Knicks’ NBA Cup banner call was ‘organizational decision’ — even if it contradicted what Mike Brown initially said

INDIANAPOLIS — Mike Brown said it was “an organizational decision” to not raise an NBA Cup banner and didn’t talk to players about how it contradicted what he told them previously.

“I didn’t talk to them specifically about it. But what I did tell them was exactly what I just said, ‘Hey, it was a heckuva run, we can cherish this, we can talk about this for the rest of our lives, we can talk about it with our grandkids at the end of the day. But there’s more to this season,’ ” Brown said before Thursday’s tipoff against the Pacers. “This is a taste of what we can do. We can’t afford to get comfortable because of winning it at this point in the season. And so we got to go back to work. And it’s going to be tough because everybody is human and it’s natural to accomplish something like that and then relax to a certain degree thinking you’ve arrived and now it’s time to take a deep breath. No, no, no, no, no. Now there’s an extra target on our back. And we have to live up to what we believe the expectations are, starting yesterday.”

The Knicks, according to a league source, plan to celebrate the Cup championship before Friday’s home game vs. the 76ers in “an appropriate way.”

But the organization, according to the source, felt a banner might take the focus off the bigger picture of winning in June. 

The Knicks celebrate after winning the NBA Cup title Dec. 16. Charles Wenzelberg

It was a reversal from Brown’s pregame speech for Tuesday’s NBA Cup final, when he informed players that a banner would be their transcendent award for winning. 

“Tonight’s an opportunity to add to that legacy,” Brown said in the locker room, as filmed and broadcast by Amazon Prime. “Because again, all your peers, they’re in the league. All your peers — they got money, they got a little bit of fame. 

“But what’s different about tonight is the long-lasting impact you can have on your family and your friends. Because any time you’re involved in a situation where at the end of the day you’re hanging something in the rafters, that’s bigger than you.”

The Knicks won, 124-113 over the Spurs, but they won’t hang a banner.

It’s a controversial decision because Adam Silver, who has been on opposing sides of Knicks owner James Dolan on multiple league issues, loves the NBA Cup and the previous two winners — the Lakers and Bucks — hung banners.

“It was just an organizational decision, at the end of the day,” Brown said. “I will say any time you can be the last one standing in anything you do, it’s an honor. I’ve been lucky and fortunate to do it four different times, having a chance to do it six different times with three different teams. And this is no different. It was a great run. Our guys got a taste of something that can be special, at the end of the day for us, where there is a different type of pressure than the regular season. And we all feel good about it. I feel good about it. But it was an organizational decision, at the end of the day.” 

Before their championship victory, players were mixed on whether to hang a banner.

Mike Brown is pictured during the Knicks’ Dec. 16 NBA Cup title win over the Spurs. Charles Wenzelberg

Mikal Bridges said no.

Mitchell Robinson was excited about the idea.

Josh Hart and OG Anunoby gave lukewarm yeses, which, for Hart, changed into a shoulder shrug following the final win. 

“I don’t know. Y’all decide,” Hart said. “Someone’s going to be mad whatever we do, so… I’ll let them figure that one out.”

Jalen Brunson, the most important voice on the roster, wasn’t specifically asked about a banner before Thursday but put the title in perspective. 

“I don’t think we’re having a parade,” Brunson said. “To the City of New York? I think it’s good that we won this. I think the way we won it is special as well. I mean, our fans are always going to support us through thick and thin. I think, for me, I always focus on staying level-headed through the positives, through the negatives. You can’t get too high, can’t get too low. This is great. We’re going to enjoy this. But once we leave tomorrow, we’re moving on.”