When a team wins a championship it's customary for an organization to give at least some employees championship rings as a token of gratitude for being the support staff of the team. The Seahawks gave football staffers full Super Bowl rings, the Carolina Hurricanes gave every team employee a ring. Dolan and the Knicks? They tricked workers with a scam instead.

An email went out in September to every Madison Square Garden employee, which was obtained by The Athletic. In it, the team seemingly promised everyone a ring. going so far as to ask for their customization preferences.

(Employee name), this one is on the house. MSG is issuing a complimentary employee championship ring. The same jeweler, the same craftsmanship, personalized with your name. No cost to you.

There are two designs to choose from: Championship Gold and Garden Classic. Reserve the one you want below.

Naturally, employees were excited. The problem was that this was a targeted scam, organized by Dolan. He asked for the emails to be sent to his workforce as a way to test which of his employees would fall for a phishing scam. It's been reported that Dolan is growing increasingly paranoid about cybersecurity, which is fine but trying to test this under the guise of giving his workers rings? That's just gross.

Not only was there never a plan to give MSG employees rings, but anyone who did click on the link and tried to reserve their ring was instead put in compulsory cybersecurity training. When reached for comment the Knicks refused to discuss the ring situation with The Athletic.

Team employees work incredibly hard. Most are so consumed by their love of the job that, when the playoffs roll around or, God willing, a finals run they accept long hours, weekend work, and extra duties outside their typical responsibilities. This is why teams reward their staff with rings if a team finally breaks through, because while athletes are the ones responsible for winning, the organization as a whole would be nothing without the hundreds of people working behind the scenes, from marketing to equipment management, and beyond.

To make these people think they were getting noticed, and that something was being done for them only to learn it was a rug pull plan to test them, it's just disgusting. Shame on James Dolan for being such a paranoid, ludicrous cheapskate that he gleefully screw over his employees as a test.

Just an awful dude.

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Here is the full article.

Source:

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/james-dolan-scammed-knicks-employees-121136841.html

source

Amid scrutiny that they ignored assistant coaches and an admission of an “unfortunate mistake” involving a cybersecurity test, the Knicks are handing out 275 championship rings to employees worth almost $4 million, The Post has learned. 

The news comes on the heels of a report from The Athletic revealing that the Knicks handed empty boxes to the top assistant coaches – Chris Jent, Rick Brunson and Brendan O’Connor – during Tuesday’s ceremony.

Sources confirmed the report that assistant coaches felt “genuine anger to annoyance” about not receiving rings.

Jent, Brunson and O’Connor will get their real rings “shortly,” said a league source, who added that the distribution of 275 championship rings was always the plan. All the Knicks assistant coaches will eventually receive championship rings, league sources said. 

“The company is gifting more than 275 championship rings and jewelry to players, coaches, employees and other members of the Knicks family, worth more than $3.7 million, in recognition of their contributions and celebrating this achievement,” an MSG spokesman told The Post. 

Shams Charania: Former Lakers forward Dalton Knecht has agreed to sign with the New York Knicks on a two-way NBA contract, his agents at Excel Sports Management tell ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania

Listening to him last night during the Nuggets and Thunder game was truly a breath of fresh air.

He reminded me of how fans praised Tony Romo for his great commentary on NFL games especially when he first started. I like how Jeremy wasn't just passive and settled for the typical comments by saying the obvious things that commentators usually make that fans might already know, but he was able to point things out that happened away from the camera for the people watching at home who wouldn't normally get to be at these games in person or things that are interesting that isn't even happening on the court but still able to give an intrinsically detail oriented comment relating to basketball. For example, I forgot exactly what he said last night, but Lin mentioned how post players in the NBA are taught to (forgot what he said) and praised Aday Mara for picking up on it so early in his young career. Or another example during the game he pointed out something that the camera wasn't focused on in which a player (or players) on the Thunder did and attributed it to the culture that the Thunder has and that's one of the reasons why they're so good.

He keeps the viewers engaged for both casual and non-casuals with his wisdom and knowledge of the game and does it really well.

I hope ESPN finds a way to keep Lin on permanently for marquee games, he'd be an excellent addition.

The Knicks’ title run produced another NBA viewership milestone, as their ring night — and LeBron James’ Sixers debut — set an Opening Night mark.

Tuesday’s Sixers-Knicks NBA Opening Night game averaged 7.71 million viewers on NBC across a Nielsen-measured linear audience (5.98M) and streaming viewership tracked by Adobe Analytics (1.7M), officially marking the largest Opening Night NBA audience on record, excluding the lockout-delayed 2011-12 season that began on Christmas Day.

The previous high for a traditional Opening Night was 7.35 million for Heat-Celtics on TNT in 2010, which marked James’ debut with the Miami Heat. Sixteen years later, this year’s game also marked James’ debut with a new team, the 76ers.

Philadelphia’s win, which peaked with 9.1 million in the 9:45 PM ET quarter-hour, also delivered the NBA’s largest non-Christmas regular season audience since March 1999 — when NBC averaged 8.37 million for Lakers-Jazz.

Note that out-of-home viewing was not included in Nielsen estimates until 2020 or fully accounted for until 2025, that this is only in the second year of a new Nielsen methodology integrating “Big Data” from smart TVs, set-top boxes and first party data with its traditional panel, and that Nielsen has recently tweaked its measurement to better account for co-viewing of games. It is a virtual lock that Heat-Celtics in 2010 would have ranked higher under current methodology.

Compared to last year’s double-overtime Rockets-Thunder Opening Night game, viewership increased 32% from 5.85 million.

The Thunder-Spurs nightcap averaged 4.85 million across Nielsen (3.89M) and Adobe Analytics (959K), down 5% from abbreviated coverage of Warriors-Lakers last year (5.11M). Oklahoma City’s blowout win trails only that game as the most-watched late window on Opening Night. Prior to last year, the high water mark was 4.30 million for Mavericks-Lakers on TNT in 2012, another figure that would be higher under present-day methodology.

The primetime Opening Night games averaged 6.4 million (5.04M per Nielsen, 1.38M per Adobe), up 14% from last year (5.61M) and surpassing 2010 (5.7M) as highest on record for the traditional Opening Night doubleheader. Beyond the Nielsen-related caveats, note that Opening Night games primarily aired on cable prior to the current NBA media rights deal.

In addition to the usual primetime games, NBC aired a weekday matinee on Opening Night this season, as Celtics-Pistons averaged 2.52 million (1.98M per Nielsen, 534K per Adobe). That is the largest audience for a weekday afternoon regular season game, excluding holidays, with the obvious caveat being an extremely small sample size. ESPN carried a 5 PM ET matinee on Thanksgiving Eve last season between the same two teams, averaging 1.68 million. ESPN and TNT also aired a handful of weekday afternoon games in the 2020 “bubble.”

Beyond the NBA, NBC averaged 2.3 million for a Pirates-Mets MLB Opening Day matinee in March, which aired in an earlier timeslot and competed with other games.

Celtics-Pistons was preempted on NBC affiliates in at least some markets, though NBC said Tuesday that the game aired either on NBC or alternate stations in “99% of U.S. households.” As one might expect given the timeslot and preemptions, Celtics-Pistons was the least-watched Opening Day NBA game since Bucks-Nets on TNT in 2021 (2.20M).

Even with the matinee game included, the three-game average of 5.1 million trails only last year as the highest for the NBA’s traditional Opening Day since 2010.

Source: https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/10/sixers-knicks-nba-opening-night-viewership-high-nbc/

Jerome averaged 19.7 points in just 22.6 minutes per game last season along with 5.7 assists in 15 games. In 24-25, he finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting despite playing under 20 minutes per game.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jeromty01.html

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/nba/grizzlies/2026/10/22/memphis-grizzlies-ty-jerome-highlights-utah-jazz/92281855007/

(PGT generator is still down, here's a link to the box score: https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401909093 )

“You can go ask any of those GMs if they want him on their team, and they’re going to take him,” Reaves told The Athletic when told of the poll results. “There’s a lot of truth in what (Green) said. Luka has done what he’s done for eight years now, and when he does it, there’s no wow factor.

“There’s a wow factor when he plays, but you look at the box (score) after the game, and you’re like … ‘Oh, he had 35 (points).’ So when he has 40, people aren’t like, ‘Holy s—, he had 40!’ It’s like, ‘Oh, he did what he does every single night.’ So, I think there’s a little bit of truth in what Draymond said about voter fatigue with someone who hasn’t won it.”

Not to mention the debate about the award itself.

“If you’re talking about the best player in the league, ‘Bron would have had 15 of them,” Reaves continued. “Is it the best player on the best team, or is it somebody that makes the team a lot better? … I don’t really know what the criteria is. But if we wind up the three or four seed, and (Dončić) does what he does, I think there’s a possibility.”

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7713473/2026/10/23/luka-doncic-lakers-mvp-underrated/

source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7715834/2026/10/22/knicks-ring-night-assistant-coaches-msg-employees/

via Vardon

Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/50241622/contract-talks-thunder-payroll-opening-week

League executives are watching whether the Thunder pick up options on Topic and Sorber for next season by the Nov. 2 deadline. Both players have dealt with health issues and are set to earn a combined $12 million next season, and that will cost Oklahoma City more than $60 million in added tax. Not picking up one or both could be level-setting as the Thunder manage this challenge.

"We all have our problems," an Eastern Conference executive said. "We'd all love to have theirs."

Former Pelicans second-rounder Micah Peavy has agreed on a two-way NBA deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources tell ESPN.

Source: https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/213d7f41f3d31

Today Jontay Porter make a trip to Teaneck, New Jersey. The school, Torah Academy of Bergen County, hosted him as part of an initiative to help its students navigate real world challenges and make responsible choices.

For those who don't know who he is, Jontay Porter ruined his career with his gambling addiction that led him to clear massive debts by exchanging insider tips and intentionally faking illnesses so he could exit game early.

The NBA issued him a lifetime ban in April 2024. He subsequently pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud conspiracy charges, completed inpatient rehabilitation, and now faces a multi-year prison sentence.

Trailing by as many as 29 points, the Sixers' new "Big 5" had an exceptional 2nd half comeback to win in their home opener. They accounted for 105 of the Sixers' 114 points, with the following individual statlines:

James: 17/10/5 with 3 steals, 1 block (5-14 FG)

Embiid: 24/7/1 (8-16 FG)

Brown: 21/8/4 with 1 steal (10-20 FG)

Maxey: 32/3/6 with 2 steals (12-23 FG)

Edgecombe: 11/7/6 with 3 steals (4-11 FG)

Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401909093

Tonight's 29-point comeback victory by the 76ers over the Cavaliers was somehow the largest comeback win of LeBron James' career! He is in year 24 and has played in 1624 regular season games in his career!

Tonight's 29-point comeback victory by the 76ers over the Cavaliers was somehow the largest comeback win of LeBron James' career! He is in year 24 and has played in 1624 regular season games in his career!

Crazy stuff! Amazing win by this Sixers squad. The starting lineup is absolutely elite. Amazing tone-setting wins this early in the year. Beat the defending champs then make a 29-point comeback in the next game.

source

Source: https://m.youtube.com/shorts/pGPv4zCMft0

Boogie doesn't seems to be a great fan of analytics.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7713473/2026/10/23/luka-doncic-lakers-mvp-underrated/

But Green’s podcast opinion was the polar opposite, with the 36-year-old, four-time All-Star and four-time champion comparing this Dončić dynamic to that of his old Lakers teammate, LeBron James, when it came to MVP awards. As such, Green posited, this may be the last year in which Dončić has even a remote chance of getting a Michael Jordan trophy of his own.

But what if, as I asked Green, these revamped Lakers surprise the masses and somehow find a way to be a top-four team in the Western Conference? James’ departure to the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer makes Dončić the undisputed leader of this group and the face of the franchise, with the spotlight and all the scrutiny that comes with it his to bear. This new Lakers core, featuring the re-signed Austin Reaves and big man Walker Kessler, was built with Dončić’s transcendent style as the prism.

If it goes exceedingly well, with the 27-year-old Dončić playing at his prime peak and clicking with them both so well as he did Wednesday, the honor that has evaded him to this point could certainly come his way. Especially if the Lakers can somehow find a way to keep up with teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets.

Right?

“Nah, I don’t think there’s anything that he can do (to win it),” Green told The Athletic while shaking his head at his locker. “And by the way, it’s not a knock on him. I don’t think there is anything that he can do. If they’re the 1, 2, 3 seed — great. It’s still Luka Dončić. No one is going to be surprised that Luka Dončić’s team is the 4 seed. Nobody. He’s that good. There’s no element of surprise if his team is the fourth seed.

“I just think, ultimately, he gets screwed because of it. And it’s probably a little unfair. Anybody else puts those numbers up, and they’re walking away with the MVP. Like, home free. That’s why I made the comparison to Bron. He’s got, what, four MVPs? You’re telling me he wasn’t the best player in the NBA for at least 10 seasons? It’s greatness fatigue.”

The nature of the meeting, I probably won't discuss much

But it was in consideration for sure. I mean, obviously, as a team trying to build towards a championship and things of that nature, I was trying to decide where I wanted to go with the rest of my career, to finish my career, or the next step. So, they had a lot of consideration for sure.

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lebron-james-says-signing-cleveland-221228230.html

2 games into his $64m/4yr deal, and it’s off to a rocking start with 2 DNP-CDs.

The handling of this situation continues to be baffling. How are the Bucks supposed to argue that he’s worth this contract if he can’t even make it on to the floor for one of the worst teams in the league? Are they trying to come up with some bullshit injury excuse? Are the Bucks just resigned to the fact that they’re completely fucked?

Jamal Murray in the the loss vs the Thunder 37MIN | 6PTS | 10REB | 3 AST | 6 TOV | 2/11 FG | 0/1 3FG | 2/4 FTS | 23.5%TS

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401909094

The highlights of his 25 years as LSU’s coach included two trips to the NCAA Final Four with his 1981 and 1986 teams.

He coached O’Neal for three seasons, from the 1989-90 campaign until the charismatic, 7-foot-1 superstar entered the 1992 NBA draft and was selected first overall by Orlando. LSU earned bids to the NCAA Tournament during all three of O’Neal’s seasons, the first with Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, then known as Chris Jackson, also an All-American, but did not advance past the second round.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/dale-brown-dies-lsu-de287a89e4022dfd318f021474c26bb2

Lebron James in the win vs the Cavaliers | 33 MIN | 17 PTS | 10 REB | 5 AST | 5/14 FG | 1/4 3FG | 6/7 FTs | 5 TOV | 49.8% TS

https://www.espn.com/nba/game?gameId=401909093

Fuck Bezos or whoever it is that runs Amazon now but man it’s miles ahead of ESPN and Peacock. Still love the Inside the NBA crew though

Terrible shooting for SGA tonight as he shot only 6/19, 3/11 from 3 and only had 17 points tonight and ended his historic streak of 141 regular season games with 20 or more points. At the end of the first half, he only had 2 points.