NIAGARA FALLS, NY – Happy Monday. Everybody we have really hit the dog days of summer beyond the 90° heat constantly there’s not much to talk about besides baseball. You really have to go searching but luckily two major sports had their drafts this week. So these are going to today’s topics: New York Mets, Knicks draft, Rangers draft
The Mets June Swoon
The Mets’ season has officially entered “Time to Worry” territory. After splitting a 4 game series with the Atlanta Braves they followed it up by getting humiliated by the Pittsburgh Pirates—a team that entered the series as one of the worst in baseball. The numbers are ugly:
-Outscored 30-6 across three games.
-Starting pitching collapsed, and the bullpen somehow performed *even worse*.
-Questionable managerial decisions, like leaving a pitcher in after a 90-minute rain delay, only to watch him implode immediately.
This isn’t just a slump—it’s a short circuiting. The Mets now face tough questions:
- Is Carlos Mendoza the right manager? (His in-game decisions suggest otherwise. Second season with a massive slump)
- Will Steve Cohen open the checkbook at the deadline? (They need arms, badly!)
- Can they avoid a total collapse of the season? (They’ll be sellers by August is things don’t change.)
Bottom Line: The Mets are playing like a team that’s forgotten that they had the best record in baseball at one point this season and were in the NLCS last season.
Knicks Draft: Knicks Bet on French Prospect
The New York Knicks did a classic Leon Rose move. Knicks traded their 50th overall pick to the Los Angeles Clippers for the 51st pick and the draft rights to Luka Mitrovic, a 32-year-old from Serbia. With the 51st pick, the Knicks selected Mohamed Diawara, a 6’9″ forward from France bet again on a French Prospect Here’s why this pick matters:
The Player Breakdown
- Elite Physical Tools: At 6’9″ with long arms and big body frame, Dadiet has the frame and mobility needed and won’t have to put on weight in the league.
- Developing Grinder: He averaged 6 points and 11 rebs in France so he provides a player that can bang bodies, get rebounds and kick the ball back out.
- Defensive Potential: According to reports, he loves to play defense and enjoys making stops.
The Knicks’ Plan
This is a true draft-and-stash selection. Diawara will likely remain overseas for 1-2 more seasons to develop, though he will do summer league this year (So the Knicks can properly gauge him), which aligns perfectly with New York’s timeline:
– 2025-26: Continue developing in Europe (possibly with Paris Basketball)
– 2026-27: Could join Westchester Knicks for G-League seasoning
– 2027-28: Potential NBA roster spot as a 21-year-old
Why This Makes Sense:
– The Knicks don’t have roster space for an immediate contributor
– His development path mirrors recent success stories like Ousmane Dieng
Rangers NHL Draft Haul
The New York Rangers’ draft haul was 10 picks and had a defense-heavy approach that stood out.
The Plan: The Rangers are stockpiling blueline depth for the future. Don’t expect any of these picks to crack the lineup soon, but in 3-4 years? This draft could pay off
Rangers’ Strategy: Quantity Over Immediate Impact
- No 1st-round pick, but 10 selections in rounds 2-7.
- 7 of 10 picks were defensemen, emphasizing size and skating.
- Focus on mobile, big-bodied defensemen (see: Sean Barnhill, Zeb Lindgren).
- Malcolm Spence (2nd round) was a steal—many had him as a 1st-round talent.
- One forward to watch: Mikkel Eriksen (4th round)—a playmaking center with slick hands.
- International flair: Swedes, Finns, and a Norwegian center.
Reality Check: Most of these picks won’t see MSG for 3+ years, but the Rangers are clearly building for sustainable success.
Fun Fact: One of the defensemen selected is Artyom Gonchar the nephew of former pro Sergei Gonchar.
Final Thoughts
– Mets: In full meltdown mode. The deadline will define their season.
– Knicks: Took a swing on upside. Patience required.
– Rangers: Drafted for the future—no quick fixes here.
Comment below and come back tomorrow for more sport takes you could have died happy never knowing, with Ben Whitney.
