Can Mike Brown make the Knicks better?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Athletic NBA Daily - "Can Mike Brown Make the Knicks Better?"

Introduction

In the July 4, 2025 episode of The Athletic NBA Daily, hosts Dave DuFour, Zena Keita, and Esfandiar Baraheni delve into the New York Knicks' recent coaching change, questioning whether the hiring of Mike Brown can elevate the team to new heights. Joined by NBA analyst James Edwards III, the discussion navigates through coaching philosophies, player dynamics, and the broader Eastern Conference landscape.

Hiring of Mike Brown

The episode kicks off with the Knicks' surprising decision to part ways with Tom Thibodeau. James Edwards III expresses mixed feelings about this move, stating, "Am I sure he's better than Tibs? I'm not. And does he need to be better than Tibs or does he just need to be different from Tibs? That's kind of the thing... I think he just needs to be different" ([04:42]). Edwards acknowledges Mike Brown's extensive coaching résumé, highlighting his experience with NBA legends like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Steph Curry. Despite Brown's track record of relatively short tenures, Edwards maintains, "I don't think anybody would say he's not a good coach" ([04:42]).

Comparing Coaching Styles: Thibodeau vs. Brown

A significant portion of the discussion contrasts the coaching styles of Thibodeau and Brown. Edwards criticizes Thibodeau's lack of collaboration with his assistant coaches: "Tibbs never... would do his thing, sit down with the players, the coaches, the assistant coaches would do other things" ([07:25]). This approach, Edwards suggests, may be outdated in today's NBA landscape. In contrast, Mike Brown is praised for his collaborative nature, emphasizing teamwork and communication within the coaching staff: "Mike Brown, he obviously has collaborated as an assistant coach... and collaborated as a head coach" ([08:28]). This distinct difference is seen as a key factor in the Knicks' decision to hire Brown, aiming for a more integrated and cooperative coaching environment.

Player Reactions and Team Dynamics

Zena Keita shifts the conversation to how players might respond to Brown's coaching. Edwards notes that while there isn't substantial public feedback yet, Brown's reputation as a "player's coach" who is both intense and invested in player development could foster positive relationships within the team: "Mike Brown is very much into his guys practicing" ([11:11]). He further elaborates on the potential changes in practice habits and on-court interactions, suggesting that Brown's approach may lead to a more disciplined and cohesive team dynamic.

Free Agency Moves and Mikhail Bridges

The discussion moves to the Knicks' recent free agency signings, particularly focusing on Mikhail Bridges. Edwards highlights the uncertainty surrounding Bridges' future with the team: "He hasn't signed it... could be an extended trade" ([20:13]). The possibility of trading Bridges is considered, especially if the team seeks to add depth or pivot strategically. Edwards speculates on potential trade scenarios, including the whimsical idea of LeBron James joining the Knicks, though he dismisses it as highly unlikely: "I just can't see LeBron ending his career in New York" ([23:12]).

Speculation on LeBron James' Potential Move

A humorous segment unfolds as Dave Defore muses about LeBron James potentially joining the Knicks, despite historical loyalties and logistical challenges. Edwards firmly dismisses the notion, stating, "I just can't see LeBron ending his career in New York" ([23:12]). The hosts briefly entertain other hypothetical moves but agree that such scenarios remain purely speculative and not grounded in reality.

Knicks' Prospects and Team Improvement Under Brown

Turning back to the Knicks, Edwards analyzes how Brown's coaching might address last season's offensive struggles. He points out that although the Knicks finished with the fifth-best offensive rating overall, there was a significant decline from January onward, partly due to Jalen Brunson’s injury: "they ranked 16th from January 1st to the end of the regular season" ([12:56]). Brown is expected to implement a more dynamic and fluid offensive system to alleviate the burden on Brunson and facilitate better team play. Edwards suggests, "push Mikhail to be more aggressive going to the hole" ([15:36]), indicating a need for players like Mikhail Bridges to take on more assertive roles.

A critical area of focus is increasing three-point volume from Carl Anthony Towns: "the biggest thing is going to be how do you get that three point volume up from Carl Anthony Towns" ([14:38]). Edwards also commends the Knicks' strategic free-agent acquisitions, such as Jordan Clarkson and Gershon Yabuzeli, who enhance the team's depth and versatility: "they are deeper than they were last year" ([28:23]). The addition of Clarkson, in particular, is seen as a home run, providing both scoring and playmaking off the bench, essential for the team's overall performance.

Eastern Conference Landscape and Knicks' Position

Expanding the scope, the hosts discuss the evolving landscape of the Eastern Conference. Edwards notes that the conference has changed since last season, with teams like the Milwaukee Bucks emerging as unpredictable wildcards and the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic positioning themselves as intriguing contenders: "I feel like it's either Hawks or Orlando for me" ([31:49]). This shift suggests a more competitive and unpredictable environment, potentially benefiting the Knicks as they strive to climb the standings.

Final Thoughts and Fan Optimism

As the episode nears its conclusion, the hosts reflect on the excitement and unpredictability of the current NBA season. Edwards expresses optimism about the league’s direction, emphasizing the emergence of young teams and entertaining gameplay: "Yeah, it's gonna be a lot of fun" ([31:58]). The conversation underscores a sense of anticipation around the Knicks' potential under Mike Brown's leadership, despite inherent challenges and uncertainties.

Conclusion

The episode offers a comprehensive analysis of the New York Knicks' strategic move to hire Mike Brown, contrasting his collaborative coaching style with that of Tom Thibodeau. Through insightful discussions with James Edwards III, the hosts explore how Brown's approach could address the team's offensive shortcomings, enhance team dynamics, and leverage new free-agent acquisitions to bolster depth. Additionally, the broader context of the Eastern Conference’s competitive landscape provides a backdrop for the Knicks' aspirations. While uncertainties remain, the overall tone is one of cautious optimism regarding the Knicks' trajectory under Brown's guidance.

Notable Quotes

• James Edwards III: "Am I sure he's better than Tibs? I'm not... But I think he just needs to be different." ([04:42])
• James Edwards III: "Mike Brown, he obviously has collaborated as an assistant coach... and collaborated as a head coach." ([08:28])
• Dave Defore: "Is his bike going to be subject to congestion pricing when he rides to MSG?" ([09:20]) (Humorous commentary)
• James Edwards III: "They never... would do his thing, sit down with the players, the coaches, the assistant coaches would do other things." ([07:25])
• James Edwards III: "He hasn't signed it... could be an extended trade." ([20:13])
• James Edwards III: "I just can't see LeBron ending his career in New York." ([23:12])
• James Edwards III: "They ranked 16th from January 1st to the end of the regular season." ([12:56])
• James Edwards III: "Push Mikhail to be more aggressive going to the hole." ([15:36])
• James Edwards III: "They are deeper than they were last year." ([28:23])
• James Edwards III: "I feel like it's either Hawks or Orlando for me." ([31:49])
• James Edwards III: "Yeah, it's gonna be a lot of fun." ([31:58])

This episode serves as an insightful exploration of the New York Knicks' strategic moves and the potential impact of Mike Brown's coaching tenure on the team's aspiration to reach the NBA Finals. With expert analysis and engaging discussion, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the Knicks' prospects and the broader NBA landscape.

Transcript

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[Zena Keda]

Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily for the Fourth of July. If you're watching this on YouTube, you may notice I have a Yankees hat on and I did not do that on purpose because David and I are here to talk about another team in New York. That's the Knicks. James Edwards III joins us right now. Good morning, Dave. Good morning, James. How y' all doing?

[James Edwards III]

Good morning. Not too bad. I'm, I'm not. I'm okay. As.

[Zena Keda]

Okay. You've been a little busy.

[James Edwards III]

I can't escape coaching searches.

[Zena Keda]

I know. I'm like, I feel like there's a. There's a thing at the Athletic where every time you start covering a league, just prepare for something to change. At the helm of that team, of course, having been at the Detroit Pistons before that.

[James Edwards III]

Yeah. No, seriously, like, I came to New York thinking like, all right, at least my off seasons will for a little bit be all right. But no, after the first year, so.

[Dave Defore]

Stable, you know, and then they make this conference finals run and you, I mean, I'm assuming you were as shocked as we are that Tom Thibodeau got fired. How do you feel about Mike Brown? Like them landing on Mike Brown?

[James Edwards III]

Yeah, I mean, I think, I think he's a good coach. Am I sure he's better than Tibs? I'm not. And does he need to be better than Tibbs or does he just need to be different from Tibs? That's kind of the thing, right? Like, I think he just needs to be different. I don't know how what qualifies is better for a coach. Different strokes for different folks. But yeah, I mean, listen, they went into this search wanting somebody with experience. I think that's why they didn't. Somebody like Mike Inori didn't get the job even though he has vast experience as an assistant coach. They wanted head coaching experience. And Mike Brown's been to the Finals. Mike Brown's coach, LeBron and Kobe and Steph, he's been an assistant. He's been fired after a year. He's been filed fired in the middle of a season. He's turned a franchise around. So in terms of experience, Mike Brown has seen and had it all. And you hear good things about him. Obviously, he's one of those guys who's kind of bounced around a little bit. So you wonder, like, why is that the case? Why did a team like the Lakers hire him one year and then fire him the second year? Why did the Kings fire him after a 48 win season or whatever it was? So you wonder about that stuff. But I don't think anybody would say he's not a good coach. I think the question is, is whatever he provides significantly different from what Tibs does? And is that even enough to get over this proverbial hump that they created for themselves? Listen, as it pertains to, like, the Knicks have to get to the Finals, like, I understand that, but so much goes into just like making the Finals other than being the better basketball team. So, yeah, is Mike Brown a failure if somebody injures their ankle next year? They were relatively healthy most of last season, right?

[Zena Keda]

You saw that in Sacramento.

[James Edwards III]

Yeah, exactly.

[Zena Keda]

You know, after the 13:18 start in Sacramento, Mike Brown gets forced out. A lot of folks looking at it like it wasn't a result of Mike Brown being a lesser coach than when he took the same Sacramento Kings, you know, on a really great run the year before. It was, there were injuries. There were, you know, players also weren't playing well. But I want to just touch tap back into what you were saying, James, about, you know, what Tom Thibodeau does versus what Mike Brown does. We've seen Mike Brown be a head coach. We've also seen him be an assistant coach. And in all those moments, defense was at the core of, you know, what he did and what he did well. Can you lay out a little bit for our listeners, like, what was Tom Thibodeau doing that worked well or didn't work well with the Knicks that they think Mike Brown can come in and either change or Build upon.

[James Edwards III]

I think the biggest thing is collaboration. That was the one thing that the Knicks were really looking for throughout this search. A guy who was going to assign offense and defensive coordinators, a guy who was going to collaborate with the bench in the front office. I think that was near the very top of their list. I don't know if people know this. And it. I was the first time I ever saw it. And again, I only covered one team, but I covered three or four different coaches in those seven years covering that one team. And I've watched a lot of basketball. If you watch when the Knicks called the timeout, Tibbs never, you know how like coaches will huddle up with their coaches first and then the team tips. Never huddle up with his coaches. I don't know if people ever like caught that or noticed that.

[Zena Keda]

I never noticed that. Yeah, yeah.

[James Edwards III]

If he did, it was very, very rare. But he, he pretty much would do his thing, sit down with the players, the coaches, the assistant coaches would do other things. So. And I don't think that was like, I don't know how long he's been doing that. I can just say that I know I witnessed it. So whether that's good or bad, I don't know.

[Dave Defore]

That feels old school. You know what I mean? Like, that's a different kind of world. I think the NBA coaching just doesn't really work like that anymore.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, you see that on the college level. You see that on the women and men's side. Yeah, period. Coaches sometimes even passing the clipboard off to their assistants to come to the huddle to change that. That makes sense.

[James Edwards III]

Yeah. So that was, that was probably the biggest thing is. And Mike Brown, he obviously has collaborated as an assistant coach. He knows the importance of, of the person next to the guy. He's collaborated as a head coach. So I, I think that was the, probably the number one selling point in terms of differences between the two.

[Dave Defore]

Is his bike going to be subject to congestion pricing when he rides to msg? Like, this is what I've been thinking about this. Like, is the weather going to be good enough for him to ride that Harley to work?

[James Edwards III]

That is a great question. He's have to worry about car doors flinging open and hitting them. Yeah. You know how many bikers I've almost taken out, man, just living in New York, like, they have no chill and I have a whole spiel on bikers and I don't want to offend anybody, so I'm not going to go all the way into it. But yeah, there's probably a good chance that he's not gonna be able to ride his bike. It's probably, probably not smart in New York City.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, well, you know, you're walking to Madison Square Garden, so it's not too, too, too bad in terms of your destination. I'm sure you'll figure out a way to get there safely. I'm curious if you've heard anything about how the players have reacted to this. Because one thing that is for sure, especially during his Golden State years and then going into Sacramento, you know, he was a, a player's coach and you saw how he was really into development and we even saw those clips out of the Sacramento practice. He can be intense in the way that he, you know, coaches folks up, but he does have this endearment with some of, with some players. And so I'm wondering if you heard around anyone talking about how they're, they're taking this change.

[James Edwards III]

I haven't heard anything, obviously. And in terms, I haven't heard anything in terms of the hiring of Mike Brown, obviously. There were a lot of people, a lot of players close with Tibs Brunson, Josh Hart. You saw all their parting messages. Carl Anthony Towns had been with them. I think they've all. I don't know how much say, or conversations like Towns and Brunson had during this process. I'm sure they've talked to Brown already at this point, but. Yeah, nothing that I've heard. I'm curious to see how that works too. Right. Because Tibbs, notoriously, the guys that would play major minutes wouldn't have to practice. They wouldn't practice hard.

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[James Edwards III]

And it's out there. So I'm not like breaking news either. Josh Hart does not like to practice. Well, no, this one, this one. I'm saying Josh, Josh Hart doesn't like to practice. So Mike Brown is very much into his guys practicing. I'm curious to see, like, I don't think it's going to be like that big of a deal. Right. But it's going to be different. Yeah, it's going to be different for those guys and maybe it's easy, an easy transition if they don't play as many minutes as they did under tips. Right. Like, maybe they're, there's not a. It's not as drastic because they're, because they're more fresh to practice. So.

[Dave Defore]

Yeah.

[James Edwards III]

But yeah, I think that's a one thing like the Knicks would practice, but I wouldn't, I don't think it's safe to say or fair to say that, like, the guys who played heavy minutes were out there, like giving like the type of practices we see from those Mike Brown clips.

[Dave Defore]

Yeah. What about on the court? Man, look, you, you again, you've covered the league for a long time. You know what Mike Brown kind of does as far as offense and defense goes. How do you expect to see this stuff translate for the Knicks? I mean, you know, I worry about this team taking a step back defensively because you're going from Tom Thibodeau to just anybody else. But Mike Brown seems like okay if, if anything he can hold that, that floor where it was. But I think it's ringing more out of the offense that, that that's the reason Tom Thibodeau is not here. Like, let's be honest here. It's not about the fact they couldn't defend with Brunson and Cat. It's because they couldn't outscore everybody with those two guys. So, like, what do you expect to see from this Mike Brown team?

[James Edwards III]

Yeah, no, that's a good point. I think if you look at the. How the regular season ended, the Knicks finished with the fifth best offensive rating, but that was a little deceitful. From January 1st to the end of the regular season, they ranked 16th and how many ever games that is.

[Dave Defore]

Yeah.

[James Edwards III]

And again, Jalen missed a month in that time. But still, you watched in the playoffs, they struggled to score against teams that could defend. The Pistons made them work. The Celtics made them work. The Pacers made them work. Even in the regular season when they did win games, any team that could defend hard, like, they won the game, they found a way to win, but they had to work offensively. And this offense needs to find a way for things to come a bit easier. I'm not, I'm not good at just saying, oh, Sacramento played fast.

[Dave Defore]

Right, Right.

[James Edwards III]

So. So that means the Knicks are going to play fast. Like, I just think you have de' Aaron Fox, like, you're just gonna.

[Dave Defore]

I also think Mike Brown at this point, he's got a track record where he's coached different styles. Like, this isn't a guy who's got, like, he's not some system wonk who's going to be in there. We're going to run the triangle in New York. You know, I do expect to. To see some takeaways from stuff that he's done previously. Right. Like he liked to run a lot of stuff on the elbow back in Cleveland. Obviously they did a bunch of that in Sacramento. You could see where, oh, hey, Carl. Anthony Towns, maybe he's got the ball more in his hands up there, you know, and facilitating some.

[James Edwards III]

So he's not the playmaker of Sabonis, but he's not far away a lot of that stuff.

[Dave Defore]

To me, the biggest thing is going to be how do you get that three point volume up from Carl Anthony Towns. Right. Like where are the creative ways? And it's going to come down. And James, look man, you, you guys, you and Fred were all over this. Jalen Brunson and Cat don't really play together when they're on the court. And if Mike Brown could just get those guys to do the dance, you know, then the Knicks are in business. And I would say probably the favorite favorites to come out of the east, especially when you look at, you know, how many teams are going to be down. But that seems to be like the big hang up, right?

[James Edwards III]

Yeah, I think that's the big thing is getting them to. And it's not like they didn't, it wasn't like there was some type of tension or anything. It's just two different drastic styles. And the way that tips played, like sometimes very ISO heavy. And I think getting them to play in flow and unison a bit more will be very important. Maybe integrate Mikhail Bridges more as a ball handler, assuming he's back next year. Yeah, I think that's the big thing. Like defensively, I just don't think this team's ever going to be like a premier defense. Like I just as long as the roster kind of is what it is. I think they're, they, they, they kind of top out as at best good. Like I think they can have good moments because they have some really good defenders, but they also have some, some flawed defenders. So offensively to me, yeah, the big thing is finding ways to pick up the pace a little bit. But I also just think like it's just not how Jalen plays.

[Dave Defore]

And how do you get some easy buckets, man? Like somebody needs an easy bucket every now and then.

[James Edwards III]

Yes. And maybe if he can push Mikhail to be more aggressive going to the hole. They need to find ways to generate extra points, not just off turnovers and stuff like that. But Mikhail shoots a lot of mid range jumpers. Like can you get to the line more and get fouled and, and ones and they got to find ways to kind of get guys in their spots and get guys going downhill a little bit more.

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[Zena Keda]

Assuming he's with the team. We do know that as of last week, he could have signed an extension. Haven't heard much about that. And then of course, the Knicks also got Gershon Yabuzeli. Talk to us a little bit about these free agency moves that the Knicks are on right now.

[James Edwards III]

Yeah, I mean, we could start with Mikhail. Yeah, he was eligible to sign the the extension for 1:54 million or 1:56, I can't remember. And he hasn't yet. I don't know if it's been offered or if they're kicking the can down the road to see how everything else plays out or, or if they're in disagreement on the money. Right. Like I don't know what's going on now. I just know that to my knowledge he hasn't signed it. And I wrote a piece when the regular season ended I was kind of curious about. I called it kind of the Mikhail Bridges dilemma. Where do the the Knicks gave up so much for him. He didn't have a great year the first year in New York. Do they view him as a guy that's worth that? 5 years? 156. And if they don't, the Knicks have been known to trade players if they can't reach an extension with them. And on the, on the flip side, did Mikhail like his role? Did Mikel like guarding? Point of Attack. Did Mikhail like being the third guy, sometimes fourth guy in the offense? He got scrutinized like a star player because of what was traded for him. Do you. Does he like that? Right, like, so I thought there were things to weigh for both sides, and either they're still weighing them or they're just in no rush because they've already agreed to it and they just haven't done it. So I. I just know he hasn't signed it as it pertains to.

[Dave Defore]

Wait. Before we leave Bridges, I want to ask you, what are. What would you put the odds at that he's not with it? I mean, again, we're. We're guessing here, but if he's not with the team next year, like, you feel like this. I mean, he's a major piece that they could trade away. They're never going to get the. The draft capital that they got or that they sent out, but they could get a player or two if they decide to move them. I mean, like, this is kind of a big deal, I think, for the Knicks. Like, do you. Do you expect him to be there.

[James Edwards III]

For the season if they want to try to find some wiggle room? You look at him, and he's the easiest, just given that he has one year left on his deal. And, yeah, if you want a little bit more depth, that would be the way to do it. And could you look at him as maybe, like, not redundant to some players they have? Because he does do a little bit more and a little bit less than some guys. But, yeah, yeah. Do you look at it as a luxury? And we just saw what Desmond Bain went for, and I'm sure that was based off also what Mikel went for. I'm not sure that his value plummeted. I mean, if that's just what the three and D Wings are going for. While I do think Bane's better, I still think if you told me the Knicks could get, like two picks in a player or two picks and two players or something, like, I wouldn't be totally shocked.

[Dave Defore]

And this is where I'm taking you, James. I. Look, I. I actually think it would be kind of sick if The Knicks got LeBron McHale Bridges. Like, he's up for this extension, could be an extended trade. Like, I feel like Mikhail fits perfectly into the timeline that the Lakers are now on.

[James Edwards III]

Yeah, I've heard that that's fun chatter. I've heard that there's been nothing there right now. I will also say that I just can't see LeBron ending his career in New York.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, like that.

[James Edwards III]

That. What's. You look, you disagree.

[Dave Defore]

See, I disagree. And it's funny because I think our brains all go to Cleveland. Right? Makes sense, right? They the 1 seed last year. They could obviously use LeBron. Like, it would be a seamless story. He could maybe finish his career with the potential champ in Cleveland. Wow, what a book. But LeBron has had this weird, flirtatious relationship with the Knicks, and. And as a matter of fact, I think every great player in the NBA, they kind of have this thing about New York, and when they play there, you know, they take it up a notch. I feel like if. If he was going to leave the Lakers and it's not Cleveland, it would only be the Knicks. I think that's the only other option because, remember, he gets in control where he goes.

[Zena Keda]

I think. I think the other option is retirement.

[Dave Defore]

Dallas James.

[James Edwards III]

I like retirement, too.

[Dave Defore]

Oh, yeah, I like retirement, too. But Dallas is interesting, too. I mean, you know, you go there.

[James Edwards III]

They'Re waiting for him.

[Dave Defore]

All your buddies are there. I mean, I. I don't know. I. I just feel like with. If he went to the Knicks, that team is in the finals, and if he goes to Dallas, you know, they're. They're better than they are right now. But I don't think it's a final.

[James Edwards III]

When you, when you say that, who are you giving? All right, when you say they're in the finals, who are they g. Giving up? Who's giving up?

[Dave Defore]

Right. I think, like, if you get into the money, like, it depends on what Mikhail Bridges winds up at, like, number wise, but you may have to lose Josh Hart. You know, like, once you get into the. The details of the fake trade, it does start to, like, diminish the fun.

[James Edwards III]

Of the fake trade. And I. And I would also say LeBron, historically is one of the best defenders ever. LeBron's not a good defender now.

[Dave Defore]

He was pretty good last year, but the expectation that he can do it for. For that long. Yeah, it'd be tough with him and Cat.

[James Edwards III]

Right. And then. So there's that. And mistake me if I'm. Or correct me if I'm wrong. Has Mike Brown coached him twice or once?

[Dave Defore]

Feel like it was.

[James Edwards III]

Was it Mike Brown went back to Cleveland? I just can't remember.

[Dave Defore]

But I thought they got together.

[Zena Keda]

I think it was.

[James Edwards III]

I don't know if that was right before.

[Dave Defore]

Now I'm gonna have to look up. Mike Brown's coaching because Mike.

[James Edwards III]

Mike Brown got fired from Cleveland. I think this year, two of his second Stint in Cleveland, if I'm not mistaken. Let me, let's look.

[Dave Defore]

So he, he had him, he had him in the initial stint and then Mike Brown went back 13, 14 season and he only.

[James Edwards III]

Mike Brown only did one year.

[Dave Defore]

Yeah, you're right.

[James Edwards III]

So that was right before.

[Dave Defore]

Right.

[James Edwards III]

Came back.

[Dave Defore]

LeBron came back. So he's only coached him once.

[James Edwards III]

So. And I, I mean, do we know if that's the reason he didn't coach him twice too? Right. Like, like, you know what I mean? I don't know. Yeah, I mean, listen, I think LeBron I saw, I can't remember who pitched this. Maybe it was on the ringer. I like the idea of like a Kawhi LeBron swap. They both have to stay in LA.

[Zena Keda]

Right. It's right.

[James Edwards III]

Still kind of change of scenery, different arena.

[Dave Defore]

I, I don't see the LeBron. That's the thing I don't see is LeBron playing for the Clippers. I think that that is something that does matter also in the NBA.

[Zena Keda]

It's kind of the opposite of his brand.

[Dave Defore]

Yeah, exactly.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah. Listen, James, we also have to. Oh, you know, Dave goes into these fake trades. We recently talked about Cleveland. Cleveland has apparently come out and said they're not quite as interested in this storybook ending that we've described. So this is an exercise on this pod that we have to get Dave off the LeBron to big city, big story. But I love the optimists in Dave.

[Dave Defore]

It's the East. I want to see him.

[Zena Keda]

If he needed a marketer or a brand person, Dave's got him.

[James Edwards III]

Dave 100, 100. And I'm with you, Z. Like, yeah, we got to talk about this stuff. I get it. And Dave loves it.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah.

[James Edwards III]

I just like if I'm LeBron, I'm like looking at like Dallas or Houston. Save money on tax.

[Zena Keda]

I'm not sure. Take us off the rails here. We're gonna get back to the Knicks because here's. This is a characteristic of what LeBron has done to this entire free agency is just put this like cloud over it.

[Dave Defore]

Right. Well that's why they put it on.

[Zena Keda]

The saying he's going back. Exactly. That's what they're doing again. Marketer Dave, another hat that he wears. But let's get back to the Knicks at least to close this out. Because while there are dreams potentially of a LeBron like person coming to get them into the finals, that's the main question on Knicks fans minds. What is it going to take to get us to the promised land? If Tom Thibodeau, that got us the closest we've ever been in our history to getting back to the Finals. Is Mike Brown going to be enough? Is Yabu Saleh going to be enough? Like, what do the Knicks fans have to look forward to that could potentially get them in a better position next year than they were this year?

[James Edwards III]

I think there's a couple things. The possibility of a different type of offensive system where we kind of talked about earlier, where things aren't as hard for them to get. Like make things happen. Like they were so good last year because Jalen Brunson made things happen and he was so good and Carl Anthony Towns was so good. Not because the kind of flow of the offense presented that. The other thing is, while, yes, they added guys who aren't necessarily big name free agents and Jordan Clarkson and Yabu Selli, that is kind of what they needed. Though they struggled to get points off the bench consistently, they struggled with his shot creator. Deuce McBride was really the only guy that could do something off the bench, off the dribble. And he was. He's more of a pull up jump shooter as opposed to getting to the rim. You add Jordan Clarkson, again, more of a shooter, but he can create his own shot. Yabu Selly has had one. I'm not going to go and say Yabu Sell. He's a stretch big. He had one good year shooting threes, but he has the possibility to do it, can guard across the board. So they are deeper than they were last year. And I think the Jordan Clarkson thing surprised me and really fell into their lap. Like they were able to add two legitimate rotation pieces with the funds of a team that probably could only add one. And it was also surprising because Jordan Clarkson's represented by Rich Paul and the Knicks are a CA conglomerate. And to me, I don't know, I've always heard that the relationship wasn't the best between those two sides. But it worked out and I think the Knicks kind of hit a home run given there's financial limitations. Like those are two like solid NBA players that they added to their bench. So now you look at the bench, whether you want to say it's Mitchell Robinson or Josh Hart off the bench. You one of those guys with Deuce McBride, Jordan Clarkson and Yabu Selli, like that's nine guys. You have some young guys that have some intrigue and colic and Daddier and Huck Porty who you can maybe sprinkle in there and help them come along. So also the other thing is the East Obviously, is not the same as the east last year. Cleveland. Yeah, Cleveland. People make fun of Cleveland, but the Knicks couldn't beat Cleveland last year, and the Boston's gonna obviously have a gap year. Milwaukee, who the hell knows? Like, they're a wild card.

[Dave Defore]

They have nobody to dribble.

[James Edwards III]

They have nobody that can dribble. Atlanta is really, really intriguing. Are they title contenders yet? I don't know. We have to see Orlando. Same thing. Like, they scrapped together, like, so many injuries and still found themselves in a. Like, a favorable position by the end of the year. And then they add Desmond Bain. So, like, that's good. And then Detroit. Right. Like, Detroit's coming. They've. They've kind of almost brought back the same team, but different faces, different pieces. Another year of experience. They got to find out. And I actually like their idea of not, like, going for the Swinging for the fences. Like, if I were them, I'd want to figure out if last year was, like, real. Yeah, like, it was Kate. Right? Kate and a bunch of role players, and they got this, like. All right, well, let's figure out if this is legit one more time before we do that. There's another team I'm missing that's somewhat interesting. Oh, Philly. Philly. Listen, I know we all.

[Dave Defore]

It's always the same, though.

[James Edwards III]

Yeah, it's always the same. Like, it's. If they're healthy. Right. Like, they have, like, on paper, a good team. And I really like Edgecomb. Yeah. How many games is Embiid play? How many games does Paul George play?

[Dave Defore]

Like, feels like we're getting Hawks Nicks in the Eastern Conference finals. That's what I'm guessing right now.

[James Edwards III]

I feel like. Yeah, it's either Hawks or Orlando for me.

[Dave Defore]

I think that's what it's going to be. It's gonna. Yeah, I'm. It's gonna be a weird year, but I think it's gonna be fun.

[James Edwards III]

I agree. Yeah, it's gonna be a lot of fun. A lot of good, young teams. I. I love where the league is. People can say what they want. There's so many fun, interesting teams this.

[Dave Defore]

James, like, we've known each other now for a long time doing this. This was the most fun season I've ever had. Man. The games are so good. There's a lot of good store. It's awesome.

[James Edwards III]

Even the bad teams had, like, one or two fun players, like, outside of Brooklyn. Sorry, no offense, but that's not true.

[Zena Keda]

We like cams.

[Dave Defore]

Yeah. We like Cam Thomas, and, you know, we like that Feisty team, but I.

[James Edwards III]

Like Cam Johnson, but I'm not like, Cam Johnson's on tv. Let me turn on the nets, you know, I mean, like, that's just not how he plays. You know what I mean?

[Zena Keda]

Cam Thomas was like that, though. He was.

[James Edwards III]

Yes, he was.

[Dave Defore]

Until he got that injury.

[James Edwards III]

And then, yeah, Camp Thomas is like, I. This is how I view Camp Thomas. Text me when he's hot.

[Dave Defore]

Yeah.

[James Edwards III]

Cam Thomas has 22 in the second quarter. Shoot me a text and say, turn the nets on. I don't know if I'm watching it from the beginning to see, to wait and see if Camp Thomas is getting hot because it can.

[Zena Keda]

Notifications on for Cam Thomas.

[James Edwards III]

I got you mini stuff in that regard.

[Zena Keda]

There you go. Well, I know what else is a lot of fun is reading and keeping up with all of your Knicks coverage over at the Athletics. So you guys go read him. James, you'll be at summer league, right?

[James Edwards III]

Yes, I'll be out there from the 8th until the wee hours of the 15th.

[Dave Defore]

So that's a long stretch in Vegas, buddy.

[James Edwards III]

Oh, yeah, it's. I don't want to get.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, yeah, we're not going to get into it.

[Dave Defore]

Don't worry. Can't wait to see you, man.

[James Edwards III]

Yeah, you guys, too. I can't wait.

[Zena Keda]

We'll be having some live recordings, so definitely just find your way to the set, hang out with Dave and S. And Andrew, but appreciate you taking the time to break this new addition to the New York Knicks. And, you know, you never know, next show we might determine another place that LeBron James might end up. And you guys are just gonna have to stay tuned for that. But if you like this conversation, make sure you go like and subscribe wherever you're listening right now. But on behalf of James and Dave Defore, I'm Zena Keda. Appreciate you guys tuning in to NBA Daily. We'll talk to you guys soon. Only Boost Mobile will give you a.

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