New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are not happy with rumors the NBA is investigating their promotion of Rick Brunson, who is the father of Jalen Brunson, to lead assistant coach.

"In response to the rumored NBA investigation into Rick Brunson's promotion, Brunson took Johnnie Bryant's place and assumed the same salary as Bryant," MSG Sports said in a statement Monday, per Ian Begley of SNY. "It's offensive that anyone would claim Rick didn't deserve the promotion, Rick has done a tremendous job and will continue to do so. We see this as more harassment of the Knicks due to our opposition to certain NBA matters."

New York hired Brunson during the 2022 offseason, which was the same one it signed his son as a point guard. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported the league reached out to the Knicks with questions about the timing of the situation.

Stefan Bondy of The New York Post noted the NBA is investigating the promotion "as a type of cap circumvention."

It's not as if the Knicks hired someone with no experience in Rick Brunson.

Rather, he was previously an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets and Minnesota Timberwolves before coming to New York. What's more, he was on Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau's staff with both the Bulls and Timberwolves.

Thibodeau was familiar with Brunson from previous stops and surely had a role in the decision to hire him.

Still, the NBA did strip the Knicks of a 2025 second-round pick for tampering with Jalen Brunson during free agency, so there have been questions about the entire process in the past.

New York surely doesn't regret signing Brunson, as he was an All-Star and All-NBA second-team selection who finished fifth in MVP voting last season while averaging 28.7 points, 6.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game.

He led the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs in each of his first two seasons with the league, which was notable since they hadn't even been to the postseason since the 2012-13 campaign.

Brunson's presence is a major reason why New York could be a realistic factor in the Eastern Conference again this season.

After playing his best game of the season in the New York Knicks' dramatic 124-122 win over the Brooklyn Nets, Mikal Bridges was the butt of a joke from teammate Josh Hart.

Hart joked that Bridges was "traded for five 12th-graders" when the Knicks acquired him from Brooklyn during the offseason.

Josh Hart talks about Mikal Bridges' impact on the game:

"We're happy for him. He got traded for five 12th-graders, so we're good" 😂 pic.twitter.com/mTEhjqEDUS

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 16, 2024

Hart and Bridges are part of the 'Nova Knicks crew, along with Jalen Brunson. They were teammates for two seasons at Villanova from 2015 to '17, winning a national title in 2016. Brunson and Bridges won a second national title during the 2017-18 season after Hart was drafted into the NBA.

The joke is a reference to the haul of picks the Knicks sent to Brooklyn in exchange for Bridges, though Hart actually overestimated the grade of the players who will eventually become members of the Nets are.

A 12th grader is a senior in high school, so those players are at most five years away from entering the NBA. The Nets are receiving unprotected first-round picks every other year between 2025 and 2031, plus a pick swap in 2028.

We have to wait and see how all of the picks play out, but it's theoretically possible the 2031 first-round pick the Nets will acquire is in seventh grade right now if they enter the draft as a 19-year-old.

If the Knicks are able to win a title with Bridges on their roster, no one will care what they traded away to bring him onboard.

Bridges is starting to play better after an erratic start to the season. The 28-year-old scored a season-high 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting with five rebounds and four assists in the win over the Nets. He is shooting 53.3 percent from the field in his past three games.

Karl-Anthony Towns has settled in nicely as a member of the New York Knicks after being acquired in a late offseason trade, but his defense has been the subject of debate to start the season.

One scout who recently saw the Knicks play told ESPN's Tim Bontemps that Towns' defense has been better than it's given credit for.

"I think KAT is playing better defense than people give him credit for," the scout said. "At least he's playing with effort."

ESPN's Brian Windhorst noted in the same article that scouts believe Towns can be an "effective" piece in a defensive scheme because we just saw it last season when he was on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"The Wolves had the No. 1 defense with Towns playing big minutes last year," a Western Conference scout told Windhorst. "They gave the Knicks the answers to the test already."

Bontemps noted that Second Spectrum tracking showed that Towns allowed opponents to shoot 32-of-35 in the restricted area this season going into Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

There has also been a noticeable decline in the Knicks' defensive performance this season with Towns as the primary center instead of Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein. They are 19th in defensive rating through 11 games after ranking 10th last season.

It is encouraging that despite Towns' struggles on that end of the court, the Knicks haven't completely bottomed out. They need to be better defensively to be a title contender, but help is coming in January when Robinson is expected to return from having surgery on both ankles.

Robinson isn't exactly a Rudy Gobert-level defender in the paint, but he is regarded as one of the best rim protectors in the NBA when healthy. We know Towns can play and be effective with another big on the floor because of his work with Gobert in Minnesota.

Despite the defensive deficiencies, Towns' offensive production has been nothing short of incredible to start the season. He is averaging 26.5 points on 50.8 percent three-point shooting and 12.2 rebounds per game in 11 starts.

Towns has scored at least 30 points in four of his last five games, including a season-high 46 in Wednesday's 124-123 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

The Knicks (5-6) can afford to be patient while figuring out their new lineup because the rest of the Eastern Conference has been a disappointment. They are still fourth in the conference standings despite being under .500 going into Friday's NBA Cup game against the Brooklyn Nets.

A franchise-altering trade for Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo does not appear to be on the table for the New York Knicks.

Stefan Bondy of The New York Post reported that the Knicks chances at acquiring the eight-time All-Star were "very unlikely" and that the franchise would not have the proper compensation to offer.

"As a result, a source declared the Knicks' chances of dealing for Antetokounmpo as "very unlikely," Bondy wrote. "Their offer would get blown away by the competition."

NBA insider Marc Stein had reported that the Knicks were a "down-the-line suitor" for Antetokounmpo prior to the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. While Towns could potentially be used in a deal for Antetokounmpo, per Stein, New York has already unloaded significant value to form a core of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Towns around star guard Jalen Brunson.

There is not much left to move alongside Towns in a potential trade for Antetokounmpo and committing to building depth around the current roster may be a better move in the long run for a Knicks team that is currently 3-4.

Milwaukee has started the season 2-6 and the tough opening stretch has made the thought of an Antetokounmpo trade even possible. He has remained dominant, averaging 31.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists in seven games, but the struggles around him may signal that a rebuild better suits the organization.

The 29-year-old is under contract through 2026-27 with a player option for 2027-28, per Spotrac. A potential suitor could acquire him with the security of having him for several seasons, so mortgaging significant draft capital and young talent could be worth it and would allow Milwaukee to jumpstart a potential rebuild.

Teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets could meet this demand, with others like the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets could be intriguing options as well. The Knicks, on the other hand, will likely look to build on the impressive roster they already possess.

The New York Knicks reportedly will sign veteran wing Matt Ryan to a contract this week, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Ian Begley of SNY previously reported that there is "strong mutual interest" between the team and Ryan, and that the "plan [to sign him to a contract] had been discussed internally last month."

Begley added Monday that Ryan has agreed to sign in New York:

Matt Ryan has agreed to sign with Knicks but the specific structure of the deal is still to be determined. Ryan can be added on a two-way after Ariel Hukporti’s contract becomes official. Or he can sign a standard deal. If Ryan signs a nonguaranteed standard deal, it would give…

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) November 4, 2024

The Knicks are required to get to 14 players on traditional contracts by Tuesday. New York opened the season with 12 players on such deals, though the reported signing of Ariel Hukporti and the pending Ryan deal would satisfy the league's roster requirements.

Begley noted that the Knicks "also have interest" in signing sharpshooter Landry Shamet, though he's still recovering from a dislocated shoulder and may not be ready to hit the court as of yet.

Teams can have up to 15 players on traditional contracts, though some prefer to keep the final spot open, allowing them some flexibility for trades or to be active in the buyout market when it heats up later in the season.

Both Hukporti and Ryan would address needs in New York, meanwhile.

With Mitchell Robinson still out of action with an ankle injury, the Knicks were thin at center behind Karl-Anthony Towns. Now, both Hukporti and Jericho Sims will give head coach Tom Thibodeau options at the position.

The Knicks are also severely thin on the wing behind starters Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart. Ryan, 27, will offer some floor-spacing at the end of the rotation after shooting 45.1 percent from three last season (and 41.1 percent from beyond the arc for his career).

New York went all-in this offseason on the trades to land Bridges and Towns, giving them—on paper—one of the most talented starting units in the NBA. The downside has been that the team sacrificed the majority of its quality depth in those deals, giving up players like Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, among others.

Hukporti and Ryan aren't going to make the Knicks the deepest team in the league. Both weren't on traditional contracts to start the 2024-25 season for a reason. But they fill needs on the bench, and given New York's lack of depth, both should play a role for the team this season.

The New York Knicks and rookie center Ariel Hukporti agreed to a standard two-year contract that includes a team option on Monday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

The New York Knicks and two-way center Ariel Hukporti have agreed on a standard two-year NBA contract, sources tell ESPN. The new deal for Hukporti includes a team option in 2025-26 season. The 7-footer out of Germany has served as a viable big man in Knicks frontcourt. pic.twitter.com/0EQGoqp4Zx

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 4, 2024

The Knicks selected Hukporti with the No. 58 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, initially handing him a two-way contract on July 8.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Sunday that "more than one rival team" has "wondered aloud" whether New York acquired All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns to later use him in a potential deal for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Hukporti has been on the floor for just 29 minutes across four games this season, recording seven rebounds and four blocks.

He showcased his athletic finishing ability and shot-blocking instincts in the preseason, averaging 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game while shooting 63.6 percent from the field.

ARIEL HUKPORTI 🔨 pic.twitter.com/fCUwIhnzdd

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) October 16, 2024

Hukporti could gradually receive a larger role as the season progresses, especially with former starting center Mitchell Robinson expected to be out until Jan. 2025 as he recovers from multiple ankle surgeries (via Charania).

ESPN's Bobby Marks noted that New York must reach the minimum roster requirement of 14 players by Tuesday, with Hukporti owning the 13th roster spot. Potential candidates with NBA experience could be shooting guards Landry Shamet and Matt Ryan, as both players were selected with the top two picks in the 2024 G League draft by the Knicks' affiliate on Oct 26.

Matt Ryan and Landry Shamet go No. 1 and No. 2 overall to the @wcknicks in the 2024 NBA G League Draft!

Full Draft Board: https://t.co/kdP2wZILQY pic.twitter.com/xdzodYC7jB

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) October 26, 2024

While a potential trade push for Antetokounmpo would be surprising, team president Leon Rose has been active throughout the past year. After acquiring OG Anunoby ahead of the 2023-24 deadline, New York added Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster July 6 deal with the Brooklyn Nets before the aforementioned Towns trade.

As Rose attempts to improve the Knicks even further, Hukporti received a new standard contract from the team and could be a candidate for increased playing time moving forward.

Having made their play for a marquee star, the New York Knicks may not be a serious contender to land Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in the event he's in play for a trade, according to the New York Post's Stefan Bondy.

Bondy reported Sunday it's "very unlikely" New York would make an enticing enough offer for Milwaukee since the team leveraged many of its best assets to get Mikal Bridges and then Karl-Anthony Towns.

The report came hours after NBA insider Marc Stein wrote that "the leaguewide lusting for Giannis has thus started anew" with the Bucks starting 1-5. He cited the Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat as the teams constituting "a credible list" of suitors at this preliminary stage.

And rather than eliminating New York from the group, Stein reported that multiple rival teams "wonder aloud about whether having a player of Towns' caliber on the roster for a potential future Antetokounmpo offer was among the Knicks' motivations."

Any pursuit of Antetokounmpo would require the Knicks to part with one of their four standout stars: Towns, Bridges, Jalen Brunson or OG Anunoby. Beyond their lack of trade assets, there's simply no way they could afford to retain that quartet while assuming Giannis' three-year, $175.4 million contract.

Acquiring Towns with an eye toward potentially flipping him down the road is some serious four-dimensional chess.

Teams trading away a franchise cornerstone are typically pivoting toward a rebuild. In the case of the Bucks, losing Antetokounmpo would allow them to replenish some of the draft capital they sacrificed to put their roster together.

How much appetite would Milwaukee have for Towns? He turns 29 this month and is three years away from free agency. He's not somebody you orient your long-term future around anymore.

If the Bucks keep on their current trajectory, the trade chatter surrounding Antetokounmpo is going to hit a fever pitch.

The Knicks may come to regret having been so aggressive in trading for Towns and not waiting to see how the 2024-25 season unfolded.

The New York Knicks are reportedly in the mix as a potential suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Per NBA insider Marc Stein, New York was seen as a "down-the-road trade suitor" for the Milwaukee Bucks star, though Stein noted that was before the Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Since the trade, however, "more than one rival team" has "wondered aloud" whether the Knicks made the trade for Towns to later use him in a deal for Antetokounmpo, according to Stein.

Last week, CBS Sports' Bill Reiter reported that one anonymous executive for a Western Conference team said "teams are circling—and hopeful" that Antetokounmpo could be traded at some point during the 2024-25 season.

Reiter also mentioned that another exec said they "wouldn't be surprised" if a trade happens before the deadline while a third executive mentioned the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets as Antetokounmpo's preferred trade destinations.

After the Bucks won a championship in 2021, trading Antetokounmpo seemed like a laughable scenario. Three years later, it could be the best move for both sides.

Milwaukee hasn't made it past the second round of the playoffs since its title run and is coming off back-to-back first-round exits, including last year when the Bucks brought in veteran star Damian Lillard.

Six games into the 2024-25 season, the Antetokounmpo, Lillard and the Bucks are 1-6.

The 2021 NBA MVP has been his usual dominant self, averaging 31 points, 12.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists to start the year. Lillard has also been good, putting up 26.2 points, 6.7 assists and five boards early on.

The outstanding play from Antetokounmpo and Lillard hasn't been enough to translate to wins in Doc Rivers' first full season as head coach, though, and some kind of change seems inevitable.

The new-look Knicks have had an average start to the year at 3-2. Towns has been solid, putting up 22.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and three assists per game, including a 44-point outing in a win over Miami.

Though the 28-year-old Towns can make New York a major threat in the East, the Knicks would likely have no reservations about trading him if it meant bringing in a player like Antetokounmpo.

Whether either team is willing to execute a blockbuster trade this season is to be determined.

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable for the team's matchup with the Detroit Pistons on Friday due to a sprained left wrist.

Towns scored a season-high 44 points in 39 minutes during the Knicks' 116-107 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. The center also racked up 13 rebounds and two assists, shooting 17-25 from the field and connecting on four of his five attempts from behind the arc.

Despite New York's modest 2-2 record to open the season, Towns has started strong with his new team.

He's currently averaging 22.5 points and 11.3 rebounds per game while shooting 58.5 percent from the field and 95.2 percent on free throws. The 28-year-old has also showcased his long-range accuracy, hitting eight of his 11 three-point attempts to begin the year.

KAT scoring at every level in his MSG debut!@nyknicks 19@Pacers 16#KiaTipOff24 on ESPN pic.twitter.com/ghkqfAw2Tg

— NBA (@NBA) October 26, 2024

Towns was acquired by the Knicks in a blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sept. 27. The Timberwolves received a package headlined by Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a future first-round pick in return.

The four-time All-Star has already established himself as one of the best floor-spacing centers in NBA history, but Towns' availability has become an issue in recent years. Over the past two seasons, he's appeared in just 91 of a possible 164 regular-season contests.

This included a right calf strain that limited him to just 29 games played during his 2022-23 campaign.

Towns may still be able to play through the wrist sprain against Detroit, but Jericho Sims is expected to replace him in the Knicks' starting lineup if he can't suit up. Rookie center Ariel Hukporti could also receive extended playing time off the bench.

With or without Towns, New York will continue its four-game road trip against the Pistons on Friday. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET.

In a battle between star point guards on Friday night, Jalen Brunson came out on top.

Brunson led the New York Knicks to a 123-98 blowout win over Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers, earning a measure of revenge after last season's Eastern Conference semifinals loss.

New York's lead guard finished with 26 points, five rebounds and five assists while shooting 10-19 from the field and connecting on three of his five attempts from behind the arc.

JALEN BRUNSON FIRED UP 😤 pic.twitter.com/7J96PuHsoD

— ESPN (@espn) October 26, 2024

The Knicks held a one-point advantage at the end of the first quarter and they were able to extend their lead with a 21-8 run before halftime.

It was a balanced scoring effort from New York, as all five starters scored at least 14 points. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges dropped 21 points and five assists while shooting 66.7 percent from the field.

Fans were impressed with the Knicks' performance.

Knicks Big 4 in their home debut tonight:

Brunson - 26 PTS, 5 AST, 10/19 FG
Bridges - 21 PTS, 5 AST, 8/12 FG
KAT - 21 PTS, 15 REB, 2/2 3P
Hart - 20 PTS, 10 REB, 8/15 FG

🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/O2jfNurHkh

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 26, 2024

As expected Big Body Brunson and the Knicks are STOMPING these people OUT.

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) October 26, 2024

AT THE HALF:

Jalen — KAT —
12 PTS 12 PTS
5 AST 4 REB
3 REB 2/2 3PM

KNICKS UP 16. pic.twitter.com/DvnuGs3AAi

— BrunsonMuse (@BrunsonMuse) October 26, 2024

Back-to-back 3s from Bridges and Brunson followed by a Bridges transition dunk. Knicks up 30. pic.twitter.com/vQ7ABI4Ryy

— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) October 26, 2024

Knicks performance bringing a tear to my eye. pic.twitter.com/Lom3EVtiN9

— Iron Mike  (@EILoboBlanco) October 26, 2024

Championship-caliber response #Knicks

— Modern NBA (@NBA_Scout_AI) October 26, 2024

yeah, I’m not worried about the Knicks

— for the turnstiles (@theapom) October 26, 2024

It was a quiet night for Haliburton, who was held scoreless in 26 minutes on the floor. He missed all eight of his shot attempts, which included seven threes. Haliburton also recorded five assists.

Hali's shooting in his first two games:

8-26 FG
1-16 3P

Rough. pic.twitter.com/agYu2Vj7Ha

— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 26, 2024

Tyrese Haliburton is 0-for-8 with zero points at MSG since wearing this hoodie. pic.twitter.com/3HMDsthW5S

— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) October 26, 2024

Tyrese Haliburton from 3PT territory this season:
1-for-16 (0.06%)

— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) October 26, 2024

Who stole Haliburton's talent? 😢 pic.twitter.com/W1bB2RJgdq

— Indiana Pacers UK (@PacersUK) October 26, 2024

These Hali misses aren’t even close

— Cameron Buck (@CameronBuck13) October 26, 2024

Tyrese Haliburton tonight. That’s tough. pic.twitter.com/naqCR2urwq

— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) October 26, 2024

Tyrese Haliburton needs to find this version of himself again… pic.twitter.com/H6yln6ztne

— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) October 26, 2024

Tyrese Haliburton tonight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mhxPqNzoOR

— The Strickland (@TheStrickland) October 26, 2024

After a disappointing 23-point loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, the Knicks bounced back to improve to 1-1.