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Why James Dolan doesn't deserve blame in Knicks' contract standoff with Karl-Anthony Towns

Dolan is an easy target for attacks like this, but in this case, the Knicks are simply doing smart business James Dolan is an easy target. He's long been the NBA's poster owner for the rich and obnoxious. The New York Knicks winning their first championship since 1973 bought him some grace, but now that Karl-Anthony Towns is being squeezed on his next contract extension, Dolan is back in the public crosshairs as the man seemingly intent on poking holes in a ship that has finally set sail. Is that actually true? That's a matter of opinion, but I would argue no. Dolan is a lot of things, but he's never been cheap. Over the years, the Knicks have handed out as much stupid money as anyone. But since Leon Rose took over as team president in 2020, the Knicks have been one of the league's most well-run organizations, and Dolan has, at least from a personnel and staffing standpoint, mostly sat back and allowed that to happen. He still does plenty of strange stuff. He just brought back Isiah Thomas, who was unceremoniously ousted from his positions as team president and coach following a disastrous on-court tenure and a sexual harassment suit that ultimately cost Dolan and MSG close to $12 million in punitive damages, to the organization as part of its newly formed board of directors.

By Brad BotkinOctober 6, 2026CBS Sports

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The Knicks' handling of the Karl-Anthony Towns contract shows a front office prioritizing fiscal responsibility over sentiment. This firm negotiating stance sets a tone that impacts the team's long-term financial flexibility and roster construction.

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Karl-Anthony Towns

NBA · New York Knicks

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News Analysis: Amid the Chargers' chaos, one thing is certain: Justin Herbert won't be traded

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert reacts during a loss to the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 11. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times) This is not the perfect spiral the Chargers were expecting. It's a downward one. Week after week, loss after loss. They are 0-6 for the first time since 2000, back when Jim Harbaugh was one of their quarterbacks, not their head coach. So even though they're rested after a week off, they're also on edge heading into Sunday's game against the Rams. On the outside, speculation has been swirling for weeks about what the sinking franchise can do — not so much to stop its current slide, as the season is already shot, but moving forward beyond this year. So far, the switch to Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator has been disastrous, and there's even conjecture the team could look to trade quarterback Justin Herbert, who has gone eight consecutive games with at least as many interceptions as touchdowns in each. The franchise is built around Herbert, mind you, and Harbaugh has predicted he'll one day be regarded as the best quarterback in NFL history. So the notion of trading him is beyond blasphemous. That's not to say clubs don't make dramatic and surprising moves. With the trade deadline a week from Tuesday, the 2-5 Indianapolis Colts are already starting to disassemble their roster. Last week, they traded eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle, and dealt star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner back to San Francisco, the team that drafted him.

Justin Herbert· Los Angeles Chargers

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