TARRYTOWN, NY – The saying “to the victor go the spoils" certainly applied to the NBA Championships over the past four months, as any member of the New York Knicks who came into proximity to anything worth spoiling certainly took advantage.
From appearances on the jumbotron at the US Open to hosting duties on "Saturday Night Live," NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson has helped the Knicks enjoy an offseason befitting a team breaking the championship curse of this basketball-crazed city, following their five-game throttling of the San Antonio Spurs.
It wasn’t just the five-game victory that broke a 53-year-old curse, but the way it was accomplished. New York trailed by double digits in each game and cemented themselves in NBA lore with a Game 4 comeback
for the ages, trailing by 29 points before a furious rally that culminated in OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds left.
During the team’s media session at their practice facility 30 minutes north of New York City, reality set in about what the Knicks need to do to become the first team since the Golden State Warriors in 2017-18 to repeat as champions. The team will still get bombarded with the chant “Knicks in 5” from their rabid fanbase until someone dethrones them.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown, who was an assistant on those Warriors title teams, made it clear that although few changes were made, he is excited to move forward with his new group of players.
The roster was largely intact, with nine of last season's top 10 contributors returning for a chance to run it back. Mitchell Robinson, the team’s defensive stalwart, signed with the division rivals Boston Celtics on a three-year, $47.39 million contract, and the team signed veteran Andre Drummond to fill the void.
“It’s a new season and a new team, and we’re going to face new challenges and adversity throughout the course of the year. And upholding our commitment to our standard. It's not going to change. Our standard of sacrifice, being connected, having a competitive spirit, having a belief in each other in the process. That’s our primary focus going into this year,” Brown said.
“We can’t afford to have any slippage in our process. We can’t afford to decline with our focus and energy in our daily habits. We have to understand that the media and public scrutiny is going to come.”
Defending champion Knicks are not satisfied
First up, their championship defense will begin against the retooled Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20, featuring newly signed LeBron James (who would have joined the Knicks had they not won the title) and Jaylen Brown, who was traded from the Celtics, along with mainstays Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
The Knicks know that winning another championship begins and ends with Brunson, who averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds in the NBA Finals with 45 points to close out Game 5, while playing with a painful wrist injury.
Brunson, who admitted it was the "longest, shortest summer ever," says he feels good after offseason wrist surgery in July and is honored and grateful for the off-court opportunities, as he will also appear on an episode of “Law and Order: SVU” in November.
But Brunson reiterates that the goal and focus is on the court and winning another championship, while leaving last year where it is, turning the page, and moving on.
“Not being satisfied, I think, is the biggest takeaway moving forward. You still want to figure out how you can grow as a person and as a player. So I will use that experience. As a group, we figured out that we need each other to win, obviously. We need each other to be all on the same page."
"I have all the confidence in the world in my teammates. Not so sure about Josh Hart; we'll see how he acts," Brunson said jokingly.
“The weight of the jersey was extremely light this summer. This morning, it was a bit heavier. I think we're all excited for the opportunity to do it again. We're not satisfied to just get one,” Hart added, while answering some of his questions in the dark as the lights went out at the Madison Square Garden Training Center.
Contract extension updates
While the championship glow is still shining, a few players with unsettled contract situations loom large for the team’s future. Brown said that the front office, including general manager Leon Rose, talks about everything concerning the roster, saying, “We don't want to leave elephants in the room. I have a lot of faith in them, the players and agents."
The 31-year-old Karl Anthony Towns has two more years on his contract, including a player option for the 2027-28 season worth $61 million, and said "there's no comfortability to be had” when discussing a possible extension. He is eligible for a four-year, $272 million contract.
"I've made it known I want to play here,” said Towns, who said he has dropped weight in his memorable offseason, which included getting married and honeymooning in Africa. “I've been a fan since I was young. I would like to get one done, of course. Get it done so I can step on the court and feel as comfortable as possible”
Hart has a team option in his deal for next season worth $22 million.
"You always want to get it done, kind of as soon as possible. You don't want that trickling into the season because whenever there's uncertainty, there's going to be a lot of questions,” he said. “There's going to be a lot of rumors, and at a human level, sometimes that can wear people down, and it can affect how you go out and handle business on a day-to-day basis, just some of that uncertainty.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After summer of adoration, Knicks get back to business of title defense
