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I'm not going to lie though, y'all. Y'all are some pretty hard critics, but we appreciate it. At least I do. Lastly, there's a lot of people that have a lot of negative stuff to say. There's a lot of people who have a lot of opinions, but when you prove them wrong, Yes. You really don't have to you don't have to say to them. What's up, NEW YORK? This championship, THIS CHAMPIONSHIP IS about you guys. THIS IS NEW YORK CITY'S CHAMPIONSHIP. LET'S GO ONE TIME. Who let the dogs out? Who let the dogs out? I love you, New York. Two slightly different messages to the city, but both very positive and very on brand for this New York Knicks team. Uh Vince, Wendy, Monica are here. Shocking that you two were here after covering
the parade yesterday. Look forward to seeing what game you're bringing to the table. Vince, you were covering the parade. Like just general sense, what was it like out there? Uh 6 in the morning. That's what time I got up. That's what time I got to the parade was 6:00 am. And people were lined up at 10 pm the night before. like it was like the world's biggest barbecue, family reunion, whatever you want to call it. Uh it was cathartic. It felt like all of the frustrations of the last x amount of years were just kind of released in that moment uh or over the course of the day. And none of the things that I expected to see actually happen. I expected
Jaylen Brunson to go address some of his critics. I expected Carl Towns to address some of his critics. Jaylen Brunson is Jaylen Brown. I hope I did. Hope I didn't do what the uh the councilman did. Uh you were afraid yesterday. That was terrible. Yeah. Yeah, that was bad. He said he was a longtime Knicks fan. I'm like, man, you just you showed yourself on that one. Um I expected normally at parades players get a chance to flex. I didn't get a chance to see the flex, especially, you know, if this team has been doubted and everybody was against them and everything else. I was going to say a phrase, you supposed to talk
your stuff and you can't because it was all this other it was just and the other part the last part for me the mayor I thought had a really riveting speech and I thought it was kind of cool that he incorporated all of like different eras of the Knicks and then James Dolan came and said I don't have to say anything. I'm like gosh can't we just be on one page one day? That's how we needed to find a way to get away from the team and the championship. We'll always find a way as Americans pull something like that off. Uh, McNut, you were out there as well. We saw you holding up the Larry yesterday. It looked like a big celebration. Uh, there it is. Looking fantastic. Buys flexing,
tries popping. Um, you know, you're part of the Knicks broadcast team on the radio. Like, what was it like being out there for you from your point of view getting to see the city like that? It was, man, it was really incredible. Gosh, it was such a good time. That thing is heavy also. Um, so we left uh city hall. There's like a breakfast and not y'all the other end of the parade. We left around 8:30, probably close to 9:00, but I was walking out with Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado and we're like looking at each other like I've never seen anything like this and this is just going to go get on the floats to head out for the
parade. And so I continue to say that this fan base is just one of a kind. It was there was so much energy out there for it was incredible. I'm super humbled for the way that I've been embraced obviously by the city, but I I've never seen anything like it. Like it is so deep with people just passionate, so excited to be there. I mean, the times people got out there, like I had never seen anything like that. And with that, the celebration and the season officially come to a close and we turn our attention to next year. Wendy, get on in here. If the Knicks want to try to run it back, what are going to be the biggest offseason challenges for the organization?
Yeah, their front officer is reporting to work today with a list of things to do. Number one, they've got the 24th pick in the draft in a couple days, but they've got to figure out a way to keep Mitchell Robinson on this roster. To a lesser extent, Landry Shamut, but Jim Dolan came out publicly and said he will not go into the second apron. If that is the case, Mitchell Robinson will not fit on this team next year. Now, I question whether or not Jim Dolan will stick to that because I know that the Knicks have already had some level of cursory negotiation with Mitch Robinson. It is allowed now when the finals are over, contract negotiations can begin. I think there's a chance the Knicks are going to
go into the fin into the second apron to figure out a way to keep Mitchell Robinson. Now, whether or not they're going to stay in the second apron for years on end, that I don't think is advisable. But I would kind of be surprised if regardless of what Jim Dolan said, they don't find a way to make it happen. It's hard to remain emotionless in a moment like this because it's nothing but emotion as you guys experienced yesterday, but business oftent times can go haywire if you bring emotion into the equation. Do you think that would be a problem going into the second apron to run it back by bringing back all the guys that we just saw?
Look, far be it for me to spend someone else's money, right? Like you got to be careful about that type of stuff unless it's mine. But the thing is when you when I look at the list of champions over the past, let's say 15 years, Dallas in 2011, the Lakers in 2020, those teams were kind of broken up prematurely. They were not given the opportunity to run it back. And it kind of sticks at people like Mark Cuban wanted to break up the 2011 Mavericks so he could go at the slight chance of getting Dwight Howard who was at that point the best center in basketball. the two 2020 Lakers, they just want to shift out some role players because maybe they didn't believe that the quick turnaround would allow for them to be fresh. It
didn't happen for either team. Like sometimes it's best to stick with what you have. And for the way this next team went through the playoffs, they discovered some things that they did not have in the regular season. They deserve a chance to go back in mass and see if they can defend this title together. That's what I think. The top priority this offseason, what would you want to see the New York Knicks do? Um, oh, that's a tough question. I think Mitchell Robinson is top of the list in my mind. But I also think too, y'all, and it's funny because after the championship in San Antonio, Mitch is the longest tenur Nick on the roster
right now. And so we were talking about that experience and how much he's seen and how much he's grown and, you know, eight years into this league and he's seen a lot. I think there's a u a meeting of the minds in terms of obviously players and front offices aligning. I think that Mitchell Robinson has been a star in his role, but I do wonder if he thinks there's more out there in terms of opportunity and so maybe it's not just about money. I mean, we'll see if he can get to a full season where he's not on a game restriction. Like, what does that potentially look like? Um, but I do think that he's one of the top priorities for sure.
Speaking of money, it was Jaylen Brunson who left money on the table so the Knicks could help build this team around him. But Carl Anthony Towns could be the next superstar on the team facing a big contract question himself. Wendy Cat, do you see him taking less money to help the Knicks when it comes to his extension talks? In all honesty, that's the biggest question of the Knicks off season. So Carl Towns is under contract for next season. He'll be back. He'll be the starting center. He'll be there on ring night. But the question is, can Carl Towns stick with his team long term? the way he was used in this postseason. It's hard to not see him as with this team for the majority of the rest of his
career. But he is in position to get a contract extension that's going to approach $70 million a year on average. And he has earned it. He has shown that he is an elite center in this league, a championship player. But the Knicks are not going to be able to afford that type of player. They'll resign him, but they I don't know if they'd be able to keep the team together. So Jaylen Brunson took less. I don't expect anybody in the history of the NBA to do what Jaylen Brunson did, but um Male Bridges took a little less than he could have last year. If Carl Towns is willing to take a little bit of a haircut, um you know, 710 million over the course of multiple seasons. Um you know, and Josh
Hart is also extension eligible this summer. If both of them are willing to take a little bit of a haircut, you could see this core staying together for three, four, five years. If Carl Towns wants his full max extension, which again he has earned, it's going to be hard to keep the roster together after next season. Carl Towns' stock is never going to be higher. This is peak stock right here. So, if you're looking to cash in, this would be the time. Do you see him taking less money? Well, if you think about it, the reason that Carl Towns is a New York Knick is because his contract in Minnesota was such that it placed the Timberwolves in the second apron. They couldn't afford to keep him, so they had to trade him.
That was not a basketball trade for Minnesota. That was a money trade. and it just so happened to work out that the Knicks were the beneficiaries of that. Do you want to place yourself in the same situation where you get your money and then you wind up putting yourself on the chopping block? That's what this second apron has done to players. And if I'm Carl Towns, remember they had the opportunity to extend him at the start of the season. They did not. It stuck with him. I don't think he's gotten over that. So, let's see how this plays out.
I'm curious. Like the Joe Flacco situation years ago. So, there's two things that happened over the course of the season that are making me wonder if he will if we're Let's go to the second part of the question. Josh Hart. Josh Hart's ultimate team guy has already voiced when he wants to retire. If you listen to the roommates podcast and all that, I kind of think he leans toward the side of taking a haircut and make up the money elsewhere. You're a New York Nick. To your point, no extension to start the season. And when the Giannis talks loudest, y'all, Towns is a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. He wanted to be here. He said that within internally. We heard that around the MSG building. he
wanted to be there having seen the way that he connected and wanted to be in this uniform and what he achieved. And again, I can't count other people's pockets, but the small haircut that Wendy is talking about is nothing for the abilities to be stable personally and professionally for a little bit of a long-term run. So, to me, it all makes sense. It's going to be hard to sell as an organization haircuts for any players when Brunson just did that for you and helped deliver. Yeah, but he ain't he ain't taking a haircut in a couple in the next time his extension is up. And
and I and not saying that he should. That's why the rules make it so difficult for players cuz you blame the players as opposed to the system being flawed. The system is jacked up. Not the players. The players have a small shelf life to make the money that they're going to make. No matter what we think of the numbers, they have a very small shelf life to maximize it. And now they can't. Going to be an outstanding off season for the Knicks. Coming up.
