Locked On Knicks - Daily Podcast On The New York Knicks
Locked On Knicks - Daily Podcast On The New York Knicks

The Knicks Are On Top, Here’s Who’s Chasing Them w/ Hot Hand Theory

August 28, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

"The Knicks Are On Top, Here’s Who’s Chasing Them" is the second part of a multi-episode NBA futures draft on Locked On Knicks, where host Gavin Shaw is joined by Jeff Rasmussen and XJ from the Hot Hand Theory Podcast. The premise: draft the NBA teams best positioned to compete for championships over the next five seasons. The Knicks were already taken first overall in the previous episode, so today’s conversation is about who is chasing them. The draft order matters deeply here—this is not a snake draft, so the later picks carry a disadvantage that the participants feel acutely. The throughline of the episode is a tension between immediate title equity (having a proven superstar in his prime) and long-term upside (young cores, draft capital, and potential leaps). Every pick forces a tradeoff between those two poles.

The Luka Doncic Premium and the Lakers' Ceiling

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (02:25) **Why Jeff Took the Lakers with a Ceiling Pick** - Jeff defends his selection of the Lakers as a high-upside bet, arguing that having a prime Luka Dončić (age 27) matters more than any other team-building factor.
  • 2 (07:45) **Gavin Snipes the Detroit Pistons** - Gavin makes a ceiling pick on the Pistons, betting on the core of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren despite floor-spacing concerns.
  • 3 (10:13) **Jeff Bets on the Toronto Raptors' Young Core** - Jeff selects the Raptors, betting on Scottie Barnes as a two-way star and the potential addition of Kawhi Leonard.
  • 4 (15:44) **Gavin Takes the Houston Rockets on Upside** - Gavin picks the Rockets, buying low on a young core that struggled in the playoffs but has massive potential.
  • 5 (17:45) **Jeff Reluctantly Picks the Philadelphia 76ers** - Jeff takes the 76ers with the 11th overall pick, valuing their immediate title equity over his personal distaste for the roster construction.
  • 6 (19:53) **Gavin Bets on Cooper Flagg with the Dallas Mavericks** - Gavin takes a "hot shot" on the Mavericks, making a pure bet on Cooper Flagg becoming a top-five player by year three.
  • 7 (23:23) **Jeff Selects the Orlando Magic** - Jeff picks the Magic, betting on Paolo Banchero making a leap and new coach Sean Sweeney improving the team's efficiency.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Gavin Shaw

Show Notes

Can the defending NBA champion New York Knicks maintain their supremacy as new challengers emerge across the league? Luka Doncic's Los Angeles Lakers headline a wave of teams retooling for a five-year title chase, but the LeBron James Sixers, Detroit Pistons with Cade Cunningham, and Scottie Barnes’ Raptors loom large as potential threats. Will the Knicks’ evolving rivals close the gap, or will New York’s own high floor and smart roster moves keep them atop the East?

Gavin Schall and XJ are joined again by Geoff Rasmussen of Hot Hand Theory. The trio break down which teams could disrupt the Knicks’ reign, evaluating bold draft strategies, superstar movements, and key player development across the NBA landscape.

Hot stories include Toronto’s trajectory if they land Kawhi Leonard, Houston’s sneaky strong young core, and how the Sixers’ combination of Joel Embiid and LeBron James stacks up. Which front offices hold the keys to challenging New York’s dynasty and who’s destined to fall short over the next five years?

 

 

00:00 — Biggest challengers to the Knicks

01:07 — Are the Lakers legit for the next 5 years or fraudulent?

06:30 — Pick 8: XJ

09:01 — Pick 9: Gavin

10:53 — Indeed Ad Break

14:00 — Pick 10: Geoff

16:00 — Pick 11: XJ

19:03 — Pick 12: Gavin

20:20 — Pick 13: Geoff

22:53 — Pick 14: XJ

24:43 — Pick 15: Gavin

28:13 — Pick 16: Geoff

30:18 — Pick 17: XJ

33:50 — Pick 18: Gavin

 

 

Photo Credit: Geoff Burke - Imagn Images

 

 

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