A Champion's Dissent
He argued that the NBA’s current model unintentionally incentivizes losing by continuing to pay and promote players who don’t deliver championship success. According to McBride, the system should shift to reward those who actually win. “We reward guys that lose sometimes, we pay guys that lose truthfully,” he said, urging the league to reevaluate how it supports winning teams and players.
McBride, who plays a crucial bench role for the Knicks, highlighted the need for every player to embrace their specific function. He noted that many young or second-round draft picks struggle with this mindset because they’ve always been the star on their previous teams.
The Knicks are currently +850 on FanDuel to win the 2027 NBA Finals and defend their title. To stay competitive, the team has retained key contributors from its 2023 championship run, including Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet, and Jose Alvarado. However, they lost some depth with the departure of Mitchell Robinson to the Celtics and Ariel Hukporti to the 76ers. To replace them, New York signed Andre Drummond, a seasoned big man with playoff experience. Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson is focusing on his recovery from a recent wrist injury.
Brunson recently shared details about his condition, explaining that soft tissue was repeatedly causing pain and friction in his wrist. “I was obviously able to play through it,” he said, but the injury required surgery to address the underlying issues. He’s now in a cast for six weeks and has outlined a clear timeline for his return, with plans to be fully recovered in time for the 2024-25 season. The Knicks will be hoping for a full and healthy lineup as they aim to build on their historic championship campaign.