The NBA Finals tip off this Wednesday, and the matchup could score one of the biggest viewership/engagement ratings in decades.
First off, you have the New York Knicks, who are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
They’ll face the same opponent they did then, the San Antonio Spurs.
The entire NBA Finals will be broadcast on ABC and the ESPN app according to the schedule below:
- Game 1: June 3 at Spurs
- Game 2: June 5 at Spurs
- Game 3: June 8 at Knicks
- Game 4: June 10 at Knicks
- Game 5*: June 13 at Spurs
- Game 6*: June 16 at Knicks
- Game 7*: June 19 at Spurs
* if necessary
Now, leading up to game 1 tipoff, there are three interesting trading opportunities that I see lining up.
Getting into these trades right now, just as the Finals begin, could provide an opportunity to hit some June trading winners.
Here are the three beneficiaries as I see it…
NBA Finals Winner #1: Nike (NKE): We all know that Nike has been in an extended downturn, and I consider the stock cheap and buyable.
But now, thanks to the NBA Finals, Nike might have found the latest spark it needs in budding superstar Victor Wembanyama, known affectionately as “Wemby”.
Nicknamed “The Alien” due to his size (7’4″) and elite ball handling skills, Wembanyama signed with Nike in 2022 while he was still playing professionally in France.
Then, he officially signed an extended multi-year footwear and apparel deal on June 19th, 2023, just days before the San Antonio Spurs selected him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
In just his third year in the league, he’s led the Spurs to be betting favorites (-205) in the NBA Finals.
Nike has now created his own unique logo which they’re using to heavily market the star Frenchman headed into a highly-publicized finals match with the New York Knicks.
With the spotlight on him in the world’s biggest stage, could Wemby be the trigger that Nike needs to kick-start a comeback?
NBA Finals Winner #2: DraftKings (DKNG): The only thing possibly bigger than the allure of Victor Wembanyama is his NBA Finals opponent: The New York Knicks.
It’s been nearly 30 years since one of the most popular franchises in sports has been this close to a championship… we could be seeing one of the biggest NBA Finals betting interests in history.
Will this trigger a massive June for DraftKings? If so, shares could re-test $35.00 by the end of summer. That’s a +30% move from current levels.
NBA Finals Winner #3: Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (MSGS): The center of the sports universe right now is Madison Square Garden.
Tune into any one of these upcoming games and you’ll see countless A-list celebrities sitting courtside with models and moguls and beers (oh my!).
This is putting a rise into MSGS shares, and ticket prices are out of this world.
The cheapest “get-in” seats will cost around $3,200 to $4,200…
Courtside tickets for the Knicks’ first Finals appearance in 27 years have sold for upwards of $139,000 per seat… Hope Dune 3 does well in the box office.
But even if it bombs (it won’t), for popular Knick celebrities like Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Timothée Chalamet, Tracy Morgan, Jason Bateman, Chris Rock, Jon Bon Jovi, & Bad Bunny, price is no object.
The experience of an NBA Finals game at MSG is priceless, so this could continue to provide upside for MSGS shares.
YOUR ACTION PLAN
Using the NBA Finals as a trigger catalyst, you could have an opportunity for extended upside on NKE, DNKG, and MSGS. All three could be tradable here in the month of June.