Best of the Knicks on WFAN: Did the NBA delay its schedule just to force LeBron into MSG?

**Craig Carton** (0:00)
But put it down in your calendars, folks. I believe it's a Tuesday night.

**Chris McMonigle** (0:04)
It is a Tuesday night.

**Craig Carton** (0:04)
October 20th at Madison Square Garden, the defending world champions of the NBA will raise a banner and hand out their rings, as I predicted, against those no good scallywags from Philadelphia. So LeBron James gets to be in the building to see what could have been. LeBron James gets to come to Madison Square Garden and see what he has been incapable of doing for a decade now.
Win a championship, raise a banner, and get a ring for being a world champion. The NBA got this one right.

**Evan Roberts** (0:45)
I'm 100% with you. I love the idea that not only LeBron James, but the Philadelphia 76ers, Maxi and Bede, all of them have to be there while they raise that banner. And for years, and I say this a lot, but for years, our entire generation, I'll speak for, I'm 42 years old.
My lifetime, it has been superstars come to the garden, they drop 40, they leave talking about how great the city is and how great the building is. That's been the MO for superstars. They never play for the Knicks. They come in, they beat the Knicks, they put up a big time performance, and then they tell everyone what's the Mecca basketball and what's the best. It was a great night to be here and I love playing at the Garden. And now one of the great champions and NBA players in history who refused to come here, who would rather take his talents to South Beach, has to be there as the New York Knicks. I didn't agree with that. As the New York Knicks.

**Craig Carton** (1:33)
I didn't agree with one of the great champions.

**Evan Roberts** (1:34)
Oh, one of the great champions and players in this league's history. That's a you thing. Is gonna be there on Tuesday night, October 20th to watch the New York Knicks and Jalen Brunson hoist the championship banner. First off, when you go a decade in your prime without a championship, one of the great players and champions in this league will be there that night to watch the Knicks celebrate a championship.

**Craig Carton** (1:55)
Now, is he one of the great players in league history? Yes. Is he a great champion? No. But if you had to take a guess right now, yes, the get in price for that game, October 20th at Madison Square Garden, it is a seven o'clock tip, which really means probably seven thirty because of all the pomp and circumstance and ceremonies and whatnot.
It is now the most expensive NBA home opener in the history of the league. The get in price right now is $2,000.

**Evan Roberts** (2:26)
Just to get in?

**Craig Carton** (2:27)
That's the worst seed in the joint and there are no bad seats at the garden, but you know what I'm saying?

**Evan Roberts** (2:31)
Yeah, no, I get you.

**Craig Carton** (2:32)
The farthest away from the court you can be, the get in price right now is $2,000, the most expensive secondary market ticket for an NBA opener. In the history of the league, you know why?
Because people have figured out that the Knicks are a dynasty. People have now figured out that the Knicks are must-see TV. People have now figured out that Jalen Brunson is a bonafide superstar. People have now figured out that wherever the Knicks go, it's like the Beatles in the late 60s. That's what it is.

**Evan Roberts** (3:10)
I don't disagree, but let me ask you two questions though.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:12)
Kind of off that.

**Evan Roberts** (3:14)
All right. Would you say that that ticket...

**Chris McMonigle** (3:17)
Yes, I would. Okay.

**Evan Roberts** (3:18)
Would the ticket be as... Does LeBron being there impact the $2,000? Not even a little bit.

**Craig Carton** (3:23)
The Knicks could be playing the Memphis Grizzlies in that game.

**Chris McMonigle** (3:26)
And then just as far as... And it's a $2,000 ticket. You know why? Why?

**Craig Carton** (3:29)
Because it's one of those events...

**Evan Roberts** (3:30)
Yes, it is.

**Craig Carton** (3:30)
where you want to be able to say, I was in the building when they raised the banner. There's value to that.

**Evan Roberts** (3:37)
Of course.

**Craig Carton** (3:38)
Now, having it be the 60s and LeBron doesn't hurt it, obviously. But I think that's a sellout at that number, regardless.

**Evan Roberts** (3:45)
Do you think if, as long as he went anywhere in the East, they were waiting for the schedule for LeBron to make a decision? If LeBron went to Miami, would Miami be the team?