Controversial Former Knicks Exec Advocates for Hanging Cup Banner

Last week, the New York Knicks made the call to go without hanging up a banner to commemorate their NBA Cup win.

They were sure to enjoy the spoils of the in-season tournament win and the cash pool that went to the winning side, but the call to go without celebrating the Cup like it was a standard NBA championship wasn't a surprising one. The Knicks, unlike previous winners in the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, don't have a title to show for themselves from the 2020s, let alone the last half-century, and celebrating something besides ending the long drought would be seen in poor taste from a fair portion of New York's fan base.

New York Knicks Guard Jalen Brunson — Dec 16, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) holds the MVP trophy after winning the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Not everyone believes in such a dismissive attitude, however. Former Knicks President and Coach Isiah Thomas is all for taking the win while they can, as he publicly voted in favor of falling in line with the league's wishes in a recent TV appearance.

"The Knicks...should also put up a banner," he said. "You're talking about starting a tradition, you're talking about starting something the NBA has put forth, and the other two teams prior have acknowledged it in their building, and the Knicks should acknowledge it in their building also."

“The Knicks should put up a banner”

- Former Knicks president Isiah Thomas on the NBA Cup

Thomas’ long relationship with Knicks owner James Dolan includes a current seat on the board of directors of Sphere pic.twitter.com/dyNNLbLIyQ
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 23, 2025

How Should the Messenger be Accounted For?

Now, Knicks fans can choose whether they'll take Thomas' words with a grain of salt, because the legendary Hall of Fame point guard's word has carried a lot less weight with the New York populous since he tried his hand at running the show in the 2000s.

He's largely blamed for leading their charge into the dark years, squandering a roster core that once made the 1994 and 1999 NBA Finals by extending the wrong guys and desperately clawing at avoiding a full-on rebuild. High payrolls haunted a string of losing seasons, and Thomas didn't help matters when he tried his hand at simultaneously balancing a coaching role for two unsuccessful seasons.

Former New York Knicks President and Coach Isiah Thomas — Mar 25, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons hall of famer Isiah Thomas gets honored during the second quarter in the game against the Washington Wizards at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-Imagn Images | Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Knicks fan who has good things to say about the Isiah Thomas administration, so any fan of the team who's embarrassed over the squad's lack of recent success will instantly shut down his pitch at hanging up a banner to enforce conformity.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!