Knicks’ incredible offseason gets even better; USWNT opens the Olympic game with high expectations

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🏀 Good morning everyone, but especially…

TOM THIBODEAU AND THE NEW YORK KICKS

Fresh off their second 50-win season in the last twenty years, the Knicks make sure their coach doesn’t go anywhere. New York and Tom Thibodeau agreed to one extension for three years that ties him to the franchise through the 2027-2028 season.

Thibodeau’s ruthless, no-nonsense coaching style was a perfect fit for his team of underdogs, who in turn have maximized their abilities in the Big Apple. Jalen Brunson has become a star as players like it Donte DiVincenzo have taken huge steps forward under Thibodeau, who owns a 175-143 record with New York and won Coach of the Year in 2021. The Knicks have won a playoff series in consecutive years for the first time since 1999-2000.

This puts an end to what has been an incredible offseason for New York.

• The Knicks purchased striking two-way wing Mikal Bridges of the Nets in the first trade between the two teams since 1983.
• They also kept a striking two-way wing past sign again OG Anunoby. The Knicks were 26-6 (including playoffs) when Anunoby played last year after acquiring him from the Birds of prey.
• Brunson signed a team-friendly four-year, $156.5 million extension; had he waited until he was an unrestricted free agent next season, he would have been eligible for a projected five-year, $269.1 million deal. Bridges too expects to make a team-friendly deal.

Sam Quinn distributed offseason figures for each Eastern Conference teamand the Knicks earned a “B+.”

• Quinn: “Was Bridges overpaid from a value perspective? Maybe, but in context it made perfect sense. This is what you have to do. The Knicks now have a legitimate chance to win the championship, and unlike many of their competitors, they have If that’s the outcome of the trade, who cares what the value proposition of a single trade is? The Knicks are one center away from getting an ‘A.’ ”

Sam gave up too Western Conference gradesvalue Thunder And Tracks were the only teams to receive an “A”.

😀 Honorable mentions

⚽ And not such a good morning for…

ARGENTINA

The Paris Olympics men’s football competition is already a wild one, with the opening ceremony still a day away. Argentina lost 2-1 Unpleasant Morocco in one of the most unusual and chaotic situations that you will ever see in any sport.

• Morocco fell behind 2-0 Soufiane Rahimi‘s brace on either side of the rest in front Giuliano Simeone‘s goal in the 68th minute halved Argentina’s deficit.
• Cristian Medina then scored which seemed to be the equalizer in the 106th minute (16th minute stoppage time) after a hectic sequence that included two saves and two shots that went off the goal frame.
• This caused pure pandemonium: fans threw objects (including what appeared to be flares) at the Argentine players, fans on the field, etc. Players were taken off the field and the match appeared to be over. Then the Olympic broadcast said the match was “paused” instead. Video boards in the stadium instructed spectators to leave. Finally, players came forward again for the Three minutes to play in front of an empty stadium.
• Two hours after the match was stopped, a video review confirmed that Medina had been offside in the build-up to the goal, and the goal was disallowed. Morocco then held on for the wild victory.
• Lionel Messi posted “Insolito” (Spanish for ‘unusual’) on his Instagram story. Argentina coach Javier Mascherano called it “the biggest circus I ever saw in my life.”

James Benge provided some Background information.

• Benge: “Given that Moroccan immigrants and their descendants form one of the largest such communities in France, Argentina could always have expected the crowd to be against them at the Stade Geoffrey-Guichard. However, the events of recent weeks have contributed to increasing the level of intended enmity. with the Argentina football team. Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez had posted a video on social media showing the the victorious Copa America side made racist chants about France and the nationality of their footballers.”

Not a good start!

😕 Not so honorable mentions

⚽ USWNT opens Olympic match vs. Zambia

The USWNT opens its Olympic Games today against Zambia (example here), and without age restrictions like the men’s, there are plenty of big names in Paris. It’s a huge opportunity for the Americans to get back on track to establish themselves as one of the top teams in the world, and it’s Emma Hayes‘ first big opportunity to lead that search. Pardeep Cattry has a great profile on the new coach.

Our experts made it their choices, and they all make the USWNT earn some sort of medal. To do that, they have a key returner to actwrites Pardeep.

• Cattry: “Mallory Swanson: Since the USWNT exited the Women’s World Cup after a scoreless run of more than 200 minutes, the team’s offense has been a major focus. Many will point to the fact that Swanson’s absence last year after she tore her patellar tendon derailed the USWNT’s plans Down Under, but her return to play for both club and country this year has provided encouragement that this team can return to offense.”

Here’s more:

🏀 NBA signs new TV deal with ESPN, NBA, Amazon

The NBA officially has a new TV deal… and a shiny price tag, too. The league agreed to one 11-year deal worth $76 billion with the Walt Disney Company (which broadcasts games on ESPN and ABC), NBC Universal and Amazon. The deal will take effect in the 2025-2026 season – after the current nine-year, $24 billion deal expires – and run through 2035-2036.

Among the most important details…

• The NBA Finals remain on ABC.
• ABC/ESPN will have one of the conference finals in 10 of the 11 years of the deal, while NBC/Peacock and Amazon will each get one of the conference finals in six of the 11 years of the deal. All three partners broadcast first and second round matches every year.
• Amazon Prime Video streams the NBA Cup and Play-In Tournament.

That makes this upcoming season the last for TNT and its popular pre/postgame show “Inside The NBA.” Turner has been broadcasting NBA games since 1989 and TNT Sports said it will take further action, believing it will match Amazon’s offer.

This new deal will multiply the NBA’s annual national media revenue by approximately 2.6 times. In 2016, when the deal included a similar increase, the salary cap increased by 34%. To remind Allen Crabbe, Tyler Johnson, Ian Mahinmi And Solomon Hill get big deals? But that won’t happen this time: new competition rules stipulate that the limit may not increase by more than 10% per year. However, it will likely increase by that maximum 10% every year.

Sam did an excellent job of looking at it how the salary cap will change under the new TV deal.

📺What we’re watching on Thursday

⚽ USWNT vs Zambia3pm on USA Network