The Looming Shadow of James Dolan

Some NBA owners relish speaking their thoughts into the ether. Suns owner Mat Ishbia has done numerous podcast appearances, and former Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is one of the most visible online sports ownership personalities out there. Over the last half-decade, James Dolan has been the opposite.

The Knicks owner rarely does media interviews, having resigned himself to letting the people he hired focus on the basketball decisions. This week, that changed when Dolan did an interview with WFAN where he discussed a wide array of topics, from the dismissal of Tom Thibodeau to the team’s reported interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo.

An important piece of the interview regarded the expectations for this year's team. Dolan left all modesty at the door and said he believes that this year's team should make and win the Finals. It's an emphatic statement from the much-maligned owner of the Knicks and is indicative of the pressure and scrutiny that this team is under this season.

James Dolan, if nothing else, is a man with a long-standing reputation. Long described as one of the worst owners in sports by the national media, Dolan has often been viewed as thin-skinned and immature. But there is another word that has haunted his time as owner of the team: meddlesome.

The root of Dolan's reputation as an over-involved and meddlesome owner dates back to when the team was attempting to facilitate a move to acquire Carmelo Anthony. When negotiations between then GM Donnie Walsh and then Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri appeared to stall, Dolan commandeered the negotiations and made the deal for Anthony that is still infamous in some fan circles and is attributed to explain the lack of long-term playoff success while Anthony was a Knick.

Later on, Dolan's meddling reared its ugly head again in a potential deal that would have netted the Knicks point guard Kyle Lowry from the Raptors. Masai Ujiri, at that point the GM in Toronto, orchestrated a deal that would have netted the Raptors Iman Shumpert, Metta World Peace, and a first-round pick for Lowry, but Dolan intervened. Fearful of being taken advantage of again by Ujiri, Dolan vetoed the trade—leading to another what-if scenario for fans.

These two instances have cemented Dolan as a meddler in the eyes of many. In the years since the Lowry veto, Dolan has not flexed his ownership power to influence moves, with all indications being that he has accepted that basketball people should be making basketball decisions.

Dolan's true sin, it can be argued, is that he hires the wrong people to make those decisions. Phil Jackson, Steve Mills, and Isiah Thomas were all simple cases of Dolan entrusting the future of his franchise to the wrong people. In Leon Rose, it appears that Dolan has finally made the right decision and has stayed out of the limelight of basketball personnel moves as a result.

Despite that, Dolan's reputation as a meddler has remained. Many have pondered how long he could wait before succumbing to the irresistible urge to make a splashy move from his ownership seat. That specter creates its own sort of pressure, which he reignited by placing championship expectations on the team during his interview with WFAN.

During his interview, Dolan talked about a lot. But perhaps the most consequential comment he made was about the outlook of this year's team. When asked about the team's current construction, Dolan said, "We love our team right now. They have chemistry; they all like each other."

That statement by itself would have been normal owner speak. But just before those words we uttered, Dolan also said, "We want to get to the Finals. And we should win the Finals. This is sports, and anything can happen. But getting to the Finals, we absolutely got to do."

The Knicks have massive expectations this season. With the injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, there was a sense that the Eastern Conference was ripe for the taking. And despite Boston performing better than expected, and the Pistons firmly holding the number one seed in the East, most sportsbooks have had the Knicks as one of the betting favorites to make the Finals all season. The team has one of the best starting lineups it’s ever had, with a certified clutch superstar in Jalen Brunson anchoring the team’s foundation.

And yet, despite that reality, there is an added level of pressure applied when James Dolan comes out and confirms that his expectation is Finals or bust this season. Because of his reputation, there is an expected conclusion that if the goals aren't met, drastic action could be taken.

The question then becomes, what could that action be? Could it be a front office shakeup, or possibly a rash trade? There is no way to know, but by Dolan placing the pressure on the Knicks players and coaches that he expects a title this summer, the stress placed upon this team will only increase.

The Leon Rose era has been relatively quiet on the Dolan front. A big reason for that is that he was focused on the construction of The Sphere in Las Vegas after Rose was hired. And while he has said all the right things about developing young talent and loving the roster, his comment creates a seed of doubt, which could lead to extra anxiety for fans.

Despite starting this season with a good 24-13 record, there have been defensive concerns and general worries about Karl-Anthony Towns' role on this team. Those worries are only magnified by the looming shadow of James Dolan, who influences so much and yet has failed so often. He forever lurks in the background, and as he enters the light once again, the sense of urgency to win now for these Knicks has never been higher.

CP The Fanchise reacts to Dolan’s comments with George Esguerra of Into the Knicks-Verse.