New York Knicks

New York Knicks star Julius Randle posted a cryptic message on social media after a fan photo made the rounds purportedly showing the team store not selling his jersey.

Randle reposted the photo in an Instagram story and then wrote, "The truth shall come to light."

It appears the Knicks store at Madison Square Garden does in fact have Randle's jersey on display, so maybe that's the "truth" he was referencing.

This comes against the backdrop of the 6'8" forward's long-term future in the Big Apple being in some doubt. He's eligible to become a free agent next offseason and him declining his $30.9 million player option seems a likely outcome with the salary cap going up and up.

Extending Randle is a tricky call for the Knicks because they've already committed a lot of money to OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson. Next on the list will be Mikal Bridges, who can hit free agency in 2026.

Paying Randle at his market rate on top of that would significantly restrict New York's financial flexibility moving forward. He nonetheless remains on the roster despite what might be an expiring contract, though that could be partially down to other factors.

The Athletic's Fred Katz reported on Aug. 21 that "I don't believe there is a team in the NBA that would value the three-time All-Star more than the Knicks do." He cited one front-office official who said Randle's trade value is "neutral, at best."

So don't expect his jersey to be leaving the MSG store anytime soon.

Julius Randle could be on his way out of New York.

During Monday's episode of The Hoop Collective, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that Randle's reasonable salary makes him a moveable piece and that the team still has other assets to make another splashy transaction.

"Because of that $29 million salary, he is extraordinarily tradable," Windhorst said. "The Knicks still do have a couple of first-round picks that they can move."

Randle is entering the final year of his current contract, although he does have a $31 million player option for 2025-26. Windhorst noted this and said that Randle could be a candidate for a much more significant deal.

"His value, if he is 100% is more than that," Windhorst said. "There is no reason why if he is playing at the top of his game, why he shouldn't seriously consider opting out of that."

He is eligible for a four-year, $181 million extension but that may be a steep price for the Knicks to pay. New York is currently set to pay hefty contracts to Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby while Mikal Bridges is inching closer towards needing a new deal.

The Knicks are a better team with Randle in the fold, as he averaged 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and five assists in 46 games in 2023-24. He is a three-time All-Star and could be a strong option for a Knicks team that has championship aspirations in 2024-25.

However, keeping him beyond 2024-25 could be daunting, and re-distributing his value into multiple areas on the team could be good for next season and beyond.

Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban has issued an apology to Jalen Brunson for taking a swipe at Brunson's father, Rick, following failed contract talks between the two sides in 2023.

Appearing on the Roommates Show podcast (starts at 45:45 mark), Cuban offered the apology during an awkward exchange with Brunson.

"I apologize," he said. "If I put you in a certain way, that wasn't the intention. But it was hard to deal with. It was a unique negotiation in a lot of different ways."

The topic came up after Cuban told reporters in April 2023 that the Mavs were never given a fair shot to re-sign Brunson when Rick Brunson, who has been an assistant coach for the New York Knicks since June 2022, got involved.

"Where it went south was when Rick took over, when the parent took over, or parents took over," Cuban said.

Brunson said on the podcast he "didn't like" when Cuban brought his parents into the equation.

"The only thing I didn't like about the whole situation was when Mark said, 'When the parents got involved, that's when things got messy,'" Brunson said. "That was the one thing I was like —I kinda was like, damn, that was a little jab."

That was when Cuban offered his apology.

Brunson spent the first four seasons of his career with the Mavericks. He said publicly he would have signed a four-year, $55 million extension if the team offered it to him during the 2021-22 season, but the Mavs declined in order to keep their options open.

Cuban disputed that Brunson was willing to accept that offer in his April 2023 comments, including reading text messages from Mavs general manager Nico Harrison and Brunson's agent Aaron Mintz from January and February 2022.

One of the messages Cuban read mentioned that Rick Brunson was expecting his son to receive a contract offer in the range of $18-23 million per season as a free agent.

The $55 million extension was the maximum Brunson could have received from the Mavs if he signed prior to hitting free agency.

Following the 2021-22 season, Brunson joined the New York Knicks on a four-year, $104 million contract.

Things have worked out for everyone involved, though it took time for the Mavs to bounce back. Cuban's initial comments came as the team was wrapping up a season in which they missed the playoffs with a 38-44 record.

After acquiring Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets in February 2023 and selecting Dereck Lively II with the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, the Mavericks won 50 games last season and advanced to the NBA Finals before losing to the Boston Celtics.

The Knicks have made the playoffs in each of Brunson's first two seasons with the club. Their 50 wins last season were the most for the team since 2012-13 (54-28).

Jalen Brunson's ascent up the New York star rankings may have him on par with Jay-Z, at least according to Frances Tiafoe.

The tennis star said Brunson is "damn near bigger than Jay-Z" in New York City after wrapping up his second-round match at the U.S. Open.

It's hard for anyone to get close to Jay-Z on the NYC hierarchy. "Empire State of Mind" is entirely about how much he loves the city, with references to Brooklyn, Tribeca, Harlem, Bed-Stuy, the Knicks, Nets and Yankees.

Brunson elevated himself into that category thanks primarily to his performance for the Knicks in the NBA playoffs last season. The superstar point guard averaged 32.4 points and 7.5 assists per game in 13 starts.

The Knicks looked to be on their way to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, but injuries to key players in the first two rounds of the playoffs proved too much to overcome.

Brunson became the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 40 points in four consecutive playoff games. He accomplished the feat from Games 4-6 in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers and Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers.

The 27-year-old only further endeared himself to Knicks fans in July when he signed a new contract for $113 million less than what he could have earned if he had waited until next summer to extend his deal.

Brunson's decision to give up money now will allow the Knicks flexibility to keep their core with Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo and OG Anunoby together and avoiding the second apron tax level.

If Brunson can get close to Jay-Z's level of popularity in New York just by getting the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs, imagine what will happen if they advance even further next season.

• Check out this video where Richie discusses the New York Knicks' potential as a top defensive team in the 2024-2025 NBA season, focusing on key players and coach Tom Thibodeau. 📹 

• Richie predicts the Knicks will have the best defense in the NBA this season, thanks to coach Thibodeau's defensive strategies. 🛡️ 

• The Knicks' nine-man rotation includes Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Deuce McBride and Precious Achiuwa. 🔄 

• Richie highlights the importance of elite wing defenders like Anunoby and Bridges, who were crucial additions to the Knicks' roster. 🏀 

• Injury updates on key players like Randle and Robinson are discussed, with optimism about their return early in the season. 🏥 

• Richie emphasizes the Knicks' strong defensive culture, comparing it to the gritty '90s era, and expresses high expectations for the team's performance this season. 💪 

The video summary is powered by AI technology and human-reviewed. Related video content is human-created.

• Check out this video where the host predicts the New York Knicks will have the best defense in the 2024-2025 NBA season, thanks to key roster additions and coach Tom Thibodeau's leadership. 🎥 

• He highlights the addition of Mikal Bridges and a healthy OG Anunoby as key factors. 💪 

• Richie emphasizes the importance of extending Thibodeau, calling him a defensive mastermind. 🧠 

• He asserts that the Knicks can compete defensively with top teams like the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks. 🔥 

• Richie is excited about the Knicks' potential to be one of the best defensive teams in the league. 🎉 

The video summary is powered by AI technology and human-reviewed. Related video content is human-created.

• Check out this video where Richie discusses New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau's coaching success and evolution, highlighting key players and strategies in the NBA. 📺 

• Richie explains how Tom Thibodeau has adapted his '90s-era mindset to the modern NBA, focusing on defense and evolving offensively. 🏀 

• The Knicks' increased three-point shooting under Thibodeau's guidance has created more opportunities for players like Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle. 🎯 

• Richie highlights Robinson's impressive offensive rebounding stats before his injury, emphasizing the Knicks' strength on the boards. 💪 

• He shares how Thibodeau's decision to play Deuce McBride during a game against the Golden State Warriors effectively neutralized Steph Curry and showcased the Knicks' defensive prowess. 🔒 

• Richie underscores the excitement surrounding the Knicks' roster, including contributions from players like Mikal Bridges and a healthy Robinson. 🌟 

The video summary is powered by AI technology and human-reviewed. Related video content is human-created.

Before officially retiring from the NBA, Carmelo Anthony considered making one more run with the New York Knicks.

On the latest episode of the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Anthony explained he was having talks with the Knicks in 2022 after his stint with the Los Angeles Lakers before he opted against signing with the team due to not knowing what his role would be.

The 2022 offseason was a transformative one for the Knicks. They signed Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract in free agency. They were also in the mix to trade for Donovan Mitchell, but came up short in part because they declined to send Quentin Grimes to the Utah Jazz.

By not making the trade for Mitchell, the Knicks were able to keep cap space open that allowed them to add players like Donte DiVincenzo, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.

The Knicks have built one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference over the past two seasons. They might have made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time since 2000 if they didn't have so many injuries to key players throughout the playoffs.

Anthony said he wanted to "bow out gracefully" after having "a hell of a year" with the Lakers. The 10-time All-Star had transitioned to being a bench player at that stage of his career. He averaged 13.3 points on 37.5 percent three-point shooting in 69 appearances with Los Angeles during the 2021-22 season.

Despite not signing with the Knicks in the summer of 2022, Anthony waited to officially retire until May 2023.

Anthony played 19 seasons in the NBA from 2003 to '22. He began his career with the Denver Nuggets before being traded to the Knicks in February 2011.

The Knicks made the playoffs in Anthony's first two seasons, including earning the No. 2 seed in 2012-13. Their 54 wins that season remain their highest win total since 1996-97 (57-25).

Anthony's 24.7 points per game with the Knicks is the second-highest average in franchise history. Only Bernard King's 26.5 points per game ranks ahead of him.

Despite earning All-Star selections in three of the past four seasons, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle's trade value isn't that high.

One anonymous member of a rival front office told Fred Katz of The Athletic that Randle's value to opposing teams is "neutral, at best."

The 29-year-old still has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $117 million contract that he signed with New York in 2021. However, he has a player option worth $30.9 million for the 2025-26 season and could choose to decline it if he's continuing to perform at an All-Star level.

The "fear" of giving Randle a long-term contract after his current deal expires makes it "difficult" for the Knicks to find suitors willing to give up significant assets in order to make a trade worthwhile, per Katz.

Randle could receive another contract from New York, although SNY's Ian Begley reported on July 17 that extension talks aren't "at the forefront" for either side. The former first-round pick is eligible for a four-year deal worth up to $181.5 million.

This doesn't mean that a trade is coming, as Katz noted on Thursday that there is "no indication" that the Knicks are actively attempting to move Randle.

New York is trying to compete with the Boston Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference standings after acquiring Mikal Bridges and re-signing OG Anunoby during the offseason.

After averaging 23.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game over the past four seasons, Randle could set himself up for another long-term extension and boost his trade value by continuing his strong regular-season play into the postseason during his 2024-25 campaign.