Steve Novak was one of the most beloved role players in the 2010s for the New York Knicks , but few fans know his future in the league hung in the balance before that. Prior to joining the Knicks, Novak was a journeyman shooter desperately trying to survive in a league that had not yet embraced the value of pure shooter role players like it does today.
And so, after being waived by the Dallas Mavericks the previous year, Novak entered the shortened season without a real opportunity, even considering offers to play in China instead. Eventually, though, the San Antonio Spurs called and gave him a non-guaranteed deal.
It was a perfect opportunity for Novak to cement his place in the league; after all, the Spurs were still coached by the legendary Gregg Popovich at the time. They had their championship trio of Tim Duncan , Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili .
Instead, he unexpectedly found himself in the middle of one of the strangest — and illegal agreements with Popovich, agreeing to release Novak so that the Knicks could scoop him up and essentially change his career and life altogether.
"My agent calls me, says, 'When you get to practice today, Coach Pop is going to call you in the office. He's going to talk to you. I want you to be respectful. It's going to be good, what's going to happen,'" he recalled.
"I said, 'Mark, what kind of weird message is this? What's happening?' So I go into practice, Coach Pop says, 'we're going to release you.' I said, 'That's not good.' He said, 'But no, hear me out," he added.
At that time, only a handful of coaches truly understood the value of having sharpshooters on their teams. Coach Pop and D'Antoni were two who knew and had grown fond of Novak and his capabilities.
According to the former Knicks fan favorite, D'Antoni had specifically targeted him for the Knicks, believing his shooting would thrive in New York's pace-and-space offense. But Coach Pop did not want to let him go.
Instead, Popovich made D'Antoni promise Novak a guaranteed opportunity and a major spot on the Knicks before agreeing to release him.
"This is obviously illegal, and it's tampering," Novak stated. "He says basically you're released, you're going to go get on a plane today, and you're going to fly in New York."
"Coach D'Antoni had called, and he said, 'Look, we want Steve. Coach Pop, he said, we don't want to give you up, we want to keep you," he added. "So coach Pop told Coach D'Antoni, 'If you guarantee him a one-year deal, since he's on a non-guaranteed contract here, and if you guarantee he's going to be a big part of what you're doing, I'll release him.'
It wasn't until years later that Novak learned the true nature of his release and subsequent signing from Mike Budenholzer, an assistant coach for the Spurs at the time. It was a level of cooperation between franchises that sounds unbelievable in today's league, especially given the league's strict anti-tampering rules.
But it also reflected Popovich's reputation as not only a brilliant head coach but also a good human being who cared about players' careers, even beyond his Spurs dynasty. He knew that Novak was an impactful player, and he created the best opportunity for him to thrive in New York, and thrived he did
Everything clicked once Novak arrived in New York. D'Antoni's offense maximized his strengths, allowing him to thrive alongside Carmelo Anthony , Amar'e Stoudemire and later, Jeremy Lin during the unforgettable stretch.
He quickly became a fan favorite at Madison Square Garden because of his shooting and personality. His signature "discount double-check" belt celebration became a cult favorite as he would become one of the league's deadliest sharpshooters , highlighted by his 47 percent shooting from beyond the arc in his first season.
Novak's career changed when he went to New York, and he fully understands the impact Coach Pop had on everything. His success and lasting legacy were both a testament to his real skills as a player and to the genius and heart Popovich had, qualities that continue to be seen in players and coaches today.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
