Knicks issue statement about championship ring controversy

The New York Knicks have issued a public statement attempting to do some damage control following a report that they pulled a cruel trick on some team employees.

In the statement issued by the Madison Square Garden Sports Corp., the organization sought to challenge the narrative that the Knicks were not offering championship rings to many longtime MSG employees. The statement acknowledges that the team used the promise of rings as a phishing scheme, which it calls a “mistake.”

“There is a great deal of misinformation regarding the championship rings,” the statement read. “The plan has always been to distribute more than 275 rings and jewelry to the people in the organization who were part of last season’s success. … Regarding the phishing email, the process of securing and reminding our employees to protect our IP was not a mistake but the choice to use the ring to do so was a mistake and we apologize to our employees and the fans.

“Winning the championship was a great moment for all New Yorkers. Those who choose to focus on the negative are missing the joy that comes with the team’s accomplishment.”

The Knicks’ attempt to cast the story as a distraction probably isn’t going to work. Many were understandably outraged that the Knicks cruelly used the possibility of rings to essentially trick employees. As impressive as the title was, this just reminds people of some of owner James Dolan’s past tone-deaf decisions over the years.