Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

The Knicks have hired Steve Stoute and his agency to help bolster the team's brand and ties to the fan base, a move that's been endorsed by the NBA's most important voice.

"Stoute's been a friend a long time. He does amazing work," Lakers star LeBron James told SNY. "Our beautiful league is always more beautiful when the Knicks matter and the Garden is jumping. I think it's going to be great."

Bloomberg reported on Thursday that the Knicks are partnering with Stoute's Translation agency "in an attempt to bolster its brand and strengthen its ties to the fan base."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

A few notes in the aftermath of the Knicks' loss to the Lakers:

NYK looking for more aggressive Knox:

Before Wednesday's game, Mike Miller laid out what the organization is looking for from second-year wing Kevin Knox:

"Our key points there are just his overall aggressiveness on everything... He's rebounding better. That was an area that we wanted to see (from) him and he has increased that. And you can see our team rebounding has gotten better and he's part of that equation. Being more aggressive where he's driving the ball, where he's cutting, where he's running in transition, where he's having opportunities to get fouled. I think we're seeing those things. And just the consistency of doing all that. And then on the defensive side having a real presence on the ball and using physicality, using his length, getting three to five deflections a game, that type of activity defensively."

In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Knicks had their eyes on Stephen Curry, hoping he would fall to them.

Curry admitted on Showtime's "All The Smoke" podcast, hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, that he had his eyes on the Knicks as well.

"When I got drafted, I wanted to go to New York," Curry said. "Thought I was going to New York, was in the green room, like, get to the eighth spot New York can get me. Then I got the call from Larry Riley (Warriors GM), like, alright, we're going to pick you in the seven spot."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

On the first day of training camp, Knicks team president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry told fans that they'd put together a team that New Yorkers would appreciate. 

But they shied away from making any playoff predictions. 

In no way, shape, or form did anyone believe the Knicks were heading into this season as a playoff team. The roster was full of young core players that still needed development, and many NBA veterans on short-term deals.

However, SNY's Ian Begley learned that Knicks brass had playoff expectations for their team under David Fizdale this season. Begley says during the team's first official meeting that this was the mandate handed down, according to SNY sources familiar with the discussions:

1. Team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry believed the Knicks were a playoff team "and anything less than that was a disappointment."
2. Players heading to free agency in 2020 --  many after most signed one-year deals or two-year deals with a club option for 2020-2021 -- would be judged on the team's overall record instead of their individual play

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

There are a couple of things worth keeping in mind amid another lost season at Madison Square Garden: 

1. How the young Knicks develop over the final 39 games

LeBron James stuffed the stat sheet in the Lakers' 100-92 win over the Knicks on Wednesday night.

James finished with 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting, while adding six rebounds, five assists, and five steals in 36 minutes.

Many New York fans have held out hope that the 15-time All-Star, four-time MVP, and three-time NBA Champion would one day join the Knicks. In fact, many thought James was going to choose the Knicks in the summer of 2010, when he instead elected to play for the Miami Heat, winning two titles in South Beach.

The Knicks played the Lakers closely on Wednesday, but Los Angeles was ultimately able to pull away late for a 100-92 win over New York. >> Box Score

Five things to know from Wednesday's game

1) Playing in front of a raucous crowd at the Garden, many of whom may have come to see the Lakers play, the Knicks came out with great energy, and over the first two quarters they played the Lakers very close. At the half, the game was knotted at 48-48, with the Knicks shooting 47.6 percent from the floor as a team.

In the third quarter, the Lakers separated themselves a bit, outscoring New York 28-22 to take a six-point lead into the fourth. In the final quarter, the Lakers' lead hovered around the 10-point mark for quite a while. The Lakers held a 94-84 lead into the final two minutes, but the Knicks were able to cut it to six with under a minute left. Julius Randle then turned the ball over on a drive to the basket, the Lakers converted on the other end, and that would be all for the Knicks.

For the first time since Dec. 23's 121-115 loss to the Washington Wizards, Dennis Smith Jr. is back.

Smith is set to return Wednesday for the Knicks' 7:30 p.m. game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Interim head coach Mike Miller added that the Knicks are monitoring the status of small forward Marcus Morris.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Dwyane Wade, one of the best shooting guards in NBA history, offers his take on Knicks rookie shooting guard RJ Barrett: 

"I love a kid that wants to take the challenge. RJ really wanted to be a Knick. You guys know that that's been a tough challenge for a lot of players that had the opportunity to choose to go to New York and they haven't. He took it (head) on and said I want to be a Knick. I give him a lot of respect for that," Wade said during a conference call to announce his role as an analyst on NBA on TNT Tuesday Night telecasts.

Wade is likely referring to the free agents who have spurned the Knicks over the last 10 years. Since Barrett was drafted by the team -- short of holding out and refusing to sign with the Knicks -- he didn't have much of a choice about where he played as a rookie. But in the weeks leading up to the draft, Barrett made it clear that he wanted to be a Knick. 

Former NBA commissioner David Stern died at age 77 on the first of the year, and a memorial service was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City to remember his legacy. 

And it was all on Knicks owner James Dolan's dime. 

According to SNY's Ian Begley, all the expenses for the memorial service were covered by Dolan, as Tishman Speyer Properties -- the owner of Radio City Music Hall -- is operated by his Madison Square Garden company. The Knicks also cancelled practice on Tuesday to attend the service. 

Former Knicks forward/center Amar'e Stoudemire joined Kazeem Famuyide on The New York Post's Big Apple Buckets podcast to discuss his time in New York, and the big man made some interesting comments.

Stoudemire signed with the Knicks back in 2010 when they had a solid crop of role players and pieces on the team. 

But a large chunk of those guys would end up being included in the blockbuster trade for Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, which occurred midway through his first season in New York.

After recently passing the halfway point of the 2019-20 season, the New York Knicks find themselves tied for the third worst record (12-32) in the NBA after 44 games. The franchise is headed for their seventh consecutive losing season and sixth consecutive season with at least 50 losses.

After losing out on star free agents Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving last summer, the Knicks front office attempted to save face by adding mid-tier free agents such as Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, and Bobby Portis. The result of mixing numerous veterans to a young core has not worked as planned. The Knicks have a multitude of questions to ask as they play out the second half of another lost season. Here are the five most important.

Is Marcus Morris a part of the team's future?

Two seasons ago, the Memphis Grizzlies signed swingman Tyreke Evans to a one-year, $3.3 million deal. Coming off of multiple injuries, Evans' deal was a bargain and the former Rookie of the Year excelled immediately. Though Memphis struggled as a team, Evans posted 19.9 points along with a career-high 39.9 percent from three. 

SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley is joined by NBA trainer Shawn Farmer to break down the strengths and weaknesses of Knicks rookie RJ Barrett's jumpshot. Farmer has trained current Knicks guard Dennis Smith Jr. and other top talent coming out of the state of North Carolina.

One of the main talking points about Barrett's game is his jumpshot. He is averaging 39.3 percent from the field so far this season, and 32.9 percent from beyond the arc. 

Getting Barrett to have a more consistent jumper over time is a definite area the Knicks will need to help him work on, and Farmer has some suggestions on how he'll do that. But he also discusses what he likes when Barrett pulls up. 

Farmer also talks about why he believes Barrett's shooting abilities can be compared to that of future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade.

After a tight first half, the Knicks came out firing on all cylinders to start the third quarter and knocked off the Cavaliers in Cleveland, 106-86, snapping a three-game losing streak. >> Box Score

Six things to know from Monday's game

1) The Knicks trailed by one at halftime, but opened up the second half on a 16-4 run, punctuated by a four-point play from Marcus Morris after he landed on Kevin Love's foot while draining a three-pointer. Though Morris initially remained in the game, he limped to the Knicks' locker room late in the third quarter. He returned in the fourth quarter, however, and finished with 19 points on 8-for-16 shooting.

The Cavaliers cut the Knicks' lead to six after Morris came out of the game, but New York ended the quarter on another run and headed to the fourth up by 15, 79-64. They kept their foot on the gas the rest of the way to come away with the comfortable victory. The Knicks spread the offense around, with six players finishing in double-figures.

After the Knicks 90-87 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night, interim head coach Mike Miller spoke to media at practice on Sunday about how the team is trying to move forward.

"This group has been resilient, but they're also looking to move forward," Miller said. "We're not interested in can we play close, we're going to put ourselves in a position to win and find a way to win."

Point guard Elfrid Payton had 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in 32 minutes of action on Saturday night. He had a team-best +13 plus/minus, and feels that the team can get back on track before the All-Star break.

The Knicks have assigned rookie forward Ignas Brazdeikis back to Westchester, the team announced Sunday morning.

The team recalled him on Wednesday, though he didn't play against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday or Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Brazdeikis has played in nine games this season, averaging 1.9 points per game in 5.9 minutes of action.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

The Knicks have dropped eight of their last nine. They're on pace to lose more than 50 games for the sixth straight season. There's uncertainty around the future of the front office and head coach. The young players from last season's team, by and large, haven't taken big steps forward this season. 

So, no, there isn't much reason for the Knick fan to be optimistic at the moment 

The Knicks really had a chance in Saturday night's bout with the 76ers at Madison Square Garden, something that seemingly would have shocked just about everyone except the Knicks themselves.

Down as much as 10 points, the Knicks fought back, and by midway through the third quarter they were down by just one point. But the Knicks just stayed around there the rest of the night, failing to take the lead from then on up until there was just 31.3 seconds left to play.

As both sides struggled to shoot the ball in what was an ugly offensive game overall, Marcus Morris put the Knicks up by one with about half a minute left in regulation. 

The Knicks and Sixers went back and forth in the game's final minute, but the Sixers held on for a 90-87 win. >> Box Score

Five things to know from Saturday's game

1) The Sixers led by just three points after the first quarter, but the Knicks came out freezing cold in the second, shooting 1-of-11 from the floor to start the quarter. The Knicks fought back, though, tying the game 45-45 with two and a half minutes left in the first half. The Sixers finished the first half strong, winding up with a 52-46 lead at the break. The Knicks shot just 40.5 percent as a team and turned the ball over 10 times in the half.

Both teams came out sloppy in the second half, but the Knicks outscored the Sixers 23-18 in the frame, and trailed by just one point entering the fourth quarter. With four minutes to go in the game, the Sixers maintained an 84-81 lead. With just under two minutes to go, a Mitchell Robinson dunk cut the Sixers' lead to just one point.

In the final minute. Marcus Morris knocked down a mid-range jumper to put the Knicks' ahead 87-86 with 30.9 seconds left. Immediately, Tobias Harris knocked down a three to put the Sixers back in the lead 89-87. The Knicks then turned the ball over, allowing the Sixers to hit a free throw and go up three. With 2.7 seconds left, Morris' shot was off the mark, and the Sixers held on. 

At the end of December, a report circulated that members of the Knicks' front office were monitoring Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns as a potential trade target.

According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Knicks had been on the lookout for potential star players who could grow disgruntled with their current teams, and Towns could fit the mold.

On Friday, though, Towns shot down any notion that he's looking to get out of Minnesota. 

After appearing in his first game back from a knee injury after missing 15 straight, Towns addressed the reports of him being unhappy with the Timberwolves.

Thanks to a 22-point effort against the Mavericks on Friday, Trail Blazers forward and former Knick Carmelo Anthony became just the 18th player in NBA history to score 26,000 points in his career.

After playing just 10 games for the Rockets in 2018-19, Anthony has found a new life in Portland, averaging 16.5 points in more than 31 minutes per game. Shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range, his efficiency has returned to the levels it was at towards the end of his run of 10 straight All-Star Game appearances. 

While the volume of shots has gone down, the 35-year-old has certainly shown he still has the ability to do what he always has, knock down open looks.

RJ Barrett suffered a right ankle sprain in the Knicks loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

The rookie will be reevaluated in a week, but interim head coach Mike Miller believes Barrett will bounce back quickly from the injury,

"That's what I found out last night, that he's never really had a high ankle sprain like that," said Miller. "He'll bounce back quick."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Allonzo Trier began last season as an undrafted free agent. He ended it with a $7 million contract. Trier's path as a rookie was a testament to his talent and timing: the 24-year-old took advantage of the playing time he earned on a Knicks team committed to developing its young players. 

This season, Trier has been mostly out of the rotation, behind a glut of guards on New York's roster. 

He's appeared in 19 of the Knicks' 42 games, averaging 6.3 points per game in 12 minutes. 

RJ Barrett's X-rays came back negative on his sprained ankle and he will be reevaluated next week, the Knicks announced Friday afternoon.

Barrett injured his ankle late in the third quarter of Thursday's loss to the Suns, after taking a bad step off his right foot while driving to the basket. 

The rookie exited the game after the next possession and left Madison Square Garden with the help of crutches.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

After losses earlier in the season, the Knicks would sometimes say that they just needed more time to develop chemistry on the court. 

After 42 games, that explanation is no longer valid. 

Late in the third quarter of Thursday's loss to the Suns, RJ Barrett drove to the basket but ended up taking an awkward step off his right foot.

He came up hobbling a bit after the play, and after trying to stick it out and play defense, he asked to come out of the game. 

"I haven't seen it yet. But what I heard was I kind of twisted my left (ankle) a little bit on one step, so then on the right step I tried to fix it," Barrett explained after the game.

"I tried to run down on the other end but then I tried to play defense, and it just hurt too much on both sides so I just decided to call it."

The Knicks fell to the Phoenix Suns 121-98 on Thursday night, and have now lost seven of their last eight games. >> Box Score

Five things to know from Thursday's game

1) The Knicks came out of the opening gates strong and lead by seven points after the first quarter. In the second period, though, the tides started to change, with the Suns outscoring New York 33-20 in the second frame. The second half was much of the same, as the Knicks allowed 33 Phoenix points in the third quarter, and the game was basically decided early on in the fourth quarter. The Knicks were outscored by 30 points over the final three quarters of play.

The Knicks were outrebounded by the Suns 53-41 and also turned the ball over 17 times.

Veteran shooter Reggie Bullock (sore neck) will miss the Knicks' game on Thursday against the Phoenix Suns, the team announced.

Bullock missed the Knicks' first 33 games of the season as he recovered from offseason surgery for a cervical disc herniation.

Since his return to action on Jan. 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers, Bullock has averaged 9.9 points per game in 23.6 minutes over eight games.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Westchester Knicks head coach Derrick Alston wants Lamar Peters to have the freedom to play through mistakes on the court.

"The kid is fast, he can create, he can shoot. So I just try to let him play. And we'll work on (improvement/correcting mistakes) behind the scenes," Alston said. "And then the next time you get out there (in a game), you show me our adjustments. And we won't have a problem. And he's bought into it, so I'm definitely a fan of his."

Alston's approach seems to be paying off for his lead guard.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

After practice on Wednesday, RJ Barrett was shooting free throws while Knicks assistant coach Keith Bogans rebounded for him. He celebrated after he made his last attempt on Wednesday, as the Knicks front office looked on. 

"Before I leave every practice I've got to make 10 or 15 in a row before I get off the court," Barrett said. 

The extra shooting seems to be paying off. 

The Knicks officially signed big man Kenny Wooten to a two-way contract on Tuesday, and on Wednesday he was on the practice courts as the team prepares for Thursday's matchup with the Phoenix Suns.

"You see his athleticism," interim head coach Mike Miller said of Wooten on Wednesday. "We saw it during the Summer League, we saw it in the preseason, we saw it in Training Camp. Everybody's aware of what his physical tools are and how he uses them."

RJ Barrett added: "He's a freak. On my visit to Oregon, I (saw) Kenny put tape in his hands, jump and touch the top of the backboard. We had to get a ladder to get the tape down, so he's crazy.

After playing for the Knicks last week, rookie F Ignas Brazdeikis is being recalled once again, the team announced on Wednesday. 

It's unknown why Brazdeikis has quickly made his way back to the Knicks, but the team could be short-handed. His most recent appearance came against the Jazz on Jan. 8 during the team's west coast trip. He played five minutes where he recorded an and-one for his only three points of the night. 

Brazdeikis has played a scattered nine games with the big club this season, averaging 1.9 points over just 5.9 minutes per game. He's 6-for-22 from the field over those games. 

The Bucks handled things from start to finish Tuesday night in Milwaukee, sending the Knicks back to New York with a 128-102 loss. >> Box Score

Five things to know from Sunday's game

1) The Bucks came out hot and all but ended the game in the first few minutes of action, going up 18-4 less than half way through the first quarter. Despite the Knicks coming back to make it 29-23 after 12 minutes, the Bucks went on a 36-17 to take a 25-point lead at halftime. Milwaukee got out to as large as a 35-point lead Tuesday night. New York's offense struggled without its leading scorer in Marcus Morris, who missed his fifth straight game due to a neck injury.

The Knicks have officially signed Kenny Wooten to a two-way contract, the team announced.

SNY's Ian Begley confirmed Monday that Wooten would be brought up from the Westchester Knicks and Ivan Rabb would be waived to make room for him. Details of the contract have yet to be released.

Wooten has played 24 games for Westchester this season, averaging 7.7 points per game on 66 percent shooting, 5.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 24 minutes a game.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

A few notes from the Knicks' practice on Monday ahead of Tuesday's game against Milwaukee...

Mike Miller has coached in college and the G League, so he knows all about the mental approach of young players.

He has high praise for Knicks rookie RJ Barrett's mindset.

Ahead of Tuesday's matchup with the 35-6 Bucks in Milwaukee, the Knicks announced that both Marcus Morris and Dennis Smith Jr.. will not be in the lineup.

Morris last played on Jan. 5, when he scored a season-high 38 points in a three-point loss to the Lakers. But will miss his fifth straight game with what the team is listing as a sore neck.

Smith Jr.'s strained left oblique has kept him out since Dec. 23 and will be out of the lineup for his 10th straight game on Tuesday.

While nothing has been made official, the Knicks have cleared a roster spot to sign forward Kenny Wooten to a two-way NBA deal, SNY's Ian Begley has confirmed. To make room on the roster, the team is waiving forward Ivan Rabb. 

Wooten has spent the season with in the G-League with the Westchester Knicks. The team was aware that other teams were expressing interest in Wooten, and have now locked him up for the remainder of the season. At least one other team was prepared to make the 21-year-old an offer.

In 23 games with Westchester this season, Wooten is averaging 7.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and a whopping 3.4 blocks per game, good for second in the G-League.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Late Tuesday night in the visitor's locker room at Staples Center, Julius Randle walked to his stall with tears in his eyes.

Minutes earlier, he'd found out that his grandmother died.

As he made his way through the locker room, he was being comforted by teammates, coaches and other members of the organization.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Something worth noting on the trade front for the Knicks: two people in touch with members of the organization in the last few days said that New York remains opposed to sending out any future first-round picks in any trades under consideration.

This could be posturing from New York during trade season.

But if the Knicks are indeed committed to keeping their future first-rounders off limits, that would align with the team's strategy for the past five seasons.

Aside from spoiling Carmelo Anthony's return to MSG on New Year's Day with a win over the Blazers, 2020 hadn't been kind to the Knicks, who were riding a five-game losing streaking heading into Sunday's matchup with the Heat.

Miami came into the game as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and the Knicks were without their leading scorer in Marcus Morris, so it wouldn't have been all that surprising if the Heat left New York with another win under their belt.

Instead, the Knicks took a 10-point deficit into the fourth quarter and dropped 40 on the Heat, holding on down the stretch in a tight final minute to stun Miami.

The Knicks outscored the Heat by 13 down the stretch in what became a nail-biting thriller in the final minutes and went on to win 124-121 at MSG on Sunday. >> Box Score

Five things to know from Sunday's game

1) The Knicks entered the fourth quarter down by 13 points despite the game having a closer feel than that throughout. But New York put up 40 points on Miami in the final 12 minutes to come back and beat one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Jimmy Butler's mishandled pass to Bam Adebayo, that was stolen by RJ Barrett, all but sealed the win for the Knicks.

Adebayo got a three-pointer up with 0.5 seconds left that connected, but the shot came after the buzzer and was waved off, handing the Knicks arguably their biggest win of the season.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Dennis Smith Jr. says he's ahead of schedule in his rehab from an oblique injury, but there's no definitive timetable for his return. 

"I'm actually healing faster (than projections). I heard people say with the oblique strain it could be two months or however long, so I'm actually healing along pretty fast," Smith Jr. said on Sunday. "I'm going through the process and working at it every day."

Smith Jr. has missed nine consecutive games with the ailment. He's been limited in contact portions of practice. He's been listed as questionable for several games but ultimately ruled out. 

Forward Julius Randle will be available for the Knicks on Sunday against the Heat, the team announced. 

Randle has missed the past two games with what the team called personal reasons. Interim head coach Mike Miller said it was a family issue, and whenever Randle wanted to return, the Knicks would be waiting patiently. 

"It's a personal matter," Miller said. "We'll respect his privacy and give him a chance to deal with this situation. When he's ready to come back, he'll be back.''

Julius Randle and Marcus Morris have missed the Knicks' past two and three games, respectively. Randle has for personal reasons while Morris has a sore neck. 

The Knicks lost Friday to the Pelicans 123-111, their fifth-straight loss. Their next outing is Sunday at 3:30 p.m. as they'll host the Heat. 

The duo's teammates and coaches are hopeful the two game return to the lineup for that contest. 

Kevin Durant and Kendrick Perkins clearly have an unresolved beef that may still need settling.

From The Thread, here's what the disagreement between the former Thunder teammates might have sounded like if it hadn't happened over the internet.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

New York fell to 10-29 after Friday's loss to the Pelicans. That's the third-worst record in the NBA. 

If they continue to play at this clip, the Knicks will be in position for one of the top picks in the 2020 NBA Draft. 

Zion Williamson, the first overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, is yet to suit up for the New Orleans Pelicans in the regular season as he deals with a knee issue.

But Williamson is nearing a return to the court, and on Friday night he was in attendance at Madison Square Garden as the Pelicans handed a Knicks a 123-111 loss.

In the loss, Williamson's former Duke teammate RJ Barrett scored 16 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Just as it seemed that the Knicks were starting to gain their footing under interim head coach Mike Miller, winning three straight for the first time this season in late December into New Year's Day, the team has again fallen into a tailspin.

After that quick three-game streak, the Knicks have since lost five straight games, with the latest loss coming in Friday night's 123-111 loss to the Pelicans at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks are now 10-29 on the season, and while the team has recently been without their two leading scorers in Marcus Morris (sore neck) and Julius Randle (personal reasons), veteran Taj Gibson knows that the key right now is just to stay together so the Knicks can come out of this skid a better team.