In Leon We Trust

When Leon Rose decided to move on from Tom Thibodeau last June, he had no replacement for him. He attempted to interview several candidates, including Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, but was denied permission each time. Critics jumped all over him. How could he fire the franchise's most successful head coach since Jeff Van Gundy and not have a successor lined up?

One month later, Rose finally found his man; a coach that had been fired four times in his career, twice by the same organization. Again, his critics pounced. Well, we all know what happened. Mike Brown, in his first season, lead the Knicks to their first title since 1973. So much for not having a Plan B.

When the Boston Celtics signed Mitchell Robinson to a three-year contract at $15.6 million per on the first day of free agency, the critics in the cheap seats were at it again. How could Rose let this happen? Why couldn't the Knicks just go over the second apron to re-sign him? Once again, no Plan B.

It took Rose less than three days to find Robinson's replacement. Like Mike Brown a year ago, Andre Drummond was not his first choice. According to Chris Haynes, Rose had his sites set on Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans, but was rejected "multiple times." Apparently, they view him as a "vital core" player. I wasn't aware that a 26 win team had vital core players.

But regardless of whether Drummond was Rose's first choice or his fourth, the point is he was the best option out there. And if we're being honest with ourselves, the slash line between the two men is very close. How close? Take a look see:

Robinson: 60 GP / 19.6 MP / 5.7 PPG / 8.8 TRB / 1.2 Blk / 0.9 AST / 41 FT% / $15.6m 

Drummond: 63 GP / 19.5 MP / 6.4 PPG / 8.4 TRB / 0.8 Blk / 1.3 AST / 63 FT% / $2.45m

You tell me, if you were Leon Rose, which player would you have signed? If you still prefer Robinson, I seriously don't know what slash line you're looking at. Drummond isn't just the better value; he's the better player. One thing's for certain: the Knicks won't have to worry about "Hack-a-Mitch" anymore. And with the money Rose saved by signing Drummond, he can now re-sign Jordan Clarkson and maybe even sign Kevon Looney. Along with Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado and Deuce McBride, the Knicks, for the second season in a row, will have the deepest bench in the NBA. How's that for a Plan B?

You don't run an organization with your heart, you run it with your head. Even if James Dolan had been willing to go over the second apron, Rose would've been a fool to do so, especially for a player who doesn't play back-to-back games, can't hit free throws, and in the postseason, allowed Onyeka Okongwu, Joel Embiid, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Victor Wembanyama to shoot 57 percent against him. You don't pay someone like that $15.6 million; you thank him for his service and send him on his way. If anything, the Celtics did the Knicks a huge favor. 

That's the way Rose has rolled ever since he arrived in New York six years ago. His critics don't always understand him; the media doesn't always understand him; sometimes his own players don't always understand him. It may seem at times like he's flying by the seat of his pants, but the fact is he never does anything without having a plan A, B, C or D ready to go.

Leon Rose is the principal reason why the Knicks won the NBA championship this past season, and he's the principal reason why they should be considered the favorites to repeat going into this season. Yes, I realize Jalen Brunson carried them on his back, especially in game five of the finals, but it was Rose who brought Brunson to New York and it was Rose who gave him the supporting cast he needed to complete the job.

The man knows what he's doing. Leave him alone and let him cook. 

Second Aprons for Dummies

Far be it for me to defend James Dolan. Since he assumed ownership of the Knicks and Rangers in 1999, both franchises have basically spun their wheels. The Rangers missed the playoffs 12 out of 27 seasons; the Knicks, until the arrival of Leon Rose, made the playoffs three times from 2001 to 2020. Indeed, the best decision Dolan ever made in his entire life was to hire Rose to run the Knicks organization. Trust me, it's easy to despise this man.

But the flack he's taking over his comments on WFAN that the Knicks would not go over the second apron is undeserved and totally uncalled for. First off, I doubt if Dolan even knows what an apron is; if you think he does, you're giving him way too much credit. Remember, this was the same guy who thought Phil Jackson and Isaiah Thomas were capable of running his team when even a neophyte could tell they were in over their heads. Everything he knows about basketball could probably fit on the back of a fortune cookie.

No, the decision to stay under the second apron came from Rose, and not because he was worried about the extra money his boss might have to dole out. The man shits money the way a sugar addict downs jelly beans. The fact is there are profound ramifications for going over the second apron. Before I list what they are, a brief history is in order.

The apron system was enacted in July of 2023 and went into effect in the '24 offseason. There are two aprons: the first and the second. The first apron acts as a sort of luxury tax trigger. While there are some penalties, they are not too severe. Most teams in the NBA have, at one time or another, gone over it. 

The second apron, however, is where the shit hits the fan. It's the league's way of saying you fucked up and now there's a price to be paid. These are the penalties for going over the second apron:

1. No salary aggregation. That means teams cannot combine salaries in order to acquire a player. In other words, no two for ones.

2. No sign and trades. Pretty much self explanatory. 

3. No cash in trades. Teams are prohibited from including cash in any trade.

4. No mid-level exceptions. Teams can only sign free agents to minimum contracts.

5. No buy-out signings. This applies to players who made more than the mid-level exception in their previous salary.

6. Frozen draft picks. First round picks that are seven years out cannot be traded.

Basically, teams that go into the second apron can only do the following things: 1. sign their own draft picks; 2. sign their own free agents; and 3. sign other teams free agents to minimum contracts. That's it. 

Over the last three seasons, seven teams have gone over the second apron: the Boston Celtics (2024-25); the Phoenix Suns (2024-25 & 2025-26); the Minnesota Timberwolves (2024-25); the Milwaukee Bucks (2024-25); the Cleveland Cavaliers (2025-26); the Golden State Warriors (2023-24 transition phase); and the Los Angeles Clippers (2023-24 transition phase). Of those teams, only the Cavs are still over the second apron, though the Oklahoma City Thunder are currently flirting with it.

Why have so few teams gone over the second apron? Because it's the closest thing to purgatory on Earth for a sports franchise, that's why. Leon Rose has come close twice, but resisted crossing that threshold both times. There's no indication that the third time will be any different. Just the opposite, in fact. During the NBA draft, Rose traded his first round pick for five second round picks, then traded back in the second round. Those are not the moves of a man who plans on going over the second apron; they are the moves of a man who is doing everything humanly possible to stay under it.

Throughout his tenure as President and GM of the Knicks, Rose has had pretty much free reign to run the basketball operations as he sees fit, and Dolan, for his part, has gone along with it. Anybody who thinks that the decision to stay under the second apron was driven by money hasn't been paying attention. Rose knows more about the nuances of cap management and salary negotiations than anyone in the sport. He should; he was one of the most successful agents before coming to New York. The last thing he would do is box himself in; which is what going over the second apron would do. The man built a championship roster; you think he doesn't know how to replace a couple of bench players?

For fuck's sake, grow up. 

Look, Mitchell Robinson was a valuable member of this team, but Bill Russell he wasn't. Rose will find a suitable replacement for him, and probably for less money. Landry Shamet, likewise, played an integral role coming off the bench, but if he chooses to leave, it won't be the end of the world. The Knicks starting five is still, overall, the best in the NBA. I trust that Rose and his staff will be able to assemble a nine-man rotation for Mike Brown capable of defending the title in time for the season opener.

If nothing else, he's earned the benefit of the doubt. 

Winning Changes Everything

No sooner had the New York Knicks parade down the Canyon of Heroes concluded than the focus turned from celebration to concern over whether they could keep their roster together for next season. Unlike players, GMs have no offseason. With James Dolan making it clear that the team would not go into the second apron, Leon Rose was faced with a basic arithmetic problem. He has $16.9 million in available cap space and only nine players signed. The NBA requires each team to carry a minimum of 14. How to divide five into 16, that is the question.

One of those five players is none other than Mitchell Robinson, the center whose rebound off a missed free throw in game five helped seal the Knicks first title in 53 years. Last season, Mitch made just a shade under $13 million. The prevailing view is that he's looking for a pay raise. Now you see the dilemma.

Heading into the NBA Draft, the Knicks had picks 24, 31 and 55. Pick 24 was a first rounder and carried a $3.3 million cap reserve, meaning if Rose had taken a player with that pick, that reserve would've gone immediately against the team's salary cap. $16.9 million minus $3.3 million leaves $13.6 million. Rose couldn't let that happen, so he made a series of moves that surprised even his biggest supporters. 

First he traded pick 24 to the Lakers for pick 25 and cash. He then used that pick to select Sergio Da Larrea from Spain in what wold've been a draft and stash maneuver that the NBA allows teams to get away with to avoid a cap hit. Then he traded Da Larrea to the Mavs for pick 30, which turned out to be Koa Peat and two future second-round picks. Peat was then traded to the Suns for pick 47 in this draft and two future second rounders.

So to sum up, in a little less than 20 minutes, Rose turned his 24th pick, which he never had any attention of keeping, into five second-round picks, one of which is number 47. And he was able to do this with every team in the NBA knowing full well that he had a cap problem. Don't ever play poker or chess with this man. You'll lose everything you own.

So what does Rose do tonight? Does he trade all three of his picks? Does he trade two and keep one? That all depends on what the demand is. It is almost a given that he will trade pick 31 for more future draft capital. But he could use his 47th pick to draft Robinson's replacement.

Let's face it, while Mitch is a fan favorite and an excellent rebounder, the man can't hit a free throw to save his life. Seriously, this guy makes Ben Simmons look like Kareem. Last season, he shot 41 percent from the free-throw line; 29 percent in the postseason. Every team in the NBA employs the hack-a-Mitch tactic. It's not a question of if they use it but when. It's hard to imagine there isn't a center in this draft who could do better for considerably less money.

One of those centers is Ugonna Onyenso from Virginia. He has a 7-5 wing span and is considered an excellent rim protector. ESPN's mock draft has him going to the Magic at 46. If he's there at 47, Rose should definitely take him. The rookie cap hit for a second-round pick is $1.362 million. That's $11.6 million less than Robinson made last season. The thing fans need to keep in mind is that this isn't a buffet, it's a garage sale, and Rose is under no obligation to pick anyone. 

Regardless of whether the Knicks draft a center in the second round or go the free agency rout, it's safe to say that Robinson has played his last game as a Knick. That's the advantage of winning; it gives you the option of thinking long term instead of short term. Had the Knicks lost to the Spurs in the finals, Rose might be tempted to try and convince Dolan to run it back. He doesn't have to do that now. He knows his core is intact. He can fill out the roster anyway he likes.

To a certain extent he's already doing that. Just hours before the draft, Shams Charania reported that the Knicks had re-signed Mohammed Diawara to a four year extension believed to be just over $10 million. At 6-9, Diawara looks like a young Pascal Siakam. It was a savvy move by Rose to lock him up to a team-friendly deal. I expect he will get more playing time next season. Another player who could see more minutes next season is Tyler Kolek, especially if the Knicks lose Landry Shamet in free agency. And then there's last season's free agent pickup, Jose Alvarado. He has a $4.5 million player option. I expect he will opt out and sign a multi-year extension soon. It's nice having options, isn't it?

To quote Mel Brooks, "It's good to be the king." The Knicks are the kings of the NBA.

Long live the kings. 

A Very Merry Knicksmas

With just over ten minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the New York Knicks were trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-86 on Christmas Day at the Garden. Things were not looking so good for the men in orange and blue. It certainly appeared as though the fans were going to go home with a lump of coal in their stockings. 

Oh well, you can't win them all. 

That's when the Knicks said "No so fast." Jordan Clarkson made a layup; then Tyler Kolek sank a three-pointer. In all, New York would go on a 40-21 run to beat the Cavs 126-124 in what was without question the weirdest, wildest game of the season. 

Overcoming huge fourth-quarter deficits is nothing new for the Knicks. They did it twice against the Boston Celtics in last year's playoffs. What is new, at least for this team, is that it was the bench that played a major role in the comeback. Kolek had 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and had a huge block on what would've been a Donovan Mitchell layup with 1:45 left in regulation; Mitchell Robinson had eight of his 13 rebounds in the final quarter, including two key offensive boards that led to three pointers by Brunson and Kolek; and Clarkson led all bench scorers with 25 points.

The evolution of Kolek has been something to behold. With the exception of the game against the Sixers, in winch he scored only two points and committed four turnovers, he has been, by far, the biggest surprise. Under Mike Brown, the 2024 second-round pick from Marquette has blossomed into a reliable backup to Brunson. With 2:29 left in the Cup game against the Spurs, when Brown needed another ball handler to take the heat off Brunson, he didn't hesitate to send Kolek into the game, even though Mikal Bridges was available. Kolek responded with two assists, two rebounds and four points. 

That is an example of the kind of trust Brown has shown in his players, and it has paid off handsomely. With OG Anunoby and Brunson both missing games due to injury, the bench, which was often an afterthought under Tom Thobodeau, has become an integral part of the success of this team. Clarkson, the man Leon Rose signed for $2.2 million during the offseason, has averaged 10.4 points per game coming off the bench. He has 17 double-digit point games this season. Deuce McBride is averaging 11.6 points per game, and has 10 double-digit point games. 

Accountability has become a hallmark of this coach; that and tough love. When his players make mistakes, instead of benching them, he points out what they did wrong and then challenges them to do better. Against the Timberwolves, Kolek shot only 3 for 10 in the first half and was chided by his coach. He responded by going 6 for 12 in the second half. On the flip side, Brown has shown that he isn't afraid to bench a player when it's warranted. Going back to that Cup game, it was clear Bridges wasn't shooting the ball well, so he sat the final 6:22 of the game. Can you imagine Thibs doing that?

The more I see of this team, the more excited I get about their chances. With McBride and Landry Shamet due back soon, they seem to have everything they need to make another deep run in the playoffs. They have the best clutch player in the NBA in Brunson, a duel threat at center in Karl-Anthony Towns and Robinson, one of the best defensive forwards in the game in Anunoby, and a budding young star coming off the bench in Kolek. There's only one team that's deeper and more talented than the Knicks, and that team - the Oklahoma City Thunder - plays in the other conference.

Yes, it was a Very Merry Knicksmas at MSG yesterday. And if the Basketball gods continue to smile on them, 2026 could well be a Very Happy New Year. 

A Knicks Trade That Actually Makes Sense

Giannis Antetokounmpo is disappointed with the Milwaukee Bucks. So much so that Jon Hurst reached out to Leon Rose over the summer to see whether there was any interest in bringing the Greek Freak to Manhattan. And if there was, what players would he be willing to give up in a trade. We're not sure how long the phone call lasted, but suffice to say the offer Rose made went about as far as a Mitchell Robinson free throw attempt.

Let's get real. Giannis makes $54 million. The Knicks are hard-capped at the second apron. The only way they can take on his salary would be to unload $54 million the other way; $54 million in, $54 million out. Got it? That means Rose would have to trade a significant portion of a core that last season was two wins away from reaching the NBA finals for the first time in 26 years, just to accommodate a player who's unhappy with where he is.

Well, boo hoo. Life is tough. As Mick Jagger once sang, "You can't always get what you want."

Forget for a moment that this would be the third major trade Rose would be making in the last two years - the Mikal Bridges deal doesn't count because it only involved draft picks going the other way - where's the incentive here for the Knicks? Not only does it not make them better, it actually makes them worse. As I wrote in a piece this past October, without Bridges - who I assume would be one of the players headed to Milwaukee - New York doesn't beat Boston in the conference semi-finals last May.

No disrespect intended but what has Giannis done since winning the title in 2021? He's a great player, sure, but he's no Nikola Jokic. And his team has been one of the biggest postseason disappointments over the last four years, while the Knicks have been one of the more pleasant surprises. The only way I'd consider taking Giannis off Milwaukee's hands is if they retained half his salary and were willing to accept bench players in return. Not interested? Have a nice day.

No, if Rose is going to make any trade at all, it'll likely be for a complementary player that adds to the depth of this roster, not subtracts from it. And, ironically, the Bucks have such a player: Bobby Portis. The 6-9 power forward / center would fit in nicely on a Knicks team that could use a little more beef in its front court. And at $13 million, he's cheap. Rose could offer them Robinson and a first rounder to get it done. 

Portis is no stranger to New York; he briefly played here in 2019-20 before joining the Bucks the following season for their championship run. He averages 12 points and seven rebounds per game. And unlike Whack-a-Mitch, he actually makes his free throws.

Imagine a roster that includes KAT, Portis, Anunoby, Bridges, Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, Deuce McBride, Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele, Landry Shamet and Tyler Kolek. I'd say that's pretty impressive and deep. Is it good enough to go to the finals? That remains to be seen. One thing's for certain: gutting it for one player, even one as talented as Giannis, won't get this franchise any closer to its goal of winning a title. Indeed, it would be Carmelo Anthony, Part Deux. 

Bottom line: Rose assembled this roster. It's the best roster the Knicks have had since the days of Pat Riley in the 1990s. It deserves a chance to win.

Knicks Need To Wake Up!

It's generally accepted that when the Boston Celtics are fully healthy, they’re damn near impossible to defend against. With Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis, they can spread the floor better than any team in the NBA. When you add the likely sixth man of the year award winner Payton Pritchard to the mix you can see why they won 61 games this season, and why they went 16-3 last season in the playoffs. Yes, they're that good.

But with Tatum out and Porzingis not remotely close to being himself, they have only two legit scoring threats on the court: Brown and White. In theory, this should make them easier to defend against, right? 

So much for theory. The Celtics, facing elimination, routed the Knicks Wednesday night 127-102 to force a game six Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Brown had 26 points and 12 assists, while White led all scorers with 34 points. 

Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson had his worst game as a Knick, picking up five personal fouls in the third quarter and fouling out in the fourth; OG Anunoby went 1-12 overall from the field; and Karl-Anthony Towns got into early foul trouble and ended up playing only 29 minutes in the game. The only bright spot was Mitchell Robinson, who actually went 6-6 from the free-throw line.

Frankly, I'm at a loss to explain what happened here. New York, with a chance to wrap up the series and advance to its first conference finals appearance in 25 years, had a horrific second half, getting outscored by the Celtics 68-43. Every Knick was a minus for the game. 

Surely they had to have known which two players on the Celtics were going to have to carry the load offensively. And yet on virtually every Boston possession, both Williams and White were so alone, they could've sent out for a pizza. Did the Knicks really believe the Celtics would just roll over and die? The total lack of urgency on their end was stunning to behold.

And now the Knicks, who haven't won a best of seven series on their own court since 1999, will have to close out the defending champs Friday night or face the very real prospect of being only the 14th team in NBA history to blow a series after leading 3-1. 

Don't kid yourself. While game six is not technically a must win for the Knicks, losing it would mean a game seven in Boston, where the Celtics, even without Tatum, would be the overwhelming favorites to move on.

So how do the Knicks keep that from happening?

It starts with defense. New York did a terrible job communicating as a team, especially in its own zone. The result was missed coverages that led to wide open three point attempts. That cannot continue in game six. The Knicks have to force Williams and White into contested shots; they have to be on them like white on rice. Waiting until they get the ball in their hands is too late.

Brunson and Towns have to be the best players on the court. While it's highly unlikely that Brunson will repeat his brutal game-five performance, he needs to be that clutch player who clinched the series against the Pistons and led his team to victory in game four of this series. As for Towns, he's been hot and cold in these playoffs. He needs to assert himself more in the paint and avoid early foul trouble. There's no way a third-string center should ever dominate someone with his ability.

Bring a sense of urgency for a full 48 minutes, not just the last twelve. The Knicks need to treat game six like it's game seven. From the opening tip off to the final buzzer, they need to outwork the Celtics, who will, once more, be looking to stay alive. That means they need to fight for every loose ball, avoid costly turnovers and get back on defense when the shot doesn't go in. Remember, Boston is still shorthanded. New York needs to exploit that to its advantage.

If the Knicks play their best basketball; if they play hard the entire game, they should prevail. If they don't; if they blow this series against the Celtics, they will have no one but themselves to blame. 

Knicks At the Break

Going into the All-Star break, the New York Knicks record stands at 36-18. They are solidly in third place in the Eastern Conference, five and a half games ahead of the Indiana Pacers and two and a half games behind the Boston Celtics. Since November 15, they've gone 31-12, for a .721 winning percentage. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers have a higher winning percentage over that span. Overall, this is the best start this franchise has had since the 1996-97 season when they went 39-15 over their first 54 games. They finished that season 57-25 and went to the ECF. This season, they are on pace to finish 55-27.

Objectively speaking, the Knicks are an outstanding team on the cusp of being elite. Their starting five is arguably the best in the NBA. I say arguably because, let's face it, when Kristaps Porziņģis is healthy, the Celtics starting five is better. Still, that's pretty damn impressive. Give Leon Rose props for putting this roster together over the last three years.

But for all the accolades the starters get - and deservedly so - it's the bench that remains this team's Achilles heal. Right now, Tom Thibodeau has maybe three players he can trust coming off the bench: Precious Achiuwa, Deuce McBride and Cam Payne. And with OG Anunoby missing the last five games due to an injured foot, Thibs was forced to start Achiuwa at the four. As a result, the Knicks starting five leads the league in minutes played per game, with Mikal Bridges (38.2) and Josh Hart (37.8) leading the way.

That might help explain why they ran out of gas against the Thunder in Oklahoma City in early January after leading for most of the game, or why they are 11-12 against teams that are .500 or better. And keep in mind, they still have three games against the Cavs, who are 20-6 against those very same teams. 

With the Knicks up against the second apron, Rose didn't have the cap space he needed to bring in reinforcements at the trade deadline. The return of Mitchell Robinson - now slated for late February - is pretty much it. The 7-0, 240 pound center should provide badly needed help for a team that is ranked near the bottom of the league in both rim and perimeter defense. But how much will Robinson be able to contribute to this team? Realistically, if Thibs can get 12-15 minutes per game out of him, that's still better than nothing.

Another question is whether the return of Robinson means Karl-Anthony Towns moves over to the four? When he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, KAT played the four while Rudy Gobert played the five. That combo proved to be one of the most effective in the NBA, with the T-Wolves advancing to the Western Conference finals before eventually losing to the Dallas Mavericks. If Thibs elects to go that route, it means Anunoby switches back to the three where, frankly, he is more effective and Bridges becomes the two, with Hart coming off the bench. All of this, however, hinges on how durable Robinson is once he returns.

If I had to guess, I'd say Thibs will experiment with KAT at the four, but ultimately decide to keep him at the five. Doing that allows him to bring Robinson in off the bench where he will be the most useful. Besides, even when fully healthy, Robinson isn't much of a scorer, and against a team like the Celtics - their most likely opponent in the second round - the Knicks will need offensive production from their center position, and Towns is, without a doubt, the most prolific scoring center New York has had since Patrick Ewing.

To reiterate what I wrote above, and what I've been saying pretty much all season long, this is an outstanding team on the cusp of being elite. That Rose hasn't gotten consideration for Executive of the Year is nothing short of a crime, given the state this franchise was in prior to his arrival. There are still some holes left to fill, but I am confident they will be filled during the offseason.

Be patient, Knicks fans, the light you see at the end of the tunnel ISN'T a freight train.