Say what you want about the NBA Cup, but anyone who watched the last few games of the knockout round (especially San Antonio/Oklahoma City) knows what this tournament meant to the teams themselves. The intensity was high, and the minutes were ramped up, giving fans a brief sniff of a playoff-like environment.

And when it was all said and done, it was the Knicks standing alone at the mountaintop, holding the trophy and collecting that fat prize check. So where do the Knicks go from here? It may sound strange to some, but how the Knicks turn the page and move forward after what must have been a satisfying victory may actually define the success of their season

This NBA season is only twenty-four days young, and it really feels like it’s been an eternity since Houston and Oklahoma City treated us to that double-overtime classic on opening night. So much has already happened, but there’s still so much of the season to go. So what’s new around the league? Let’s dive in.

For two seasons, the Kings have watched Keon Ellis mix elite shooting with​​ defensive intensity they rarely sustain without him—yet Sacramento still treats him like a luxury rather than a necessity. 

Ellis is not an All-Star; however, he is a player who represents an archetype that every great team has. A player who can provide a positive impact on both ends of the court, whether they’re involved in the primary action or not. Yet the Kings—like many other teams—keep mistaking this quiet (passive) impact as inconsequential.

Keon Ellis may represent the NBA's widest gap between the analytical profile of a player archetype and how much coaches actually value it. But why is that? Why does this particular oversight seem to perturb Kings fans so intensely? And what does a situation like this say about the state of the entire NBA? 

Welcome to Five-Out! Each Friday, we will investigate five of the NBA’s hottest storylines and emerging trends.

The first few weeks of the NBA have exceeded expectations. Victor Wembanyama’s MVP start has expedited the Spurs’ timeline, Luka Doncic is putting up video game numbers, and the Bulls seem allergic to losing close games.

So much has happened, and we’re barely ten percent through the season. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Last May, as the majority of the NBA world collectively groaned, wheels in my head started to spin. The Spurs, who had just moved up in the lottery for the third consecutive season, appeared primed to select Dylan Harper out of Rutgers with the second overall pick and pair him with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and De’Aaron Fox.