hope this next chapter leaves Nets fans more optimistic and encouraging when there’s discourse. Still…

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Rock Bottom, Real Life, and Reevaluating the Rivalry

There’s a reason I say this. For those of you who have followed me, agreed, disagreed, liked or disliked — I am opening up about this past year as a basketball fan rooted in fandom from New Jersey. But firstly I’m opening up as a human being here for the same reason as the rest of you all.

Personally, this past season was tough. I was working at a major social media company and NetsDaily when I started feeling pain that was debilitating and worse: it went undiagnosed for 3+ months. On January 9, 2026, I ended up in the hospital for four days with a projected three-month recovery period. When I returned, the job had disappeared. I watched the Nets, but they were well out of it at that point, so there was no relief there. They weren’t fun to watch and they weren’t good. And neither was I.

Truthfully, after the Winter Olympics wrapped up and my recovery dragged on, I just wanted to watch something good on TV.

The Nets weren’t that. The Flatbush 5 didn’t look great outside Egor Demin, and Michael Porter Jr. wasn’t much of a sell either. There was the issue of his baggage, which I felt compelled to write about. Of course, I watched! Just like 12-70 and every other Nets season. But this past year was just so blah. There was little about the present, all about the future. Again, toxic fan discourse mixed with losing and slow rebuilding just felt so unbecoming.

So did a Knicks playoffs run… at first.

I watched the Knicks prance through the playoffs, and at first it felt like salt in the wound! But no, it was not just salty. That’s a different feeling. It was downright grueling. I wasn’t alive for the ABA days, so there wasn’t much of a reference point but my pride as a Nets fan with all that up-and-down emotion was assaulted by what was happening at MSG. 

The Nets and its fans have gotten totally hosed by the Knicks since the beginning. The reason the Nets lost Dr. J was because the Knicks gave them an expensive ultimatum once the NBA-ABA merger took place. Pay the Knicks a fee beyond what the other ABA teams had to pay or no NBA Since that very day, the teams have been competing for a championship even if the rivalry was absolutely dead in the water for decades! The Knicks won it because they built it the right way. No need to be jealous, just envious. 

They did it the exact way the Nets would love to do it.

Something happened around playoff time. I was in a bar in North Carolina when I realized that nobody else in the bar was rooting for the Knicks. Mostly the opposite. So, for that night, I was a proud New York fan. I stopped allowing the division of the Nets-Knicks, Giants-Jets, Rangers-Islanders, and Mets-Yankees geographic rivalries. I dropped the nickname and colors of the teams. I just wanted New York sports fans to feel good about something.

When they won and I saw the video below, I knew the city I grew up in had finally gotten the trophy it deserved. I wouldn’t — couldn’t — claim it as my own. In fact, I wasn’t exactly thrilled to see it — but I’m a proud New Yorker who grew up there playing ball in those streets, worked my first job there, etc. I’ve seen so many people online debate “What makes a New Yorker a New Yorker?” The answer is someone who doesn’t need to f—ing tell you they’re from New York. It’s obvious!

Even with that being said, it wasn’t about the city or state pride. I was just happy that humanity had something positive that we were all focusing on. A rare flash of collective monoculture we’d seemingly lost sight of in recent years.

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Private Equity, Surveillance, and the Cost of Modern Fandom

There was a harsh reality in America that I couldn’t ignore either watching the Knicks parade and later this offseason. Like so many others, I was fighting for health insurance particularly after the Big Beautiful Bill kicked in. I was fighting unemployment and paying hospital bills. Basketball rivalries became quite secondary.

While I watched the Knicks win the championship, I couldn’t stop thinking about how hard it had become to afford basic necessities. My personal issues seemed in sync with those of New York Knick fans! I couldn’t believe diehard Knicks fans couldn’t afford playoff tickets — not just “low income” folks, but those middle-class diehards who have carried that franchise through FIVE inglorious decades of losing.

The media focused on Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Swift in the celebrity row seats, but those star-studded courtsides weren’t the cause of the price hikes, they were the billboard for MSG’s executive strategy. Dynamic pricing models, corporate seating allocations, and secondary broker markups transformed iconic arenas into luxury networking lounges, pricing out the very working-class culture that gave New York basketball its soul and its history. My father got a ticket for both Game 6 of the 1986 Mets World Series and Game 7 of the 1994 Rangers by chance. Back then, you could do that. These days, you’d get jumped for a free ticket.

Maybe those stories made me cynical. Times are different. Apples and oranges, you could argue, but it’s still insulting and it should be!

Seeing viral clips of celebrity fans like Chalamet lightheartedly joking that Nets fans belong on a “government watch list“ just highlighted how surreal and alienating the discourse had become. If the Knicks are so superior, why stoop so low to say such a thing? Chalamet of course wasn’t alone. And while he might have engaged in good-natured ribbing, there was a lot of others who were just plain mean.

Meanwhile, reports surfaced showing MSG using facial recognition surveillance to target and turn away attorneys for those in litigation with Dolan, critics, and unwanted spectators. This summer, more telling news of the franchise’s arrogance: the Knicks initially planned to charge $2,000 for the worst seats in the house on the night the team will finally raise its long-sought banner. Later they claimed it was a glitch. No one believed that.

And in the afterglow of Jalen Brunson and O.G. Anunoby’s great games, there was Dolan on TV saying he would not go over the second apron, not pay the money needed to key players while MSG Sports revenue jumped 37% and Dolan announced plans to spin off the Knicks and in all likelihood sell a big piece based on a valuation of a little less than $12 billion.

There are certain types of people who are hurting the game right now — and it’s happening across the entire league.

Look at Los Angeles. Mark Walter bought controlling interest in the Lakers at a $10 billion valuation, stripped away sentimentality, let LeBron walk, and then, under criminal investigation for fraud, flipped the franchise to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner for $12.5 billion. The Buss family is in court, fighting over who gets what for their remaining stake.

Down the road, Steve Ballmer’s Clippers got hit with a $30 million fine, lost five first-round picks, and Ballmer was suspended for a year over an off-the-books salary cap circumvention scandal with Kawhi Leonard (who because of a strong union and star power escaped virtually unscathed and wound up with a two-year, $115 million contract in Toronto.)

It’s hardly about basketball or civic pride anymore. It’s private equity, flip-and-profit portfolio management, and billionaires treating league rules like optional suggestions while everyday fans pay the bill financially and maybe more importantly, psychically.

Sure there have been controversies about Tsai, but as one insider said, they’re boring compared to what’s happening elsewhere, particularly in L.A. And you won’t find facial recognition equipment at Barclays Center.

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Embracing Brooklyn’s Blank Slate

As noted, on a personal level, this macro shift hits against the backdrop of a brutal, humbling year. After facing sudden health scares, hospitalizations, and job loss while battling the harsh realities of the “system” , the escape of basketball took on a different meaning. While Nets fans have endured a long, cynical and cyclical rebuild — complete with toxic online discourse — watching the Knicks win a championship and see two million New Yorkers flood the streets triggered a moment of clarity. 

Even as corporate interests, surveillance, and record-high ticket prices squeeze the working-class fan out of the arena, the core reason people love basketball remains human, and rooted in local pride.

That brings me back to the Nets. The Big 3 is over, the race to a championship and fighting with Knicks fans over it — it’s all done. Over. Finished. There is no race, nor does it seem there ever was one. 

The Knicks winning the championship didn’t make Nets fans more bitter. It just made the rivalry feel less important.

But maybe the hostility amongst Nets fans can finally end. Maybe fans can come into Barclays Center, the new “ecosystem” for the Nets and Liberty, as basketball fans with an open mind. When the Nets are good and/or have a star who has a base, you can guarantee they’ll be back and they’ll be loud. For now, new fans and young fans are the target of the marketing guys.

It’s no diss to the Knicks or by any means, expensive tickets aren’t just inevitable, they’re permanent. Live events are luxury events. Jokes from TV commentators, social media, WFAN radio — wherever — can call them irrelevant and they are absolutely correct, at the moment. But there’s an uncomfortable fact for all of them: The Nets don’t really care. Sure, Joe Tsai famously and frankly said the Knicks win was “embarrassing” but in the same conversation with NetsDaily, he also said this:

“It doesn’t make us feel very good. It irritates our fan base and it is embarrassing but in business or in competition, in sports, or in anything, you shouldn’t let the embarrassment factor affect how you perform…[We] had a plan and we’re rebuilding and I think right now we are on a positive trajectory. So it doesn’t change my thinking at all.”

Those people who say the Nets should relocate — “go back to Jersey” — are also undermining the value of their own market, the New York market. Yes, even when their team is oversaturating the media ahead of ring night and 34 national television games — that’s exactly when a team like the Nets will sell. They are no longer running from it, they are embracing it. Whenever the Nets get there, it’ll be special. And hopefully it won’t be hijacked by billionaires or politicians.

The Knicks run gave me an appreciation for what matters most about the game — not the cap, corporate posturing, or arguing online over what constitutes a “real” fan, but the pure, simple ability to watch a young team grow from scratch. The past doesn’t matter because rock bottom already happened back in 2022 and 2023. They did that and they deserved their W. Maybe Brooklyn is next in a day that’s not so far away.

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Nothing to Lose: Looking Ahead to the Games

This hasn’t been a perfect offseason. How could it be after the team next door just won the ultimate prize? The reality is harsh and the Nets are projected to win 24.5 games by the books in Las Vegas and 18 by ESPN. Rebuilding is never easy nor is it guaranteed to work.

At this point, it’s nice to see the Nets doing the things that matter to fans. They’re dedicating six nights to history, including a Swamp Dragons Night. I went to a Liberty game this summer (my first!) and I noticed the banners are almost all red, white, blue. The organization is embracing the ABA days with an alternative logo and a night dedicated to it. They’re also reportedly bringing back a fan-favorite: the coogi-trim uniforms. 

There is some humility in the summer and in the offseason. There were lessons learned as a Nets fan, whether you cared about the Knicks winning or not. Whether you were pro-tank or anti-tank. We all want to feel that joy. As New Yorkers, as basketball fans, and more specifically fans within the Nets community. It won’t be an easy season but a positive perspective can change so much. 

If they can build something fun this year behind a group of young players, specifically Brown Jr. and Demin, then fans will feel good again. The line, “Been down so long, it looks up to me” is literally the Nets fan getting up and watching the team this year.

There is nothing to lose. Might as well enjoy it.

Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.

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Dillon Brooks

Guard-Forward, 6’7”, 225lb, 30 years old, 9-year veteran

The Phoenix Suns struck gold last season when they acquired Dillon Brooks in the Kevin Durant trade. He was and still is the tone setter and culture driver for the entire organization. Not only was he the culture driver, but he was unquestionably the Suns’ second-best player and had a career year.

Brooks earned a contract extension this offseason because of his value on and off the floor, and many people took notice of what he did last year. He was recognized as the 76th best player in the NBA according to ESPN’s Top 100 Player Rankings ahead of this upcoming season.

But that was last season, and while Brooks played his best basketball then, his game still has flaws. He is a shoot-first, shoot-second, and probably shoot-third player, with a very low assist rate. With the addition of Miles Bridges this offseason, and Jalen Green’s strong scoring finish last season, the roles behind Devin Booker are up for grabs. How well will Brooks mesh with the other starters, and can he keep pace with the close-to-All-Star version of himself he was last season?

Last Season

GP	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	STL	FG%	3PT%	FT%	OFFRTG	DEFRTG	+/- (TOTAL)
56	30.4	20.2	3.6	1.8	1.0	43.5%	34.4%	84.2%	113.7	114.8	-49

In the 2025-26 season, Brooks took a major step forward in production and usage from his time in Houston. His 20.2 points on 17.1 field goal attempts per game were both career highs. His best season before was in the 2021-22 season with the Memphis Grizzlies when he averaged 18.4 points on 16.4 field goal attempts, but that was in just 32 games played. Last season, Brooks shot 34.4% from three but a career-high 49.2% from inside the arc.

While Brooks was not the most efficient scorer last season, part of it was that he was asked to do more than ever before in his career.  He was relied on to be an isolation scorer and was often the one taking the desperation shots at the end of the shot clock. One area the Suns used Brooks was posting up; according to NBA tracking data, Brooks shot 53.2% in post-up situations. Despite his high-usage season, Brooks averaged only 1.8 assists, and his tunnel vision contributed to the Suns’ second-half drop-off at the end of the regular season.

The other reason for the Suns’ struggles in the second half of the season was simply the absence of Brooks from the lineup. He missed 26 games last season, with the majority of those games missed coming after the All-Star break with a broken hand. It was his first time playing below 70 games since his 2021-22 campaign with the Grizzlies. 

As valuable as Brooks scoring contributions were to the Suns last season, his most important contribution to the team was changing the culture. Jordan Ott, Jordan Goodwin, Devin Booker, and others deserve credit for that as well, but it was Brooks’ competitive fire and unabashed confidence that caused his teammates and Suns fans to quickly fall in love with him. 

The ‘Villain” certainly left his mark in just one season with the Suns so far. His beefs with LeBron James and other star players create an extra layer of intrigue for many matchups. And while we might want to see Brooks avoid getting suspended this year for getting too many technical fouls, it is a trade-off worth making to get all the positive intangibles Brooks provides to the locker room and the organization.

Contract and Roster Context

Over the offseason, Brooks signed a three-year extension worth $73 million, a little over $24 million a year annually. He will be a Phoenix Sun until the summer of 2030 unless something goes horribly wrong, or the Suns go big game hunting. The good news for Phoenix is that they got Brooks, who is still in his prime at a bargain for someone who averaged 20.2 points on a team that made the playoffs. Even in the final years of his contract, he should still be a valuable player on a team-friendly contract.

Even though Brooks is on the wrong side of 30, his game should age gracefully because he is not reliant on his speed and quickness, and more on his strength and power.

What He Brings

Dillon Brooks brings a lot to the table, but what makes him special is his physicality. His scoring, defense, and leadership are all positive attributes; it is his physicality that makes him a high-level player. Brooks is a savvy veteran who can play physical defense on other teams’ best players without getting into foul trouble consistently. Offensively, he is a bulldozer, and when he gets his shoulders into an opposing player, he can create separation for his jump shot, draw fouls, or get to the rim. 

His toughness and grit defensively led the Suns to being one of the top defenses in the league last year after it was one of the worst the previous season. It is no coincidence that Brooks has been a part of top-10 defenses no matter where he’s played: Memphis, Houston, and Phoenix have had top-10 defenses in the NBA, with Brooks being a main reason why. One of the main concerns coming into this season is that the Suns lost two of their most prolific shooters in Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, but the defense should be even better, and Brooks will still be the head of the snake for an even better defense this season. 

Offensively, Brooks provides a scoring punch, especially in isolation. Brooks carried the Suns offensively last season when they needed him, especially in games where Devin Booker did not play. He is not a consistent enough scorer to be on the very best players in the NBA, but as we saw last season, there are some nights that Brooks has an unbelievable heater and cannot miss no matter how insane a heat check he takes. As mentioned above, his efficiency in post-ups was where Brooks can excel and should be featured as a scorer, especially when Booker is off the floor.

What Needs to Improve

I could make an argument here that Brooks needs to do less complaining to the officials, but I believe it is his edge that makes him and this Suns team good. So if that means he flirts with suspensions for technical fouls this year, it is just part of the experience worth the benefits of all the other things his edge provides.

What Brooks has to get better at this season is being deferential. Is Brooks going to go out and average 4-to-5 assists this season? Definitely not. But Brooks can dial back the aggressiveness on offense to help the flow by getting off the ball more and making extra passes on offense. He has proven he is capable of that during his other NBA stops, and he will be asked to do that again this season. Dialing back that aggressiveness will also help with his shot selection as well. Brooks shot over 36% on catch-and-shoot threes last season, and the season prior he shot over 39% from three for the Houston Rockets. 

If Brooks takes better shots, he is going to have an efficient season and will make the offense more functional than it looks on paper going into this season. 

Prediction

My prediction for the Villain this year is that he continues to be an annoying pest to opposing teams and makes the Suns a competitive team every night. As for his role on the team, I think he will take a step back as the Suns’ second-leading scorer and drop below Jalen Green and/or Miles Bridges. However, his value will remain the same because of all his winning intangibles. He will have a more efficient season than last year and be the veteran leader this team needs, especially in nurturing the Suns’ young and talented wings. 

It is going to take some time for the starting lineup to gel together, if it ever happens at all. Brooks is going to have to sacrifice more this year than anyone on the team not named Collin Gillespie. I believe Brooks is smart enough to understand his place on the roster, especially now that he signed a long-term extension with the Suns. He will do whatever it takes to win, even if that means his stats take a hit.

Stat Prediction: 68 Games, 16.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 45/38/84 shooting

Final Word

For Brooks to have a successful season, it will be how he fits next to Jalen Green and Miles Bridges more than anything else. If those three players can figure out how to be a functional offensive group around Devin Booker, it raises the low ceiling that this team has. If Brooks hits the same numbers as he had last season, it might not be as impactful because it likely means Green or Bridges are not impacting games at a high level. If his counting stats decline but he is taking better shots and moving the ball quicker, it could be the best season of his career. 

If Brooks can acclimate to this new group and help this Suns team get to the next level and win a playoff series or two, then he will be on the trajectory to be an All-time fan favorite in Phoenix because of his antics and bringing a winning culture back to a team that lacked it before he became a Valley native. 

It’s human nature to relax. Rest on laurels.

The Knicks spent a summer soaking in the adulation, appearing at more events and national TV shows than any team in NBA history. At least that’s the way it felt the past three months. They don’t have a Basketball Reference page to track these things.

The players — particularly Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jose Alvarado, OG Anunoby, Jordan Clarkson and Josh Hart — didn’t shy from their popularity.

But starting this week, the focus shifts.

Back to basketball.

“Is it cliché if I say it’s 0-0 again?” Towns said. “That’s kind of the same thing we said every playoff game, and when we won and kept winning it was great. But this season is about us going out there and starting again at 0-0. Bringing that same hungry team, that team that’s hungry to prove everyone wrong. The underdogs.”

Towns was speaking Thursday on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” perhaps his last national TV appearance before training camp starts this week. Perhaps not? Brunson also had “Saturday Night Live” to host ahead of Monday’s Media Day at the training facility.

None of these appearances are detrimental to basketball. It’s better than partying and drinking for a summer. This collection of Knicks players, as multiple people around the organization have explained, are more mature and responsible than any previous roster incarnation. There was one shaky incident involving Clarkson in July, when he was escorted out of a club by police, and that was it.

But the amount of widespread attention and adulation does beg some questions: Can the Knicks avoid complacency? Can they maintain the edge that pushed them through a historic playoff run?

Brunson, whose profile is higher than any current New York athlete, understands the assignment.

“We’ve done something that everyone has wanted us to do for 53 years now. And now people are going around saying, You guys are the champs, you guys are the best thing ever. It’s been said to us all summer. God knows how long it’s going to continue,” the point guard told The Post last month. “When people say that, can we let that go through one ear and out the other? Can we just focus on what we can do this year? Because last year was last year.

“It’s OK for people to talk to us about it, and say, ‘Oh that was great.’ But we’re moving on. So it cannot be in our mindset. It cannot be our focal point if we want to get better. So I think that’s the question we need to ask. And if we can do that, we’re going to be in good shape to be able to be in a better mindset. If not, then we’re going to be behind the eight ball.”

It’s an overarching theme in training camp, when the progress is supposed to start but it’s hard to find motivation — especially for accomplished vets — because real games are still weeks away.

One of the self-motivating tactics clearly being implemented by the Knicks is focusing on the doubters. For instance, they are not the betting favorites to win the title (they are tied for third and below the Thunder and Spurs, according to FanDuel). They have zero players in ESPN’s recently released top-five ranking (Brunson is sixth). They are hearing a lot about the new threats of Philadelphia, Miami, Toronto.

There’s more to prove, in other words.

“I don’t think we have a big target because I don’t think anyone is picking us to win again,” Hart said on ESPN’s U.S. Open broadcast. “We’re using it as fuel, we’re still the hunters, we’re not satisfied with one.

Following up on that mindset starts in camp.