Jalen Brunson C of New York Knicks holds the MVP trophy during the awarding ceremony after the final game 5 between New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at the 2025-2026 NBA basketball game in San Antonio, the United States, June 13, 2026. (Photo by Wu Xiaoling/Xinhua via Getty Images)
It’s parade day in New York City.
The New York Knicks are celebrating something that will live forever in that city and around the fanbase — an NBA Championship.
As a fan of both the Knicks and Villanova, this was a special year for me personally. June 13th, 2026 is a day that will be remembered forever and it began in the morning on the college side.
As I sat there waiting for Game 5 of the NBA Finals in hopes of closing it out, Villanova received the news that Italian big man Luigi Suigo decided to withdraw from the NBA Draft and commit to the Wildcats. The inevitable became reality after Suigo made this decision on deadline day.
Suigo brings incredible size at 7-foot-3 and versatility as he can handle the ball on the perimeter and score from all three levels. With the combination of Kwame Evans in the frontcourt and Devin Royal at the three, Villanova now has one of the best rosters in the nation.
So, the day began with this commitment that will have Villanova in the Top 25 rankings to begin the season. We got to enjoy the news and picture the Wildcats back in the NCAA Tournament competing for a Final Four appearance.
Of course, this is something we saw three times in six years with two National Championships. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges were freshmen in 2016 as Josh Hart led Villanova to a title. That year, the Knicks were a 32-win team looking for answers. It would only get worse in New York as win totals dropped to 31 the next year and 29 in 2018 as Villanova was celebrating another championship.
The Villanova trio would go on to enter the NBA as the Knicks remained in the cellar with 38 wins over the next two years.
In 2022, Brunson signed a four-year deal with the Knicks and this began the rise, but not right away. The signing of Brunson was criticized. New York struggled to find a point guard for years and at first, Brunson was not viewed as the savior. Over the next two years, the Knicks would make moves to acquire Hart (2023) and Bridges (2024), both who signed deals to remain in New York.
Let’s not forget about Donte DiVincenzo, who joined Brunson in New York as a free agent. He was sent to Minnesota in the deal that brought Karl-Anthony Towns to the Big Apple. DiVincenzo still has one of the most memorable shots in recent memory against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Two at Madison Square Garden.
Once the Villanova trio was brought to town with OG Anunoby and eventually Towns to complete the starting lineup, the Knicks were ready to compete for a title. Injuries took over in 2024 as the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the conference semis before they were knocked out in the conference finals last year by the same Pacers.
As a fan of Villanova, it has been incredible to watch the trio in New York bringing the Knicks back to the top of the league. While I saw them win titles at Villanova, it was impossible to visualize the Knicks holding up the Larry O’Brien at the end of the playoffs.
It was done in an epic way. The Knicks logged the largest comeback in NBA Finals history in Game 4 after being down 29 points. Brunson would then scored 45 points in the closeout game on the road. When the clock hit zeros, the Villanova trio had won an NBA title and proved to be the ultimate winners.
It has been a surreal week celebrating the New York Knicks being NBA Champions, but I have also thought about Villanova each day. Jay Wright has also been featured in many interviews discussing how this group has been able to get it done at every level. It brought back visions of Villanova on the stage at the end of the NCAA Tournament celebrating championships. It did not take long for Kevin Willard to bring the Wildcats back to the tournament and now, he has built one of the top rosters in the nation in the transfer portal.
Saturday brought it all full circle. The day began with Suigo and it ended with three Wildcat legends becoming NBA Champions.
The 2025-26 Knicks championship run, aside from being euphoric, historically impressive and unifying, was validating. It validated Leon Rose, who built a team like a family and made good moves to reach this pinnacle.
It validated Mike Brown and Karl-Anthony Towns, two talents who could never get over the hump. But maybe more than anybody, it validated Jalen Brunson, an all-time great playoff performer who was a championship shy of pantheon status.
Now he’s got it, and despite the best efforts of the naysayers and rewriters of history, he’s ascended from gutsy underdog to legend. It’s time we talk about him that way.
First, a refresher on his resume to this point. After his first regular season as full-time starting point guard in 2022-23, he led the Knicks to the second round by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, ultimately losing to the Finals-bound Miami Heat in six.
He averaged 27.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 47.4 percent shooting from the field. In a desperate stand against the Heat, he put up 32 points and 11 assists, 38 points and 41 points in consecutive closeout games, playing at least 45 minutes in each.
Turns out that was only a preview of how dominant Brunson could be in carrying a team despite the defensive gameplan being focused on him. He’d average 28.7 points and 6.7 assists the following season, losing his co-star, Julius Randle, halfway through, and finishing top five in MVP voting.
With little but high-skilled role players and the power of friendship, he clawed the Knicks past the Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey-led Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 41.8 points and 10.3 assists on 54.7 percent shooting from two and 35.3 percent from three over the last four games of the series. He opened Round Two with another 43-point outburst, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan to record four straight 40-point games in the postseason, joining only Bernard King,Jerry West and him.
Injuries and wear-down would nix that run, but Brunson came back prepared last season, averaging 26 points and 7.3 assists (a career high) and winning Clutch Player of the Year thanks to his countless fourth quarter takeovers. He’d carry that over into the playoffs, averaging 29.4 points and seven assists on 51.4 percent shooting from two and 35.8 percent from three.
Brunson led his Knicks to two wins shy of an NBA Finals berth, icing the Pistons on a game-winning step-back three and pulling off a major upset of the defending champion Boston Celtics.
Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates with his teammates after the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Of course, this year he followed up a relatively muted regular season with the playoff run of his life. He averaged 28.4 points and 6.1 assists on 51 percent shooting from two and 36.3 percent from three, numbers burdened by multiple blowouts wins that saw him sit for entire fourth quarters.
After a Towns-centric first round, Brunson led the Knicks past Philadelphia and Cleveland in dominant fashion, and took control of the NBA Finals against the frisky Spurs. He put up 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in the championship round, clutching Games 1 and 2, leading a 29-point comeback in Game 4, and dropping a masterclass 45 points in the Game 5 clincher, all while being the center of attention against the league’s top defense.
In this four-year span, Brunson’s scored 300 more playoff points than any other NBA player and became the second-fastest point guard in history to 2,000 postseason points after Stephen Curry. He became one of six players to notch 26 points per game and 50 playoff wins before the age of 30, joining Curry, Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Shaquille O’Neal.
He’s tied for the most postseason wins over the last four seasons. His 45 points to win the Finals tied Jordan for an NBA road clincher record, and his 10.3 points in fourth quarters was the highest since Jordan in 1997.
Much of this was invalidated by the critique the Knicks couldn’t win a championship this way, or with a player of Brunson’s stature at the lead. Those critics were wrong, and while many will double down or move goalposts, the evidence speaks for itself at this point.
Brunson isn’t just a heartwarming second-round come-up story, he isn’t just the Knicks’ savior or an All-Star tier player. He is one of the greatest guards this game has ever seen, and the time for such discussion is over.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 13: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game during Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2026 NBA season has officially ended and the New York Knicks were crowned the 2026 NBA Champions. After Game 5, Victor Wembanyama stated, “Our domination stints are absolute. We absolutely dominated for most of the series. But our errors, our mistakes, are punished so hard that we can’t have ups and downs like this.”
Wemby took some flack on social media for the comment. But mathematically speaking, he was correct.
According to ESPN Analytics, in the 4 games the Spurs lost in the NBA Finals, they had a…
— 91.6% chance of winning Game 1 up 13 points midway thru the 3rd — 72.8% chance of winning Game 2 up 2 points with 1 minute left in the 4th — 99.6% chance of winning Game 4 up 20 points… pic.twitter.com/WkOw0shz7W
“According to ESPN Analytics, in the 4 games the Spurs lost in the NBA Finals, they had a 91% chance of winning Game 1 up 13 midway through the 3rd, 72,8 chance of winning Game 2 up 2 points with 1 minute left in the 4th, a 99.6% chance of winning Game 4 up 20 points, and a 95.4% chance of winning Game 5 up 10 points with 7:54 left in the 4th.”
Obviously, there were problems closing out games which will be a major focus next season. But in three of the four games, the Spurs had over 90% chance of winning during the second half. The Knicks did the impossible while the Spurs did the unthinkable.
FYI: I ordered Midrange Theory By Seth Partnow. It should come next week. For anyone who wants to read and discuss along. Thanks for the suggestion Montreal. I assume zsals is in?
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MANHATTAN, KS - MARCH 08: Joshua Jefferson #2 of the Iowa State Cyclones goes to the basket between defenders David N'Guessan #1 and Coleman Hawkins #33 of the Kansas State Wildcats, in the first half at Bramlage Coliseum on March 8, 2025 in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Joshua Jefferson provides an instant injection of high-IQ basketball, physical rebounding, and unique frontcourt playmaking. Should the World Champion New York Knicks bite?
Projected Draft Range: Late first to early second round (20–35)
The Numbers
Jefferson is one of the most bizarre and productive frontcourt anomalies in recent college basketball history. He became the first player in Big 12 history to rack up 450+ points, 250+ rebounds, 100+ assists, 70+ steals, and 25+ blocks in a single season. One number to take special note of is the 4.8 assists per game. For a guy built like a linebacker, carrying a 246-pound frame with a 6’10.75″ wingspan, operating as a primary hub of an offense is rare. He posted a 28% assist rate, ranking third among all forwards in college basketball.
Even better, he maintained nearly a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio (4.8 to 2.5), so he isn’t just hurling wild passes out of double teams. Combine that with a robust 1.6 steals per game (an 8.1% steal rate as a junior), and my, my, my, what an analytics darling!
Skills That Pay the Bills
High-Level Processing & Playmaking: Jefferson plays like a point guard trapped in a power forward’s body. He is an exceptional short-roll passer, an elbow handoff hub, and a guy who can grab a defensive rebound and lead the break himself. He drops bounce passes on a dime to cutters and processes defensive rotations a step ahead of everyone else.
Physicality and Functional Strength: At 246 pounds with a rock-solid lower base, Jefferson embraced contact against the collegiate opposition. He carves out position inside effortlessly, converts below-the-rim hooks, and boxes out with discipline, anchoring himself for 7.4 rebounds per game.
Defensive Event Generation: He might not be a vertical rim protector, but has very active hands. He anticipates passing lanes, strips bigs on the block, and triggers fast breaks.
Concerns
Functional Athleticism: The combine confirmed a 27-inch standing vertical and a 33-inch max vertical. He lacks pop and has heavier feet laterally. In space, quicker NBA wings are going to test his lateral agility, and he won’t rescue anyone as a weak-side shot-blocker.
Shooting Hesitancy: While his 3-point stroke ticked up to a respectable 34.5% on 3.1 attempts per game, the film shows a guy who frequently passes up wide-open looks to back down into a contested post-up. Scouts at the combine noted that while his mechanics look sound and tight, his confidence is streaky. A 70% free-throw clip also leaves some questions about his ultimate ceiling as a knockdown spacer.
Age & Ceiling: Turning 24 during his rookie season, Jefferson is an older prospect.
The Knicks Fit
Think of Jefferson as a hybrid connective piece who could be an ideal bench multi-tool. If Mike Brown could deploy Jefferson with the second unit, making as a secondary facilitator from the high post or elbow. He plays with the high-IQ, physical, dive-on-the-floor toughness that we love to see. Jefferson can give you backup power forward minutes, play small-ball center in ultra-specific configurations, and hit the glass hard. At worst? He hangs out in the G-League with Westchester while adjusting his defensive footwork to the pro pace.
NBA Comparison
Best-Case Comparison: James Johnson / Boris Diaw
Median Outcome: Kyle Anderson (Slower-paced, highly intelligent decision-maker who fills the stat sheet without elite verticality)
Low-End Outcome: Grant Williams without the lock-down lateral quickness
The Verdict
Drafting him at 24th seems like a stretch. But at 31st? Go for it.
We’re just a few days away from the NBA Draft, and there are multiple storylines headed into Monday.
Will AJ Dybantsa go #1? What will the Oklahoma City Thunder do with two picks in the top 20? Will one of the teams in the top 5 trade out?
But another notable storyline headed into the draft is Jayden Quaintance, who is seeing his stock continue to fall. Some mock drafts have the former Wildcat falling as low as 25th overall after once being viewed as a near-certain lottery pick.
24 players received a green-room invite for the draft, and Quaintance was notably left off the list.
Jeremy Woo from ESPN has Quaintance going 25th to the Los Angeles Lakers, and noted the questions about Quaintance’s medicals could cause teams to pass on him.
“He is unanimously viewed as a first-round talent and is drawing consideration as high as the teens, but where he ends up might be predicated on how team doctors individually view his case,” Woo wrote.
The potential is certainly there for Quaintance to come in and be a strong rim protector off the bat, with the ability to be a lob threat on the offensive end. His defensive ability and potential could be enough for a team to take a chance earlier in the first round, but it looks like Quaintance might have to wait a little bit to hear his name called if things continue at this pace.
Tweet of the Day
J Batt will make $3 million a year as the AD at Kentucky and UK agreed to pay his buyout at Michigan State
He will be one of the four highest paid ADs in the country
But AI hasn't wavered in terms of the top of the 2026 draft class. Since the draft lottery was conducted last month, and the Wizards, Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies wound up with the top three picks, Microsoft Copilot's AI chatbot has consistently churned out the same prospects for those first three choices when prompted by USA TODAY Sports.
The same is not true for most picks outside of the top four prospects (Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer and North Carolina's Caleb Wilson). There was again a shift in selections made in the first AI mock draft since the conclusion of the NBA Finals, particularly in the latter half of the first half, based on the latest intel.
Here's a breakdown of Microsoft Copilot AI's latest 2026 NBA mock draft, including the chatbot's reasoning for making each first-round pick:
USA TODAY Sports asked Microsoft Copilot AI to generate a mock draft for the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft featuring only players eligible this year now that the NBA draft withdrawal deadline passed for college players. The chatbot was asked to base its selections on current mock drafts from reputable websites, as well as the latest intel on team needs, prospect analysis, pre-draft workouts and the most up-to-date draft withdrawal news.
Note:AI models still have issues with accuracy as seen in the mock draft below. Of particular note, Microsoft Copilot needed additional prompts after several picks were inaccurately assigned to teams.The average mock draft pick referenced for each player was compiled by USA TODAY Sports using 13 of the latest mock drafts from national websites around the country, including USA TODAY.
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Average mock draft pick: 1
AI analysis: "A franchise-caliber scoring wing with elite shot creation tools, Dybantsa gives Washington the highest ceiling player in the class."
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Average mock draft pick: 2
AI analysis: "A dynamic lead guard with two-way upside, Peterson offers Utah a primary initiator to build around long term."
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, Duke
Average mock draft pick: 3
AI analysis: "Boozer’s polished offensive game and physicality make him a plug-and-play frontcourt centerpiece."
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
Average mock draft pick: 4
AI analysis: "Wilson’s defensive versatility and upside swing potential fits a Chicago team in talent acquisition mode."
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Average mock draft pick: 6
AI analysis: "Acuff brings explosive scoring and on-ball creation as a potential franchise point guard in a high-leverage slot."
6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
Average mock draft pick: 7
AI analysis: "Brown’s scoring burst and rising pre-draft momentum make him one of the top offensive guard bets."
7. Sacramento Kings: Kingston Flemings, Houston
Average mock draft pick: 8
AI analysis: "With multiple guards in the same tier, Flemings gives Sacramento a high-upside playmaker without needing to trade up."
8. Atlanta Hawks: Nate Ament, Tennessee
Average mock draft pick: 10
AI analysis: "Ament’s size, shot creation and upside fit cleanly next to Jalen Johnson as Atlanta prioritizes building around versatile forwards and wing-driven offense."
9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries, Arizona
Average mock draft pick: 9
AI analysis: "Burries adds perimeter scoring and secondary playmaking to complement Cooper Flagg as Dallas reshapes its offensive hierarchy."
VALENCIA, SPAIN - APRIL 30: Sergio de Larrea of Valencia Basket gestures during the EuroLeague Play Off Game 2 match between Valencia Basket and Panathinaikos Aktor Athens at Roig Arena on April 30, 2026 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo By Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images
The NBA Draft is barreling closer to us. The Cleveland Cavaliers have the 29th pick in this year’s draft. Let’s take a look at who the experts have them taking in our latest mock draft roundup.
Kevin O’Connor’s latest mock draft has the Cavs opting for the 6’5” 20-year-old out of Spain. O’Connor writes:
Keon Ellis and Dean Wade will be free agents this summer, and Max Strus will be in one year. It may be time for the Cavaliers to get a wing — one with more skill — in the developmental pipeline alongside Jaylon Tyson. De Larrea is a tall playmaking guard with major feel and a knockdown jumper who thrives within team concepts. He suffered a dislocated shoulder that ended his 2024-25 season and removed him from draft boards, but it ended up a blessing in disguise since he returned with a bigger role and stronger production for a great team in the EuroLeague. With size, smarts, and defensive versatility, he could carve out a role in the NBA if his international skill can translate.
De Larrea played 28 league games for Valencia this past season. He averaged 9.7 points, 3.7 assists, and three rebounds per game in 18.3 minutes per outing. He did this on .443/.407/.833 shooting splits.
The question here is fit. The Cavs need more options on the wing — no one will argue with that — but they preferably need ones that are 6’7” or over. The Cavs have plenty of undersized wings that are naturally shooting guards, but can shift up to the three. They don’t have anyone whose best position is the three. Even Wade, their starting small forward in the playoffs, is best suited to play a different position.
De Larrea could be the best prospect available at this spot, but it’s fair to wonder whether this team needs another undersized wing.
After making a strong case for himself by putting up three 20-plus-point games in the NCAA tournament, Reed has built momentum on the workout circuit and is trending toward the late first round. His mix of length, physical heft, rebounding instincts and offensive skill make him an appealing plug-and-play role player, and he should appeal to contending teams.
Frontcourt depth is an obvious area of need for the Cavs as they try to maximize their current window, making this an intriguing fit.
Reed averaged 14.7 points and nine rebounds per game while shooting 60.7% from the field for the Huskies.
Having another big would be incredibly useful. The Cavs haven’t really had a competent third center in the Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley era. Reed could be the answer, although it’s fair to point out that he wouldn’t be the cleanest fit.
Ideally, you’d want a third big who could play alongside both Allen and Mobley. For a big to be able to do that, they would need to be able to space the floor offensively. Reed doesn’t do that. He’s taken just seven triples in 136 college games. And as a 58.2% free-throw shooter, it doesn’t seem like this is an untapped skill.
Reed is a good and talented player. He just might not be the most ideal archetype for a backup big, which is becoming a theme in this latest round of mock drafts.
Jonathan Wasserman also has the Cavs taking De Larrea. Wasserman writes:
Sergio de Larrea is currently producing for Valencia in the EuroLeague playoffs, which is why he couldn’t attend the combine.
He’s now put together consecutive years of accurate three-point shooting and strong playmaking rates, and is sure to draw first-round consideration.
Shooting and playmaking are things the Cavs could use. This may be the best bet from a talent perspective. However, it would be nice if the Cavs had more people on the roster between 6’7” and 6’9”.
As of now, it seems like momentum is picking up for De Larrea to be the Cavs’ selection late in the first round.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Ernie Johnson Jr. interviews Josh Hart #3 and Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – JUNE 13: Timothée Chalamet celebrates with Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When I woke up on the morning of Thursday, June 11, I was not in the best mood I’ve ever experienced. Nope. These finals games for an East Coaster with an earlier bedtime are tough, and when they go down to the wire and my heart is racing at midnight and I’m looking at maybe a 1.00 a.m. sleep time if I’m lucky. When the games end in a devastating and quite frankly borderline embarrassing loss for the team you would like to see win at the hands of the team you absolutely would not like to see win, it’s even worse.
The last few weeks being a Nets fan who lives in Brooklyn has not been the most fun I’ve ever experienced either. You know why. The city worked up into a frenzy over the other team, their merch everywhere, not a drop of news on our front for weeks other than what seemed like a nice vacation that MPJ took with the boys and vague, unverifiable and very perishable draft rumors. Yuck.
So I woke up cranky. On the phone with my girlfriend I told her I was in my “Quarterly Bad Mood”. I received texts about the Nets moving back to New Jersey, etc. I continue to get asked by people I do or don’t know very well, “who I’m rooting for”(???).
Then, amidst all this, on my commute to the office, the subway doors opened and looking right at me in the little area between the seats was a tall, older gentleman, maybe in his 60’s, proudly wearing a crisp, white flat-brimmed Brooklyn Nets cap! Mood completely flipped! So, I get off that subway and call my friend Drew who is also (albeit much more casually) a Nets fan and elatedly declare us “So Back!!.” The power of seeing someone else displaying their allegiance on the morning I was feeling so down about my team turned it all around. I kid you not I ordered a Nets cap shortly thereafter. The day had brightened. Hope was not lost. It was found again in the dank air of subway tunnel.
To be a fan of this team has not been and will never be for the faint of heart. We are cursed so uniquely with bad luck that I don’t think we have any rivals in that specific category. We aren’t the Kings, a poorly run franchise who can’t get out of their own way for anything. We don’t quite feel like the Mets, cursed with something deeper, darker, more twisted than any mortal minds can fully comprehend. We are just a franchise for whom nothing seems to go right. KD’s foot, draft lottery luck, COVID vaccination policies, Ben Simmons yips, the list goes on.
But bizarrely, against all odds, where we sit right now as I am typing this all out, I actually feel… pretty good? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge anyone an ounce of frustration about how the last six years have gone, I am not here to preach. You can be mad that your basketball team is bad. The point of the sport is to be good. But I would argue that for me and my journey with this team, the ideal would be having a team that is good for a prolonged period of time in a way that feels exciting and sustainable. And we are slowly but surely tracking towards that place. Plus, I’m just not prone to pessimism or complaining! See again: “Quarterly Bad Mood”. And I understand why many, many, many Nets fans seem to be in a bad place right now, but may I suggest… A little bit of a step back and a deep breath to go along with it?
Let’s break this down because I feel like there are a few misconceptions about some things or different angles at which to view situations that I’d like to present, starting with…
The Five (Former) Rookies
If I hear one more basketball pundit on a podcast where they are paid to know about and talk about and opine about basketball chortle as they refer to the Nets as having drafted “Five Point Guards” I am going to combust. Egor is a playmaking wing. Traore is a point guard. Powell is a 3-and-D wing. Saraf is maybe kind of a point guard, more likely a bit of a combo guard. And for God’s sake, Wolf is a nearly 7-foot tall forward who can also pass and shoot a little bit for a guy his size. Let’s take a look at that again… Ok one…. One and a half….. Ok yeah. One and a half point guards. Got it. You could get creative with it and just make an entire lineup out of this group! You’d have to fudge some positions a bit and I’m not saying this is the Lineup of Death or anything, but:
Traore (6’4”)
Powell (6’5”)
Saraf (6’6”)
Denim (6’8”)
Wolf (6’11”)
Heck, they could all be still growing!
Would not look ridiculous just purely on paper positionally. Certainly not if a few of them are eating enough cheeseburgers this summer because three of them were born in 2006(!!) and still skinny!
Traore, Saraf, Demin and Powell ranked among the 20 youngest players in the league. And for Egor and Nolan, I saw flashes of some useful players. I think we need to remember that not a single one of these picks was like a “can’t miss top 4 pick prospect oh my god you can’t screw this one up” guy. You cannot just expect your No. 8 pick to be an All-Star in year 1. You want that guy to be a starting caliber player and as far as I can tell Egor is tracking in that direction. Some muscle, some experience, some improvement at the rim, you have yourself a starting caliber wing. The 3-point shooting last season was a revelation and if that sticks, it’s a huge plus skill for a guy that size.
The rest of them mostly profile as interesting depth players, which for guys taken in the late first round is pretty good! Do you know what Yang Hansen, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Asa Newell did last year? Not much! And you know what that is? Fine, too!
Do I believe in Ben Saraf? No. I’ll go on record right now and say if I am betting against one, it’s him. But can Traore, Powell, and Wolf all be productive depth pieces on a good basketball team in a year or two? Absolutely. And that’s all they need to be. Will they better? You have to hope so.
The 2018-19 team we all loved (and the team I was covering the most when I wrote of NetsDaily back in the day) was built on the backs of Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, D’Angelo Russell, Caris LeVert, and Jarrett Allen. Solid players, good players, winning players in some cases, but not All-Stars (God bless D’Angelo’s All-Star appearance that year but like, in the perennial sense of the word).
Also, what is the problem with taking five rookies? It gets scoffed at and never ever actually dissected by some of these basketball analysts but I would love to hear… Why is that bad? This team needs players. More importantly, it needs young players who can develop. They had 5 picks. They used them and three other rooks a total of an NBA record 6,400 minutes last season. I guess the argument could be they could have traded one of the picks? But traded it for… what?… another pick? In the future? Spoiler alert for later but, we already have those. Also could we have? You don’t know what was on the table! I like that we took five rookies, take the swings! You need the swings! Historically we have been lacking in swings!
If one of these guys is a starter and three of them are productive bench players, I truly am happy and that can make up the bones of a well-rounded NBA roster. Next year will be instructive, and we’ll see what happens, but for the most part I feel good about where the rookies are right now.
The Sixth Pick
I turned my phone off and went on a walk during the Draft Lottery. My stomach hurt the whole time, I knew deep in my bones something bad was going to occur. But wow did it SUCK to turn that phone back on and see where we landed. To be honest I wasn’t even 100% sure we could fall that far. It sucks, again I am here to agree that falling that far sucks, but…
In my life as a Nets fan, which goes back to 2002 but really in an earnest, conscious way starts in 2009 (auspicious, I know), I and we have had so few young prospects to really sink our teeth into. Brook Lopez was one and he is a beloved Nets legend. We had Derrick Favors for about 28 minutes. There was a brief moment where I really honestly had to believe in MarShon Brooks. We’ve had late-round hits, we’ve had misses, but as I mentioned earlier the draft is unpredictable and anyone outside of the top picks you just have to try to find a diamond in the rough and hope for the best.
At No. 6 … it hits a little bit different. It’s actually an incredibly unenviable spot for Sean Marks. He has to nail it. There’s a cluster of guards, a few wildcards, trade-down options, but no matter what happens nothing is going to fall into his lap. The GM’s in the top of this draft barely have to do anything, just take the guy the other ones didn’t. No one would bat an eye if Boozer goes second or fourth. Peterson drops to No. 3? Ok, sure, no bad options! Wilson would be a steal at No. 4 and a great pick at 3!
But regardless of what we do and who we choose, we will be getting a guy with the highest pick we’ve had since God knows when. I mean it’s since 2010 and Derrick Favors, but I was 14 years old when that happened. I’m literally 30 years old now. It’s not that we’ve forgotten what it’s like to root for a high-potential young guy like that, I don’t think we even know how! Genuinely! Like I don’t think we have the collective experience to understand what that player’s journey might look like and how to act and respond accordingly to it. We have to brush up.
But if we nail it, and we take someone like, I don’t know, Acuff, and he starts to show real flashes of star potential, it is going to be so much fun. And then, all of a sudden, you’re developing a young core with some real wind in their sails. Which brings me to…
Cap Space/Draft Picks/Maneuverability
Lumping all of these together because they all combine to do whatever the opposite of making my stomach hurt is. My heart rate slows down when I pull up Real GM’s Future Nets Draft Picks page.
I, like many of you reading this I’m sure, were here for the Dark Times. No notable players, no picks, no cap space, no hope. It was bad. Really bad. As bad as it can possibly get, essentially. And the scary thing is, this could refer to a couple of different periods in recent memory.
Where we are now is so, so far away from the light. Even if we have to swap our pick next year we have the Knicks pick and the presumably swapped Houston pick. The year after that we have the most incredibly convoluted Real GM pick swap explanation I have ever seen but ultimately netting out in our favor as far as I can tell (go ahead and read it and report back if you have a law degree). We have the Denver pick eventually, some more Knick picks, one million second rounders, one or two others shoved in there somewhere… It’s a lot. And that is a very good thing. And more valuable than ever given the new Draft Lottery rules.
We also have cap space. Beautiful, gorgeous cap space. The second-most in the league right now according to Spotrac and a couple of pretty easy ways to create more. Marks could use that to throw a max at Austin Reaves, take on a bad contract for more draft equity, or just use it to acquire some solid players and raise the floor of what this team can do in the immediate future… or maybe a secret fourth option I haven’t thought of yet. Point being, we have options, options, options.
Did you hear that? Options! We have maneuverability! We are RICH with both money and possibilities! We are NOT the 2016 Nets. Hell, we aren’t even the 2023 Nets. Is this going to be a good basketball team next year? No!! But we are on our way!
This takes time and patience and a huge deal of effort. Not to mention luck where, again, we are fighting an uphill battle. Not every team has Victor Wemby, Stephen Castle, and Dylan Harper fall into their laps during a rebuild…
Then, of course, there’s Jordi Fernandez and his merry band of nine — count ‘em — nine assistants. Nobody has a bad word to say about him, most of all his players. For the first time since he was hired in April 2024, his marching orders are to win games, not “play the probabilities,” a nice euphemism for tanking. Moreover, Joe Tsai had his contract and those of his assistants ripped up and extended, each with a raise as well.
On Friday night, after spending a beautiful evening having drinks with friends not far from the Barclays Center, I stopped by my bodega for a snack. The guy behind the grill was, as he always is, wearing a New Jersey Nets cap. Cool guy. I guarantee someone reading this knows where I’m referring to but I’ll dox myself for the sake of the story, who cares.
After I ordered my sandwich I told him “Hey, love your hat!” which to be clear, I have 100% said before. But he works in a bodega and serves God knows how many people a day so he has absolutely no idea who I am. He gave me a thumbs up, I went to peruse the drinks (I got a Vanilla Coke) and when he handed me my sandwich both him and the other guy who is always there said with big smiles “Here you go Nets fan!” Another sign!
I emailed NetsDaily after getting off that subway on Thursday, asking if I could write this piece and I kid you not me and a guy wearing a KEVIN GARNETT Nets jersey high-fived on Thursday evening. Yep, I figured, Nets universe is healing despite what happened on the other side of the East River.
Other teams might have such hallowed celebrities as A Couple of the Haim Sisters, Bobby Bacala, and Donald J. Trump showing up to their games. There have been more bandwagon fans created in the last two weeks than ever previously considered possible. You may be getting asked yourself who you’ve been rooting for in the NBA finals despite a lifelong, loud, and proud affiliation with the Nets. Again, it’s been a rough few weeks…
So for those of us still here, clicking on NetsDaily, reading to the end of this gratuitously long essay, sifting through the swap rights in 2028, looking up Egor’s stats for the 897th time, that logo will continue to really mean something. The hat means something, the jersey and the t-shirt… More likely than not those are your honest to God fellow Nets fans. No one in their right mind would spend money on the merch for any other reason right now.
I was in Hong Kong in April and witnessed with my own two human eyes a man wearing a crisp 2003 Eastern Conference Finals Champions T-shirt, if only I knew how to speak Cantonese… We are everywhere, don’t let anyone ever tell you we aren’t. (China, for reasons quite clear, is a special case, it’s not unique.)
We will be back, it’s a matter of when, not if. And I refuse to let anyone put my team down except for myself when I’m feeling a bit cranky. In the meantime, the other guys can enjoy their damn parade and some of my fellow Nets fans will no doubt call me pollyannish. Meh!
And you know what else: in the celebrity sweepstakes, I’ll take Ethan Hawke every day of the damn week, Thursdays included.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 22: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz grabs a rebound against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of their game at the Delta Center on October 22, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the last few days, Jazz fans have been hearing rumor after rumor about the contract negotiations between Walker Kessler and the Utah Jazz. In multiple reports, we heard different updates on how the negotiations had left Kessler and his representation frustrated. They expected more than a five-year, $140M offer. Those things are still likely true, but the story took on a life of its own, and it was reaching a point where Jazz fans were becoming frustrated. It was a valid frustration too. Kessler is a valuable player and was supposedly going to be a part of the core going forward. Now, it felt like Kessler wasn’t as interested in that.
Today, Kessler put some of those worries to rest with a timely Instagram post.
I’ve seen what’s being said, and I want it to be clear that I have always wanted to be here – I love this city, these fans, my teammates, my coaches – that’s real to me. You don’t grow roots where you don’t want to be
It’s the perfect message from Kessler to assuage Jazz fans who were getting frustrated. Kessler has been a big part of the current Jazz roster and was considered an important, maybe even vital, part of the future.
This has to be a little frustrating to Kessler, who was probably aware that the situation could get tough, but I doubt he wanted it to get to the point where fans would turn on him like what was happening. It very well might have been all his agents doing the negotiating and losing control of the situation. Now, Kessler has taken control of it, and it will likely get the fans and public perception off his back while negotiations continue. It’s not clear how long the negotiations will last, but it is nice to know that Kessler wants to be part of the future. A future that is looking very bright.
It is their first time hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy since 1973 and the city is preparing for a party fitting of the occasion. MVP Jalen Brunson and his teammates will celebrate with the city at the Knicks' championship parade on Thursday, June 18.
Here's what you need to know for the Knicks' championship parade:
How to watch the Knicks' championship parade?
Mayor Zohran Mamdani made sure fans are prepared to enjoy the Knicks' parade whether they can attend the festivities or not. "We're bringing the Knicks Championship Parade to the people - no matter where you are," he posted on social media.
The Knicks' championship parade will run down Manhattan's "Canyon of Heroes," starting near Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan and traveling north to City Hall.
While New York is still celebrating its title — the parade on Thursday in Manhattan is expected to draw more than 1 million people — the NBA offseason is coming fast. And it's coming for the Knicks roster (more on that below).
Here is all the latest
Antetokounmpo saga drags on past draft?
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam set an artificial deadline of wanting to have the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga wrapped up by the NBA Draft. It makes sense. If the Bucks want picks in this deep draft class as part of any trade, they need it done by next Tuesday.
"From what I'm hearing this could drag on into free agency. This could drag on until July…. Boston seems a little bit from what I'm hearing and gauging, Boston doesn't seem a promising destination…. I do still believe he will be moved this offseason but I'm not as certain as I was before that it'd be done before the draft."
As NBC Sports recently reported, there is a growing belief around the league that Boston isn't all in on an Antetokounmpo trade, that it was exploring options but not serious. If the Celtics are out of the mix, that just leaves the Heat, with an offer the Bucks' front office clearly doesn't love (or they would have jumped at it long ago).
For a couple of weeks now, all the rumors out of Milwaukee have sounded like a team desperately trying to drum up a bidding war, trying to find other interested teams, to spark a market that is tepid now after being hot at the trade deadline. This sounds like more of the same, and maybe the Bucks just strike a deal with Miami at the deadline and move on.
Or maybe this drama will drag on longer — but it's not like the offers are not suddenly going to get better.
Kevin Love to the Lakers?
As we reported this week, league sources have told NBC Sports there is an increasing sense that LeBron James will re-sign with the Lakers. Money and comfort level on both sides are driving that.
If he stays in LA, LeBron may reunite with Kevin Love, reports ESPN's Marc Spears.
"I'm hearing that [LeBron's] likely coming back [to the Lakers]. ... Kevin Love could likely be joining the Lakers too."@MarcJSpears gives some insight on what could be next for LeBron pic.twitter.com/EV1Qwqiixf
As expected, Washington's Trae Young will decline his $48.9 million player option for next season, reports Marc Spears of ESPN.
This is the first step to him re-signing with the Wizards on a multi-year deal at a lower number (maybe three years, $120 million, or a little less). Young is not part of the long-term future in Washington — that will be focused around whoever they draft No. 1 next week — but he will be part of the transition.
League sources said Ballmer has maintained a firm stance against a Leonard trade, preferring to continue building around his star forward.
Will the league's eventual punishment of the Clippers for the Aspiration scandal change that? Maybe. Depends on what that punishment is. Just don't expect one of the punishments to be the Clippers being forced to void the remaining year on Leonard's contract (that's not really a punishment for either side, the Clippers would get their books cleared up and Leonard would just sign a massive contract somewhere else).
Other trade rumors
• Knicks owner James Dolan admitted that, as much as he would like to run it back with his championship roster, that may not be possible because he's not taking the team into the second tax apron. From an interview on WFAN’s The Carton Show (hat tip Hoop Rumors).
"If we could bring back the whole team, exactly as it is, why wouldn't you? But I don't know if we're going to be able to. We're willing to stretch, but there's certain things in the NBA that you'd have to be suicidal to do and we're not going to do those. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. … I'll write as big of a check as possible, but I can't write a check that goes into the second apron."
The core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Miles Bridges are locked down. However, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson are all unrestricted free agents, while Jose Alvarado has a $4.5 million player option. It may be tough to bring all of them back (don't be surprised if Shamet is holding the short straw when it's all done).
• The Atlanta Hawks have gauged Jonathan Kuminga's value on the trade market, reports Michael Scotto at Hoopshype. Atlanta has until June 29 to decide whether to pick up Kuminga's $24.3 million team option for next season.
• If Boston does decide to get serious about an Antetokounmpo trade — again, all the buzz in league circles is they are not serious — then there needs to be a third team to get Brown to a new home. It had previously been reported that the Bucks didn't want Brown — a player at his peak is not a fit for a rebuilding team — but now ESPN's Spears says the feeling is mutual: "I know Jaylen wouldn't want to play for Milwaukee.
• Draymond Green has a $27.7 million player option for next season, and if he picks it up, the Warriors are open to trading him, reports Anthony Slater at ESPN. That said, the expectation is he opts out and re-signs for two years at a slightly lower number (two years, $40 million?).
Feb 25, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) controls the ball against the Portland Pilots in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike is right on the border of being picked in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft. Ike is currently ranked as the No. 64 best available prospect, according to ESPN.
Even if he ends up going undrafted, that doesn’t mean the Aurora, Colorado native can’t find his way to making the league down the road. The best way to do that is by being signed on a two-way contract, splitting his time with a big club and its G League squad.
The 24-year-old has been a proven winner and scoring threat throughout his three seasons in Spokane, Washington. During that 101-game stretch under coach Mark Few, Ike averaged 17.8 points on a shooting split of 58.9 percent from the field, 35.8 percent on three-pointers, and 79.6 percent at the free throw line. The 2025-26 West Coast Conference Player of the Year also grabbed 7.5 rebounds per game and 31 double-doubles across that span.
As a 6-9, 250-pound leftie, he’s a tad bit undersized for the center position at the next level. Ike, who does have a 7-5 wingspan and 9-2 standing reach, will look to play a sort of throwback, brute-strength power forward position primarily.
The way that he improved his ability to stretch out the floor and controlled his personal anger after frustrating foul calls that didn’t go his way was quite noticeable throughout his final collegiate campaign at Gonzaga. Nine reported NBA franchises took notice as well this offseason while bringing him in for workouts leading up to next week’s draft.
Boston Celtics
Orlando Magic
Atlanta Hawks
Minnesota Timberwolves
Charlotte Hornets
Oklahoma City Thunder
Detroit Pistons
Los Angeles Lakers
Sacramento Kings
Ike mentioned in his post-workout interview with the Sacramento Kings that he has visited 11 total teams, all looking into taking a chance.
Few has had at least one alum drafted in four of the last five years. Can Ike make it five of the last six? Even if he fails to do so, recent Zags have found major success after grinding their way through the G League. Just take a look at Los Angeles Lakers forward Drew Timme, Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard, and Brooklyn Nets guard Malachi Smith, who all went undrafted.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
Trae Young staying in Washington for too long isn’t a sure thing.
The former Hawks guard has declined his $48.97 million player option to become a free agent, according to Andscape’s Marc Spears. It cannot be officially announced until Monday.
Washington is still seen as the leader to sign the point guard even as multiple teams are expected to show interest, according to ESPN. Young expected max-contract interest from his suitors, Spears reported.
Trae Young passes the ball in the third quarter of the Wizards’ 125-117 loss to the Warriors at Capital One Arena on March 16, 2026 in Washington. Getty Images
Young is most notably known for his time with the Hawks, the team that drafted him fifth overall in 2018. The guard spent eight years with the franchise and led the Hawks during three playoff runs.
The furthest the team went was the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, where they eventually lost to the championship-winning Milwaukee Bucks. Young became a Madison Square Garden villians during that run as the Hawks needed just five games to beat the Knicks in the first round.
In the 2024-2025 season, Young led the NBA, averaging 11.6 assists per game. But that season was his last full one in Atlanta. When the 2025 season came around, the guard sprained his right MCL in the fall and missed 22 games.
He averaged only 19.3 points per game, his second-lowest mark other than his rookie season. That led to the Hawks trading him to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. He played just five games for Washington because of injuries.
The deal worked out for both teams: Washington grabbed a star player to help in their rebuild, while the Hawks still made the playoffs before losing to the Knicks in the first round.
Trae Young on the Wizards. NBAE via Getty Images
But now Washington has no guarantee of keeping Young. The Wizards also have another aging star in Anthony Davis, which could lead to a quick rebuild with Washington owning the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Wizrds could land a star like BYU forward AJ Dybansta or Kansas wing Darryn Peterson to join other promising youngsters, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Tre Johnson.
Free agency negotiations in the NBA begin on June 30.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York is celebrating the Knicks in classic style Thursday, throwing a ticker-tape parade for the team that brought home the NBA championship longed for by generations of fans.
The Knicks' victory — after a 53-year drought - has electrified New Yorkers, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani has predicted that Thursday’s parade might be one of the biggest in the city's history.
The mere fact that it's happening is historic in itself. Although the Knicks won the championship twice in the 1970s, the city didn't host a parade for them either time. Then-Mayor John Lindsay had cut down on ticker-tape extravaganzas for financial and other reasons, and he instead honored the Knicks at a 1970 reception at the mayoral mansion and a jampacked 1973 ceremony outside City Hall.
This time, the city is going all out.
“There will be performances, there will be New Yorkers, there will be the team and there will be history,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday.
The parade is set to start at 10 a.m. Thursday near Battery Park and head up Broadway on the skyscraper-flanked route dubbed the "Canyon of Heroes.” The procession is to end at City Hall, where the players are to get another traditional tribute: keys to the city.
Knicks legends Walt “Clyde” Frazier — a member of the ’70s champion teams — and Patrick Ewing are expected to participate in the parade, according to a person familiar with the plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the details before they were publicly announced. The person said Mike Breen, the Knicks’ play-by-play announcer on MSG Network, was set to emcee the City Hall ceremony.
Alicia Keys, the singer who collaborated with Jay-Z on the New York-loving 2009 hit “Empire State of Mind,” has been tapped to perform.
“How could I not?” Keys said Wednesday in a social media video that featured her on the phone with Knicks forward OG Anunoby.
Police plan to deploy 10,000 officers to secure the event, which follows ebullient but sometimes chaotic street celebrations and some violence during the Knicks' run to victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
“We want people to enjoy this moment,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a planning meeting Wednesday, “but public safety comes first.”
Some 650 sanitation workers have been assigned to clean up what could be tens of thousands of pounds (kilograms) of debris, if recent history is any guide.
Ticker-tape parades derive their name from the narrow strips of paper used by telegraph-era “stock ticker” machines. New York brokerage firm workers took to tossing the paper out their office windows during parades in the late 19th century, adding a swirling aerial spectacle to the festivities.
Over the years, especially up to the mid-1960s, the city rolled out ticker-tape parades to honor visiting foreign leaders, mark historic anniversaries and hail feats in aviation, war, sports, music, space travel and more.
The Knicks' parade will be the 210th, and it comes after a ticker-tape bash for the WNBA's New York Liberty in 2024.
___
AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney contributed from Southampton, New York.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: New York Knicks owner James Dolan and president Leon Rose celebrate behind the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after their team defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s hard to truly be a buzzkill the day before a championship parade 53 years in the making, but James Dolan really seems to be trying his hardest.
In an interview with WFAN’s Craig Carton on Wednesday afternoon, the Knicks’ owner, who had gained a nice PR boost after his 15-minute speech to the Knicks in April was leaked, said a couple of things that’ll rub people the wrong way. While one isn’t basketball-related, this one is.
"There's certain things in the NBA that you'd have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. I'll write as big of a check as possible, but I can't write a check that goes into the second apron."
This wasn’t a suggestion of any sort. It truly sounded like an edict from the man who’s cutting the checks.
As you can find out more from our salary cap explainer, which will continuously be updated, this is major news for the Knicks’ roster building as they look to defend their championship in 2026-27. The Knicks currently have nine players rostered (including Jose Alvarado’s $4.5 million player option) and under $17 million in space beneath the second apron.
With five mandatory spots to fill and a projected veteran minimum cap hit of $2,457,000 for next season, the Knicks will only have $4.63 million extra to play with outside of exclusively using the vet min. If the Knicks make their pick at No. 24, that pick holds a $3.325 million cap hit, so it’ll be more like $3.77 million.
In essence, this essentially means that both Landry Shamet and Mitchell Robinson have likely played their last games as a Knick, if Dolan’s word is to be believed. The Knicks are legally able to retain both for their likely market value, but would have to exceed the second apron to do so. In late May, ESPN reported that both were likely to return, so this might be a case of the front office wanting one thing and ownership wanting another.
As reigning champions, the Knicks do have an advantage in that they’ll likely have veterans lining up for “ring-chasing discounts”, so they shouldn’t have a hard time reworking the bench around tight cap parameters, especially considering they’d be able to use at least part of the taxpayer mid-level exception in the scenario they do not exceed the second apron.
If there’s any solace in this, it’s that the Knicks will have an easier time retaining rookie wing Mo Diawara, who will be a restricted free agent. Due to the weird circumstances surrounding his contract, the Knicks are legally able to match any offer sheet, but they would have to dip into their MLE to do so, which would trigger a second apron hard cap.
This means that, if someone (ahem, Brooklyn) offered Diawara a big enough deal that he would sign an offer sheet, the Knicks would have to choose between him and retaining other key free agents to exceed the second apron. Now, it’s entirely possible that NBA teams don’t view his potential in the way we’re all drooling over and he re-signs on an effective vet min, but it’s a possibility that needs to be accounted for.
Ultimately, despite it coming from the man in charge, I wouldn’t totally rule out the Knicks exceeding the second apron in 2026-27.
Why? I don’t exactly think Dolan has all the facts memorized about the aprons, especially considering we’ve already heard through the grapevine of the front office’s long-term plan of a four-year window since the KAT trade.
The penalties for being in the second apron for one year are as follows:
Not able to use the MLE
Not able to aggregate salaries in a trade
Not able to send out cash in a trade
Not able to utilize a sign-and-trade
Not able to use a trade exception
First-round draft pick in seven years (2033) is frozen and unable to be traded
The Knicks have been hard-capped at the second apron over the last two seasons because they utilized some of these. They aggregated salaries to acquire Mikal Bridges and used the mid-level exception to sign Guerschon Yabusele. That hard cap is immediately removed once the next league year begins.
So, sure, while it would suck to not be able to use the MLE, aggregate salaries in a trade, or use the 2033 pick in a trade, it would be worth it to retain a championship roster. So why is Dolan so afraid of the second apron?
If a team spends three years in the second apron in five years, the frozen draft pick is pushed to No. 30 in the draft, regardless of what record the team finishes with. As you might guess, that’s a built-in hard cap for teams because of the risk. By then, the Knicks could be in a total rebuild and wouldn’t have anything to build off of.
But the keyword is three. One year in the second apron doesn’t change that.
Is it luxury tax-related? Well, sure. If the Knicks run a payroll that high, Dolan could pay up to $90 million in luxury taxes, depending on how much the team exceeds it by. For a guy who’s paid the most luxury taxes in NBA history (including a bunch for horrendous teams), this isn’t ridiculous to keep together a champion.
But starting in 2027-28, the Knicks will be in the repeater tac, which will likely doom Dolan to spending nine figures in the luxury tax regardless of whether he’s in the second apron, but it’s not plausible for the Knicks to duck the tax this year, so this should be treated as an unfortunate inevitability.
Ultimately, we’ll know sooner than later if the head honcho’s word is bond. It would just be very hard to replicate the team’s success without paying up to retain it.
