Knicks Peripheral #2: Viva Las Vegas

Welcome to Knicks Peripheral, where we survey the league from an orange and blue POV.

Viva Las Vegas

To our disappointment, the NBA Cup semifinals are set to kick off in Vegas without the Knicks. Youth and defense prevailed in almost every matchup. The injury-struck Magic were this close to beating the Bucks before the Dame & Giannis tandem became too much to handle in the end.

Who ya got? OKC, sitting at 19-5, seems like the team to beat. Their feisty guards swarming around the perimeter with rim protector Isaiah Hartenstein make them the top defensive team in the league. Plus, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30.2 points) and Jalen Williams (21.8 points) get to their spots better than most.

The NBA Cup has been entertaining for those invested in watching it. Even with some blinding colored courts and unenthused national broadcasts, this tournament has added unprecedented spirit to regular season games and new breath to NBA rivalries (Bucks vs. Pacers, Golden State vs. Houston, Trae Young vs. MSG). And yet, general intrigue is headed downward.

Yesterday’s superstars (LeBron, Steph, KD) still carry today’s league. The largest markets (New York, Boston, Los Angeles) still garner the most interest. Had the Knicks won, tickets would match last year’s prices. But hopefully, this means the arena will be packed for a lively championship game—likely featuring OKC and Milwaukee—sparking the league’s new efforts to improve their small-market talent marketing.

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Trade Season Approaching

December marks the unofficial start of trade season. We’ll discuss the Knicks tomorrow, but here are some key players on the market to keep an eye on.

Jimmy Butler: has interest in the Rockets, Warriors, Mavericks, and Suns, per Shams, though Butler’s agent denies the latest report. I think this is Golden State’s ideal win-now move, given his selflessness and playoff intensity. But the Warriors are notoriously gun-shy, so I’ll toss the Grizzlies in there as my sleeper team. Butler fits the culture, and they have a lot of depth to mortgage.

Brandon Ingram: is out indefinitely with an ankle sprain. Per Shams, he turned down a $40 million annual extension with New Orleans. I believe he’s the star worth keeping over Zion Williamson, but if the relationship is unamendable, I wonder if the Hornets or Pistons would consider making an offer near the deadline.

Herb Jones: should go for at least a few first-rounders if available, given his special ability on defense and cheap $13-15 million contract.

Kyle Kuzma: has been linked to the Warriors, Trail Blazers, Kings, Pacers, and Pistons, per Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. I believe Kuz can contribute to winning, though I’m unsure how quickly he can shift his style from gunslinger to passer/screener/cutter.

Cam Johnson, Dorian Finner-Smith, Dennis Schroeder: should all be traded to give the Nets, currently eighth in the East, the lane to the top of the lottery.

Jerami Grant: has been on the trade block since Damian Lillard was traded. Currently shooting 39.5% from the field, Portland may struggle to find a suitor for his $98 million.

Rob Williams III: is an awesome defensive big man, but injury risk (just seven games played this season) will probably hold teams back from making hefty offers.

Anfernee Simons: should be on the Orlando Magic’s radar!

Chris Lebron on 2025 Prospects

It’s a shame that the NBA flattened the lottery odds some time ago, otherwise the Washington Wizards (3-20) would be running away with #CaptureTheFlagg. But, the New Orleans Pelicans (5-21) and Utah Jazz (5-19) also share the 14.0% chance at #1.

Is it officially the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes? What other prospects are feasible choices? Let’s check in with our draft intel guy, Chris Lebron of Off the Ball Network.

Is Cooper Flagg the clear-cut #1 pick?

Some have deemed Cooper Flagg the clear-cut #1 pick, and some may even say he's a “generational” prospect, but is that the case? If you look at the shooting splits—43% FG and 22% 3PFG—you might doubt it, but Flagg has been Duke's best player so far, recently leading them to a huge win versus a national title contender in Auburn. He’s averaging 16 PPG and 9 RPG as a 17-year-old and possesses tremendous downhill ability and lockdown defense for a young kid. I still believe he will be the #1 pick in 2025, but he does have some guys who could challenge him.

Ace Bailey or Dylan Harper?

Rutgers shocked the world when they nabbed two of the three top high school players in the country. Both Harper and Bailey are top-five picks, but who goes higher? Ace was someone who some thought could challenge Flagg for the #1 pick. That seems to have cooled off, and some scouts think he might fall to third or fourth overall due to his iso-heavy style and lack of playmaking (five assists in eight games).

Dylan Harper, the son of multiple-time champ Ron Harper, might be locked into that #2 spot behind Flagg. He’s a combo guard who can score and defend well at the point of attack. He reminds me of a bigger Jalen Brunson. If I had to pick who I would rather have between the two Rutgers freshmen, I’m taking Harper!

Two International Players to Watch

You might not know these guys, but they are two of the best international players in college basketball and potential top-ten picks. Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois) is averaging 15/6/6 on nearly 50% shooting and 44% from 3P. He’s elite in the pick-and-roll game and has tremendous court vision. Egor Dermin (BYU) isn't as shifty or explosive as Kasparas, but he’s still been efficient this year, shooting 49% from the field and 38% from deep. These two will be the talk of the draft come 2025.

AJ Dybantsa chooses BYU

The top HS player in the 2025 cycle chose between Kansas, UNC, BYU, and Alabama. AJ, from Massachusetts, decided to play his final year of high school ball at Utah Prep. so the connection to BYU makes sense. Some notable alumni helped influence his decision: Jazz owner Ryan Smith and Knicks fan favorite Danny Ainge. Reportedly, AJ’s NIL deal is worth around a record-setting $7 million. Is BYU the new sleeping giant in college basketball?

Why should Knicks fans care about the lottery? New York owns Washington’s pick in 2025 (top-10 protected). If it doesn’t convey, the protections lighten up to top-eight in 2026, and then the pick becomes two second-rounders if unconveyed after that. The Knicks should hope the Wizards select an immediate-impact player this draft to maximize 2026’s pick value.

Meanwhile, is Utah already targeting a player in 2026? There must be a plan to sell off their role players at some point, although they’re already in good position for Flagg.

Jalen’s All-Star Ballot

If the All-Star game were tomorrow, here would be my lineups for each conference:

EAST: Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Karl-Anthony Towns, Darius Garland, Damian Lillard, Franz Wagner*, RJ Barrett, Evan Mobley, LaMelo Ball*, Cade Cunningham, Pascal Siakam**, Trae Young**

WEST: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr., Nikola Jokic, Ja Morant, James Harden, Jalen Williams, Victor Wembanyama, Alperen Sengun, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James*, Steph Curry**

*injured **replacement