Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 3: Giannis Watch & Cold Baseball

ESPN New York | April 7, 2026 | Hosts: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg, Don La Greca

Episode Overview

This packed hour dives deep into two big stories dominating the New York sports scene: the swirling rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo's possible trade to the Knicks ("Giannis Watch"), and New York baseball's frigid early-April home games – and the organizational quirks that come with scheduling during a cold snap. The hosts blend insider analysis, fan calls, debate, and classic New York sports banter, tackling tough questions about team chemistry, superstar egos, and what actually drives front office decisions.

1. Giannis Watch: The Knicks, Milwaukee, and a Potential Blockbuster ([01:53]–[16:10])

The Trade Landscape Shifts

• Giannis’ Leverage and Knicks Rumors

  • Alan Hahn lays out the changed dynamics post-season: with Giannis now having the ability to dictate his destination, he could force the Bucks’ hand into dealing him to New York at a much more team-friendly cost ([03:07]):

    “He can now tell the Bucks, that's where I want to go. New York, make the best deal you can with them, because nowhere else am I going to sign an extension. So no one else is going to offer you anything worth it, worth a damn.”
    — Alan Hahn ([04:10])

• Would Giannis Fit in New York? Concerns Raised

  • The crew voices real concerns about whether Giannis is the right superstar for this market, both from a mental-toughness standpoint and for team chemistry:

    • An unnamed NBA veteran warns Hahn ([05:57]) that Giannis "might be a little too thin skinned to play in New York."
    • Rosenberg wonders:

      “The minute he steps in New York...Everything. Expectations, demand—the first game they lose, what happened? How'd you lose? ...Can he handle that?”
      — Peter Rosenberg ([06:37])

  • Giannis is compared unfavorably to Rangers legend Mark Messier, who thrived under New York pressure ([07:57]):

    “Messier ate it up with a spoon. Loved it...Giannis is not Messier. He’s not going to eat it up. If he goes through the first two years that Mess went through here, Giannis is going to be...going to be wanting out.”
    — Peter Rosenberg ([08:43])

Would This Still Be Brunson’s Team?

• Knicks Hierarchy Debate

  • If Giannis lands, does he become the alpha? The hosts argue Brunson’s leadership would be intact, but public perception could shift instantly:
    • “There's no question this would be Brunson's team. To everybody except one guy.”
      — Alan Hahn ([09:25])
    • Rosenberg notes how even with Finals MVPs, Durant was never seen as truly supplanting Curry in Golden State — but that a Giannis-led title in New York could change everything ([11:18]).

• Chemistry & Culture Risks

  • Hahn warns that “blowing up the team” isn’t just about the roster ([09:36]):

    “It could also be blowing up the structure you have, the chemistry.”

Is It Worth It?

• Superstar Math and Playoff Implications

  • The hosts (and Monica McNutt, quoted via earlier coverage) wonder—should the Knicks risk what they’ve built for Giannis, given injury risks and possible friction?

  • “Nothing is perfect. There's always going to be something to be concerned about. We didn’t even bring up his Achilles...”
    — Peter Rosenberg ([10:43])

  • “If a guy who for seven straight years was an NBA MVP finalist and won a couple of them wants to play for you and he’s still in his prime, how do you say, no?”
    — Alan Hahn ([10:43])

• Final Word on Offseason Stakes

  • Hahn emphasizes: what the Knicks do this postseason (“at worst a battle in the conference final” — [14:38]) will decide their summer.
  • “If he wants to be in New York, and I've said this from the beginning, he has to make New York happen. The Knicks can't be the ones to make it happen.”
    — Alan Hahn ([13:19])

2. Knicks Playoff Readiness: Coaching, Schemes & Fan Calls ([16:20]–[20:40])

• Are the Knicks Hiding Their Best Stuff?

  • Caller Gilbert wonders if the Knicks have been deliberately keeping offensive sets under wraps for the playoffs, especially the Brunson-Towns pick-and-roll ([16:20]).
  • Hahn confirms the team often “freelances” during the regular season, but playoffs bring more structure ([17:14]):

    “They spend most of the regular season not calling plays on offense...Last night was a little more structured with that pick and roll.”

• Rotation Adjustments

  • Caller Chauncey notices a shift: Brunson and Towns played more together, no longer staggering minutes as much ([18:51]). Hahn confirms it’s by design, but warns about the dangers if both are out at once ([19:26]).

3. New York Baseball in the Deep Freeze: Scheduling, Petty Rivalries & Fan Impact ([23:43]–[36:57])

Mets vs. Yankees: To Move or Not to Move (the Game Time)?

• Two Teams, Same City, Same Freeze, Different Decisions

  • The Mets moved their games earlier due to extreme cold, the Yankees did not.
    • “It's already 37 degrees as far as the feel like temperature and it's 5:30 and the sun's still out. The Yankees decided not to move the game...”
      — Peter Rosenberg ([24:33])

• Was Pride or Competition at Play?

  • Did the Yankees stick at 7:05 just to not follow the Mets’ lead? The hosts doubt it, but enjoy teasing the idea:

    “I don't want to be the other team.”
    — Peter Rosenberg ([25:16])
    “Wait a minute. ...If George [Steinbrenner] were alive, this is exactly how it would happen.”
    — Peter Rosenberg ([25:43])

  • Alan Hahn dismisses the idea of front-office pettiness ([25:24]):

    “That’s living rent free and that doesn't exist. ...You're going to hate this, but it doesn't exist in that direction.”

• Likely Reality: Ticket Sales & Logistics

  • Rosenberg suggests the Yankees’ home stand, advance ticket sales, and fan expectations are the real reasons for sticking to schedule ([28:03]):

    “This is the Yankees first homestand...maybe the pre-sale made it so it was harder to move.”

• Fan Experience Considered

  • They wonder if fans (and players) would actually prefer a daytime game in brutal cold ([29:45]):

    “I would just think at this particular point of the year...if you asked your players...do you want to play tonight or would you rather move the game to 4 o’ clock?”
    — Peter Rosenberg ([31:28])

Minor League: Even Colder Realities

• Patriots (Yankees’ AA) and Rail Riders (AAA) Call Off Games for Cold
  • The hosts note that in Binghamton, it’s “31 feels like 16 right now” ([35:32]).
  • At the minor league level, brutal cold means no fans and easy postponements ([36:57]).

4. Quick Hits: Yankees’ Roster/Hotline, Commercial Gripes, & Fandom Tension ([32:14]–[49:09])

Yankees' Third Base Dilemma

• Caller Leo Frustration

  • Leo laments the Yankees’ revolving door at third base and questions GM Brian Cashman’s track record ([32:56]):

    “I've come to that realization that I feel so long as Cashmere is here, we're not going to celebrate 28, man.”

• Why Ryan McMahon Gets a Pass

  • Hahn reminds: McMahon is there for his glove, not his bat—and the Yanks want him to play more “YOLO” at the plate ([34:49]).

Sport & Team Talk Bleeds Into Everyday Life

• Commercial Critiques
  • The crew eviscerates a recent Allstate “Duke vs. Carolina” ad for plot holes ([41:27]–[43:55]):

    “She might even be pregnant...but I didn’t know [she was a Tarheel]? The scriptwriter should resign.”
    — Peter Rosenberg ([42:40])

Fandom Runs Wild

• Personal Anecdotes
  • Alan Hahn shares a story of a relationship trashed by Islanders–Rangers rivalry ([48:01]):

    “Kicked him out. Girl wasn’t allowed to talk to him ever again. Idiot.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Giannis’ Fragility in NY:

  “He might be a little too thin skinned to play in New York.”
  — NBA vet to Alan Hahn ([05:57])

• On Team Chemistry and Superstars:

  “It could also be blowing up the structure you have, the chemistry.”
  — Alan Hahn ([09:36])

• On the Messier Comparison:

  “Giannis is not Messier. ...If he goes through the first two years that Mess went through here, Giannis is going to be wanting out.”
  — Peter Rosenberg ([08:54])

• On Baseball in the Cold:

  “That’s not baseball weather.”
  — Alan Hahn ([35:39])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Giannis Watch, Trade Dynamics: [01:53]–[16:10]
• Knicks Playoff Prep & Fan Calls: [16:20]–[20:40]
• Baseball Scheduling, Yankees/Mets Rivalry: [23:43]–[36:57]
• Yankee Hotline & Team Building: [32:14]–[35:39]
• Commercials & Team Loyalty Stories: [41:27]–[49:09]

Tone & Takeaway

True to their New York roots, the hosts mix sharp, sometimes irreverent sports debate with insider knowledge and plenty of laughs—balancing passion for the teams with a realistic, sometimes skeptical, view of big-market drama. Whether you care about blockbuster basketball trades, baseball traditions, or just want to hear what’s bugging New York sports fans this week, this episode delivers the goods.