The Heat might have screwed LeBron’s delusions of grandeur and I cannot be happier about it. Read on for more in today’s links and notes.
- Jalen Brunson talked to Variety and said people are “making assumptions” and pushed back on the idea that the Knicks have already decided to visit the White House. Thank God, screw James Dolan.
- Brunson also discussed his wrist injury and ongoing recovery. All good, fam.
“I was more in pain when I wasn’t in the game versus when we were actually playing. I feel like the adrenaline took over. But yeah, it was definitely an obstacle, but we found a way through, because it’s my tendon and my structure, my wrist is fine. There was soft tissue that was holding my tendon and it kept flipping and snapping over the bone every time I shot,
every time I flicked my wrist, and so clearly it was causing pain, causing friction…
“I’ll be in this [cast] for about another six weeks, and then from that point on, it’s just my rehab after that. But I should be good.”
- The Knicks are still looking for a third center after missing out on Jonas Valanciunas and Moussa Cisse, and SI’s Jovan Alford has come up with a very unfamiliar and fresh name.
- That came before our own Michael Zeno chimed in on what’s next for the Knicks on the big-man front following the whiff on Cisse. Little tease, including an intriguing closing line:
“The Knicks should want to keep Jemison and McCullar around. It’s been total radio silence for both of them this offseason, but you can do a lot worse than having them on two-way deals. The Knicks are able to bring as many as 21 guys into training camp without damaging their second apron space, so it wouldn’t surprise me if we see Nickel, Jemison, McCullar, Jones, and another guy or two in camp to compete for those spots.
“Did Liam Robbins do enough in Summer League to get a tryout?”
- Draymond Green agrees with me and thinks Adam Silver (and Pat Berverley by extension) may have made LeBron James, who is operating as a true contrarian these days, mad. Too bad for them, it seems a 41-year-old man still holds all of the power.
- Anyway, the Heat just leaked James’ destination on YouTube. Here’s the full explanation and a bunch of excuses.
- Like it or not, even if he’s a thousand years old, LeBron’s eventual destination carries consequences for the Knicks, and the New York Post’s Jared Schwartz ranked his potential destinations from biggest to smallest threat to the Knicks. Miami clocked in first. Bunch of teams in the middle. In last place, Golden State:
“Heat: This would be both the best supporting cast around James and the most familiarity with him.
[…]
“Warriors: Would a Warriors team with James make it out of the West over the Thunder, Spurs or others? Probably not, which would make them irrelevant to the Knicks.”
- A funny kid gave us a sad Victor Wembanyama moment. “Sorry.” Victor, you gotta do better.
- Back to Draymond, he argued that Kobe Bryant’s place in NBA history will always be affected by the era in which he played (MJ out, LBJ ascending), said Kobe was always “trying to find his way in the NBA,” and believes the lack of spotlight automatically rules him out of the GOAT debate as he never got to the heights of one or the other.
