On paper, the Knicks appear closer to championship contention. But Dallas has something New York doesn’t: Cooper Flagg. While the Knicks won’t make a selection until the late second round, the Mavericks are adding a player who hasn’t drawn this much hype since Zion Williamson.

With things pointing in the direction of the Mavericks taking Flagg, All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, who is expected to be out for most of the 2025-26 season after sustaining an ACL injury, shares one thing in common with Flagg, and he recently spoke up about Flagg during an appearance on NBA Future Starts Now.