Hoops Wire

Category: Knicks

Latest New York Knicks Rumors and News.

  • East Notes: Pistons, front office, Hornets, Gordon Hayward, Knicks

    East Notes: Pistons, front office, Hornets, Gordon Hayward, Knicks

    Pistons

    It does not appear that the Pistons are ready to hit the panic button just yet, per Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. This despite Detroit’s 17-game losing streak and 2-18 start.Troy Weaver

    “Sources say Pistons brass is reluctant to hit the panic button — meaning a sweeping front office change looks unlikely for now,” Sankofa wrote. “With three-fourths of the season remaining, there’s time for the roster to gel, and fortunes to turn. (Bojan Bogdanovic’s) return, at the very least, should make (Cade Cunningham’s) life easier and give the team the firepower needed to be more competitive in tight games late.”

    That said, there is “concern” about the team’s direction under GM Troy Weaver, Sankofa added.

    “This has been a worse start to the season than anyone could have imagined. It will take a significant improvement for them to just crack the 20-win threshold they reached two seasons ago,” Sankofa wrote. “Clearly, there’s substantial work ahead to right the ship.  There’s no clear path out of the mud they’re stuck in, but they will soon have to forge one. Depending on which way the Pistons are trending a month from now, they could look to upgrade their roster by swinging a trade for a talented veteran.”

    • In case you missed it, the start of coach Monty Williams‘ tenure has been an absolute basketball disaster, wrote our Gary Sheffield Jr.
    • The Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets are two teams believed to have an interest in Pistons veteran wing Alec Burks, as we relayed here.

    Hornets

    Small forward Gordon Hayward says he’s had an “up and down” tenure with the Hornets thus far.

    “There have been moments where it’s been really fun with big-time wins,” Hayward told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “There have been a lot of moments where I was injured my first two years at the beginning of the year. They were unfortunate injuries. Those suck. There’s nothing you can do about that. It’s sports, and it happens.”

    • Meanwhile, Hayward offered high praise for rookie teammate Brandon Miller. “I think the thing that impressed me the most about him was his poise in the pocket, especially with the ball in his hands, not only making plays for himself but being able to see over the defense,” Hayward told Scotto. “In practice, he makes passes across the court. That’s stuff that usually takes time to develop. A lot of guys can play with the ball and score. That’s how they get to the NBA, but that’s what has impressed me about him. He should be All-NBA if he wants to be because of his length, size, quickness, and instincts. He obviously has a bright future.”

    Knicks

    • It’s been a nice start for the Knicks, who have won 12 of their first 19 games. But the schedule in December will provide quite the challenge, wrote Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. Of their 12 remaining games, nine are on the road, Bondy noted. They also hit the West Coast — a trip that includes a visit to the Lakers, Clippers and Suns.
  • Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan said to prefer Knicks or Heat if traded

    Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan said to prefer Knicks or Heat if traded

    There’s plenty of scuttlebutt surrounding the Chicago Bulls, and none of it good. Basically, not only have they been playing poorly, but they seem to be involved in a new trade rumor daily.DeMar DeRozan

    That’s especially the case for guard Zach LaVine and small forward DeMar DeRozan. Both have already been linked to (who else?) the Lakers.

    But as for DeRozan … well, it sounds like the Lakers wouldn’t be his preference if he were indeed dealt. Instead, he would want to go to the Knicks or the Heat, per Sam Amick of The Athletic.

    DeRozan, 34, has been at the center of trade rumors since at least February, likely before then. One source told Hoops Wire he strongly believes DeRozan will be traded this season — and likely before LaVine.

    The Bulls seem to respect DeRozan enough that they would try to send him to one of his preferred destinations, though as is the case with any potential trade, it all depends on what they’re able to get in return. So the priority is to take the absolute best offer.

  • NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals set

    NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals set

    Our first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament Elite Eight is about to tip off.LeBron James passes around Josh Okogie (Getty)

    With the completion of Tuesday’s final games in the group stage, eight teams remained and advanced to the “knockout” round. The winners of those four games will then head to Las Vegas for the right to square off in the title game — the only game of the tournament that doesn’t count toward the regular-season standings.

    Here is how things stack up (home team listed first), with games scheduled for Monday, Dec. 4, and Tuesday, Dec. 5:

    Western Conference

    • Lakers vs. Suns
    • Pelicans vs. Kings

    Eastern Conference

    • Bucks vs. Knicks
    • Pacers vs. Celtics

    The 22 teams that did not qualify will have to schedule regular-season games, and the majority of those should be held Wednesday, Dec. 6, and Friday, Dec. 8.

  • Celtics visit Pacers; Knicks visit Bucks for In-Season Tournament quarterfinals

    Celtics visit Pacers; Knicks visit Bucks for In-Season Tournament quarterfinals

    The Eastern Conference half of the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals are set, and who knows? Maybe it’s a preview of things to come in the actual playoffs.Tyrese Haliburton drives by Malik Beasley

    But no matter how you feel about that possibility, here are the facts and they cannot be disputed:

    The Indiana Pacers will host the Boston Celtics in one East quarterfinal, with the Milwaukee Bucks hosting the New York Knicks in the other. 

    Now that Group play has ended, whoever loses is out — as the knockout round is just like the NCAA Tournament. One game, and it’s win or go home.

    We will have a separate post on the Western Conference quarterfinals once they are completely set. Right now, one is — and that features the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Phoenix Suns.

    Teams that did not qualify for the quarterfinals will have regular-season games scheduled for next week.

    https://twitter.com/AmicoHoops/status/1729700014539087934

  • Knicks waiving injured Duane Washington Jr, signing Jaylen Martin to two-way deal

    Knicks waiving injured Duane Washington Jr, signing Jaylen Martin to two-way deal

    The New York Knicks are waiving guard Duane Washington Jr. from his two-way contract and replacing him with guard/forward Jaylen Martin, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.Duane Washington Jr

    Washington, 23, suffered an injured right thumb and is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks. He has yet to appear in a game with the Knicks since signing a two-way on Oct. 23 — though he has played for the Westchester Knicks of the G League.

    You can assume Washington will remain with Westchester once he returns from the injury.

    He also finished last season on a two-way deal with the Knicks, though he did not appear in any games with the team.

    Washington spent the first part of last season on a two-way deal with the Suns and averaged 7.9 points on 37 percent shooting. He spent his rookie year with the Pacers, averaging 9.9 points in 48 games.

    Martin, 19, is 6-foot-6 and signed a two-way deal with the Knicks after going undrafted in 2023. He then played for New York’s entry at Summer League, averaging 13.0 points, 3.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and one steal in 30 minutes per game.

    The Knicks waived him on Oct. 18. But as Charania noted, Martin is averaging 13.0 points and been impressive for Westchester early in the G League season.

  • Knicks owner James Dolan resigns from NBA Board posts, saying league doesn’t want his opinions

    Knicks owner James Dolan resigns from NBA Board posts, saying league doesn’t want his opinions

    Knicks owner James Dolan moved on from his positions as NBA Board of Governors’ advisory/finance committee and media committee several months ago, saying the league no longer wants to hear what he has to say, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.James Dolan

    Dolan added in a July memo that he no longer intends to attend Board of Governors meetings.

    “Given all that has occurred lately, I have come to the conclusion that the NBA neither needs nor wants my opinion,” Dolan wrote in a July memo to commissioner Adam Silver and the league’s other 29 team owners, per Wojnarowski.

    “My hope is that the Knicks will be treated equally and fairly as all other NBA teams.… As you know, I am very busy with all my duties at MSG family of companies. I need to apply my time where I can be most productive.”

    Per Wojnarowski, Dolan has been highly critical of Silver and the league on several fronts, including revenue sharing — in which large-market teams such as the Knicks have to share revenue with smaller-market clubs.

    Dolan also voted against Michael Jordan‘s sale of the Hornets to the current ownership group, Wojnarowski wrote.

    Of course, this news is all coming out as the Knicks are embroiled in a controversy with the Raptors, with New York suing Toronto for more than $10 million. The suit alleges that a former Knicks basketball staffer took proprietary information with him to his new job with the Raptors over the summer. (Full story.)

  • Knicks seek more than $10M from Raptors in suit, stress Silver should not arbitrate

    Knicks seek more than $10M from Raptors in suit, stress Silver should not arbitrate

    The Knicks are seeking more than $10 million in damages in their lawsuit against the Raptors, per Baxter Holmes of ESPN. The suit claims a former New York employee stole “proprietary” basketball-related information and brought it with him after being hired by Toronto.Adam Silver

    As we relayed here, the Knicks have responded to the Raptors’ motion to dismiss the suit by seeking an arbitrator other than NBA commissioner Adam Silver. According to the Knicks, Silver is close with Raptors owner Larry Tanenbaum.

    “The Knicks’ filing, which was obtained by ESPN, came in response to the Raptors’ Oct. 16 motion to dismiss the Knicks’ initial complaint and have Silver arbitrate the dispute,” Holmes wrote.

    “In Monday’s filing, the Knicks also argued that Tanenbaum’s position as the chairman of the NBA’s board of governors would create a conflict of interest, as ‘Tanenbaum serves as Silver’s boss and exercises control over and heavily influences Silver’s continued employment and salary.’ Further, the Knicks pointed to a friendship between Silver and Tanenbaum.”

    “Among other things, Tanenbaum has been described as ‘a close ally of Commissioner Adam Silver,’” the Knicks alleged, via Holmes. “Silver himself described Tanenbaum as ‘not just my boss as the chairman of the board of governors, but he’s very much a role model in my life.’ If Silver were to preside over the instant dispute, he would be arbitrating a case for his boss and ally.”

    Multiple writers and outlets reported on the Knicks’ response before ESPN, including Fred Katz of The Athletic.

    The Knicks filed a lawsuit against the Raptors in August, alleging that former Knicks employee Ikechukwu Azotam stole proprietary information and took it with him to Toronto. Azotam is now a video coordinator with the Raptors.

    He is named in the lawsuit, as are Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic, development coach Noah Lewis and 10 John Does who have not yet been identified.

    The Raptors issued a strong denial and asked a judge to dismiss the suit.

    Meanwhile, Raptors head of basketball operations Masai Ujiri downplayed the suit when it first came to light.

    “I think there has been one time in the history of the NBA that a team has sued another team,” he said. “Go figure.”

  • Knicks respond to Raptors’ motion to dismiss lawsuit, say Adam Silver shouldn’t decide

    Knicks respond to Raptors’ motion to dismiss lawsuit, say Adam Silver shouldn’t decide

    The Knicks have responded to the Raptors’ motion to dismiss a lawsuit against them, with New York saying a court should determine the merit of the suit, not commissioner Adam Silver.New York Knicks logo

    “We were the victim of a theft of proprietary and confidential files, which is a clear violation of criminal and civil law, and we remain confident that the Court will decide in our favor in this matter,” a statement from the Knicks read.

    The Knicks filed a lawsuit against the Raptors in August, alleging that former Knicks employee Ikechukwu Azotam stole proprietary information and took it with him to Toronto. Azotam is now a video coordinator with the Raptors.

    He is named in the lawsuit, as are Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic, development coach Noah Lewis and 10 John Does who have not yet been identified.

    The Raptors issued a strong denial and asked a judge to dismiss the suit.

    “MLSE and the Toronto Raptors received a letter from MSG on Thursday of last week bringing this complaint to our attention,” a statement from the organization read. “MLSE responded promptly, making clear our intention to conduct an internal investigation and to fully cooperate. MLSE has not been advised that a lawsuit was being filed or has been filed following its correspondence with MSG. The company strongly denies any involvement in the matters alleged. MLSE and the Toronto Raptors will reserve further comment until this matter has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.”

    According to The Athletic, the suit alleged that “Azotam, the Knicks’ former director of video, analytics and player development, stole proprietary information — including ‘scouting reports, play frequency reports, a prep book and a link to third-party licensed software’ — and used it to help Rajakovic acclimate to his first head coaching job. The suit says that in July, around the time Azotam told the Knicks he had a job offer from Toronto, he started to forward information from his Knicks email account to his personal Gmail account.”

    Raptors head of basketball operations Masai Ujiri downplayed the suit.

    “I think there has been one time in the history of the NBA that a team has sued another team,” he said. “Go figure.”

    In most instances, the commissioner would make the final call on if there is any merit to the suit. But the Knicks clearly believe the decision should be made by someone else.

     

  • East Notes: Celtics, Derrick White, Sixers, Knicks

    East Notes: Celtics, Derrick White, Sixers, Knicks

    Celtics

    It took everything they had, but Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and the Celtics fought their way to an impressive road win over the 76ers on Wednesday. This despite the fact Jaylen Brown (illness) and Kristaps Porzingis (bruised knee) were out.Derrick White, Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid battle for a loos ball

    Tatum scored 29 points and White had 27, including 14 in the fourth quarter.

    “Everyone has to step it up a little bit,” White told reporters. “Obviously, guys like J.B. and K.P., you can’t do what they do. But you have to step it up just a little bit and I think that a lot of guys stepped up tonight.”

    • Coach Joe Mazzulla also had plenty of praise for Jrue Holiday, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. “Jrue, I told him before the game, ‘I watched you on film take things over when guys on the Bucks team were out, and you won games because of what you did on both ends,’” Mazzulla said, via Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. “So, he was able to do some of that tonight.”

    76ers

    The Sixers were playing the second game of a back-to-back and third in four nights in the loss to Boston. It may have caught up with them in the second half.

    “The physicality on the ball, we were not able to get into things as crisply as we would like to,” coach Nick Nurse said. “It’s not always easy coming off a back-to-back like that and it took us a minute to get into the game. I think that we gave up some easy offense and dug ourselves a hole.”

    Knicks 

    Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle came up big in Wednesday’s road win over the Hawks, as Brunson hit a pull-up jumper with 18 seconds to go. New York claimed a 116-114 victory.

    “We showed a lot of toughness — more mental than physical — and found a way to win,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters.

    • Thibodeau added that Brunson in particular showed some stick-to-itiveness in a close game and came through when they needed him most. “He couldn’t find his rhythm early,” Thibodeau said. “But he just kept working the game, working the game, working the game.”
  • East Notes: Hornets, Miles Bridges, Knicks, Celtics

    East Notes: Hornets, Miles Bridges, Knicks, Celtics

    Hornets

    Forward Miles Bridges will play a significant role the very minute he returns from his suspension, per Kristian Winfield of the NY Daily News.Miles Bridges

    Bridges was suspended for the first 10 games following an investigation into a domestic violence incident — which caused him to miss all of last year. There have been separate allegations since, resulting in Bridges turning himself in to police.

    Nonetheless, he signed a one-year deal in the offseason and has been preparing to play since.

    “I think he’ll be ready to play. He’s in practice every day,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told reporters. “So, he’s been well organized when he’s there. He’s in really good shape. He’s worked hard. I’ll be honest, we’ve been playing every other day… But he will have a significant role right away.”

    On the court, Bridges put together a career year in 2021-22, averaging 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists. All were career highs.

    • Rookie forward Brandon Miller was forced to exit Sunday’s road loss to the Knicks with a tweaked ankle, though Clifford suggested it’s not anything serious. “It’ll be, I think, more day to day,” Clifford said.

    Knicks

    The Knicks shot a season-high 54 percent from the field in their 129-107 win over the Hornets on Sunday, when they also scored a season-high in points.

    So don’t look now, but New York has won three straight.

    “We’re playing better basketball,” power forward Julius Randle told reporters. “It’s still super-early in the season, so we’ve got to keep building to where we want to be at.”

    • Coach Tom Thibodeau praised the entire effort. “We had a number of guys who made very unselfish plays and then we got going defensively a little bit,” he said. “And that got us some easy scoring opportunities, and we need those.”

    Celtics

    • Forward Kristaps Porzingis indicated he felt fine after playing in back-to-back games, via Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. “Honestly, I didn’t start the season in perfect shape. I think now I’m starting to feel the way I need to feel, and I’m still going to improve,” Prozingis said. “Rhythm, feel, shot, everything is still going to get much better.”
    • Forward Sam Hauser has rebounded nicely when it comes to his 3-point shooting. He went just 3-of-15 in October, but is 21-of-38 from deep since. “It’s kind of my job,” Hauser said, via Souichi Terada of MassLive. “It’s nothing crazy. Obviously it’s nice to see more go through than miss, so I’m really happy with that. But yeah, it’s my job, so I always have to be ready to make some shots.”
  • Knicks Notes: Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, RJ Barrett

    Knicks Notes: Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, RJ Barrett

    The Knicks have had to deal with some outside hype coming into their building lately — first with James Harden and the Clippers, and then Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs coming to town a couple nights later.Jalen Brunson

    New York won both, and fairly easily.

    “Obviously this place is amazing, … the history, all that stuff,” guard Jalen Brunson told reporters of Madison Square Garden. “I think just for us, we just focus on what we can control and that’s sticking together and trying to be the best team we can be.”

    • Mitchell Robinson did a nice job on Wembanyama, just as Robinson does on everyone. He told reporters before the game, “I’m not worried about his tallness, bro,” comparing defending Wembanyama to Kristaps Porzingis or Bol Bol.
    • Guard RJ Barrett said Robinson delivered. “He backed up his words,” Barrett said, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
    • Brunson also offered praise for Robinson: “I think Mitch did a great job just understanding what Wemby likes to do, making it difficult for him,” Brunson said, via Bondy. “It’s the NBA. It’s really hard to stop people one-on-one. But I think Mitch did a great job of trying to make everything difficult for him. The whole team did.”
    • By the way, Barrett is averaging a career-high 22.3 points through six games, shooting a sizzling 47 percent on 3-pointers. If he can keep this up, or something close, the Knicks may be going places.
  • Knicks Assign Dylan Windler to G League, Recall Him to Parent Club

    Knicks Assign Dylan Windler to G League, Recall Him to Parent Club

    The Knicks have assigned and recalled guard/forward Dylan Windler to the Westchester Knicks of the G League, presumably to get in some extra practice time.Dylan Windler

    Windler, 27, is 6-foot-6 and in his first season with the Knicks after three seasons with the Cavaliers. He initially signed a two-way contract with New York in July, before having that contract converted to a standard deal on Oct. 21.

    So far, he has appeared in just two games, making it seem as if he will indeed spend some time with Westchester. The G League tips off its season on Friday.

    The Cavs selected Windler with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft but did not extend a qualifying offer at the end of last season. That sent Windler into free agency, where he signed with New York.

    He normally wouldn’t have been eligible for a two-way deal, given that he’s been in the NBA for four years. But Windler missed his entire rookie year, so he’s actually only in Year No. 4 now.

    Players are only eligible for two-way contracts if they’ve played in three seasons or less.

    Either way, Windler has appeared in just 86 games over his first four seasons, with injuries being the name of the game for him with the Cavs. Interestingly, he was known as a bit of an ironman as an amateur, missing just one game between high school and four years of college at Belmont.

    After missing all of his rookie year, Windler bounced back to average a career-high 5.2 points in his second season, showing flashes of promise. But given how little he’s been able to stay on the floor since, it wouldn’t have made sense for the Cavs to issue the $5 million qualifying offer this past summer.

    The Knicks (3-4) are coming off a win over the Clippers and host rookie Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on Wednesday.

  • East Notes: Knicks, Jalen Brunson, Raptors, Pistons

    East Notes: Knicks, Jalen Brunson, Raptors, Pistons

    Knicks

    From the sounds of things, the Knicks will be at the receiving end of James Harden‘s debut with the Clippers on Monday night. So New York will not only get to see Harden, but Clippers teammates Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook.

    “[Harden is] another weapon for them,” Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “They have a lot of great players over there. Really impressive résumés and all that stuff, and their careers have been nothing short of spectacular. So, it’s a lot of firepower. We’ve just gotta be ready to go.” 

    Coach Tom Thibodeau agreed.

    “They were a great team before the trade,” Tom Thibodeau said. “Obviously, add another great player to the group, so that’s the challenge that you face every night. We know how good he is, he’s proven that throughout his career. But they’re a lot more than one guy, obviously. We’re going to have to be great for 48 minutes.” 

    Raptors

    The Raptors overcame a 22-point deficit before beating Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in overtime on Sunday.

    A big reason for that was forward Scottie Barnes, who scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter.

    “We didn’t run different plays in the second half,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said, via Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. “It was just our intentions and how aggressive we were doing that in the second half that gave us a chance.”

    • Forward OG Anunoby left impressed with Wembanyama. “He’s super unique,” Anunoby told reporters. “I’ve never seen anyone that tall in life. He’s just really tall. Covers a lot of ground. Yeah, he changes the game.”

    Pistons

    Coach Monty Williams said the Pistons have to start being a little smarter defensively.

    “We gotta stop fouling. How many times did we go for a pump fake tonight? How many times did we foul a 3-point shooter?” Williams asked after the Pistons lost to the Suns on Sunday, via Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “I’m more concerned with that. The foul disparity, you’re going to have that. We’re not going to win games because the officials bailed us out.”

    • This game marked Williams’ first against the Suns — the franchise he coached to a Finals appearance in 2019. We have the full story here.
  • Cavs Not About to Downplay Rematch With Knicks: ‘It’s a Big Game for Us’

    Cavs Not About to Downplay Rematch With Knicks: ‘It’s a Big Game for Us’

    AKRON, Ohio — Without a doubt, losing to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs took a bit of a toll on the Cavaliers.Isaac Okoro defends Jalen Brunson

    So much so that, wing Isaac Okoro admitted Saturday that he rooted for the Heat in the second round. That was the Knicks’ opponent, with Miami eventually winning the series.

    “I know (losing to the Knicks) stuck with me for a pretty long time,” Okoro told reporters. “It took me a minute to get over it.”

    Now, they meet again. Granted, it’s just the regular season and we’re not even 10 games in. More like three. 

    Each team is 1-2, and the Cavs are down at least two starters (Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen) and perhaps a third in Donovan Mitchell, who only happens to be their best player.

    In other words, Tuesday’s game in Cleveland may be a rematch in name only. After that, the teams meet up a night later in New York.

    But go ahead and call it another meaningless regular season game. Most healthy members of the Cavs are calling it something else.

    “It’s a big game for us,” power forward Evan Mobley said. “Definitely want to go out there and really show our crowd and show our team we’re out here to fight and move forward and keep getting better and I feel like it’s going to be a good game.”

    As for Okoro, there’s a good chance he’ll draw the assignment of defending Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson, one of the league’s most underrated weapons. It’s hard to be underrated in New York, but the low-key and always professional Brunson has found a way.

    Okoro and the rest of the Cavs know and appreciate Brunson’s game.

    So how should they try to contain him?

    “Just be physical. By being physical you could wear your opponent out. First quarter, second quarter, by the fourth quarter they’re all worn out. They got dead legs,” Okoro said. “So just be physical from the start.”

    Ah, yes. Physical. Some people will tell you the Cavs were missing that very trait in last year’s playoff series. They weren’t just defeated by the Knicks; they were bullied and broken. 

    Basically, there will still be a long way to go after the Cavs and Knicks square off for the next two straight nights — a very long way. But it’s never too early to try to send a message.