August brings the dog days of baseball, doubly so in New York these days. Whether the Yankees win the World Series or lose every game left, Aaron Boone will be back in 2027 and likely 2037, job security even Clarence Thomas envies. Meanwhile, David Stearns’ golden sombrero of an offseason last winter won’t stop Steve Cohen from handing him the keys to another hot stove league — Stearns has yet to sexually harass someone or be found by police black-out drunk behind the wheel of his running car, so he’s still the best hire Cohen’s made (other than Buck Showalter, fired by . . . Stearns).
August also means the dog days of NBA coverage. Free agency is over and done with, unless you’re a restricted free agent, in which case *makes the sign of the cross*. It’s too early to know what training camp injury will significantly alter the league landspace. Wanna taste hate and spiteful joy rise up in your throat at the same time? Tyrese Haliburton can’t believe the NBA isn’t treating his return to action like when Magic Johnson came out of retirement. Or Michael Jordan. Or Michael Jordan again.
In honor of this month’s mailbag invite — acknowledging as always that all questions are welcome — I’d specifically like to get some questions from y’all about lists or rankings, inspired by the one and only instance I ever had of an editor at P&T telling me “no” on something.
P&T Hall of Famer Joe Flynn once put the kibosh on a f***/marry/kill question someone submitted to a mailbag. He was right to. I know there’s a lot of annoyance whenever the comment section isn’t left to grow wild and free as some metaphor for freedom of speech, but sir, this is a Wendy’s. An infinitude of more meaningful fights are out there, waiting for you to join the cause. The only thing that sucks about this job besides the criminal wages care of SB Nation Vox Rupert Murdoch Penske Media is comment section moderation.
Since I’m asking for rankings and lists, I’ll get the ball rolling and give you one of my own. I realized recently that after the Knicks won the title my all-time Knick starting five — players I’ve actually seen play — has changed in one position and is unresolved at another. Patrick Ewing is the constant. Jalen Brunson made it a few years ago. Carmelo Anthony is the small forward. My power forward had been Julius Randle, but I realized Karl-Anthony Towns is about to enter his third season with the Knicks. Randle played four-plus seasons in New York; between KAT’s central role in last year’s playoff orgasm and him nearing Randle in length of tenure (fingers crossed), I’m cool putting him there.
The only tough pick for me is the two-guard. John Starks was a fingertip away from making the title-winning shot, a well-rounded player who could drain, drive, dish and defend at an All-NBA level. Allan Houston was the most complete offensive player I ever saw in blue and orange until Melo, and made what was the most famous shot in pre-OG history. Latrell Sprewell joined the Knicks after a decade of smashmouth basketball and brought all of that intensity but with actual athleticism, more multi-faceted than Houston, more consistent than Starks.
Who would you go with, if you saw them all play? If you didn’t, sit and be silent, child. You might learn something from your elders. On the other hand, there was a lotta lead and asbestos back in the day. Odds are some of your elders are real fruit loops, and best left alone.
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