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The New York Knicks were two wins away from their first NBA Finals appearance since the 1990s. However, it was not to be after they fell short against a well-rounded Indiana Pacers team. Now, they have an offseason to elevate themselves once more.
The Knicks could invest in some much-needed depth this offseason after having that deficiency exploited by the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. On the other hand, they could double down and go big-game hunting once more.
Superstar acquisition this offseason would aid Jalen Brunson
The Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes are being eagerly awaited by all other 29 teams in the NBA this offseason other than the Milwaukee Bucks. The looming trade request is something that a big market team like the Knicks will be monitoring closely.
On ESPN's Get Up, Jay Williams explained why adding Antetokounmpo would be a masterful move for the Knicks. The main rationale had to do with the effect it would have on Jalen Brunson.
"I've said this before. I think what puts Jalen Brunson in the best position long-term is to be 1A when you need him to be 1A the most, at the end of games. ... Mariano Rivera didn't pitch for seven innings.
So all I'm going to say is throughout the longevity for Brunson's career ... I don't need him to carry the load every single night during the course of an 82 regular game season schedule and into the playoffs. ... A guy like Giannis can carry that load. ...
They work together. Now, look, you're going to have to give up a lot of pieces and assets in order to get that. But I think in the best long-term interest of Jalen Brunson, if you want to keep him around, Giannis is the player that I think matches that and helps sustain a longer career for Brunson."
-Jay Williams
The Knicks would certainly need to give up an attractive, player-centric package to acquire Antetokounmpo. However, if you're in agreement with the thinking of Williams above, it would ultimately be worth it for New York.
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How much longer Rob Pelinka is expected to be Lakers GM revealed
Rob Pelinka still appears to have a very nice long runway in his current position. An update emerged over the weekend about how much longer the Los Angeles Lakers GM Pelinka is expected to remain in his post. Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported during an appearance on “Hoops Talk with Allen Sliwa” that Pelinka will likely remain GM for as long as Jeanie Buss is in charge of the Lakers as their acting governor. “So long as Jeanie’s in place, we also know that means that Rob Pelinka will be in place,” said McMenamin. “Because Jeanie’s the one who has elevated him every step of the way … I don’t anticipate, certainly not in the short-term, the way the Lakers operate changing dramatically whatsoever.” The Buss family recently agreed to sell their majority ownership stake in the Lakers to Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter at a record-setting $10 billion valuation. However, Jeanie will reportedly remain as Lakers governor as part of a contractually-stipulated clause in the agreement. We heard last month more specifically that Jeanie is still expected to stay in charge of the team through the end of the decade. As for Pelinka, the 55-year-old former agent of Kobe Bryant, he was hired by the Buss family in 2017. During the first few years of Pelinka’s tenure, the Lakers signed LeBron James, traded for Anthony Davis, and won the 2020 NBA championship in the Orlando bubble. Though Pelinka has had some ugly whiffs since (namely, the disaster trade for Russell Westbrook in 2021), he earned himself a whole boatload of goodwill with the franchise-altering trade for Luka Doncic earlier this year. Pelinka got a contract extension from the Lakers last April and also landed the new title of president of basketball operations to go along with his role as general manager. With Doncic also just agreeing to an enormous long-term extension with the Lakers, it looks like the team’s hierarchy (both at the player level and the management level) is set for the next several years to come.
Brewers issue update on Jackson Chourio rehab timeline
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio was tearing it up in July before he strained his hamstring legging out a triple. He was placed on the injured list, and it only got worse from there. Less than 24 hours later, manager Pat Murphy said Chourio would be out beyond the 10-day minimum and possibly at least a month. On Saturday, beat reporter Curt Hogg shed another tidbit of light on the slugger’s timetable. It’s not necessarily worse news, but Hogg’s update probably does not illuminate much. Fans already knew Chourio was going to be out a while after Friday’s report, so this latest info isn’t surprising. It isn’t all that encouraging, either. It certainly suggests no expedited return schedule. Not to make assumptions, but the emphasis on the location of the damage versus evaluating its severity seems to indicate the Brewers are just hoping Chourio avoided a worse-case scenario. In that case, caution would indeed be first in the order of operations. Only after ascertaining clarity would it make sense to seriously estimate a recovery timetable. That he won’t be ready to immediately resume baseball workouts further points to a slow, methodical recovery process. For however long he remains out, the lineup will miss him badly. Chourio’s 17 home runs rank second on the team behind Christian Yelich, as do his 67 RBI. His .786 OPS leads the offense among qualified hitters. In 90 at-bats in July, he hit .367/.408/.600. The Brewers are resilient everywhere, but without one of their few genuine power threats and hottest bats, plus an everyday outfielder, they are courting a potential offensive slump. The most fans can hope for from Chourio is that he returns fully healthy by the first week of September. Until then, Blake Perkins and trade pickup Brandon Lockridge should see plenty of playing time while Yelich takes more reps in the outfield after getting most of his at-bats this season as the designated hitter.
25-time Grammy winner's sports agency blasts Jerry Jones for 'comical' comment
The Dallas Cowboys may have 99 problems, and the way owner Jerry Jones handles contract negotiations could be considered a big one. Jones spoke with the media Saturday regarding Micah Parsons' contract situation. The EDGE, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, has requested a trade. The 82-year-old owner clarified the Cowboys have no plans to trade Parsons. While discussing negotiations, Jones took an unprovoked jab at former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant and his agent, rapper Jay-Z. "When we have a problem within the team and a player, I don't ever find the agent. He's nowhere to be found," Jones said. "...Jay-Z and I negotiated [Bryant's contract in 2015], spent hours. He said, 'Anybody in my organization is on time.' He said, 'My office used to be on the street corner, and I've always been early. So, they will be on time.' And I said, 'Where do I sign? But I'm going to call you.' Finally, he quit taking my call." The 25-time Grammy winner's sports agency, Roc Nation, took issue with Jones' comment. In a statement released on X Sunday, it denied his claim, calling it "comical." This is yet another example of Jones prioritizing attention when he should be focused on extending two-time first-team All-Pro Parsons. The Cowboys often delay deals for their stars. The team signed Bryant to a five-year, $70M deal in July 2015, just before the deadline to extend players with a franchise tag. Last season, Dallas signed quarterback Dak Prescott to a four-year, $240M contract ahead of its season opener against the Cleveland Browns. The team's procrastination often leaves it paying even more for star players and wastes valuable time. Parsons is still with the team at training camp in Oxnard, Calif., but isn't participating. He likely wants a contract that's similar to that of Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt (three years, $123M). The pass-rusher is the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league. Jones' methods are one reason the Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl since the 1995 season. Jay-Z should mention that if he wants to write a single that includes a lyric about the owner.
Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love’s ‘Fiery’ Response to Wife’s Take on Franchise’s Timeless Tradition
Braves star injured in Speedway Classic at Bristol
In a season full of hard luck for the Atlanta Braves, Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Reds brought more. Star third baseman Austin Riley exited the Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway after tagging out Elly De La Cruz at home plate and saving a run in the bottom of the first inning. Riley fielded a ball that was smoked to third base off the bat of Miguel Andujar and chased Cruz down at the plate to keep Cincinnati's lead at one run. The next time Riley came up in the batting order, however, it was 28-year-old Luke Williams who stepped into the batter's box. The official reason given for Riley's departure from the contest was lower abdominal pain. Riley struck out in his lone plate appearance on Sunday. Riley, 28, is hitting .260 for Atlanta in 415 at-bats this season. He's hit 16 home runs with a .309 on-base percentage in 101 games. Riley strained an abdominal muscle on July 11 in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals, which led to the Memphis, Tenn., native being on the injured list until July 25. Atlanta is hoping that the pain he suffered on Sunday doesn't lead to a long-term injury.
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