Leon Rose's Next Move Will Be His Most Consequential

With the Rangers in the midst of their second rebuild, retool - or whatever the fuck Chris Drury is calling it - in eight years, the Knicks approach this year's trade deadline with one purpose: to get a team with championship aspirations across the finish line.

This will be Leon Rose's sixth trade deadline since he was hired by James Dolan in March of 2020 to run the franchise, and it will be, by far, his most consequential. With the Eastern Conference wide open, Rose cannot afford to waste this opportunity. But he also can't afford to panic, which is pretty much what every Knicks fan on Twitter has been doing since the NBA Cup. How some of these people are allowed out in public is beyond me.

Let's face it: the roster Rose assembled in the summer of 2024, despite knocking off the Boston Celtics in the second round of last season's playoffs, clearly has flaws. Yes, they've won their last two games, but prior to that, they had lost nine of eleven and looked more like a play-in team than a title contender. The question isn't whether some changes need to be made, but how many and to what extent. 

Mike Brown was hired to transform an offense that had become predictable as dirt under Tom Thibodeau, and for a while there it looked as if he had accomplished the impossible. The starters weren't logging as many minutes as they were the last few seasons; the bench, long an afterthought under Thibs, was making significant contributions. On the surface, everything appeared to be going smoothly. After beating the Pelicans on December 29, New York was 23-9, one game behind the first place Detroit Pistons. To quote Clyde Frazier, the Knicks were "movin' and groovin'."

And then everything began to fall apart. The Knicks blew a late fourth-quarter lead to the Spurs in San Antonio; they were then routed by the Sixers at home and the Pistons in Detroit; they even lost to the lowly Kings in Sacramento. They now sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, a half game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

While there are many issues besetting this team, the most egregious appears to be Karl-Anthony Towns. After an impressive maiden season on Broadway, the 7-0 center has had a rough time adjusting to Brown's system. He is averaging only 20.5 points per game, down four from the previous season. Worse, he has looked disjointed at times and even sullen. In his last game against the Sixers in Philly, KAT fouled out after a season-low 16 minutes, scoring a measly 10 points and grabbing six rebounds. Had it not been for Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks might very well have lost that game.

Towns has been the ultimate enigma. On the one hand, there's no denying his talent; on the other, no player on this team is more frustrating to watch. Fouls have plagued him throughout his NBA career. It is inexplicable that after eleven seasons he still doesn't know how to set a screen. Adding insult to injury, Towns has the audacity to complain when he gets called for the foul, as if the ref was Mr. Magoo. If it weren't so sad, it would be hysterical.

Almost as frustrating as his foul troubles is his inconsistent offensive production. When facing teams with big front courts, he tends to struggle. It's no coincidence that two of his worst offensive performances this season came against the Sixers and the Pistons; two teams that the Knicks could well face in the postseason.

The problem for the Knicks is that when KAT isn't scoring, he's pretty much useless on the court. The man can't defend to save his life; indeed, the one thing Brown and Thibs both have in common is that they would often substitute Towns for Robinson late in the game with a lead.

By no means is Towns the only culprit when it comes to defense. Jalen Brunson isn't exactly Gary Payton. But unlike KAT, Brunson doesn't wilt in big moments. If anything, the tougher the opponent, the more he seems to rise to the occasion. There's a reason why he's referred to as Captain Clutch. 

The sixty-four thousand dollar question for Rose is, can this Knicks team win with a seven foot center who is erratic offensively and takes stupid fouls? If the answer is yes, then I expect he will just add a depth piece at the deadline. If the answer is no, I wouldn't be surprised to see Towns traded.

But for whom? You can forget Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak recently suffered his second calf injury this season and is out four to six weeks. Rose would be nuts to trade for a player who, despite his physical prowess, might not be available until mid March. And, besides, the Bucks have already turned down a proposed swap involving KAT. In other words, it ain't happening.

Another player that could be on the move is Guerschon Yabusele. After averaging 11 points per game for the Sixers last season, he has been a major disappointment for the Knicks this season. With a $5.5 million cap hit, I expect him to be included in a package for a guard or a forward regardless of whether they keep Towns or not.

One thing is certain: as presently constructed, this team will not beat Detroit in a best of seven series. The Pistons are bigger and deeper than the Knicks. To have any shot of advancing to the finals, the Knicks will have to get tougher and smarter. 

Nine days to go till the trade deadline. The pressure couldn't be higher on Rose.

Giants Get Their Man

This time, the Giants didn't fumble the ball on the one-yard line. This time, they took it into the end zone. It's been a rough stretch for Big Blue. Since they fired Tom Coughlin after the 2015 season, the Jints have gone through no less than five head coaches: Ben McAdoo, Steve Spagnuolo, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge and Brian Daboll. Five coaches in ten years; all dismal failures. But this time, they didn't dick around. They set their sights on one man - the right man - and they landed him.

They sent Steve Tisch in his private jet to pick him up; they brought out the top guns - Eli, Coughlin, Jaxson Dart, the fucking ghost of Lombardi - to impress him; they wined and dined him; they did everything but kidnap him; and it worked.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

To be honest, I was starting to have my doubts. When I went to bed around midnight, all indications were that John Harbaugh was on his way back to Baltimore and was scheduled to meet with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Flacons at his home over the weekend. Fuck, I thought. Another one bites the dust. 

Instead what happened was that both sides worked well into the evening on an agreement to bring the former Ravens head coach to MetLife. The exact terms have not yet been released, but the contract is believed to be for five years at just under $100 million, making Harbaugh one of the highest paid coaches in the NFL. It also gives him the power to hire his own assistants.

One of those assistants will undoubtedly be Todd Monken. The former offensive coordinator of the Ravens worked under Harbaugh the last three years. How good is Monken? In 2024, Baltimore became the first NFL team with 4,000 plus passing yards and 3,000 plus rushing yards in a single season, leading the league in total offense and yards per play.

So how did the Giants do it? How did they convince the most coveted coach since Andy Reid to sign with them on the first visit? As I wrote in an earlier piece, it came down to two things. The first was Dart. There is simply no substitute for having a franchise quarterback. Harbaugh was clearly impressed with the rookie and believes he can win with him. 

The second reason is more complicated. On paper, the Giants were a bad team, but on the field, between the Xs and Os, they were much better than their record indicated. Five times this season, they lost a game in which they held a double-digit lead; four of those losses came in the fourth quarter. Every one of those losses could just as easily have been a win. Harbaugh obviously felt the same way. 

Which brings us to the sixty-four thousand dollar question. How is Harbaugh going to improve a defense that folded like a cheap tent this season? By bringing in a competent defensive coordinator, that's how. One of the names being mentioned is Jim Schwartz. Over the last nine seasons, Schwartz has worked for the Bills, Eagles and Browns. Twice his defenses were top five in the NFL: 2017 with the Eagles and 2023 with the Browns. Assuming he doesn't take the Ravens job, he would be the best DC Big Blue has had since the days of Spags.

If he's not available, Antonio Pierce might be a good second choice. The former Giants linebacker and former Raiders interim head coach interviewed for the Giants head coaching vacancy last week. He was well respected by his players and went 5-4 during his brief stint in Vegas. Bringing him back would be more than a symbolic gesture to a suffering fanbase; it would signal to the league that the Giants are serious about assembling a coaching staff that can take this team to the next level. 

And what would the next level look like? Well, for starters, let's pump the brakes on making the playoffs. I expect the Giants will be considerably better under Harbaugh than Daboll, but making the playoffs in the NFC will be extremely tough, if not impossible. Excluding the four division winners, the Rams, 49ers and Packers will all be in the hunt in 2026, as will an improved Lions team. And don't forget about the Commanders. With a healthy Jayden Daniels, they should win 10 games easily. At best, I see this team winning 8 or 9 games.

For the time being, Giants fans will have to be satisfied with a team that is well coached and closes out games. Considering that Bill Parcells and Tom Coughlin went 3-12-1 and 6-10 respectively in their first seasons as head coach, and both went on to win two Super Bowls, that ain't bad.

Patience has become a four-letter word with this fanbase. This time around, it might actually pay off.

Where Will John Harbaugh Wind Up?

No sooner had I written my piece on who the next Giants head coach would be, that we learned the Miami Dolphins had fired their head coach Mike McDaniel. Naturally every Dolphins fan from Key West to Port St. Lucie assumed Harbaugh was going to be the Dolphins next head coach. After all, the owner Stephen Ross has more money than God, and Harbaugh is in tight with Ross; ergo it's a done deal. 

Jesus, how many Margaritas can those people drink down there? Even Jimmy Buffet's going, "Dude, chill out, they haven't even met with him yet."

For the record, every owner in the NFL is rich, and by rich, I mean filthy rich. The Giants are owned by John Mara, Steve Tisch and Julia Koch; the latter has a 10 percent stake and just happens to be worth $81 billion. Trust me, the Giants would have no problem forking over a sizable chunk of dough to get Harbaugh's signature on a contract.

So now that we've dispensed with the "Who's dick is bigger" portion of the piece, let's get down to what really matters; what will likely be the things that determine where Harbaugh coaches next season. Things like do they have a quarterback? How many holes do they have on the roster? What division do they play in? And how much control will he have? 

While there's no indication that Harbaugh is looking for total control of football operations - i.e., bring in his own GM - it is reasonable to assume he's looking for a collaborative relationship with the front office; one that gives him input into player personnel and the ability to hire his own assistants. 

There's another misperception that needs to be cleared up, and that's this idea that Harbaugh is the second coming of Vince Lombardi. He's not, and even if he were, none of these teams are the '66 Green Bay Packers. All of them have flaws; flaws that will need to be addressed for them to become title contenders. Indeed, the best team currently looking for a new head coach just happens to be the one that fired him, and even they went 8-9. 

Since I have a horse in this race, I thought I'd start with them first. 

New York Giants: The last 15 years notwithstanding, this is still considered a marque franchise with a rich history and four Super Bowls to its credit. Sherman, Parcells, Fassel, Coughlin. And those are just the head coaches. Lombardi, Landry, Belichick, and Payton have all cut their teeth as assistants with this organization. Harbaugh would be in good company.

The Giants lost five games this season in which they held a double-digit lead, four of those losses came in the fourth quarter. They have a young, talented quarterback in Jaxson Dart, a vastly improved offensive line, and some weapons on both sides of the ball. They are not as bad as their record would suggest. With the right coach, this could be an 8 or 9 win team next season.

Miami Dolphins: The last franchise to have a perfect season, the Fish present a tantalizing choice. If ever there was a fanbase that was starving to win a championship, it's this one. They have not been to the Super Bowl since 1985, and haven't won a playoff game since 2000. Harbaugh could be the next Don Shula.

Could be. That's because there are a couple of problems. Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill are due to make $108 million next season. That's a lot of salary to tie up just for two players. New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan will have to decide whether to keep both or trade them to free up cap space.

The other problem is location. Over the last forty years, there have been four warm-weather teams that have won the Super Bowl: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (twice), the New Orleans Saints, and the Los Angeles Rams. Like it or not, warm-weather teams just don't do well in cold weather venues come January. Does Harbaugh really want to be the next Dave Wannstedt?

Atlanta Falcons: Frankly, I'm surprised more people aren't talking about them as a possibility. The Falcons play in arguably the worst division in the NFL. They had a strong finish to the season, winning their last four games to finish tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers for first place. The Panthers won the division by virtue of a tie breaker. 

With Harbaugh, Atlanta could easily win 10 games every season, which would be more than enough to earn a home game in the playoffs. For a city that loves its football, he could run for mayor.

Cleveland Browns: Not to be confused with the original Browns franchise that moved to Baltimore, this Browns franchise has had very few things to celebrate since its inception in 1999. Ironically, they fired the only coach to win 11 games and coach of the year (twice) in Kevin Stefanski. 

Harbaugh's family is from the area. Hiring him as coach would be like the prodigal son returning home. The issue here is the GM, and a quarterback room that is more crowded than the L.I.E. during rush-hour. Like the NFC South, the AFC North is not a particularly strong division. 9 wins could be enough to win it.

Tennessee Titans: They have their quarterback in Cam Ward, but precious little else. This would be the ultimate re-build. If Harbaugh manages to pull it off, he would go down in history. 

Arizona Cardinals: An intriguing choice. They have the quarterback but unfortunately play in the same division as the Rams, 49ers and Seahawks. Not sure Harbaugh wants any part of that.

Las Vegas Raiders: Word has it Tom Brady has his sights set on Curt Cignetti of Indiana University, who just happens to coach Heinemann trophy winner and first overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Guess who holds the number one pick?

My thoughts? I think it comes down to the Giants, Dolphins, Falcons and Browns. That coincides with what Jay Glazer has reported. He spoke with Harbaugh who told him that he has narrowed the list of teams he will interview with down to three or four. Harbaugh is also said to be reviewing film on various players. I assume one of them is Dart. 

Like I wrote in my last piece, the Giants cannot afford to make the same mistake they made six years ago. If they truly believe that Harbaugh is the best man to coach this team, they need to make him an offer he can't refuse. Don't let him leave the building without signing him. If Mara has to give up his first-born grandchild, so be it.

I was in sales for 25 years, and I know for a fact that when a customer walks out of your store without a receipt in his hands, he rarely if ever comes back.

As Tommy Lugauer of WFAN pointed out: John Harbaugh has his pick of the litter here. It is up to Mara to make sure that pick is the Giants.

 

Previewing the Top Candidates for Next Giants Head Coach

Six years ago, the Giants found themselves in the exact same position they are in now. They had just fired Pat Shurmur and were looking for his replacement. They interviewed several candidates, including Mike McCarthy and Matt Rhule, but elected to go with Joe Judge.

We all know what happened, so there's no need rehashing it. Suffice to say that this time around, the Giants are hoping, praying, that they get the right man. Thankfully, there are three eminently qualified candidates available, along with a few potential dark horses. 

Given the stakes, I doubt that Joe Schoen and John Mara will seriously consider any of the dark horses, but with this franchise, you never know. Remember, it was Mara who was absolutely smitten with Judge during his interview and couldn't wait to hire him. 

For our purposes, I'll concentrate on the front runners. To be clear, any of these three men would make an excellent choice and be considerably better than either Brian Daboll or Mike Kafka. Having said that, though, I do have a pecking order. So without further ado,

John Harbaugh: Without question, the best coaching free agent to hit the open market since Andy Reid was fired by the Eagles, Harbaugh checks all the boxes and would instantly become the best head coach the Jints have had since Tom Coughlin. In 18 seasons with the Ravens, he was 193-124, including the playoffs. He won a Super Bowl in 2012 with Joe Flacco as his quarterback, but with Lamar Jackson, his teams have underachieved in the postseason.

Kevin Stefanski: In six seasons with the Browns, he made the playoffs twice, winning eleven regular-season games and coach of the year both times. That's quite an accomplishment for a franchise that since 1999 has had four winning seasons. Stefanski's claim to fame is working with quarterbacks, which will be crucial for the development of Jaxson Dart.

Mike McCarthy: In hindsight, Mara should've hired him back in 2020 instead of Judge. But that's water under the bridge. McCarthy is one of six head coaches in the history of the NFL to win twelve or more games with multiple franchises. He won a Super Bowl in 2010 with the Packers and had three consecutive 12-5 seasons with the Cowboys. But his lack of playoff success in Dallas led to a falling out with Jerry Jones. 

Now for the sixty-four thousand dollar question. Who would I go with? Obviously, Harbaugh would be my first choice. But if it turns out that he wants too much control - i.e., Bill Belichick in New England - I could see the Giants pivoting to Stefanski. And to be honest, I wouldn't be disappointed, provided they hire the right assistants. Imagine a staff of Stefanski as head coach, Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, and Antonio Pierce as defensive coordinator. That would arguably be the best coaching staff the Giants have had since their last Super Bowl team. As for McCarthy, he would be the safe pick. I don't love him, but I don't hate him either. Like I said, all three would be improvements over Daboll and Kafka.

One thing to keep in mind: the Giants aren't the only team looking to fill a coaching vacancy. Aside from Baltimore and Cleveland, the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans also have their lines in the water. And the Falcons are especially intriguing because, unlike the other teams, they fired their coach and GM. That means they're in position to give whoever they hire total control over football operations. While's there's no indication that Harbaugh is looking for that much power, it's hard to imagine him turning down such an offer if it came his way.

We know that the Giants have already met with Stefanski and McCarthy; they've also met with Raheem Morris - the former Flacons head coach - and have a meeting scheduled with Pierce later this week, so they're in full compliance with the Rooney Rule. If Mara and Schoen like what they see when they sit down with Harbaugh next week, it would behoove them to make him an offer right there on the spot. Under no circumstances should they allow him to leave the building. On the other hand, if they're not enamored of Harbaugh, their very next call has to be to Stefanski. Get him in as soon as possible before another team snatches him up.

Six years ago, the Giants let two very qualified coaches slip through their fingers. They cannot afford to make that same mistake again. Time waits for no man, or organization. If Mara screws this up, he'll have no one but himself to blame.

The problem with casting a wide net is that sometimes the big fish gets away.

Memo to the Knicks: "Hold Off On That Coronation"

The best thing I can say about last night's train wreck in Detroit was that I didn't see it. That's because I refuse to pony up any more of my money for a subscription just to watch games I thought I was getting through my cable provider. But I can sure as shit read a stat sheet, and all I can say is that if this was a preview of what we can expect from the Knicks in a best of seven playoff series against the Pistons, this will be the most lopsided sweep in Motown history since the days of Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer. 

Now that I think about it, calling what happened last night a train wreck would be doing a disservice to the term train wreck. At least a train wreck started out as a train going somewhere. This game was ostensibly over 30 seconds after the opening tip off. That's when Duncan Robinson buried a three pointer to put the Pistons ahead for good. New York kept it close in the first quarter before the wheels came off in the second.

It's hard to believe that this is the same Knicks team that won the NBA Cup just three weeks ago. On December 13, they were 18-7, two games behind the first place Pistons in the Eastern Conference. They were averaging 121 points per game, while limiting opponents to just 112.2 points per game. Both were fourth best in the NBA. Yours truly wrote on December 17 that they had sent a message. 

Well apparently that message was postdated, because since then, the Knicks have gone 5-6 and have lost four in a row. They now trail the Pistons by four games and are in third place in the East.

What is most disturbing about this slump is how badly they have defended. Over their last three games, their opponents have outscored them by an average of 18 points. The Sixers shot 54 percent from the field and 47 percent from three, while the Pistons shot 55 and 52 percent respectively. Against both teams the Knicks were out-rebounded and outscored in the paint, despite having both Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson in the starting lineup.

Towns and Jalen Brunson were the main culprits against the Pistons. According to Tommy Beer, this was the first time in 728 games as a pro that KAT attempted less than five shots and five free throws in the same game. Brunson wasn't much better. Though the captain scored 25 points, he had zero assists on the night. Both players committed six turnovers.

OG Anunoby is also becoming a concern of late. In his last four games, the man Leon Rose signed to a five-year, $212.5 million contract is 4-18 from beyond the arc. Even worse, he is a minus 78 over that span. There is no way to sugar coat this. If these three players don't dramatically improve their game, and soon, this team will not only fail to reach the finals, it may well fail to reach the playoffs.

Is Mike Brown partly to blame here? Yes. His offense relies heavily on taking three-point shots, and when they don't go in, and the Knicks don't control the boards, like they did earlier in the season, they are susceptible to fast breaks the other way. In the month of January, New York is literally being dominated in every facet of the game: scoring, shooting percentage and rebounding.

This whole thing started with a fourth-quarter collapse in San Antonio, and it has now snow-balled into a full-fledged crisis. The Knicks aren't just struggling, they are getting outworked and out-hustled. Brown, in his post-game presser, didn't mince his words. "It's pretty simple, they just physically kicked our ass." As if to add insult to injury, the Pistons were without Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris, two of their most dominant players, while the Knicks were without Josh Hart.

Losing streaks are part of the game, I know, and even the best of teams occasionally sputter. While the Orange and Blue were shitting the bed in Detroit, the Oklahoma City Thunder were being throttled by the lowly Charlotte Hornets. Indeed, last season's champions are 5-5 in their last ten games.

But it's the manner in which the Knicks are losing that is alarming. Much as it pains me to admit, this team may have gotten caught up in all the hoopla of the pre-season prognostications. The trouble with being the prohibitive favorites to advance to the finals is that the other teams in the conference aren't all that impressed. If anything, they seem extra motivated when playing them, as evidenced by the beatdown in Detroit. The Pistons sent a message loud and clear, and the message was "Hold off on that coronation."

The Knicks need to snap out of this funk fast before the season unravels on them. And trust me, it can, quicker than Mike Breen can yell "Bang!"

Why Jaxson Dart Is the Offensive Rookie of the Year

Just to be clear, Tyler Shough is a good quarterback. The New Orleans Saints made the right choice when they selected him with the 40th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Choosing a quarterback to lead your franchise is not, contrary to popular opinion, a slam dunk. Even the best have a learning curve. Peyton Manning, in his rookie season, led the league in interceptions. But as good as Shough has been this season, Jaxson Dart has been better.

This is not a subjective opinion; it's an objective analysis. In virtually every metric that matters, Dart is the better quarterback. Below is a comparison of both players stats.

While Shough has a slightly higher completion percentage and a few more passing yards, Dart has more overall yards, more passing touchdowns, more total touchdowns, fewer interceptions, a higher QBR and a higher passer rating. But the biggest thing that stands out is his passer rating against elite teams. No team in the NFL had a tougher strength of schedule this season than the Giants. Dart had to play the Eagles (twice) the Chargers, the Broncos, the Bears, the Patriots and the 49ers - all teams that have a legitimate shot of going deep in the postseason - and he had a passer rating of 98.5 against them. 

By comparison, the only team Shough had to face that has a legitimate shot of going deep in the postseason is the Rams, and he had a passer rating of 81.2 against them. Most of his success has come against the likes of the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins and the Jets; the latter was dead last in the NFL with an opponent passer rating of 110.9.

Fans of Shough bring up his wins, passing yards per game and passing yards per attempt. Anyone who's watched even one football game knows full well that no one player determines wins and losses. It's the ultimate team sport. The Giants lost five games this season in which they led by double digits; four of those losses came in the fourth quarter. If they had any kind of defense at all, they'd have at least four more wins. Putting that squarely on Dart's shoulders is not only unfair, it's stupid.

As for passing yards per game and passing yards per attempt, the former is a direct result of the game plan implemented by the offensive coordinator; the latter can be very easily manipulated. For instance, a QB can complete 20 passes for an average of six yards per completion; then pop two for 60 yards a piece. That comes out to 10.9 yards per catch. But is that really an honest way to evaluate his talent? I hardly think so.

Dart has other accolades in his favor. He's the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to register 1,800 passing yards, 400 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns in his first nine regular-season starts. Unlike so many rookies, he doesn't wilt under pressure. Indeed, the better the competition, the better he plays. He's the perfect fit for a New York market that chews up and spits out lesser athletes. Just imagine what he could've done had Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo not been lost to season-ending injuries.

This is not about bashing Tyler Shough. As I mentioned above, he's a good quarterback. After years of searching for Drew Brees' replacement, the Saints appear to have found him. This is about acknowledging the obvious: Jaxson Dart is the better player. He deserves to win the offensive rookie of the year award.

If he doesn't, there should be an investigation.