No more fake basketball for the next eight months, folks!
The Knicks wrapped up the preseason with their most solid performance, defeated the Raps in New York, and will next see the banner(s) rise to the rafters of MSG.
Here’s the latest from everybody and their mothers.
Mike Brown
On the Knicks’
progress over the past year heading into their title defense:
“I’m going to keep it real that there’s something in front of us. I’m not a fan of having an elephant in the room. I’ll address it: It’s about the process. It’s not about the end result. We can’t think about the end result right now. We have a ways to go. This is a new season, new team and we’re gonna have challenges in front of us.
“It’s like climbing a mountain. Sometimes you go a 100 yards, but you might get knocked back five yards. Hopefully, it’s not 50 yards, but you might get back five or 10 yards, and you regroup as a team, and you figure out how to keep going forward the right way.
“But making sure we embrace the process without slippage in that is going to be huge. And if I see us slipping up, it’s my job to let us know as a team that we’re off track. We need to get back on hopefully sooner than later.”
On why Jalen Brunson is the NBA’s best leader, as voted by GMs:
“He studies the game, and that helps a lot because you can always grow in any field you do. But he walks the talk. He works extremely hard, and he strives for perfection from himself. And when you do that, your peers see you do that, and you’re looked upon as the best player on the team, and it gives you credibility to tell somebody else when they’re not given their all or when they need to do this a little bit better or that a little bit better.”
On Brunson’s toughness and willingness to hold teammates accountable:
“He’s not afraid because, as a leader, sometimes you can be on an island because you have to always be conscious of ‘I got to do more, I got to do more’ in terms of work harder, focus, everybody’s going to make mistakes, but those little things. And so when you tell your teammates, they can get pissed at you, or they can be like, ‘hey, screw him because who is he to tell me what to do?’ And so you have to have some thick skin because it’s not going to always be you telling somebody to do something, then they embrace it. And I think Jalen has that thick skin and a toughness about him to be in a seat like this.”
On Brunson potentially becoming an NBA head coach after his playing career:
“I think Jalen has that thick skin and toughness about him to be in a seat like this. You won’t need to, though. My view? If you don’t want to… It’s up to you, Jalen.”
On what he expects from the Knicks’ final roster spot:
“If one of those guys makes our team, at least right now, they may not even play seven minutes — you know, seven straight minutes. And then at the end of the day, we just have to make a decision.”
On the mentality required from the Knicks’ third-string center:
“We just hope that there’s a passion and an energy and a focus coming from that spot because, I’m sure at times that person will start, at times they may be the first backup and at times they may be second backup. So as the minutes are fluctuating, you’re going to have to generate some internal energy at times, to go play in a low-minute game.
“Sometimes he’ll maybe not play one or two, maybe three games in a row. You look for that, and then you know, you just look for somebody that’s going to play hard at the end of the day – try to do the things that you’re asking on both sides of the floor. And bring a little something different than what the two guys in front of you bring.”
On Bruce Brown’s experience, toughness and versatility:
“Bruce has been through a lot with a lot of different teams at a pretty high level. His toughness, his experience, his feel, all those things — he’s a winner. It seems like every place he’s gone, he’s won, but all those things can add a lot to the program, and then he’s versatile both ends of the floor. He could play a few different positions offensively; he can guard a few different positions defensively. So a guy like that, especially a veteran winner, can be helpful to any team.”
On James Wiseman’s potential and development:
“He’s young, he’s talented, you know, he’s raw, still. I think he’s still trying to establish a foothold in this league. But with the God-given attributes he has, in terms of athleticism and length and quickness, [they] can bode well for him on both ends of the floor. And at 25 years old, he hasn’t even reached his prime, especially knowing he hadn’t played a ton of basketball; having a vertical threat at the rim will help [the Knicks], or could help everybody else play the game a little bit easier, whether it’s driving the basketball or playing pick and roll.”
Jalen Brunson
On his recovery from wrist surgery:
“I had nine different casts. I was able to take it off if I ran or worked out with it. So I had one for workouts, one for showering and obviously one for everyday use.”
On maintaining the Knicks’ championship-winning approach entering a new season:
“I think what’s most important is that last year we took everything one day at a time. We were talking about — obviously, the topic was getting back to the conference finals and trying to advance. And I think for us now, the way we approached it last year was to take it one day at a time, every single day. So not talking about certain things.
“Obviously, we know what it takes, but just going into this with the same mindset for this journey. Even though it’s a new journey, it’s a different journey; the approach has to be the same, if not better.
“The first couple of weeks of the season is going to show us who we are and where we are. No matter what we’re doing, whether we’re playing great, playing bad, how are you going to be able to learn? And so, I mean, we’ll find a way. We’ll hold each other accountable, just like we did last year, and then we’ll be better.”
On the Knicks’ preseason progress and preparing to defend their championship:
“Each game got better and better. Just happy to be back. I feel like it’s a learning experience for us. We have to turn the page on last year and figure out how to get better every single day. It’s gonna be a different journey for us. Our mindset has to be different, and we’ll be ready to go.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On the Knicks’ preseason finale and preparing for opening night:
“I thought today was a good dress rehearsal. It was cool, it was very nice to get back out there and get back into our flow and be really good. Obviously we have a lot of things to work on. But it was a good way to end the preseason.”
On how he feels physically and his rhythm entering the regular season:
“Yeah, I feel good. I feel really, really good.”
On who’s the biggest complainer to referees among Knicks:
“Josh Hart. Why’d y’all laugh? Did y’all agree with that or something? Everyone behind the camera, I just want y’all to know: y’all just clowned Josh Hart. That’s crazy for y’all to say — in New York, too.”
On choosing between winning another NBA championship and a World Series:
“Win a World Series, for sure. I already won an NBA championship.”
On his pregame routine:
“Before the game starts, I always give everyone at the table, including the fans behind, a chance to really get into the game. Just giving everybody a fist bump down the line of the table, and then go on the court.”
On his favorite all-time big man:
“I think Hakeem. I feel like, in a way, he kind of is mythical, like Wilt Chamberlain… but I’ve been able to talk and meet Hakeem, and he’s an amazing, amazing human.”
Ian Begley
On the Knicks’ roster decisions involving Bruce Brown, James Wiseman, Pacome Dadiet and Tyler Kolek:
“Brown and James Wiseman have made it through preseason cuts. The Knicks clearly like both players. But New York only has room under the second apron in team salary to keep one player. In order to keep both Brown and Wiseman, the Knicks would need to trade a player on a standard contract without taking back salary.
“My read heading into the weekend: Wiseman is a lock to make the roster. There is strong support to add Brown as well. The Knicks would need to make a trade by Monday afternoon if they want to keep Brown. I think they will explore all avenues to make that happen.
“It’s logical to assume that the Knicks will move third-year wing Pacome Dadiet. But I believe New York will explore other deals — including trades involving third-year guard Tyler Kolek — this weekend and Monday.
“The Knicks will be asking teams to take on a player without sending back salary. To get a deal done, New York may need to attach its own second-round picks (New York will have at least 11 second-round picks in the next seven drafts).”
Carmelo Anthony
On the Knicks’ handling of Karl-Anthony Towns’ contract negotiations:
“So, it was smart to dead the conversation. Now, how you deaded the conversation is the problem. I can’t find out on Twitter if that’s what happened…So if that’s the case (Towns learning from the media that the Knicks paused negotiations), then that’s a communication thing right there. [The Knicks] dropped the ball on that one for one. You don’t let that get outside. So again, I don’t know that. The only thing I’m saying is you don’t break up the family. That’s all I’m going to say. You don’t break up the family.”
Amar’e Stoudemire
On fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a police officer:
“It’s something I always wanted to do since I was a kid. I remember back when I was in grade school, elementary school. They asked you on career day, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ And my initial response was a police officer.”
On his family’s history in law enforcement:
“It runs in the family. My uncle was a captain. His brother was a deputy. My cousin is a captain. My sister’s in the academy. So, it’s a family tradition, basically.”
On the physical demands of police academy training compared with the NBA:
“Yeah, it was a little bit [more] challenging actually because now I’m running a lot more than I had before. Obviously, in the NBA you run short distances, right? And the police academy, you’re running more long-distance mileage.”
On his wife’s initial concerns about his decision to become a police officer:
“My wife at first was a little bit concerned because obviously being a police officer, there’s some danger to it. But if you are well-trained and you understand your policies and procedures, you’re able to somewhat have officer safety, which is very important, and that’s the goal.”
