2021 NBA Trade Deadline: 10 predictions of what will happen

Prediction No. 8: The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs hold tight

There is no reason to look further than these two teams if you’re looking at the two most pleasant surprises of the season. How many people would have predicted both being above .500 and in playoff spots at the All-Star break?

The San Antonio Spurs are now 18-14 and occupy the seventh seed in the Western Conference. They are a whole 5.0 games ahead of the 11th seed, which is the seed that results in no playoff or even play-in basketball in May. By the way, they’re just 3.5 games behind the league’s defending champions for the No. 3 seed.

When Gregg Popovich’s 22-season playoff run ended last year, many people instantly labeled the Spurs as a tanking team. They have some good players but no current All-Stars, though many people believe DeMar DeRozan is this year’s biggest snub.

Out east, the New York Knicks are holding onto the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, ahead of the last two teams to make it to the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors.

Julius Randle is having a breakout year as a first-time All-Star and is one of the leading candidates for the Most Improved Player award. Other than that, almost every single one of the younger players has stepped up and done his part.

A huge chunk of the credit, though, has to be attributed to Tom Thibodeau who has completely transformed the franchise’s culture. For the first time in a long time, the sky’s blue in New York.

Both these teams can sell thanks to the increased value of their players. Both would find a big variety of trade packages for their stars as well. But given the excitement that they’ve brought and their unexpected success, both are primed to stay put for now.