Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Knicks Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Clarkson, Yabusele, Longabardi, Ingram

September 25th, 2025 at 10:07am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks brought in several veterans to compete for the last minimum contract they can offer, barring a trade. New coach Mike Brown believes that will lead to a spirited training camp, according to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.

“A competitive spirit. I’m big on that. … For us, every day is about competition,” Brown said after the first day of training camp. “Whether you’re a coach [or] you’re a player, we want to compete. We want to grow as a unit in that area, and it’s no different for everybody else individually. Whether you’re here on a guaranteed deal [or] you’re here on a non-guaranteed deal, you’re competing your butt off. And at the end of the day, we have a lot of time to make a decision on what’s gonna happen.

“But at the end of the day, we’ll figure out who we need to fit and who needs to fit, but it’s gonna be a process. There’s no one ahead of anyone right now. Everybody’s coming in trying to compete for a spot. All the guys we have we feel are competitors, so we’ll see at the end of the day who rises to the top.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, a pair of Knicks offseason additions on guaranteed contracts, are expected to have major rotation roles. Brown heaped both players with praise. “He’s a professional scorer,” Brown said of Clarkson, per James Edwards III of The Athletic. “Especially one coming off the bench, it means he knows how to play the game. He’s not just scoring. That’s what I like about him — he’s a capable passer. I like the mindset that he has. You want guys who aren’t afraid of the moment, who are willing to take the shot and go get it.” As for Yabusele, Brown noted how well he played for the Sixers last season after several seasons overseas. “When you get drafted and don’t make it, it can do a lot of things to you mentally,” Brown said. “It can make you say things like, ‘Screw the NBA. I don’t want to come back,’ or it can make you say, ‘You know what? I’m an NBA player and I’m going to do what I need to do to get back and be there as long as I want to be there.’ Seeing that process tells you a lot about him as a person. That’s a vastly competitive spirit and competitive nature that I’m looking for when it comes to being a New York Knick.”
  • Speaking of the Sixers, they are promoting Mike Longabardi as an assistant coach, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Longabardi was previously the G League head coach of the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s affiliate. He has also been an assistant for the Celtics and Cavaliers
  • There isn’t much preseason buzz regarding the Raptors, but Michael Grange of Sporsnet identifies five reasons for optimism, with Brandon Ingram suiting up this season at the top of the list. Ingram didn’t play after Toronto acquired at the trade deadline due to an ankle injury. Roster continuity is another reason to be bullish, Grange writes — they’re bringing back all but one of their players who saw at least 1,000 minutes of action.
Repost Share Send via email

Atlantic Notes: Porter Jr., Hart, Celtics Lineup, Simons

September 24th, 2025 at 10:56am CST by Dana Gauruder

Michael Porter Jr. took a back seat offensively with the Nuggets while Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were the main options. That will change with the Nets, as the rebuilding club will look to Porter as its top crunch-time option, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.

“Over here, it’s going to be completely different, and I have to be ready for that,” Porter said. “I have to be ready to be fresh as a go-to guy in the fourth quarter, and I’m aware of that. So, it’s going to be an adjustment. There’s going to be some growing pains and a growing period. But I’m ready for it.”

General manager Sean Marks confirmed that Porter, who was acquired this offseason, will have an expanded role on his new team.

“He’s another player that has something to prove,” Marks said. “He’s played on a championship team, and obviously, this is going to be a different market, a different environment, and probably different expectations.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Knicks forward Josh Hart said he’ll embrace a sixth-man role if that is what new coach Mike Brown chooses but that he “deserves” to start, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post relays. “I had the best year of my career last year, but that’s in the past,” he said. “I think I’m a starter in the league. I think I deserve to be a starter in the league, but at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the team. Last year, I talked about sacrifice the whole time and kind of being that separate mentality and being a good steward of my gifts and those kinds of things. So I think it would be extremely selfish for me to go out there and demand to start and all those kinds of things. So, whatever Mike wants to do or doesn’t wanna do, I’m cool with. And time will tell what that is, but I’m gonna figure it out.”
  • Few teams changed their rosters more over the summer than the Celtics, who spent their offseason shedding salary in the aftermath of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury. The NBC Sports Boston staff made their predictions on what the rest of the lineup will look like on opening night aside from returnees Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
  • One of the key additions by the Celtics, Anfernee Simons, has an expiring $27.7MM contract. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe opines that the front office shouldn’t be eager to deal the high-scoring guard. While Washburn believes a strong season could earn Simons a contract in the $40MM-per-year range, he thinks the Celtics might be better off determining his impact and potential before making a decision next summer. If it does not go well, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens can always dangle Simons at the February trade deadline.
Repost Share Send via email

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.
Repost Share Send via email

Knicks Notes: Position Clashes, Roster, Thibodeau, Dadiet

September 22nd, 2025 at 9:01pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

As the Knicks gear up for training camp, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link) breaks down the team’s top narratives, position battles, new players, and more.

As Bondy writes, New York currently has enough room below its hard cap to carry a single veteran camp invitee into the regular season, but they’ve signed five to training camp deals. Guards Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet are the leaders in the clubhouse, but guard Garrison Mathews, center Alex Len and wing Matt Ryan all still have a shot, according to Bondy.

While All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns and All-Defensive forwards Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are all pretty much locked in to starting roles, Bondy posits that guard Josh Hart and big man Mitchell Robinson could both stake a claim to that fifth starting gig.

In another subscriber-only article, Bondy takes a look at the storylines facing each rostered player heading into the season.

There’s more out of New York:

  • Knicks players opted not to fight to retain head coach Tom Thibodeau despite a strong 51-31 season and an Eastern Conference Finals berth, Ian Begley said during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio (Twitter link). Begley noted that Hart “was very close” with the now-former coach, and suggested that, if Hart or other key players had insisted to management that Thibodeau be retained, he may have stuck around. Hart’s shooting went cold during the playoffs and he was toggled with Robinson for New York’s fifth starting spot. The Knicks ultimately replaced Thibodeau with Mike Brown.
  • After they finished as the third seed in the East last year, Malik Smith of The New York Post (subscriber link) expects the Knicks to enjoy a more robust run in 2025/26, thanks to Achilles injuries and roster turnover knocking Boston and Indiana down a peg. As Smith observes, most sportsbooks peg the club to win in the neighborhood of 53 games next season.
  • In a reader mailbag, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic says he believes second-year wing Pacome Dadiet, a first-round pick last season, is the player most likely to be traded prior to February’s deadline. Edwards also wonders if New York could expand its rotation to 10 players and takes a look at how Brown can improve the club’s versatility, among other topics.
Repost Share Send via email

Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Final Roster Spots

September 21st, 2025 at 5:07pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Knicks have been busy lately. After signing Jordan Clarkson following a buyout with the Jazz, as well as Guerschon Yabusele earlier in the summer, New York found itself in a severe salary cap crunch, but that hasn’t stopped the team from trying to upgrade on the margins.

The Knicks added Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon on training camp deals, and are reportedly hoping to keep both for the regular season, despite their cap limitations. They also signed Garrison Mathews, a sharpshooter like Shamet, along with Alex Len and Matt Ryan on camp deals.

Finally, they signed second-round draft pick Mohamed Diawara to a non-guaranteed deal while rounding out their two-way contract rotation with deals for Trey Jemison, Tosan Evbuomwan, and Kevin McCullar Jr.

For a team with limited space and money, the Knicks have done a good job of finding quality NBA players to compete for their final roster spot behind Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti.

With Diawara expected to claim a roster spot due to his rookie-minimum cap hit, the Knicks technically have two more openings on their 15-man roster. However, without enough room below a second-apron hard cap to carry a full 15-man squad, retaining two more veterans would require a salary-shedding trade, likely involving one of McBride, Kolek, or Dadiet.

McBride is the most proven player of that group, having demonstrated his ability to contribute during the playoffs after a tough opening series against the Pistons. He’s on a team-friendly contract, but only for one more season after this one. While it’s unlikely McBride would be moved, his defense and shooting could appeal to a team looking to add an established backcourt contributor on the cheap.

Among the Knicks’ 2024 draftees, Kolek played more than Dadiet last season and showed himself to be a heady decision-maker, but he needs to be more consistent as a shooter to cover for his defensive limitations. While Dadiet played less than half the minutes of Kolek, his size (6’8″), flashes of shooting, and the fact that he’s four years younger than Kolek could make him a more attractive trade target for teams.

As for who will win the training camp battle for the final roster spot(s), Shamet appears to be a frontrunner. The 6’4″ guard played well when called upon by former coach Tom Thibodeau, operating as an effective off-ball shooting threat and giving good effort on defense. Head coach Mike Brown has reportedly put an emphasis on player movement this summer, which should play into the skill set of Shamet, as well as Mathews and Ryan.

Brogdon is the most accomplished of the players under consideration. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2016/17 and Sixth Man of the Year in 2022/23, had a season of shooting over 40/50/90 while scoring 15.6 points per game, and holds a career three-point percentage of 38.8%, as well as a career assist-to-turnover rate of 4.7 to 1.7. For a team that was lacking secondary ball-handling alongside Brunson last season, Brogdon’s ability to function in either guard spot and play alongside Brunson could be appealing, especially with the defensive concerns that could come with playing Brunson and Clarkson together for long stretches.

However, Brogdon comes with an extensive injury history, having played just 166 games over the last four seasons. The decision on Brogdon could come down to how comfortable the team is with his health, as well as his willingness to move the ball quickly.

The Knicks’ roster-building strategy this summer has been very focused on offensive-minded guards and wings. Brown faces an uphill battle when it comes to ironing out an effective defensive scheme, and starting Robinson could be one way that he addresses it.

Adding Shamet and Brogdon, along with Clarkson, would make for a roster crunch in the backcourt with McBride still there as the incumbent sixth man. Starting McBride could make it easier to slot the guards in around Hart and Yabusele, while also allowing McBride to take over the primary initiator defensive duties, a role that Bridges struggled with at times last season. This would allow the team to have three high-level wing defenders in McBride, Bridges, and Anunoby while also playing five shooters offensively.

If Brown decides during training camp to start the two-big lineup, it could change the team’s plans for the back of its roster. Brown coached Len for over two years in Sacramento, so there’s a built-in familiarity between the two. Jemison has less size than Len, but he could be viewed as a potential longer-term depth piece given that he’s only 25 years old.

We want to hear your thoughts. How do you think the Knicks should round out the final spots on their roster?

Repost Share Send via email

Knicks Emphasized Collaboration During Coaching Search

September 20th, 2025 at 8:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

Collaboration will be a point of emphasis as Mike Brown prepares for his first season as head coach of the Knicks, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required).

Sources tell Bondy that the need to work together across the organization was stressed during the interview process after former coach Tom Thibodeau’s style was considered “too unilateral.” Brown will be expected to consult with ownership, the front office, the medical staff and player development experts, along with his assistant coaches and players, and to give serious consideration to their input.

“I had great conversations with (team owner) Mr. (James) Dolan and (president) Leon (Rose),” Brown said during his introductory press conference. “I want to form a partnership with them. It’s impossible to do this alone.” 

Bondy notes that Brown has to walk a fine line of taking suggestions from multiple parties while still showing that he’s in charge of the team, rather than a “puppet” of the front office. That challenge will begin when the team opens training camp this week.

Brown will also be tasked with upgrading the offense by replacing Thibodeau’s reliance on isolations with a style that emphasizes ball movement and pace. His players have received some exposure to the new system already, and the reaction has been positive.

“I’ve talked to (Brown) a lot, and I think the big thing is just going to be a lot of player movement,” reserve guard Miles McBride said recently. “He’s giving us the foundation, and we’re just going to work off of it. So I’m really excited to see all our creativity with each other that we’ve been working on these last couple months. Really excited to see where it takes us.” 

Brown is also expected to have less reliance on his starters than his predecessor, giving more players a chance to log significant minutes. Bondy theorizes that would have happened anyway after the offseason additions of Guerschon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson and Malcolm Brogdon, but Brown is naturally more inclined than Thibodeau to use a larger rotation.

Bondy notes that the Knicks’ starting five easily led the NBA in combined minutes last season, but he sees the potential for a 10-man rotation under Brown.

Repost Share Send via email

2025/26 NBA Over/Unders: Atlantic Division

September 18th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

With the 2025/26 NBA regular season set to tip off next month, we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and continuing an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.

With the help of the lines from a series of sports betting sites – including BetMGM and BetOnline – we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

In 2024/25, our voters went 13-17 on their over/under picks. Can we top that in ’25/26?

We’ll begin our series today with the Atlantic Division…

New York Knicks

Boston Celtics

Philadelphia 76ers

Toronto Raptors

Brooklyn Nets

Repost Share Send via email

Knicks Hoping To Keep Brogdon, Shamet

September 18th, 2025 at 8:33am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks want to retain both Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet on their 15-man opening night, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. That will require a trade to open up some salary cap space and Bondy’s sources around the league believe it will happen.

The Knicks are hard-capped and can’t exceed the $207.8MM second tax apron threshold. They currently only have enough flexibility below that apron to carry one of their veteran camp invitees on the regular season roster.

Brogdon and Shamet are among a handful of veteran players signed to non-guaranteed contracts to compete for that opening. Garrison Mathews, Matt Ryan and Alex Len were also signed this week. Bondy indicates that Brogdon and Shamet passed on other opportunities and wouldn’t have done so if they were worried about getting cut.

However, the competition for that contract might last until late in training camp. The Knicks could wait to ensure that both guards remain healthy and that Brogdon looks like he’ll bounce back after a lost season with the Wizards in which he played just 24 games. It would also give the other trio a chance to prove they’re worthy of a roster spot.

As for which player might be dealt, Bondy cautions not to rule out a Miles McBride trade. McBride averaged 24.9 minutes per game last season but with Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges entrenched as the starters and the addition of Jordan Clarkson (plus possibly Brogdon and/or Shamet), his playing time could be reduced. Plus, he’s eligible for an extension next summer and could be an unrestricted free agent in 2027. The Knicks have so many long-term salary commitments that an extension for McBride could contribute to more cap restrictions down the road.

Pacome Dadiet and Tyler Kolek are the other logical possibilities to be dealt, though neither is likely to command as strong a return as McBride would on the trade market.

The Knicks have stated they are more committed to player development and Dadiet, their 2024 first-round pick, has the highest ceiling among their young reserves. Kolek, a 2024 second-rounder, is only making $2.19MM, so moving him and retaining two veterans would leave New York with barely any breathing room (roughly $44K) below the second apron.

Repost Share Send via email

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.”

Repost Share Send via email

And-Ones: Sengun, Giannis, Future Rankings, G League Swap, Drell

September 16th, 2025 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rockets center Alperen Sengun made an eye-opening statement regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo after Turkey defeated Greece for the EuroBasket semifinals.

“He’s not a great passer. He’s an amazing player, you know, but he’s not a great passer. So we just tried to help and jump to close the paint,” Sengun said, per Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews.com.

When asked about Sengun’s comments on Sunday, according to BasketNews, the Bucks superstar replied, “I’m not the guy that will talk back to coaches or players or people that say bad things about me. It doesn’t really matter because at the end of the day, you won’t remember what they say. You’ll remember how I respond. So, I keep everything to myself. You can go see my clips on YouTube. And then come back and ask me if I’m a good passer. There you go. That’s it.”

The disagreement continued on social media but both players later issued apologies for comments they made on Instagram, according to Eurohoops.net.

We have more from around the international basketball world:

  • ESPN’s Insiders updated their three-year future rankings of every NBA franchise based on a variety of factors. Not surprisingly, the defending champion Thunder received the top ranking. The Rockets, Knicks, Cavaliers and Clippers rounded out the top five, with the Suns occupying the bottom of the totem pole.
  • The Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder‘s NBA G League team, has acquired a 2026 first-round pick and the returning player rights to Steven Richardson from the Wisconsin Herd in exchange for the returning player rights to Cormac Ryan, Thunder beat reporter Rylan Stiles tweets. Ryan joined the Bucks‘ camp roster on an Exhibit 10 deal last week, so this clears the way for him to receive a bonus up to $85,300 if he’s waived and then spends 60 days or more with the Herd.
  • Spanish club Joventut Badalona and former Bulls forward Henri Drell have reached an agreement for the next two months with an option to extend until the end of the season, according to Penya.com. Drell played in the EuroBasket tournament with the Estonian national team. Last year, he played 15 games with La Laguna Tenerife. Drell appeared in four games with Chicago during the 2023/24 season.
Repost Share Send via email
Load More Posts