The Knicks are back in action today, hosting the Wolves at MSG this evening.
By chance, have you heard anything about contract issues and pending extensions? Yeah, me neither.
Here’s the latest from Coach, KAT, and a couple folks in the know.
Mike Brown
On discussing mindfulness and personal struggles with his players:
“As a coach, it’s not all about X’s and O’s every single day. Any time you can try to enlighten guys in different areas of life, not just about the basketball
court, you try to do that. This is something I thought about doing because I discussed it with a few of my coaches maybe a week and a half, two weeks ago. It was just speaking on being mindful or having mindfulness when it comes to your teammates.”
On holding players accountable while recognizing their personal struggles:
“We have to hold each other accountable, but we also have to be mindful that you may have some s–t going on in your life that may not be good. So we can’t keep trying to beat you up to be better at your job. Sometimes, it’s trying to figure out how to do that while uplifting you because I don’t know what you’re going through at home in your private life.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On learning that the Knicks had paused contract extension negotiations:
“It was news to me. Very disappointed, to say the least. Let’s state the obvious: It’s a business, but there is business on the court for us to handle.”
On his disappointment with the Knicks’ decision and his commitment to defending the championship:
“Obviously very disappointed, to say the least. Let’s be honest here. But even though there was no business done, there’s still business to be handled. After 53 years, we found a way to bring this trophy back to New York, and we intend for it to stay in New York.”
On whether he has considered declining his player option:
“I wouldn’t say I’ve thought about it, because I never thought it would get to this point. But I think right now what’s best for our team is we just focus on the basketball.”
On maintaining his focus on winning another championship despite contract uncertainty:
“We’re all humans, but what I do say is true: My only philosophy since we won and the only thing I’ve had in my mind is how do we win another one. For me, the same focus I came in this season with is the same focus I’ll go into Game 1 with: How do we keep the trophy in New York past just this one summer?”
On Mike Brown addressing the players’ personal struggles and bringing the team closer together:
“It was really cool to have Coach talk to us about being human, about the struggles in life. Us being together and us understanding where everyone is in life and the situations they deal with will allow us to be even more connected and allow us to be an even better team.
“I want to make sure I say that. I have to give flowers to Mike. That was an amazing job by him as our leader to approach the elephant in the room and to allow us, the players and the coaches, the ones who were on that court in Game 4, Game 5, who really found a way to get this title back to New York, to be human. I think that’s an amazing thing.”
Marc Stein & Jake Fischer
On the Knicks prioritizing contract negotiations with Karl-Anthony Towns:
“Towns was the only member of that foursome (Josh Hart, Deuce McBride, Tyler Kolek) whose camp had been seriously engaged by the Knicks at the time of Friday’s statement. (They’ve) prioritized talks with Towns over Hart to this point.”
On Miles McBride potentially becoming a trade candidate:
“A likely trade candidate as the season unfolds given the uncertainty surrounding his own Knicks future.”
