Friday Posted & Toasted Notes: Offseason Talk, Wrong Covers, Vodka Bottles

Been putting together this post for a few days because otherwise I’d be feeding you 200-word posts. Would you rather have short, daily notes, or bigger, every-few-days posts? Links below!

• Want to get excited about the 2027 NBA season? Read SNY scribe David Vertsberger’s column. In a few words, the Knicks may not merely defend their title next season but actually turn into a regular-season juggernaut—and what would come next. Imagine breaking parity!
• Back to offseason business, the Knicks’ championship roster earned a B-minus grade from ESPN’s Zach Kram. For those straight out of a coma, New York retained most of the team and only really lost Mitchell Robinson, with Andre Drummond brought to town as his replacement. Remember when this felt like the end of the world?
• Speaking of Mitch, look how the Celtics introduced him. LOL.

• Anyway, the real threat to the Knicks’ chances at building a dynasty may be the NBA’s financial structure more than any other team across the League. Nine of the top 10 members of the playoff rotation are returning, but New York lost Robinson while trying to avoid the second apron, and the starting five is entirely between 29 and 31 years old.
• Most worrying is the fact that Towns is eligible for a four-year extension worth as much as $272 million, while Hart will follow with his own potential $131-million deal, and Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby will also become eligible for new deals shortly after. ESPN’s Bobby Marks discussed the situation and called KAT’s future a “fascinating” saga to follow, as his decision will shape the future of the Knicks depending on how much of a pay cut (if any) he takes to give New York some financial room.
• The Knicks still need a third-string center behind Towns and Drummond after Dallas matched its offer sheet for Moussa Cisse. I agree with the NYP’s Jared Schawartz and his belief that New York will simply get to training camp with a roster spot open, hand out a bunch of unguaranteed deals, and see who fits best then and there (pretty much a la Shamet/Brogdon last fall). For those not tracking names, Nick Richards, Tony Bradley and Drew Eubanks remain available in free agency.

• One-off Knick P.J. Tucker is rolling with Jalen Brunson over other players. NBA 2K Sports is not, for some reason…
• …and Andre Drummond let them know.
• I love Hibachi as much as anyone does, but Gilbert Arenas had the worst-ever Brunson take.

“You got the Jalen Brunson shoes? He don’t have ’em, right? (Steph Curry) sold $50 million in jerseys the days they released it. That is a superstar.”

• Tyler Kolek is already working on the next upgrade to his offensive game, with yet another classical workout clip leaking and showing the third-year guard excelling at it.
• Dennis Rodman had plenty to say about the Knicks finally winning after 53 years, joking and trolling and reminiscing about his good old days…
• For some reason, while claiming LeBron James may be slow-playing the decision to see whether one of his preferred destinations can trade for Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving, KOC brought the Knicks back to the conversation. I got it back in June. I think it’s plain dumb to do it now. Do better, Kevin.

“Maybe LeBron shocks the world and joins the defending champion Knicks, despite how much he’d get called a ring-chaser.“

• Brunson, meanwhile, is letting LeBron know what’s good.
• The Cavs, fearing they might not land their homeboy, are targeting… OAKAAK Mario Hezonja. No, for real.
• It’s increasingly likely Bronny James will have to learn how to live by himself. Also, Bronny doesn’t know a thing.
• A recent NBA rule change surely made an impact for those preserving shooting efficiency, smart people just proved.
• Former NBA guard Ty Lawson was arrested after stealing a $34 bottle of vodka from a liquor store in Castle Rock. Busted!