You know things are gearing up when you cook a fresh list of links and notes spanning just three days’ worth of news, and it already goes up to nearly 1K words. We’re so close to basketball, folks!
- Karl-Anthony Towns’ extension talks with the Knicks have stalled with training camp approaching, and I have you covered here.
- Don’t forget that, while the Towns negotiations take center stage, Josh Hart and Miles McBride remain extension-eligible too. McBride’s situation is particularly serious because he can become an unrestricted free agent next summer (Mitchell Robinson situation, anyone?), while Hart has a team option baked into his deal.
- Jalen Brunson will officially make his Law & Order: SVU debut this fall. Brunson is scheduled to guest star in Season 28’s fifth episode on Nov. 5, reuniting him with Knicks superfan Mariska Hargitay after his recent Emmys cameo. His role remains under wraps.
- OG Anunoby received a major hometown honor this week at Jefferson City High School.
- In an interview with GQ Philippines, Jordan Clarkson discussed his up-and-down season with the Knicks, going from featured to end-of-the-bench fodder to postseason performer.
“I didn’t play for like a month, but me just being a pro, I had to stay locked in. I love this game, so I’m always ready. I stayed involved with the coaches, and with the young guys playing every day. My skill never wavered.
“The thing I learned being here this long is that everybody believes they’re the best
player. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t. So being able to put your ego to the side is important. It’s about coming together as a team, helping each other win without getting jealous, and having no ill intent towards any of your teammates.
“The whole season was a story on its own. Getting through adversity early in the playoffs, and not questioning ourselves. We had guys giving up a lot for this.”
- Clarkson also wants another run with the Philippines at next year’s FIBA World Cup.
“Another World Cup is coming up, and I want to be there. There haven’t been so many Filipino Americans in the [NBA] league, and Filipinos, period. So knowing that I get to represent that and kind of change the narrative in any way that I can, that’s what I’m trying to do. Hopefully, we can see those dudes [Jalen Green and Dylan Harper] in a Gilas jersey at some point.”
- Mitchell Robinson had strong praising words for Jalen Brunson’s leadership after leaving the Knicks for Boston, saying “Jalen is so dialed in.”
- The Knicks have hired Ed Flynn as Mike Brown’s new replay and challenge specialist. Flynn spent the previous three seasons as a video coordinator with the Pelicans and replaces Jordan Brink.
- The final Knicks roster spot remains a genuine training-camp competition between James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks, Bruce Brown, John Konchar and Ochai Agbaji. The NYP’s Stefan Bondy outlined one possible wrinkle to that roster battle: moving Pacome Dadiet could allow the Knicks to retain two camp invitees instead of one. A larger trade remains another possibility if neither Wiseman nor Eubanks convinces the Knicks they have enough at center, with Bondy identifying Miles McBride as New York’s most valuable expendable trade piece. Go read it all!
- The Ringer placed the defending champion Knicks second in its preseason NBA power rankings, behind only San Antonio and ahead of Oklahoma City.
- The Knicks have a relatively favorable travel calendar overall, with only 13 back-to-backs and roughly 35,181 road miles, the second-fewest in the NBA.
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is not interested in paying championship-inflated MSG prices to attend Opening Night at MSG. “Brother, I do not have $2,000 ready for that ticket.”
- OAKAAK RJ Barrett admitted there was a little bitterness watching his former team win the championship, but ultimately was happy for his old teammates.
“At first, definitely feel a little salty, but if anybody else were to win it, I’m happy they won it. I still have friends over there.” He added that he hopes to bring some of that success to Toronto.
- Tyrese Haliburton had a much less sentimental reaction to watching the Knicks celebrate, and I love it.
- Kawhi Leonard has agreed to a two-year, $115 million extension with Toronto after returning to the Raptors in a blockbuster trade with the nearly-extinct LA Clippers.
- Jalen Duren and Detroit continue to have one of the stranger contract negotiations of the offseason, with the Pistons offering him a five-year, $200 million offer… that includes weight-based incentives requiring Duren to check his weight monthly.
- Steven Adams believes Grand Theft Auto VI could tank pro sports.
- OAKAAK Kevin Knox is getting another NBA opportunity, signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Orlando for training camp.
- NBA expansion is getting closer, with Las Vegas appearing further along than Seattle. The league has already held multiple bidding deadlines for Las Vegas and could reportedly identify a winning group there before settling on its Seattle plans.
- Shaquille O’Neal makes around $15 million annually in sports media, Charles Barkley about $21 million, Pat McAfee roughly $30 million, and Tom Brady $37.5 million. Stephen A. Smith tops the list reported by The New York Post, at around $40 million per year across his media deals. Sheesh…
- Gregg Popovich married Mary Barth Budenholzer, the former wife of longtime Spurs assistant and current Suns coach Mike Budenholzer, on Sept. 16 in Texas.
