The Knicks may have hoisted the NBA Cup in Las Vegas, but don’t expect a banner to rise at Madison Square Garden anytime soon.
According to league sources, New York won’t be commemorating their in-season tournament title with a banner inside the Garden. The franchise does plan to celebrate the achievement with fans prior to Friday’s home matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, but the message from within the organization is clear: the focus is on bigger goals-namely, chasing the elusive NBA championship.
Before Tuesday’s win over the Spurs, head coach Mike Brown addressed the team in the locker room, floating the idea of a banner in the Garden. He doubled down on that thought postgame during his interview with Taylor Rooks, emphasizing the significance of being the last team standing in any competition.
“Anytime you can participate in any event where you’re the last one standing and you’re able to hang a banner, especially in iconic MSG, you take that seriously,” Brown said.
Guard Josh Hart echoed that sentiment earlier in the week. For Hart, winning is winning-and it deserves to be recognized.
“Why not?” Hart said when asked if a banner should go up for the Cup.
“It’s a cup. It’s a title.
It’s something that you want to win. Hang a banner.
Obviously, there are different standards to the Cup and Finals, but whenever you go out there, you want to compete and win. That’s what you want to do, and then you want to celebrate that.”
Hart’s comments tap into a broader truth about the mindset of NBA players: whether it's the Finals or the league’s newest in-season tournament, the competitive fire doesn’t dim. These guys want to win-every game, every trophy, every moment.
And for Knicks fans who made the trip to Vegas? Brown made sure to show them love, acknowledging the energy they brought to the title game.
“What fans we’ve got, love you guys,” Brown said, giving a shoutout to the traveling faithful.
Around the league, other franchises have taken a different approach. The Lakers and Bucks-the first two NBA Cup champions-both chose to hang banners to mark their in-season tournament victories. It was a nod to the evolving landscape of the league, where the NBA Cup is still carving out its place in the hierarchy of accomplishments.
But for the Knicks, the decision not to raise a banner isn’t exactly shocking. The franchise has long viewed itself through a traditionalist lens, one that values legacy, prestige, and the pursuit of the Larry O’Brien Trophy above all else.
Despite not winning an NBA title since 1973 and having made just one Eastern Conference Finals appearance over the past three decades, the Knicks continue to carry themselves like a franchise with championship expectations. Under owner James Dolan, the organization has maintained a tight grip on media access and messaging, projecting an image of exclusivity and high standards.
The NBA Cup, while still new, is part of the league’s broader push to innovate and add stakes to the early part of the regular season. The league has invested heavily in making the tournament matter-not just to players, but to fans and franchises alike.
Still, in New York, the message is clear: the Cup win was a step forward, a moment worth celebrating-but not one worthy of permanent placement in the Garden rafters. Not yet.
For a team with its eyes on a bigger prize, the banner will have to wait.