Zion, RJ, and Cam - and the lottery results

[Steven43]

I’m rooting for Philly as a completely random and fascinating outcome. But really anyone but Phoenix and Cleveland

Yeah, Phoenix, Cleveland and maybe the Knicks, if they don’t get any big-time free agents, would be awful.

[budwom]

Is Adam Silver busy right now filling the Knick ping pong balls (do they still use them?) with Lucky Fluid? Suboptimal for the league if Zion ends up marooned in the hinterlands.

[COYS]

Atlanta! Young athletic team on the rise in a city that is both close to Zion’s hometown and ready to embrace a good Hawks team. And while the Hawks have a past of being mismanaged, those days are long gone (save for one or two imprudent contract extensions a few years ago). I have a lot of faith in Atlanta’s front office to surround Zion, Trae Young, and John Collins with good complementary pieces that could transform the team into a perennial contender.

[Steven43]

Atlanta! Young athletic team on the rise in a city that is both close to Zion’s hometown and ready to embrace a good Hawks team. And while the Hawks have a past of being mismanaged, those days are long gone (save for one or two imprudent contract extensions a few years ago). I have a lot of faith in Atlanta’s front office to surround Zion, Trae Young, and John Collins with good complementary pieces that could transform the team into a perennial contender.

That all sounds fine, but the Atlanta Hawks have such a mediocre history, the buzz factor with that franchise is so low, and the home crowds so far below average that I just can’t get excited about the prospect of Zion playing for them. I would be amazed if the Hawks were able to turn all of that around. I have nothing against them, though. And I am a fan of Trae Young.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Is Adam Silver busy right now filling the Knick ping pong balls (do they still use them?) with Lucky Fluid? Suboptimal for the league if Zion ends up marooned in the hinterlands.

Knicks are a disaster. But imagine Zion gets drafted there. He automatically becomes the biggest New York star since Jeter. And Zion’s presence means 2 All-Stars are likely coming to New York.

I want Zion with the Knicks.

The only franchise I don’t want him to go to is Cleveland. Every other #1 pick contender has young pieces, mass exposure, cap space, or a blend.

[Steven43]

Knicks are a disaster. But imagine Zion gets drafted there. He automatically becomes the biggest New York star since Jeter. And Zion’s presence means 2 All-Stars are likely coming to New York.

I want Zion with the Knicks.

The only franchise I don’t want him to go to is Cleveland. Every other #1 pick contender has young pieces, mass exposure, cap space, or a blend.

Yeah, Cleveland is a black hole. Not the city, but that franchise. Every time I think about them I get a sinking feeling.

[Truth&Justise]

Okay where do you want Zion to go ?

How about Washington? If they land Zion they would definitely be my favorite team to watch...because they already are and I would love for something to go right for them. So....go Washington!

[COYS]

That all sounds fine, but the Atlanta Hawks have such a mediocre history, the buzz factor with that franchise is so low, and the home crowds so far below average that I just can’t get excited about the prospect of Zion playing for them. I would be amazed if the Hawks were able to turn all of that around. I have nothing against them, though. And I am a fan of Trae Young.

Atlanta is a rapidly changing city. Like most southern cities, the population of the metro area is pretty diffuse. However, Atlanta has grown so much that it is now the 9th largest metro area in the nation. And while many of the Atlanta transplants that fueled much of that grown in the 90's brought other sports allegiances with them, the children of those transplants have now grown up rooting exclusively for Atlanta-area teams. Atlanta is entering full adulthood as a major metropolis and is producing generational fans at a rate it never could in the past. Support for the Falcons is extremely strong. I don't know how much you follow soccer, but fans have supported Atlanta United so well that the team ranks among the best in the entire world for attendance for soccer matches . . . and that includes the big Euro teams like Barcalona, Real Madrid, Man United, etc. All the city needs is some buzz and a reason to get behind the Hawks and fans will flock to games, I am sure of it. The city is ready for it in a way that it hasn't been in the past. Yes, the Hawks lack history, but that lack of illustrious history hasn't stopped fans in other cities from embracing new contenders, such as Golden State or OK City. As for how Atlanta relates to the Braves, I could write a missive on how badly both the Braves and MLB as a whole have failed to diversify the fan base, with the Braves new suburban stadium as exhibit A, but that is for another day.

The main challenge for any NBA team is finding a top tier star (or two, or three) that can truly transform the team into a legitimate contender. Even on Atlanta's best teams of the past two decades, we've always lacked that top-tier talent to push us over the top. Al Horford was close and might have even become that type of player if he didn't have so many injuries that robbed some of his athleticism over the years. It's long overdue for Atlanta to get lucky, for once, and get that top-tier player. The type of buzz it will create will bring the fans. The city has shown it will embrace teams that can put out contenders in a way that is different and more passionate than in the past. If Atlanta somehow ends up with Zion (or, even better, Zion and Kawhi), it will be a spectacle. You'll see Atlanta's biggest music and cultural stars sitting on the sidelines. Tickets will sell out. The arena will be rocking. It will be completely different than even ten years ago.

I'm (just barely) old enough to have rooted for the Braves before they were actually good. The golden age run from 1991-2005 cemented my status as a lifelong fan. If Zion ushers in a golden age of Hawks basketball, it has the chance to transform the entire fan culture of the Hawks for a generation.

[Neals384]

That all sounds fine, but the Atlanta Hawks have such a mediocre history, the buzz factor with that franchise is so low, and the home crowds so far below average that I just can’t get excited about the prospect of Zion playing for them. I would be amazed if the Hawks were able to turn all of that around. I have nothing against them, though. And I am a fan of Trae Young.

Really? If they get Zion, wouldn't you expect sellout crowds?

[Duke79UNLV77]

Atlanta is a rapidly changing city. Like most southern cities, the population of the metro area is pretty diffuse. However, Atlanta has grown so much that it is now the 9th largest metro area in the nation. And while many of the Atlanta transplants that fueled much of that grown in the 90's brought other sports allegiances with them, the children of those transplants have now grown up rooting exclusively for Atlanta-area teams. Atlanta is entering full adulthood as a major metropolis and is producing generational fans at a rate it never could in the past. Support for the Falcons is extremely strong. I don't know how much you follow soccer, but fans have supported Atlanta United so well that the team ranks among the best in the entire world for attendance for soccer matches . . . and that includes the big Euro teams like Barcalona, Real Madrid, Man United, etc. All the city needs is some buzz and a reason to get behind the Hawks and fans will flock to games, I am sure of it. The city is ready for it in a way that it hasn't been in the past. Yes, the Hawks lack history, but that lack of illustrious history hasn't stopped fans in other cities from embracing new contenders, such as Golden State or OK City. As for how Atlanta relates to the Braves, I could write a missive on how badly both the Braves and MLB as a whole have failed to diversify the fan base, with the Braves new suburban stadium as exhibit A, but that is for another day.

The main challenge for any NBA team is finding a top tier star (or two, or three) that can truly transform the team into a legitimate contender. Even on Atlanta's best teams of the past two decades, we've always lacked that top-tier talent to push us over the top. Al Horford was close and might have even become that type of player if he didn't have so many injuries that robbed some of his athleticism over the years. It's long overdue for Atlanta to get lucky, for once, and get that top-tier player. The type of buzz it will create will bring the fans. The city has shown it will embrace teams that can put out contenders in a way that is different and more passionate than in the past. If Atlanta somehow ends up with Zion (or, even better, Zion and Kawhi), it will be a spectacle. You'll see Atlanta's biggest music and cultural stars sitting on the sidelines. Tickets will sell out. The arena will be rocking. It will be completely different than even ten years ago.

I'm (just barely) old enough to have rooted for the Braves before they were actually good. The golden age run from 1991-2005 cemented my status as a lifelong fan. If Zion ushers in a golden age of Hawks basketball, it has the chance to transform the entire fan culture of the Hawks for a generation.

I’d still say Atlanta is the epitome of a fair weather sports town, but Zion and Kawhi could bring some very fair weather. I’m not sold on Trae Young yet.

[JasonEvans]

Here are the odds Zion will land on each team in the lottery and my assessment (bad, ok, good, great) of how he fits with that team in terms of Zion's development, exposure, and success.

Knicks - 14.0% chance. My take - Ok fit. The roster is devoid of talent and management seems clueless. Seem to be banking everything on signing free agents, which is a really risky move. Even in a best case scenario where they get two big time free agents (KD and Kyrie?), the rest of the roster would likely be rookie contracts and mediocre minimum contract retreads. Will a team with 2 stud stars be willing to take time developing Zion? I know he would make all the endorsement money, but from the standpoint of development into a star, I think this destination has a lot more questions than answers.

Cleveland - 14.0% chance. My take - Bad fit. The best player on the Cavs roster plays Zion's position and management seems even worse than the Knicks. This is the team that gets generational talents and then sees them flee from town. Seems likely that even if Zion is great, the team will be back in the lottery next year.

Phoenix - 14.0% chance. My take - Ok fit. Booker and Ayton are a nice young pair to put with Zion, though it is possible Ayton and Zion clog the lane a bit for each other. Team has a good, but not great, salary cap situation to try to lure some more help. In the talent-laden West, it feels like they would need more help to be a strong playoff team. Small market that may cause Zion to disappear a bit. I mean, how much did you see Ayton this year?

Chicago - 12.5% chance. My take - good fit. The city would love him and they are a big market team, but they already have a couple good big men in Carter and Markkanen and I am not a fan of their guards ability to put their bigs in a good place. Salary cap is in a good, but not great place, but it seems like they could add someone useful. Adding Zion and a decent free agent likely puts them in the playoffs.

Atlanta - 10.5% chance. My take- great fit. The perfect mix of young studs on rookie deals and cap space. Team has the money to sign 1 or 2 stud free agents to join him. Trae Young is a sublime passer who would get at least 3 or 4 easy buckets a game for Zion. Team would likely play a small-ball, fast pace style with Zion and Collins on the front line and a bevy of young shooters surrounding them. If there is a basketball god who loves me, this will happen.

Washington - 9% chance. My take - Ok fit. The contracts of Wall and Beal make it pretty much impossible for the Wiz to get any free agents. That said, when Wall gets healthy (in a year?), he is a dynamic passer and Beal is a great outside compliment as well. I think they would not be a playoff team right away with Zion, especially with Wall missing much of the season) but could be decent down the road.

New Orleans - 6% chance. My take - Ok fit. Everyone assumes AD is gone via trade this off-season, but if they get Zion, could that maybe convince the team and AD to see what happens at least for a few months of the season? If AD stays, he and Zion could be a matchup nightmare. Hard to assess what the team will be like if they trade AD but it is possible they bring back some pieces that fit really well with Zion and Jrue Holliday. Too much unknown here to say what this fit would be like. Side note-- there is a very real possibility that whoever gets the #1 uses it to trade for AD. In that case, Zion goes to a team that really only has Jrue and a couple role players as useful pieces on a successful team. This would be a bad result for Zion as I think he would be on a team that would be repeatedly in the lottery.

Memphis - 6% chance. My take - Bad fit. Most bad team are at least in a good salary cap situation, but not the Griz. They have max money tied up in 47-year old Mike Conley and 2016 insanity poster-child Chandler Parsons. 13 different players either came or went via trade last season, that's not a good way to build team chemistry. Even though I like the development of JJJ last season and think he could be good, it feels like they are several years away from being successful. Combine that with the fact that they are a small market team where no one will see Zion play and we have a lousy fit.

Dallas -6% chance. My take - Great fit. Zion alongside Luka would be two of the most dynamic and fun-to-watch youngsters in the league. They will obviously sign Porzingis to a max deal, but he sure looks like a special player when he is healthy. Their cap situation is good, not great, but they would probably have room to bring in some more help. This is a team and an ownership that is willing to do what it takes to be a contender.

Minnesota - 3% chance. My take - Ok fit. No cap room at all but Zion alongside KAT seems interesting. Wiggins is an enigma and not in a good way. Despite playing big minutes, Wiggins PER was 12th on the team... ouch. We saw Jimmy Butler flee this mess and it sure feels like this is a club that has talent but not a clue how to play together, especially on defense. Small market means Zion is out of the national spotlight and I don't really see Zion single-handedly making them into a strong playoff team. There is enough talent here so it is not a bad fit, but it sure isn't a good one.

Lakers - 2% chance. My take - Great fit. Sadly, there is only the tiniest of chances this could happen but putting Zion alongside another force of nature in Lebron would be so exciting. Lebron would be an excellent teacher about what it takes to become one of the best players in the game. They have a nice young core already in place, even if that young core is struggling to figure out how to play together. They have a ton of cap space too and adding Zion would make them an even more attractive free agent destination. Zion + a free agent makes this a championship contender.

Charlotte - 1% chance. My take - Good fit. They must re-sign Kemba and probably Jeremy Lamb too. Doing that will put them pretty close to luxury tax but they really don't have any other choice. Good backcourt with a wretched front court (Cody Zeller, Marvin Williams, and Frank Kaminsky are the bigs... maybe the worst set of bigs in the NBA) means Zion will get minutes and responsibility right away. Adding a quality big makes them a decent playoff team in the East.

Miami - 1% chance. My take - Great fit. We are talking about solid teams at this point, clubs who almost made the playoffs and who would be solid playoff teams with Zion. Miami has a lot of really good pieces but no stars... Zion could (in a year or two) be that star. No salary cap space, but a good core already means you do not need to add much other than Zion.

Philly - 1% chance. My take - Great fit. Philly gets Sacto's pick if it goes to #1, otherwise it belongs to Boston. Zion alongside Embiid with Simmons passing to them... WOW! It will never happen, but if this 1% longshot comes through, Zion immediately goes to a strong championship contender. Getting the #1 would certainly help convince Butler and Harris to re-sign. JJ would probably be willing to play for free for all the open jumpshots he would get as defenses tried to figure out how to stop Zion and Embiid.

-Jason "this took some time... and as I look back, I'm not sure what the point was " Evans

[AZLA]

It would for personal reasons be outstanding if The Suns were fortunate enough to draft Zion #1. However, for Zion's sake -- and optimal financial future -- New York is the market he needs to be in regardless of how bad the team is and the challenges of the ownership. NYC + ZION. I can see his image adorning Times Square now. Cleveland would be, meh. Yes, the Lebron comparisons are rife, but Lebron was Ohio born and that organization has its own challenges. Suns ownership is so bad; and I base that on the culture of losing and some of the unprofessional behaviors of the ownership -- including how Grant Hill was treated. They have some great young talent (and older -- Jimmer?!) in Booker and Ayton (Josh Jackson too, but he just got arrested) -- so I can see them become playoff worthy. But competing in the West is just tough with GS, Houston, Nuggets, SA etc. So i'm hoping for Zion that he gets picked up by the Knicks, then Suns, Atlanta...

[Steven43]

I don't know how much you follow soccer, but fans have supported Atlanta United so well that the team ranks among the best in the entire world for attendance for soccer matches . . . and that includes the big Euro teams like Barcalona, Real Madrid, Man United, etc.

Atlanta’s fanatical support of the dreaded sport of soccer points out exactly what is wrong with Atlanta as a sports city.

We kid because we care. 😃

[budwom]

Some good stuff has been written stating (logically it would seem) that Zion's endorsement deals will be much more lucrative if he lands in NY or another major market...of course regardless of where he goes Nike will be sending him wheelbarrows filled with gold...some expect his shoe deal could exceed the one LBJ got initially ($90 million?)...

[COYS]

I’m not sold on Trae Young yet.

I will say that I was one of the Hawks fans who was not supportive of the Doncic trade with the Mavs. And I'd be thrilled if the Hawks had kept him. However, after a slow first month, Trae Young absolutely exploded and even matched or exceeded Doncic in some measures. He arguably had the best rookie season in Hawk's history and his numbers compare very favorably to Steph's rookie season, even though Trae was two years younger than Steph in their inaugural NBA campaigns (Trae had a higher PER, much better playmaking numbers, the same TO%, and just a slightly lower TS% despite a much higher usage rate). This is not to say that Trae will turn into the greatest shooter of all time and a future MVP winner, but it's hard for Atlanta fans not to be excited after a rookie season in which he blew away most reasonable optimistic expectations. He also showed an impressive ability to improve as the season wore on. He seems like a quick learner who is capable of adapting on the fly. His future on offense seems extremely bright. Like many rookies, it will depend on how his defense develops, but put some athletic, versatile defenders around him (like Zion, for instance) and I think he can look a lot like Steph on D. He's got quick hands and knack for steals.

[UrinalCake]

Lakers - 2% chance. My take - Great fit.

Disagree with you on this one. Playing with LeBron has proven to be detrimental to a young star's career, and Zion and LeBron basically play the same position. The team combusted last season when it came out that LeBron was trying to trade everybody in order to get Davis. And even though Zion handled all of the media attention at Duke with incredible poise, I still somehow think he'd be more comfortable in a non-major market.

I'm hoping for Atlanta or Phoenix. Washington would be interesting because they could basically tank next season with Wall injured and then acquire another top pick. Definitely no Cleveland.

[Duke79UNLV77]

I will say that I was one of the Hawks fans who was not supportive of the Doncic trade with the Mavs. And I'd be thrilled if the Hawks had kept him. However, after a slow first month, Trae Young absolutely exploded and even matched or exceeded Doncic in some measures. He arguably had the best rookie season in Hawk's history and his numbers compare very favorably to Steph's rookie season, even though Trae was two years younger than Steph in their inaugural NBA campaigns (Trae had a higher PER, much better playmaking numbers, the same TO%, and just a slightly lower TS% despite a much higher usage rate). This is not to say that Trae will turn into the greatest shooter of all time and a future MVP winner, but it's hard for Atlanta fans not to be excited after a rookie season in which he blew away most reasonable optimistic expectations. He also showed an impressive ability to improve as the season wore on. He seems like a quick learner who is capable of adapting on the fly. His future on offense seems extremely bright. Like many rookies, it will depend on how his defense develops, but put some athletic, versatile defenders around him (like Zion, for instance) and I think he can look a lot like Steph on D. He's got quick hands and knack for steals.

41 percent overall, 32 percent from 3, and 3.8 turnovers per game didn't exceed my expectations. To me, it seems some advanced stats overvalue very high volume, low percentage 3-point shooters. I'll grant that he definitely improved late in the year, so the future could be very bright.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Here are the odds Zion will land on each team in the lottery and my assessment (bad, ok, good, great) of how he fits with that team in terms of Zion's development, exposure, and success.

Knicks - 14.0% chance. My take - Ok fit. The roster is devoid of talent and management seems clueless. Seem to be banking everything on signing free agents, which is a really risky move. Even in a best case scenario where they get two big time free agents (KD and Kyrie?), the rest of the roster would likely be rookie contracts and mediocre minimum contract retreads. Will a team with 2 stud stars be willing to take time developing Zion? I know he would make all the endorsement money, but from the standpoint of development into a star, I think this destination has a lot more questions than answers.

Cleveland - 14.0% chance. My take - Bad fit. The best player on the Cavs roster plays Zion's position and management seems even worse than the Knicks. This is the team that gets generational talents and then sees them flee from town. Seems likely that even if Zion is great, the team will be back in the lottery next year.

Phoenix - 14.0% chance. My take - Ok fit. Booker and Ayton are a nice young pair to put with Zion, though it is possible Ayton and Zion clog the lane a bit for each other. Team has a good, but not great, salary cap situation to try to lure some more help. In the talent-laden West, it feels like they would need more help to be a strong playoff team. Small market that may cause Zion to disappear a bit. I mean, how much did you see Ayton this year?

Chicago - 12.5% chance. My take - good fit. The city would love him and they are a big market team, but they already have a couple good big men in Carter and Markkanen and I am not a fan of their guards ability to put their bigs in a good place. Salary cap is in a good, but not great place, but it seems like they could add someone useful. Adding Zion and a decent free agent likely puts them in the playoffs.

Atlanta - 10.5% chance. My take- great fit. The perfect mix of young studs on rookie deals and cap space. Team has the money to sign 1 or 2 stud free agents to join him. Trae Young is a sublime passer who would get at least 3 or 4 easy buckets a game for Zion. Team would likely play a small-ball, fast pace style with Zion and Collins on the front line and a bevy of young shooters surrounding them. If there is a basketball god who loves me, this will happen.

Washington - 9% chance. My take - Ok fit. The contracts of Wall and Beal make it pretty much impossible for the Wiz to get any free agents. That said, when Wall gets healthy (in a year?), he is a dynamic passer and Beal is a great outside compliment as well. I think they would not be a playoff team right away with Zion, especially with Wall missing much of the season) but could be decent down the road.

New Orleans - 6% chance. My take - Ok fit. Everyone assumes AD is gone via trade this off-season, but if they get Zion, could that maybe convince the team and AD to see what happens at least for a few months of the season? If AD stays, he and Zion could be a matchup nightmare. Hard to assess what the team will be like if they trade AD but it is possible they bring back some pieces that fit really well with Zion and Jrue Holliday. Too much unknown here to say what this fit would be like. Side note-- there is a very real possibility that whoever gets the #1 uses it to trade for AD. In that case, Zion goes to a team that really only has Jrue and a couple role players as useful pieces on a successful team. This would be a bad result for Zion as I think he would be on a team that would be repeatedly in the lottery.

Memphis - 6% chance. My take - Bad fit. Most bad team are at least in a good salary cap situation, but not the Griz. They have max money tied up in 47-year old Mike Conley and 2016 insanity poster-child Chandler Parsons. 13 different players either came or went via trade last season, that's not a good way to build team chemistry. Even though I like the development of JJJ last season and think he could be good, it feels like they are several years away from being successful. Combine that with the fact that they are a small market team where no one will see Zion play and we have a lousy fit.

Dallas -6% chance. My take - Great fit. Zion alongside Luka would be two of the most dynamic and fun-to-watch youngsters in the league. They will obviously sign Porzingis to a max deal, but he sure looks like a special player when he is healthy. Their cap situation is good, not great, but they would probably have room to bring in some more help. This is a team and an ownership that is willing to do what it takes to be a contender.

Minnesota - 3% chance. My take - Ok fit. No cap room at all but Zion alongside KAT seems interesting. Wiggins is an enigma and not in a good way. Despite playing big minutes, Wiggins PER was 12th on the team... ouch. We saw Jimmy Butler flee this mess and it sure feels like this is a club that has talent but not a clue how to play together, especially on defense. Small market means Zion is out of the national spotlight and I don't really see Zion single-handedly making them into a strong playoff team. There is enough talent here so it is not a bad fit, but it sure isn't a good one.

Lakers - 2% chance. My take - Great fit. Sadly, there is only the tiniest of chances this could happen but putting Zion alongside another force of nature in Lebron would be so exciting. Lebron would be an excellent teacher about what it takes to become one of the best players in the game. They have a nice young core already in place, even if that young core is struggling to figure out how to play together. They have a ton of cap space too and adding Zion would make them an even more attractive free agent destination. Zion + a free agent makes this a championship contender.

Charlotte - 1% chance. My take - Good fit. They must re-sign Kemba and probably Jeremy Lamb too. Doing that will put them pretty close to luxury tax but they really don't have any other choice. Good backcourt with a wretched front court (Cody Zeller, Marvin Williams, and Frank Kaminsky are the bigs... maybe the worst set of bigs in the NBA) means Zion will get minutes and responsibility right away. Adding a quality big makes them a decent playoff team in the East.

Miami - 1% chance. My take - Great fit. We are talking about solid teams at this point, clubs who almost made the playoffs and who would be solid playoff teams with Zion. Miami has a lot of really good pieces but no stars... Zion could (in a year or two) be that star. No salary cap space, but a good core already means you do not need to add much other than Zion.

Philly - 1% chance. My take - Great fit. Philly gets Sacto's pick if it goes to #1, otherwise it belongs to Boston. Zion alongside Embiid with Simmons passing to them... WOW! It will never happen, but if this 1% longshot comes through, Zion immediately goes to a strong championship contender. Getting the #1 would certainly help convince Butler and Harris to re-sign. JJ would probably be willing to play for free for all the open jumpshots he would get as defenses tried to figure out how to stop Zion and Embiid.

-Jason "this took some time... and as I look back, I'm not sure what the point was " Evans

I think you're being slightly bias here. New York and Phoenix for either exposure (New York) or young assets (Phoenix). New York - unlike Atlanta - can draw in anyone if Zion is playing there. Hell, this is New York. And while the Knicks suck, the fact that KD/Kyrie are even considering the Knicks shows the power that is New York. In Phoenix, you have assets galore in Ayton, Booker, Jackson, Warren, and Oubre. Yes, the pieces don't fit right now but you have a ton of trade options for a roster that is basically "under 25 years of age".

Personally, I want Zion in New York. Management sucks, but he'll be on TV every night, he'll have endorsements galore, and he'll have at least amazing teammate who can take the pressure off of Zion for the first ~18 months. Plus, New York needs a star. It's only fitting.

[UrinalCake]

A priest, a rabbi, and a shaman...

No, this isn’t the start of a bad joke. It’s the scene in New York where spiritual leaders are praying for the Knicks to land Zion.

Link

[BD80]

...

Personally, I want Zion in New York. Management sucks, but he'll be on TV every night, he'll have endorsements galore, and he'll have at least amazing teammate who can take the pressure off of Zion for the first ~18 months. Plus, New York needs a star. It's only fitting.

And he'll have Lance Thomas to watch over him and guide him. Not to be underestimated.