Knicks · Fred Katz, we will miss you on the Knicks beat (page 1)

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its when we start spreading made up stuff and gullible fans start to digest it as "reports". Then it gets stupid.
For the most part most of the UK faithful does its homework. The lazy ones are usually obvious.
Good for Fred for getting a bigger gig! He earned it. Macri and him seem tight so hopefully its good for him also!

martin wrote:One of the best for the Knicks IMHO

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So is the only way to listen to this podcast a paid subscription?

Do people actually pay to listen to podcasts? I usually just suffer through commercials.

Anybody here paying for this?

ToddTT wrote:So is the only way to listen to this podcast a paid subscription?

Do people actually pay to listen to podcasts? I usually just suffer through commercials.

Anybody here paying for this?

I think so. I've never been a pod cast person and have never ever paid for any. If Fred were Knicks only, I'd probably get to the point of contributing to his cause. No worse then when the school kids come by for the cookies and coupons I guess.

VDesai wrote:Damn, Fred was the best beat writer then Knicks have had in a long time. Great understanding of the minutiae and overall just a thoughtful reporter. He will be great on the national beat. Don't know much about Edwards.

Now that we don't suck it shouldn't be to hard to find beat writers willing to cover the Knicks with a positive vibe. The insider guys will still have the inside scoops. If you watch the games you don't really need to ever read any of the hacks at the post, news or wherever ever.

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Knicks conversation: What to expect in New York and how we’ll cover this team
James L. Edwards III, Fred Katz

BREAKING: The Athletic has made a trade.

New York Knicks beat writer Fred Katz is stepping into a new role this season as a senior writer focusing on national NBA stories. Filling the New York vacancy is longtime Detroit Pistons beat writer James Edwards III, who will move east to cover one of the league’s most interesting teams.

Katz and Edwards recently connected about the transition, the Knicks, how they plan to cover the team together at times and what they’re watching this upcoming season.

Katz: Beat writing is about passion. I always searched around the Knicks, digging into the tiniest crannies to find the most granular info I could unearth. This is life as a beat writer. You have to become obsessed with whatever you cover. In my case, that was a basketball team, but that passion doesn’t dissipate just because you no longer have the title.

In that sense, even as a national writer, I remain locked in on the Knicks, their upcoming season and what could become the best squad this city has seen in three decades. I have a list of story ideas in a Google doc, some of which will go untouched. My experience leaving the Washington Wizards beat for New York three years ago was no different.

I always felt like you covered the Pistons in a similar way. Your articles, James, are out there. No one else finds the anecdotes you do. At any given moment, I could see a James Edwards III story about how Langston Galloway’s pastry chef has become famous in niche areas of Michigan for a renowned Rodney Dangerfield impression … or something. Whatever barriers existed, you slid by them and found some of the most interesting stories in the NBA, even while covering a team that didn’t win many games.

So I will ask you now: What interests you about the Knicks? What are you obsessing over heading into this new job?

Edwards: Before I answer your question, I want to share this anecdote: Last summer, my mom moved to Florida. I was going through old boxes in her garage and found something I did in third grade – it was one of those “My name is…”, “I’m in (insert grade)…,” and “I want to be *this* when I grow up…” Well, I wanted to be a New York taxi driver who had spinning rims. I’m not kidding.

This isn’t that, but it’s damn close.

In all seriousness, the case could be made that there has never been a better time to cover the Knicks. They’ve had the most success they’ve had in a long time, the fans are beyond passionate and hungry for something stable, and they’re even set up for continued success in the future thanks to Jalen Brunson’s generosity. I was only ever going to leave Detroit if it were to cover a team with a fan base as dedicated as the one in the Motor City is, and the Knicks fans are in that same class. The opportunity to cover, potentially, the most exciting time in recent New York basketball history, for these fans, was something that enticed me to make the move.

I probably won’t write my first story about the Knicks until media day, but what I continue to think about over and over — and this is very specific to our profession — is relationship-building. I’m leaving the Pistons, where I covered all those guys the second they got into the NBA. They all knew me and I knew them.

Now in New York, somehow, despite being a beat reporter for seven seasons, I haven’t covered a single player on this Knicks roster despite covering a team that rostered 30-plus players this past season. I’ve probably covered close to 200 players during my time as a beat writer — but no one on this roster. Relationship-building is a huge part of the job because it leads to the type of interesting stories you mentioned above. I’m sure the relationships will come sooner rather than later, but that certainly has been something near the front of my mind since taking the job.

Katz: You’ll do fine on the relationships. You covered Taj Gibson last season in Detroit. That’s a gateway to Knicks beat writing.

Now, let’s talk hoops.

There is much to discuss about this team. How does Mikal Bridges fit? Can the defense be the best in the league? What happens with Julius Randle? Does he find a way to fit in beautifully? Or just somewhat? Does he extend? Does Donte DiVincenzo become the NBA’s best bench player? Could Josh Hart wear that crown? Does Mitchell Robinson stay healthy? And if so, how does he affect the offense? Does Jalen Brunson continue to get better, as he’s done every season?

I still plan to weigh in on the Knicks throughout the season. I’m not gone completely, just drifting back into the shadows … in a not-creepy way. When big moments occur, I’ll be there. But this is your territory now.

Tell me a storyline you are interested in tracking once training camp starts in a couple of weeks.

Edwards: Yeah, there is a lot to monitor this season. You even forgot to mention this one: Does Isaiah Hartenstein get the biggest cheer of the night when he returns to Madison Square Garden?

Of all the ones you brought up, there are a few that stand out. However, I think the Brunson one is the most fascinating. Whether you believe he’s a superstar, there’s no question that he’s a star in this league. What he did last season was otherworldly and, as you said, everything he’s done thus far in his career suggests there is another level to get to. But it’s fair to wonder if all the minutes he’s played the last few years will eventually catch up to him. It’s also fair to wonder if he has enough playmaking help next to him to lower his usage a little bit to preserve him — getting Randle back could help with that and even the addition of Bridges, too.

I like to bet on guys who have gotten better every season. Brunson is playing as confidently as any player in the NBA and has been for quite some time. Being in that mental space coupled with his skill set is usually a recipe for success.

Katz: It’s your first day on the job, which makes you veteran enough for me to put you on the spot.

The Boston Celtics are the reigning champs. The Philadelphia 76ers added Paul George to create a synergetic big three. The Indiana Pacers were conference finalists only a few months ago, which people seem to forget. The Milwaukee Bucks still have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. The Miami Heat have a habit of surprising everyone. The Cleveland Cavaliers have talent and continuity. The Orlando Magic are young, feisty and thrive after taking fists to the mouth.

Where do you place the Knicks in the Eastern Conference mix?

Edwards: I have a theory that unless a team is dynasty-like they don’t come back the next year with the same hunger in the regular season. So, while Boston is talented and deep, just like the Knicks, I think they’ll be lacking that fire to go get it again. I get the sense the Celtics are just happy to remove the monkey from their back. Therefore, I do believe the Knicks finish the regular season with the best record in the East. And I’m not just saying that to pander to my new audience.

Depth and lineup versatility are so important to success because they diminish risk — an injury to a starter isn’t as bad for a team that has a guy on the bench who could start for a handful of other teams. The Knicks have a few of those guys. And as we’ve seen, especially in recent years, elite role players are the unsung heroes of championships.

Let’s use Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as an example. The case could be made that he was the Lakers’ third-best player during the 2020 NBA bubble title run and was great for Denver during its 2023 championship journey. New York has close to a handful of KCPs! It’s able to throw a bunch of 6-foot-6 to 6-foot-9 players at the likes of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, George, Giannis and so on. Oh, and all those guys can hit a shot at the other end of the floor, too.

Backup center aside, it’s hard to find a real flaw with this Knicks roster. Tom Thibodeau is a great coach, too, and these players appear to love playing for him. And as you know, Fred, getting players to play for a coach, at this level, is hard to do. It feels like a collective that is all in it together. That means something to me when trying to determine how far a team can go.

Can I ask you something before we get out of here? What is one tip you’d give to someone covering the Knicks for the first time?

Katz: Their cap sheet is a game of “Where’s Waldo?” Make sure to play it.

This is not the same experience as covering other organizations, because the front office is not as open as others, as has been chronicled ever since Leon Rose took over in 2020. Rose, the team president, has not done a solo news conference since assuming the top job in the franchise. But the beauty of covering the Knicks is that they operate with a purpose. They may not tell you what their priorities are, but sometimes, because they are so particular with their cap strategizing, their actions do the talking for them.

There were times when I was able to figure out that a certain type of move would go down just because of the way they structured a contract or a trade. Once you notice the detail in their transactions, it narrows down where to look. Now, instead of canvassing the whole league to figure out who they might sign, you have to make only a few calls, and you’re handling those with more information than most other people because you noticed the messaging that tied to their decision-making.

The Knicks move with a purpose. It’s the first time in decades we’ve been able to say that. So go find the purpose and you can find the story.

Can I ask you something before we get out of here? What is one tip you’d give to someone covering the Knicks for the first time?

Katz: Their cap sheet is a game of “Where’s Waldo?” Make sure to play it.

This is not the same experience as covering other organizations, because the front office is not as open as others, as has been chronicled ever since Leon Rose took over in 2020. Rose, the team president, has not done a solo news conference since assuming the top job in the franchise. But the beauty of covering the Knicks is that they operate with a purpose. They may not tell you what their priorities are, but sometimes, because they are so particular with their cap strategizing, their actions do the talking for them.

There were times when I was able to figure out that a certain type of move would go down just because of the way they structured a contract or a trade. Once you notice the detail in their transactions, it narrows down where to look. Now, instead of canvassing the whole league to figure out who they might sign, you have to make only a few calls, and you’re handling those with more information than most other people because you noticed the messaging that tied to their decision-making.

The Knicks move with a purpose. It’s the first time in decades we’ve been able to say that. So go find the purpose and you can find the story.

It's why I am asking What is Leon Thinking about. Because his next move is out there.

martin wrote:I'm loving this last part. It's Leon in a nutshell and how the Knicks are operating.

Can I ask you something before we get out of here? What is one tip you’d give to someone covering the Knicks for the first time?

Katz: Their cap sheet is a game of “Where’s Waldo?” Make sure to play it.

This is not the same experience as covering other organizations, because the front office is not as open as others, as has been chronicled ever since Leon Rose took over in 2020. Rose, the team president, has not done a solo news conference since assuming the top job in the franchise. But the beauty of covering the Knicks is that they operate with a purpose. They may not tell you what their priorities are, but sometimes, because they are so particular with their cap strategizing, their actions do the talking for them.

There were times when I was able to figure out that a certain type of move would go down just because of the way they structured a contract or a trade. Once you notice the detail in their transactions, it narrows down where to look. Now, instead of canvassing the whole league to figure out who they might sign, you have to make only a few calls, and you’re handling those with more information than most other people because you noticed the messaging that tied to their decision-making.

The Knicks move with a purpose. It’s the first time in decades we’ve been able to say that. So go find the purpose and you can find the story.

It's why I am asking What is Leon Thinking about. Because his next move is out there.

Yep. Moving with a purpose also makes many hypos nonsensical and many of us can spot the bullshit pretty quick.
Some of the empiresports blogs are really silly stuff.

There is an old saying "price is only an issue in the absence of quality". Leon has demonstrated he is often spot on. At first the OG for RJ and IQ seemed expensive but OG fit was AMAZZING! The question of his salary added intrigue. His durability? Thats always going to matter. But when OG is on the floor and healthy he has an incredible effect.
DDV? The way his season finished vs. Grimes? Wow!!!!
Brunson? Amazing.
iHart Signing? Perhaps too good? LOL
The price we paid for Bridges was very high. If the chemistry works, its a bargain.
Thus one has to consider the Randle crossroad we at and how it plays out.
Leon is not perfect nor will all deals be either. "Purpose" means there was an objective and as we all know not all execute as planed no matter how good the idea was.

martin wrote:I'm loving this last part. It's Leon in a nutshell and how the Knicks are operating.

Can I ask you something before we get out of here? What is one tip you’d give to someone covering the Knicks for the first time?

Katz: Their cap sheet is a game of “Where’s Waldo?” Make sure to play it.

This is not the same experience as covering other organizations, because the front office is not as open as others, as has been chronicled ever since Leon Rose took over in 2020. Rose, the team president, has not done a solo news conference since assuming the top job in the franchise. But the beauty of covering the Knicks is that they operate with a purpose. They may not tell you what their priorities are, but sometimes, because they are so particular with their cap strategizing, their actions do the talking for them.

There were times when I was able to figure out that a certain type of move would go down just because of the way they structured a contract or a trade. Once you notice the detail in their transactions, it narrows down where to look. Now, instead of canvassing the whole league to figure out who they might sign, you have to make only a few calls, and you’re handling those with more information than most other people because you noticed the messaging that tied to their decision-making.

The Knicks move with a purpose. It’s the first time in decades we’ve been able to say that. So go find the purpose and you can find the story.

It's why I am asking What is Leon Thinking about. Because his next move is out there.

He's spot on. Randle + Robinson + Achiuwa would be enough to trade for an old max contract, just under 49.3mm. There are a number of those 49.2mm max contracts out there. Achiuwa's contract puts them just over $50k over a max. I think the sizing of the Achiuwa contract gives them the abilty to look at KAT, Booker, Brown, George, Leonard, Butler, Giannis... not saying it is likely with their remaining draft picks, but they sized Achiuwa to be possible.

EwingsGlass wrote:

martin wrote:I'm loving this last part. It's Leon in a nutshell and how the Knicks are operating.

Can I ask you something before we get out of here? What is one tip you’d give to someone covering the Knicks for the first time?

Katz: Their cap sheet is a game of “Where’s Waldo?” Make sure to play it.

This is not the same experience as covering other organizations, because the front office is not as open as others, as has been chronicled ever since Leon Rose took over in 2020. Rose, the team president, has not done a solo news conference since assuming the top job in the franchise. But the beauty of covering the Knicks is that they operate with a purpose. They may not tell you what their priorities are, but sometimes, because they are so particular with their cap strategizing, their actions do the talking for them.

There were times when I was able to figure out that a certain type of move would go down just because of the way they structured a contract or a trade. Once you notice the detail in their transactions, it narrows down where to look. Now, instead of canvassing the whole league to figure out who they might sign, you have to make only a few calls, and you’re handling those with more information than most other people because you noticed the messaging that tied to their decision-making.

The Knicks move with a purpose. It’s the first time in decades we’ve been able to say that. So go find the purpose and you can find the story.

It's why I am asking What is Leon Thinking about. Because his next move is out there.

He's spot on. Randle + Robinson + Achiuwa would be enough to trade for an old max contract, just under 49.3mm. There are a number of those 49.2mm max contracts out there. Achiuwa's contract puts them just over $50k over a max. I think the sizing of the Achiuwa contract gives them the abilty to look at KAT, Booker, Brown, George, Leonard, Butler, Giannis... not saying it is likely with their remaining draft picks, but they sized Achiuwa to be possible.

Of that list, I see Giannis and KAT as proper fits.
If you talking about trading our other guys, well thats a whole other can of worms! Otherwise get real small really quick.
OG might be a better value going forward then Kawhi. Same with Mikal vs. Paul George. Butler at top money I say no to. He is falling apart late in seasons. Bucks I doubt trade Giannis for that package but he also is showing wear now and at some point rebuild. Giannis is 31, with three years left at big money. Freaks lose freakyness and start to break. His fundamentals might not be conducive to to longevity. Timmy Duncan and if motivated Joker have games that are not rooted in the Freak. Giannis shooting and fluidity was never natural to him.

Im awfully redundant about KAT but he had the kind of season we all expected from him last year and perhaps if he can continue to play his natural game will survive better going forward. Phil Jax pegged KP correctly about his lower strength not being enough to keep him healthy.

EwingsGlass wrote:

martin wrote:I'm loving this last part. It's Leon in a nutshell and how the Knicks are operating.

Can I ask you something before we get out of here? What is one tip you’d give to someone covering the Knicks for the first time?

Katz: Their cap sheet is a game of “Where’s Waldo?” Make sure to play it.

This is not the same experience as covering other organizations, because the front office is not as open as others, as has been chronicled ever since Leon Rose took over in 2020. Rose, the team president, has not done a solo news conference since assuming the top job in the franchise. But the beauty of covering the Knicks is that they operate with a purpose. They may not tell you what their priorities are, but sometimes, because they are so particular with their cap strategizing, their actions do the talking for them.

There were times when I was able to figure out that a certain type of move would go down just because of the way they structured a contract or a trade. Once you notice the detail in their transactions, it narrows down where to look. Now, instead of canvassing the whole league to figure out who they might sign, you have to make only a few calls, and you’re handling those with more information than most other people because you noticed the messaging that tied to their decision-making.

The Knicks move with a purpose. It’s the first time in decades we’ve been able to say that. So go find the purpose and you can find the story.

It's why I am asking What is Leon Thinking about. Because his next move is out there.

He's spot on. Randle + Robinson + Achiuwa would be enough to trade for an old max contract, just under 49.3mm. There are a number of those 49.2mm max contracts out there. Achiuwa's contract puts them just over $50k over a max. I think the sizing of the Achiuwa contract gives them the abilty to look at KAT, Booker, Brown, George, Leonard, Butler, Giannis... not saying it is likely with their remaining draft picks, but they sized Achiuwa to be possible.

Yeah, good call.

BigDaddyG wrote:I'm glad Fred is getting a promotion. He deserves. Also, cam girls can be an expensive hobby.

The best part, he owns up to it

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IMHO Knicks do not trade the more proven, better player just for an unproven positional upgrade. None of these trades make sense from a value standpoint, unless you just need to write an article.

Here, we’ll take a look at some trades and names that could make sense.

Isaiah Stewart

Knicks receive: Isaiah Stewart, two future second-round picks
Detroit Pistons receive: Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride and a 2025 first-round pick (via Detroit)

Moving on from Robinson will only happen if the Knicks are growing impatient with his lack of availability and want to try and add someone who could be a potential difference-maker.

Yes, Stewart has played on a historically bad Detroit team the last few seasons, but he has been one of the few bright spots. The 23-year-old big man is a different defender from Robinson, but a good one as well. His value really shows in switches, as he’s able to stay in front of guards and make them uncomfortable.

Stewart isn’t the rim protector Robinson is, but at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, he can be a disruptor around the basket. Even-younger Pistons center Jalen Duren might be another option worth looking at for the Knicks, but with where the franchise is right now and where it wants to go, what Stewart provides defensively would be more valuable than what Duren, who needs to make real progress on that end, might provide down the line.

Offensively is where adding someone like Stewart could be fun for the Knicks. He’s nowhere near the lob threat Robinson is, but he knocked down 38.3 percent of his 3.8 attempts per game from 3 last season. Stewart is trending toward becoming a respectable floor-spacing big man at the center spot, and that would be a nice wrinkle for a Knicks team that hasn’t had that archetype at the position in recent years.

Giving up McBride might be a tough pill to swallow, but the Knicks need someone to make the salaries match, and they have Cameron Payne to use as the backup point guard if needed. As for the first-round pick, it was Detroit’s to begin with, and if New York keeps it, it’s more likely to turn into two second-round picks as it remains heavily protected. The rebuilding Pistons don’t appear to be playoff-bound in the very near future. That pick has more value to Detroit than any other team.

On the flip side, the Pistons can afford to let Robinson rehab and recover until January because they also have Paul Reed, who is capable of backing up Duren at center. Detroit doesn’t have a natural backup point guard currently, so McBride would fit right in.

A deal like this would be a bit of a surprise, but it’s not impossible.

Walker Kessler

Knicks receive: Walker Kessler
Utah Jazz receive: Miles McBride and 2025 first-round pick (via Detroit)

This is pretty straightforward. The Knicks are unable to take back more salary than they send out, so to get someone like Kessler, who is owed $2.9 million this season, they would have to trade McBride or the combination of rookies Tyler Kolek and Pacôme Dadiet. Given that the Knicks are short on inexperienced, young talent as they try to chase a championship, the former seems more practical.

Kessler would provide the interior defense New York will miss in Robinson’s absence and act as a lob threat on the other end.

Again, Payne is there to provide backup point guard minutes with McBride gone, and that Detroit first, with its protections (2025: 1-13 stays with the Pistons; 14-30 to NYK; 2026: 1-11 stays with Pistons; 12-30 to NYK if not already settled; 2027: 1-9 stays with the Pistons; 10-30 to NYK if not already settled; and then turns into two second-round picks if not conveyed after 2027), still feels more likely to never convey into a first-round pick based on where the Pistons are in their rebuild. However, it’s not impossible in a bad Eastern Conference and with the emergence of Cade Cunningham last season, so there is a world in which the Pistons are a Play-In team in 2026. That is something to weigh for the Knicks’ front office.

Nick Richards

Knicks receive: Nick Richards and a future second-round pick
Charlotte Hornets receive: Miles McBride and Keita Bates-Diop

I’m not sure I would do this deal if I were the Knicks, but I’m trying to give you an idea of how slim the pickings are given New York’s financial restraints if it wants to add center depth without giving up a big contract. Finding a third center/team was a chore (there are so few options available), but this would, technically, do the trick.

Richards, who league sources tell The Athletic is someone the Knicks have had on their radar this offseason, is a big, physical specimen with a good motor. He rebounds OK, too, and can be disruptive at the rim. McBride, though, is the best player in this deal, so I’d be hesitant to do this particular trade if I were running the Knicks’ front office, even if it addresses a need.

New York is in a tough spot. There are ways to lessen the blow, like with the deals (or variations of the deals) mentioned above, but all come with hesitation in one form or another. Also, don’t forget that the Knicks could just sit tight and trust in what they have available. Either could work. We just don’t know. And they don’t either.

This situation will be fascinating to monitor over the next few weeks and months.

I like Deuce but Kessler is a good return. Same as Richards.

Im very relaxed Leon and Company got this over anything I have to say or other fans.

Nalod wrote:LOL, two of the three are reasonable.
The first to Detroit seems a bit pricy. Isiah Stewart is about Precious so I stay away.
Mitch still has two years on his deal so I give him time to recover and be a knick.

I like Deuce but Kessler is a good return. Same as Richards.

Im very relaxed Leon and Company got this over anything I have to say or other fans.

For you or Leon?