Jalen Brunson calls players-only meeting after Knicks skid

Jan 21, 2026 9:27 AM

Concern is growing inside the New York Knicks locker room as their strong start to the season continues to unravel.

Following Monday night’s home loss to the Dallas Mavericks, team captain Jalen Brunson called a players-only meeting, sources told ESPN, after the Knicks dropped their ninth game in 11 tries.

Brunson made it clear during the meeting that the responsibility to fix the team’s January struggles rests with the players, not the coaching staff.

Sources said he emphasized internal accountability as New York’s early momentum faded.

After opening the season 23-9 and winning the NBA Cup, the Knicks have slipped to 25-18. Their offense has fallen off sharply, ranking among the league’s bottom five units this month.

The frustration spilled over at Madison Square Garden, where fans booed loudly as the Knicks went into halftime trailing 75-45.

“As a team we know what we have to do,” Brunson told reporters. “It’s either we do it, we care enough to do it, or we don’t.”

Josh Hart echoed the urgency following the loss.

“We all need to do some soul-searching,” Hart said. “Right now we’re playing embarrassing basketball. We’re not executing on the offensive end. Defensively, we’ve been abysmal. We’ve been terrible defensively all year.”

The Knicks’ defensive issues have lingered all season, but their recent offensive collapse has accelerated the slide, highlighted by a 2-9 stretch after their hot start.

“What I’ve heard is they’ve got to make this work,” said Ramona Shelburne on NBA Today about the possibility of roster changes ahead of the deadline.”