Jalen Brunson

Knicks Made Brunson ‘Untouchable’ In Giannis Trade Talks

October 10th, 2025 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Knicks and Bucks discussed the possibility of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade in August, New York made Jalen Brunson “untouchable,” team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The news comes as no surprise, given that the goal of an Antetokounmpo trade for the Knicks would be to pair him with Brunson, not have him replace the star point guard.

With Brunson off limits and Mikal Bridges not eligible to be moved at that time due to his recently signed extension, it stands to reason that Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson were likely among the players discussed by the two sides, Amick writes.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported earlier this week that the Knicks and Bucks spoke about Antetokounmpo over the summer after the star forward expressed some concerns about his team’s championship upside and conveyed that New York would be the only team he’d be interested in if he were to leave Milwaukee.

However, Charania stressed that those discussions didn’t gain any traction, with the Bucks making it clear they wanted to hang onto the two-time MVP and New York not making a compelling enough pitch to force them to reconsider that stance.

The Knicks have already traded away several future first-round picks, so any offer they made for a star like Antetokounmpo would have to be player-heavy in terms of value. And even if the Bucks had interest in some of those players, New York has concerns about the potential roster imbalance that sort of blockbuster trade would create, according to Amick.

While subsequent reports, including this one from The Athletic, have confirmed that those trade talks generated no momentum, Amick says this development was definitely “not nothing.” He refers to it as “nothing short of an escalation,” since it’s the strongest signal yet that Antetokounmpo is considering options outside of Milwaukee.

Although the Knicks were the only team to have a conversation with the Bucks about Giannis this offseason, many more teams around the league would be ready to pursue him if he were ever to be made available, according to Amick, who suggests that the 30-year-old’s future in Milwaukee could be largely determined by what happens this coming season. Giannis only has one more guaranteed year on his contract beyond 2025/26, with a player option for ’27/28.

Knicks Notes: Giannis, Towns, Yabusele, Robinson, Tyndale

October 9th, 2025 at 4:16pm CST by Rory Maher

In a subscriber-only mailbag, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post confirms the Knicks and Bucks discussed a trade involving two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, but cautions those negotiations went “nowhere productive” beyond revealing the Greek superstar would prefer to play in New York if he ever leaves Milwaukee.

According to Bondy, the Knicks don’t have a realistic pathway to acquire Antetokounmpo unless the 30-year-old specifically demands a trade to New York. And even if Milwaukee struggles this season, there’s no indication that Antetokounmpo would go that route.

Unless the Knicks would be willing to trade Jalen Brunson in a possible multi-team construct, they simply lack the draft assets to compete with other teams in a potential bidding war, Bondy explains.

While it’s a positive development that Antetokounmpo reportedly wants to play for the Knicks after they have been spurned by other stars in the past, the situation could be a distraction if New York gets off to a slow start, Bondy writes. It will also be an important “measuring stick” for the current front office regime, according to Bondy, who points out that the Knicks spent most of their previous draft capital to trade for Mikal Bridges — a move that may or may not pay off in the long run.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Big men Karl-Anthony Towns and Guerschon Yabusele have been faced with the difficult task of adjusting to the unique requirements of playing in Mike Brown‘s offensive system, writes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. How Towns in particular acclimates may determine the Knicks’ ceiling this season, Crane notes. “They’re both doing a fantastic job trying to adjust,” Brown said of Towns and Yabusele, “but it’s going to take them a little longer than everybody else just because they’re playing both of the positions within the framework of our offense — and so their learning curve’s gonna have to be a lot steeper than anybody else’s.”
Towns has been impressed with Mitchell Robinson in training camp and is looking forward to building chemistry with him in the frontcourt, according to Crane. “He’s very gifted with his feet, just the way he can maneuver around the court,” Towns said of Robinson. “I had good expectations of what I thought of Mitch walking in, especially on the offensive end, how I can maximize his offensive game. But even he surprised me with his ability.”
Brown is excited to be the home coach at Madison Square Garden for the first time on Thursday, per Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. “MSG is such an iconic venue,” Brown said. “And whether it’s a preseason game or regular-season game, to be able to know that that’s your home court every night and to do it for the first time, it gives you goosebumps.”
Brown’s coaching staff continues to grow, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that the Knicks are hiring Mark Tyndale as a player development assistant. Tyndale had previous stops in Portland and Toronto, Scotto notes.

Knicks Notes: Bridges, Hart, Starters, McBride

October 8th, 2025 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks‘ coaching change will result in new defensive responsibilities for Mikal Bridges, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. Bridges was usually assigned to check opposing point guards last season, but Mike Brown plans to use him against the other team’s best perimeter weapon, regardless of position.

“He will (guard the point of attack) some,” Brown said after Wednesday’s practice. “If Reggie Miller was still playing, I’d throw him on Reggie, because I think he navigates screens well, and with those long strides, he can stay close to a shooter’s body, and then he’s contesting and he’s got long arms. But then if we need to put him on a point guard, because, again, he’s able to navigate through screens and if he does get hit, people still feel him. They feel him coming with his length, and so we’ll mix it up. He won’t always be at the point of the ball. He won’t always chase shooters.”

Winfield notes that Bridges’ matchups with point guards last season resulted in him facing a league-high 25 screens per game, the largest total in the 13 years the NBA has kept track of the statistic. The strategy limited the wear on Jalen Brunson, conserving his energy to carry the offense. Brown’s change is part of an aggressive approach to defense that he hopes will produce more turnovers and create transition opportunities.

“I think our coverages (are) just a little different, when it comes to shifting and stuff like that: concepts, making sure our verbiage is always different with different coaches and different systems,” Bridges said. “I think more emphasis in being aggressive when you’re off the ball. Obviously the usual X’ing out, the help in rotation. I think every coach in the NBA has that. But just putting an emphasis on shifting and helping the guy on ball a little bit more.”

There’s more from New York:

Josh Hart missed practice the past two days due to illness and may not play Thursday against Minnesota, Winfield adds in a separate story. It’s the latest setback for Hart, who came to camp with a splint on his right ring finger, then suffered back spasms in the preseason opener in Abu Dhabi that forced him to miss the second game. Brown said he wasn’t sure if Hart’s back issue has fully cleared up.
None of the starters played more than 18 minutes in the two overseas games, but Brown plans to increase their workload now that the trip is done, according to Andrew Crane of The New York Post. “Getting closer to the season, getting closer to the real thing, we’re still preparing as well as we need to be,” Brunson said. “So we’ll just continue with that preparation and that focus, and yeah, obviously minutes aren’t what they would be in a regular season game, but everything matters what we do.”
Miles McBride has been mentioned as a possible trade target as the Knicks work out their final roster spots, but he avoids the speculation by staying away from social media, per Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper points out that McBride is probably too valuable to part with because he has a team-friendly contract and he’s a natural fit for Brown’s new system. “I love being here,” McBride said. “I want to be a Knick for life. I can’t control anything. So just going to come to work until they tell me otherwise.”

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Giannis, Rotation, Clarkson, Hart

October 7th, 2025 at 5:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson will have to get used to Mike Brown‘s offensive system, which will be more uptempo than the pace that former coach Tom Thibodeau preferred. There have been mixed results in the first two preseason games, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News writes.

“I’m comfortable,” Brunson said. “We’re still adjusting, and that’s the process of this entire season. You’re not just gonna be who you are at the end of training camp. You’re gonna continue to get better throughout the season. So I think the longer that we go through this and understand what’s needed and asked of us, the better we’re gonna be.”

Brown is already seeing progress.

“Jalen, he’s starting to adjust. You can see it,” Brown said. “I think this is gonna be good for him. You can see how much space he has when he brings the ball, and again, if you want to pressure a guy like Jalen with that much space, there’s a pretty good chance that he can make you pay for it.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Regarding the report that the Knicks had discussions with the Bucks regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo, The Athletic’s James Edwards III and Fred Katz examine whether it would make sense for the Knicks to acquire the superstar and whether it might happen down the road. Both note that the Knicks simply don’t possess the draft capital and young talent that the Bucks could obtain from other contenders like the Rockets and Spurs.
Edwards rolls out his preseason edition of predictions regarding the team’s depth chart and rotation. He continues to believe Brown will start Mitchell Robinson at center in a bigger lineup with Josh Hart coming off the bench. Edwards predicts that Miles McBride and offseason additions Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele will also play regularly off the bench, with the 10th man in the rotation being a fluid situation.
Speaking of Clarkson, he’s energized to play for a contender once again after being stuck on a rebuilding Jazz team, he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “That’s something you chase. That’s a different high, man, if you want to put it like that,” he said. “The level of detail, every play matters. I really want to get back there and I want for sure to take every step day to day, but Coming here, one of the reasons why is I wanted to compete in the playoffs and be on a winning team that’s playing for something.”
Hart did not practice once again on Tuesday. He’s been battling back spasms in recent days and his status is considered day-to-day, Edwards tweets.

Knicks Notes: Brogdon, Brown, Hart, Brunson

October 4th, 2025 at 7:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Malcolm Brogdon got first-half minutes Saturday in Abu Dhabi as part of the competition for a Knicks‘ roster spot, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Coach Mike Brown is giving all three veterans with non-guaranteed contracts a chance to be on the floor with rotation players. Landry Shamet got his opportunity on Thursday, and Garrison Mathews is expected to be in that role during Friday’s game against Minnesota.

“Trying to see different guys we’ve signed with different combinations,” Brown said. “And putting them in at different — I may throw a guy in for three minutes. And if I throw him in for three minutes, part of that is I may use him that way in the regular season or I may use him that way if he makes the team in the regular season. So how does he respond? So I’m experimenting right now.”

Brogdon posted five points, four rebounds and two steals in 13 minutes as New York wrapped up a sweep of Philadelphia in their two overseas games. Playing in the second half, Shamet went scoreless in nine minutes and Mathews finished with six points while shooting 1-of-5 from the field.

There’s more on the Knicks:

Josh Hart was held out of action today after suffering a back injury that a team representative is calling “spasms,” Bondy adds in the same piece. Hart fell to the court in pain in the second quarter of Thursday’s game and was holding his lower back as he walked to the locker room. “It’s preseason and we’re going to err on the side of caution,” the representative told Bondy. “We’ll see where he is when (we get home).”
The Knicks were more successful in implementing Brown’s up-tempo offense in their second game under their new head coach, Bondy states in a separate story. Brown wants his team to push the ball in transition, and Jalen Brunson said the guards ran to the corners every time Philadelphia missed a shot. “Pace doesn’t necessarily mean fast,” Brunson said. “Obviously we want to get the ball across half-court in a certain time frame. But it’s about playing smart, seeing what the defense does and just reading that. We weren’t really trying to leak out, but we were trying to sprint to corners and we were getting behind the defense and we were able to get layups. So as long as we come away with a stop, that allows us to run.”
Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News assesses the players who saw court time in Abu Dhabi and examines how their games are changing with Brown in charge.

Knicks Notes: Robinson, Hart, Dadiet, Brunson, More

October 3rd, 2025 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

After alternating between Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart in the starting five during training camp practices, Knicks head coach Mike Brown opted to start Robinson alongside Karl-Anthony Towns in the team’s preseason opener on Thursday, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required).

It was a move that “gained momentum” during training camp, Bondy writes, and one that paid off in the Knicks’ first game of October. Robinson racked up a game-high 16 boards despite not playing in the second half. New York led by 10 points at the half and ended up registering a 99-84 victory.

“He was phenomenal,” Brown said of Robinson. “Played 18 minutes, had 16 rebounds — 11 of them defensively — but more importantly for a big, he had three deflections. So Mitch, good job. I’ll get a plaque for you, Mitch. He was the player of the game for us.”

Brown told reporters prior to the game that the lineup change wouldn’t necessarily be permanent, but Hart took a hard fall and is considered day-to-day due to lower back soreness, as Bondy notes. That means Robinson is well positioned to at least keep his spot in the starting five on Saturday when the Knicks and Sixers play their second of two contests in Abu Dhabi.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

With OG Anunoby unavailable due to a minor hand injury on Thursday, Pacome Dadiet unexpectedly got the start in his place. But if it was an audition for a larger role with the Knicks or a showcase for a potential trade, it didn’t go great, says James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Dadiet went 0-for-5 on his three-point attempts and turned the ball over three times in 15 minutes of action while scoring four points and grabbing a pair of rebounds.
Edwards and Bondy shared a few more takeaways from the preseason opener, with Edwards pointing out that Towns seemed comfortable in Brown’s new, free-flowing offense, while both Edwards and Bondy singled out Miles McBride as one of the game’s top performers. Bondy also observes that Landry Shamet was part of the first-half rotation, whereas Malcolm Brogdon didn’t get into the game until midway through the third quarter, once Brown had begun to lean more on his deeper reserves.
While some star players around the league like to be consulted on major team decisions involving the roster or the head coach, Jalen Brunson tells Bondy (subscription required) that he’s not one of those players — the veteran point guard is happy to leave those moves to management and doesn’t feel the need to be involved. “My entire thing was, before anything happens, my job is to go out there and be the best player I can be. And do my job on the court,” Brunson said. “Anything that happens outside the court, with the organization, with the team, when it happens, tell me. But I don’t want any part in having a say in it or anything. It’s not my job to say who deserves to come, who deserves to go. It’s not me.”

Eastern Notes: C. White, Porzingis, Knicks, Anthony, Magic

September 28th, 2025 at 9:39am CST by Luke Adams

Despite modest projections from experts and outside observers, Coby White believes the Bulls have a chance to be “really good” in 2025/26, he tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape. Besides being positive about his team’s outlook, the 25-year-old guard has set a personal goal as he enters his seventh NBA season.

“I want to win and I want to become that All-Star-caliber player,” White said. “That’s the next step for me in my personal game. I’ve had two really good seasons, averaging 20 (points per game) or whatever. The next part is for us to take that leap as a team, and that’s to win and get out of this little play-in (tournament) stage that we are in, take my game to the next level and become an All-Star.”

White is entering the final year of his current contract and will make $12.9MM in 2025/26. Because starting salaries in veteran contract extensions are limited to a percentage of the player’s previous salary (or the average league-wide salary), White has let the Bulls know he doesn’t plan on signing a new deal before reaching free agency in 2026, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Cowley believes it would be in both teams’ best interest for the Bulls and Rockets to work out a trade involving White in the wake of Fred VanVleet‘s ACL tear — Cowley suggests a package of Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason. However, White told Spears that he remains very open to the idea of continuing his career in Chicago, even if he doesn’t sign a new contract until he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.

“I love being in Chicago. I love the front office. I love my teammates. I love the staff,” White said. “I built a great relationship with coach Billy Donovan. And for me, if it is meant to be (to) stay a Chicago Bull, then I can’t ask for nothing else.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh said on Friday that the team feels good about where Kristaps Porzingis‘ health stands after he was plagued by post-viral syndrome during the final months of the 2024/25 season. “We’re super confident in Kristaps’ health, and him playing a healthy season,” Saleh said (Twitter link via Malik Brown of ClutchPoints). “We wouldn’t have made the trade if we didn’t think that. There was no hesitation there from us. We felt comfortable doing that at the time. We feel great about it now, and we’re excited for him to play a bunch of games this season.”
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic takes a closer look at Mike Brown‘s plan to better maximize Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on offense, which includes using Brunson off the ball more often and moving Towns around to different areas of the floor.
New Bucks guard Cole Anthony said this week that he’s “super excited” to be in Milwaukee and that the change of scenery feels like a “breath of fresh air” after his playing time declined in Orlando in recent years, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays. “Obviously, I loved my time (with the Magic), but this feels like, for me, a stepping stone in my career,” Anthony said. “I just want to come in and help the team win in whichever way I can. I think they’re going to ask me to do what I can do, which is score, pass the ball, guard, whatever, but I’m just really happy to be a part of this team, specifically because it’s been great being here these past couple weeks and being with these guys. The energy is high. There’s a real professional vibe around everybody, and everybody has a chip on their shoulder.”
Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required) runs through four key questions facing the Magic ahead of the 2025/26 season, including when Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner will be ready to play, what the bench rotation will look like, and who will fill the club’s open two-way contract slot.

Knicks Notes: Bridges, Brunson, Anunoby, Brown

September 27th, 2025 at 7:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Although it doesn’t match the sacrifice that Jalen Brunson made by giving up a potential $113MM in his latest contract, it’s still significant that Knicks forward Mikal Bridges accepted $150MM in the four-year extension he signed this summer when he was eligible for roughly $6MM more, writes Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required).

There was speculation that Bridges, who was set to become a free agent in 2026, might not be eager to sign up for a long-term commitment in New York after a difficult first season with the team. But he said at media day that he wants his future to be with the Knicks and he never considered any other options.

“Because I love it here,” he added. “Love the fans, love the culture, love the staff and everybody, front office, everything, teammates. That’s probably the biggest thing. I know, throughout last year, last year was tough throughout the season and playoffs helped a little bit but I think I just appreciate the fans and everybody. I think a lot of people thought I might be upset because everybody was getting on me too hard, but I think I was more mad at myself because everything they want was what I want so it’s not like a ‘why ‘y’all getting on me?’ Some things get a little too crazy, but that’s just life [and] how it is.”

There’s more from New York:

Brunson dropped a few pounds over the summer in anticipation of playing at a faster pace under new head coach Mike Brown, according to Zach Braziller of The New York Post (subscription required). “It was important for me to be a little lighter just throughout the course of the season,” said Brunson, who refused to divulge his new weight. “Not even being lighter, I’m not that much lighter, definitely more toned and like that. But it’s just important for me to get my body in the best shape possible I can and go from there.”
When he was coaching the Nigerian national team, Brown tried to recruit OG Anunoby for the Tokyo Olympics, Braziller adds in the same piece. Anunoby declined the offer, partially due to COVID concerns, but he’s looking forward to finally playing for Brown. “I was excited (when the Knicks hired Brown),” Anunoby said. “I’ve known Mike for some years now. I was excited when I found out he was the coach. We talked pretty quickly, just about everything, not even basketball, but life stuff.”
Brown is happy to see his players adapting to a new offensive system so quickly, per Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News (subscription required). While former coach Tom Thibodeau preferred a slower approach, Brown is installing the up-tempo, quick-decision attack he used in Sacramento. “Their attentiveness has been great,” Brown said after Friday’s practice. “Today was the first time where we really had a chance to bump heads and scrimmage. So when you go against a different color jersey instead of just going through it 5-on-0 or against the coaches, it’s a little different. But our guys did a good job. It’ll be even more different when we go against Philly in Abu Dhabi. I like our progress so far — but we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Knicks Notes: Hart, Towns, Rotation, Brunson, Bridges

September 23rd, 2025 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

Knicks forward Josh Hart underwent a procedure on his right ring finger in July, but he told reporters at the team’s media day on Tuesday that he recently aggravated that finger issue and will likely have to wear a splint this season, as Steve Popper of Newsday tweets.

Hart’s hope is that the splint will suffice for 2025/26 and he’ll be able to address the injury again next summer, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. While his goal is to be available for the entire season, the 30-year-old acknowledged that if he can’t play like himself as a result of the injury, he may have to address it earlier than the 2026 offseason.

“I hate playing with anything on my hands,” Hart said (Twitter link via Edwards). “It might take a little getting used to. That’s the best scenario (playing with a finger splint).”

Here are a few more highlights from the Knicks’ media day:

According to Edwards (Twitter link), Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns said today that he didn’t undergo any procedures on his finger or knee during the offseason, contrary to a June report. For what it’s worth, the wording in that ESPN report from June has since been updated to indicate that Towns underwent “treatment” on those injuries, rather than “procedures.”
Asked today about the team’s lineup and rotation, new Knicks head coach Mike Brown said “it’s too early” to make a final decision on his starting five, adding that he anticipates using a nine- or 10-man rotation (Twitter links via Edwards).
Multiple Knicks players, including star guard Jalen Brunson, expressed appreciation for former head coach Tom Thibodeau (Twitter link via Edwards). “It’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization,” Brunson said. “He’s meant a lot to me. I’ve expressed that to him publicly and personally. He’s meant a lot to my career.”
Mikal Bridges signed a four-year extension this offseason that came in about $6MM below his maximum extension. He said on Tuesday that he agreed to sign for $150MM instead of $156MM because he wants to “win bad” and knew it would help the organization if he accepted a little less. “I got a good amount of money,” Bridges said.

Jalen Brunson: Knicks Need Right ‘Mindset’ To Surpass Last Season

September 17th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks clearly appear to be one of the top two teams in the East, but star guard Jalen Brunson doesn’t want his teammates to believe that means an automatic return to the conference finals, he told D.J. Siddiqi of Games Hub.

“Hopefully we don’t have that mindset going into the season where we think we’re just going to jump back into the Eastern Conference Finals,” Brunson said in an interview this week. “We need to be able to go through this process again and continue to get better and to fight to get over that hump.”

New York returns the core of a roster that fell two games short of a trip to the NBA Finals last season. The team is counting on improved depth after adding Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele in free agency, along with several other talents who will compete for roster spots in training camp. The Knicks also made a coaching change, with Mike Brown considered more likely to rely on a deep bench than his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau.

Brunson believes the offseason maneuvering has put the team in position to succeed at the highest level.

“I think we’ve been taking steady steps every year,” he said. “The best part about our team is the chemistry we’ve grown and we’ve created. A lot of people help us on this journey, and to be able to be where we are now, it’s nothing to be satisfied about. Everyone says, ‘Oh, you need to get experience.’ Well, this is us getting experience. This is literally us going through the trials and tribulations of being a good team. So continue to do that and just find a way to see what can we do to get over that hump.

“It’s going to take all of us. It’s not going to take just one change or another small thing. It’s going to take all of us together to kind of put everything aside and pull together.”

Brunson was also complimentary of center Karl-Anthony Towns, who expanded the team’s offensive capabilities after being acquired from Minnesota shortly before the start of last season. There won’t be a learning curve for Towns as he prepares for his second year in New York, and Brunson believes he can be even better after earning third-team All-NBA honors.

“Having him as a teammate has been really fun,” Brunson said. “I think that gets overlooked how good of a teammate he is. Obviously, he’s a great player and what he does on the court. But the teammate he is and what he brings to the locker room for us is special. So I’m really happy to have him. Don’t think you can compare him. He shoots the ball so effortlessly, and he can make plays. He has great touch around the rim, so he’s pretty much his own person. He picks different games of styles of basketball, and kind of makes it into his own.”

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