According to CBS Sports.com’s Ken Berger, the Knicks have made an offer to Laker free agent Shannon Brown.  The Lakers have said they’d like to keep Brown, but because they’re far over the luxury cap, whatever they offer him they’ll have to pay exactly the same amount in luxury taxes.  Their projected salary for next year is more than $92.5 million, which’d leave them having to pay $22 million additional dollars in taxes for a total of over $114.5 million.  Them’s a lot of bones.
That of course doesn’t even count however much the new deal with coach Phil Jackson is [...]

I wish I was joking, but yes, Knicks & Ranger fans, watch out ‘cuz mouse crap was found at food stands in Madison Square Garden.  ESPN published a report on food vendors across the country, and they were all pretty scary.  Here’s specifically what they had to say about the Garden:
Madison Square Garden
New York Knicks, New York Rangers
Vendors with critical violations: 61%

Inspection report excerpt: At one stand, inspectors found “53 mouse excreta” (38 on top of a metal box underneath the cash registers in the front food-prep/service area and 15 on top of a carbonated-beverage dispensing unit).
If it’s on [...]

After I wrote the other day that the Hornets had to say Chris Paul wasn’t going anywhere, even if he told them the complete opposite, reports have indicated this is likely exactly what happened.  CBS Sports’ Ken Berger wrote:

Some pretty damning comments from Raptors’ GM Bryan Colangelo about how Chris Bosh was healthy enough to play for the team during the final push for a playoff spot, but he bailed on them.  ESPN reports:
“Despite limited swelling and any excessive damage on an MRI, he felt like he needed to sit for six more games,” Colangelo said on 590 The Fan on Monday.
“I’m not even questioning Chris’ injury. I’m telling you he was cleared to play subject to tolerance on his part, and the tolerance just apparently wasn’t there and he chose not to play.”

Here are some excerpts from our new young prodigy, Anthony Randolph, in a New York Times interview:
Q. Why do you feel like the Knicks and Mike D’Antoni are a good fit?

Chris Paul met with the New Orleans Hornets’ team officials today and apparently did not ask to be traded elsewhere.  Rumors had circled the past several days that Paul wanted out and that he had a list of potential teams.  After the meeting, Paul issued a statement basically pledging loyalty to the Hornets, while new GM Dell Demps said that CP3 never even ended up requesting a trade during the talk.
That said…

The last 24 hours have been swamped with intrigue over the news Chris Paul supposedly asked his team the New Orleans’ Hornets to trade him. Much like with Chris Bosh rumors earlier this summer, there apparently is even a list of potential places. New York is reputed to be on the list as well as the Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic and Portland Trailblazers. There are differing reports as to whether or not the Lakers are also on the list. So let’s look at this in two parts. First, how do the Knicks chances stack up [...]

Of course as soon as I write that Amar’e Stoudemire’s going to try out for the U.S. Worlds Team, the opportunity vanishes. The Knicks have been unable to find an insurance company that would cover Amar’e’s contract if he goes to play at Worlds this summer. Thus, they’ve denied permission for him to join the team. It’s understandable: that’s a lot of dough to put on the line. In the past, owners of many other teams have voiced concerns about their guys possibly getting hurt by playing for their national teams during the summer. [...]

The first one makes fun of LeBron James’ defection by re-dubbing him over Hulk Hogan’s turn to the Dark Side.  I found it on Tommy Dees’ The Knicks Blog:

The second one I’m unable to embed, so you’re gonna have to go to ESPN to check it out.  For the ESPY awards Steve Carell and Paul Rudd did a parody of LeBron’s “The Decision.”

Yes, it’s just summer league, but I have to say I get a bit of a soft spot in my hear for the kids of former New York legends’ Patrick Ewing and Darryl Strawberry. Sure, Ewing Jr. and D.J. ain’t that good, and if there was a headline it was the Knicks versus Lakers with standouts Landry Fields and Derek Caracter respectively. But what can I say, I’m nostalgic. Am I the only one? If you loved their pops, do you find yourself strangely rooting for their kids to have some success too? Let [...]