Change is the Only Constant

Today we look back at all the faces who didn't make it to the finish line, but who were vital to the journey nonetheless. Plus, JB makes All-NBA

Good morning! We start today by celebrating one final accolade for New York’s superstar…

News & Notes

🏀 Congratulations, Jalen!

Yeah, it shoulda’ been 1st Team, but who’s counting.

Brunson was named on 98 of 99 possible All-NBA ballots, finishing with 37 first team votes and 61 second team votes, whereas Jayson Tatum snagged the last 1st Team spot with 65 first team votes and 34 second team votes. Besides the other four 1st team honorees (Jokic, SGA, Luka and Giannis), no other player got more than three votes for first team.

For the Knicks, this is the first guard to make All-NBA since Clyde in 1975, so that streak is over. Their streak of not having a 1st Team honoree, however, continues. Patrick Ewing was the last to do it in 1990.

🏀 The Knicks announced yesterday that both Jalen Brunson and Bojan Bogdanovic has successful surgeries. Each player will be re-evaluated in 6-8 weeks.

🏀 According to Ian Begley, OG Anunoby’s decision to try and play on Sunday “left an impression” on the Knicks internally.

Remembering the Fallen

At some point during New York’s playoff run - a run that, even several days after it ended, still feels prematurely terminated - I knew this team deserved a week’s worth of retrospective love before we moved on to offseason content.

I realize this doesn’t jive with human nature. Once something is over, we’re naturally ready to move onto the next thing.

That goes especially so for New Yorkers. We do not dwell. When something ends, it’s over. Let’s not belabor the point.

With that in mind, I’m taking a bit of a different approach to the last two newsletters this week. Instead of a straight love-fest, I’m attempting to incorporate some “lessons learned” from what we all witnessed.

Today, that involves looking back at some of the names and faces who started the year playing big roles for the Knicks but who weren’t part of the equation by Sunday for one reason or another.