Briefing: April 26
Everyone thinks Durant is coming to the Knicks
Good Morning,
Ian Begley published an article this morning that should leave Knicks fans feeling very optimistic about the possibility of Kevin Durant calling Madison Square Garden home next season:
Some of Durant's former teammates think it's going to happen, per ESPN sources. Several of his current teammates have told friends that they think it's going to happen, sources said. Opposing agents believe it's a fait accompli: "Just a matter of putting pen to paper," is how one agent of another top free agent in the 2019 free agent class put it.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed, and what the Knicks do if they do NOT sign Durant has many fans worried, which makes this passage from Begley’s article all the more heart-warming:
And it would surprise some opposing executives if the Knicks signed a player other than Durant, Irving or Leonard to a long-term contract this summer. Those executives expect the Knicks to use their projected league-high $74 million in cap room in other ways this summer -- acquiring a draft pick in a salary dump, signing players to short-term deals -- if they miss out on those top free agent targets.
Ian Begley is slated to join SNY on May 1, so this is probably his final piece with ESPN. Make sure you take the time to read it. There are a lot of interesting tidbits about where the organization stands two weeks ahead of the lottery.
What else is going on?
Mitchell Robinson signed autographs at the NBA Store in Manhattan yesterday, and lines stretched all around the building (KFS’ own Suada Demirovic is pictured with him above). Mitch has become the most popular player on a young Knicks team. Speaking to reporters at the event, he had a few interesting things to say:
Joel Embiid is someone he wants to emulate: “He’s a competitor. He just goes at it. He goes after everyone. No matter who you are, he goes after you. I really like that about him.’’ [Marc Berman]
Continues to work on long-range game: “I’m getting shots up 3-point, mid-range. It’s going great. They should see a little different player. I’ll be shooting some 3s next season.” [Marc Berman]
Kevin Knox has been watching the playoffs to help his game. “I’m just watching, trying to pick up pointers. Hopefully, at this point next season, I’m out there on the court playing in the playoffs instead of watching at home.” [Bob Putnam]
More Durant smoke: Kevin Durant’s childhood friend is former All-Pro NaVarro Bowman, who believes KD “needs” the Knicks to help build his legacy, and offers this on the decision process:
“I think he’ll talk to a small number of teams. One of those teams will already be the team he wants to go to. The way I look at it is, you can’t put all your eggs in one basket. It’s better to see what everything is about. He’ll have three other teams he’ll look at, but he already has an idea where he’s going.’’ [Marc Berman]
Knicks dropped from 8th to 10th in merchandise sales this season vs last season. The change probably has something to do with a particular player [name redacted] falling off the top jersey sales list.
Alex Trebek responds, "Boo, hiss on the Knicks" when a Jeopardy contestant reveals her appearance for the Knicks’ Latvian Heritage Night was cancelled after the [name redacted] trade. [Watch]
MUST LISTEN: I joined Andrew Claudio on the Nothing But Knicks podcast to talk all things Knicks and reluctantly give an overview of my background leading up to starting Knicks Film School. [Listen here]
Macri’s Thoughts
I remember the moment like it was yesterday.
I had my daughter on her changing table last summer, fumbling around with a particularly dirty diaper (wipe down, not up, dads to be) as I was listening to the latest episode of the Lowe Post. Zach had on Brian Windhorst and Rachel Nichols, and in the course of their free agency discussion, Brian mentioned that Rachel had been hearing noise about Durant to the Knicks.
I'm well aware that said noise had been out in the ether already, but it was the first time I remember hearing it from a credible source. After Zach said that the Knicks would be gearing up to make a run at KD, what struck me most was what I didn't hear. There was no trace of LOL Knicks, no potshots at the gullible organization who thinks that because they're The Knicks, good things will simply happen. It was just "there's noise, people in the know think it's legit, and the Knicks would be smart to position themselves appropriately."
About ten months have passed since then, and during that time, we've gone from "whispers" to "Black Sabbath concert" on the dial. ESPN's Ian Begley had the latest installment to the catalog with his piece this morning. It noted not only that several of Durant's teammates have told friends they think he's leaving, but that an agent of another notable 2019 free agent thinks it's already a "fait accompli."
The cautious optimism I felt last summer has now been transformed into scarred-shitless optimism. I'm still feeling good, but as a Knick fan, I know from experience that the worst thing you can be is overconfident. With the expectation that this is a done deal comes with it the fact that anything less will be viewed as a failure.
(and save me the line about the organization doing that to themselves with their projected confidence going into July. What should they do, say "we have a lot of cap space, but we're really not sure anyone will want to take it, because why would they"? Act as if.)
Back to the failure narrative: I hate this. I hate it because for the first time in forever, there is a promising, if uncertain, young core, with a legit star-in-the-making in Mitchell Robinson. I hate it because, if the team does strike out and wisely uses their cap space to acquire picks or distressed assets (as Begley states other execs think the Knicks might if they don't sign Durant), in any other year, it would be viewed as a banner accomplishment for a franchise that has never been able to get out of its own way. This summer, it will be seen as an utter disaster.
I wrote last week about how I was thrilled to hear Steve Mills assert on the Michael Kay show that the team would not sign players to max contracts just for the purpose of doing so. Begley's story backs up this rhetoric, but he also asks a fair if completely maddening question:
From any other rebuilding franchise, that approach would make sense. But how would the long-suffering fan base -- and ownership -- react to a disappointing summer after a 17-win season? Particularly when the Knicks opened up cap space by trading the face of their franchise in Kristaps Porzingis?
Hang on for a minute while I get on my soapbox...hold on, it's higher than I expected, let me grab a chair...one more sec...aaand:
THE FAN BASE WILL BE FINE. DO NOT DO ANYTHING STUPID. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. WE'VE SUCKED FOR TWO DECADES. ONE MORE YEAR OF DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT KILL US.
(takes breath)
Thank you.
Enjoy your weekend everyone. Only two months till July.
Remember when…
April 26, 2013: New York defeats the Celtics 90-76 in Boston to grab a 3-0 series lead in the First Round series. Carmelo Anthony leads the way with 26 points.
April 26, 2000: Knicks rally from a 16-point deficit for an 84-83 win over Toronto at MSG in the second game of the Eastern Conference First Round. Latrell Sprewell scores 13 points, including a jumper with :7.9 left, to help the Knicks gain a 2-0 series lead. (Vivek Dadhania with more)
April 26, 1998: John Starks (25), Allan Houston (24) and Larry Johnson (22) each score 20-plus points to lead the Knicks to a 96-86 victory at Miami in Game Two of the First Round of the playoffs, tying the series at 1-1.
April 26, 1976: Guard Tom Gola, who played four seasons with the Knicks, is enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
April 26, 1972: Knicks win NBA Finals opener in Los Angeles 114-92. Bill Bradley leads the way with 29 points and Jerry Lucas adds 26.
NBA Buzz
John Havlicek, a Dynamo in Two Eras of Celtics Glory, Dies at 79. [Read more]
Spurs force Game 7 against Nuggets. [Read more]
Thanks for reading, talk to you on Monday!