NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks will not raise a banner at Madison Square Garden to commemorate their NBA Cup championship, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday.
The Knicks do plan to celebrate the title in front of their fans Friday, when they play their first home game since winning the championship Tuesday night in Las Vegas. But they won't join the previous winners of the Cup in marking the achievement with a banner, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no public announcement.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks both hung banners after winning the NBA Cup.
There's plenty of room for a banner at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have won only two NBA titles, the last in 1973, and haven't won a title of any kind since winning the Atlantic Division in 2012-13. They marked that with a banner.
It appeared they planned to do so for this championship, with coach Mike Brown saying after the game that winning the tournament provided a lot of positives for the team.
“But the most positive is being able to hang a banner up in MSG, the most iconic arena in the league,” Brown said.
However, the person said the Knicks are proud of the achievement but focused on bigger goals.
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New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, center, celebrates with teammates after his team's victory against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup championship basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates with teammates after his team's victory against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup championship basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
DETROIT (AP) — Closer Kenley Jansen and the Detroit Tigers finalized an $11 million, one-year contract on Wednesday that includes a club option for 2026.
Jansen, fourth on the career list with 476 saves, gets a $9 million salary next season and the Tigers hold a $12 million option with a $2 million buyout.
A 38-year-old right-hander, Jansen is a four-time All-Star who was NL Reliever of the Year in 2016 and 2017. He trails only Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601) and Lee Smith (478) in saves.
Jansen leads active players with 933 appearances, including 62 last season with the Los Angeles Angels. He was 5-4 with a 2.59 ERA and had 29 saves in 30 chances in 2025 after signing a $10 million, one-year deal with the Angels.
He had 25 or more saves in each of the last 13 non-shortened seasons. He had 40-plus saves for the fourth time in 2022 when he led the NL with 41 for Atlanta.
“He’s one of the best to ever do it,” said Tigers general manager Scott Harris, who previously worked in the San Francisco Giants' front office. "I’ve admired him from afar — and up close in the NL West.”
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Jansen helped teams advance to the postseason 10 times, including in 2020 with the World Series champion Dodgers.
He signed with the Dodgers as a catcher out of Curaçao at the age of 17 in 2004, became a pitcher in 2009 and was with the franchise from 2010-21. He went on to play with the Braves for one season, in Boston for two years and with the Angels in 2025.
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FILE - Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen smiles after striking out Houston Astros' Mauricio Dubon for the final out of the ninth inning and earning a save during a baseball game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea, File)
FILE - Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
