NBA 2023-24 Thread

[namkcuR]

Here we go: another new season, another new thread, another opening night, another new questionnaire that nobody but Headache will answer!

1. After going to the 2021 ECF, the Trae Young-led Hawks have had two straight seasons end in first-round defeat, with John Collins trade rumors hovering over both seasons; this summer, they finally traded him, netting(after subsequent moves) only Patty Mills and a 2nd. Is this going to be a case of addition by subtraction where the team will be better without him as other players get more minutes? Or is it just subtraction? Will they get out of the first round this year?

2. After a 2022 Finals appearance and a disappointing 2023 ECF loss in seven games, the Celtics were aggressive this summer, adding Kristaps Porzingis and, later, Jrue Holiday in the wake of the Lillard deal, parting with Marcus Smart and Robert Williams, mainstays of their success the last two years, as well as Grant Williams, who walked in FA. At the same time, they doubled down on their star duo giving Brown his supermax rather than trading him for Dame. Is this Celtics team better than the last two? Will they come out of the East? Can Kristaps stay healthy?

3. The Nets are entering their first full post-big three season. Ben Simmons claims to be ready to go physically and mentally and for first time is on a team not expected to win anything and thus is free of pressure. Will he redeem himself? Will he, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Nick Claxton fit? Will new acquisition Lonnie Walker add anything to the puzzle? Is there anything to root for here?

4. There was some genuine buzz around the Cavs after last summer's blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell, but after a disappointing first-round loss, they didn't do a whole lot this summer - their big move was swapping Cedi Osman for Max Strus, and it looks like they've lost Ricky Rubio from their depth chart indefinitely. Will Strus make any difference? Will Evan Mobley make that third-year jump? Will the Cavs be for real this year?

5. The Denver Nuggets are the defending champs, and they are running the same team back minus Bruce Brown and plus three new rookies(the 29th pick, Julian Strawther, and second round picks Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson). Quite simply, are they the favorites to repeat? Will Jokic maintain his level of play? Will Murray, MPJ, and Gordon? Do they have enough depth this season? Will they feel Brown's absence?

6. The Warriors have attempted to solve last season's locker room issues by getting rid of Jordan Poole; bringing a late-career Chris Paul into the fold in the process. Will CP3 mesh and/or be healthy enough to make a difference? Will Steph and CP3 work on the court together? Do Draymond and Klay have enough left in the tank? Do the Warriors have one last run left in them?

7. As always with this iteration of the Clippers, the question is will this be the season Kawhi and George stay healthy? And the new question now is, will Harden get there sooner or later? Will he make a difference? Is there any scenario where the Clippers can contend for a title this season, with or without Harden?

8. After their post-deadline turnaround and WCF run last season, and after LeBron's brief threat to retire, the Lakers have run it back and then some, re-upping D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and Jerrod Vanderbilt and extending AD, and top of that, they've added interesting depth in Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, Taurean Prince, and Cam Reddish, while their only losses were Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroeder, and Lonnie Walker. Will they build on their late-season success? Are they a threat to come out of the West? Does LeBron have a shot at one last ring?

9. The Grizzlies have had a strange offseason, starting with the Morant suspension and the announcement ahead of time they the were going to let Dillon Brooks walk, and then trading Tyus Jones for Marcus Smart to facilitate the Porzingis-to-Celtics deal and signing Derrick Rose, and finishing with the recent bad news that Steven Adams will miss the season. How much will the Morant suspension hurt? Will Smart and Rose be enough to hold the PG spot down? Is Morant going to get his crap together when he does come back? Do the Grizzlies have any shot at doing anything this year, or is it going to be a lost season given Morant's early absence and Adams' season-long absence?

10. For an outside observer, it looks like a bad offseason for the Heat. They waited all summer for a Dame trade that never happened, and they lost Vincent and Strus in the process(not to mention Dipo whose career is probably done anyway). They added Josh Richardson, but this is a team that had to go to the Finals from the #8 seed last season, and not only did they not get better, they look like they've gotten worse, and older in the case of Jimmy/Lowry/Love. Are they due for a regression or will they surprise everyone again?

11. Having made the biggest splash of the offseason, the Bucks enter 2023-24 with a new coach in Adrian Griffin, a new superstar in Dame to pair with a newly-extended Giannis, and an interesting new piece in Malik Beasley, having lost Jrue and Grayson Allen. It seems like anything less than a championship will be a disappointment. Will they do it? Will the Giannis/Dame/Middleton/BroLo core work? Will Portis/Connaughton/RoLo/Crowder/Beasley/Payne be enough depth? Will they miss Jrue more than they think?

12. The Timberwolves are bringing back essentially the same team as last season where, after giving up the world for Gobert, they only managed to squeak out one win as the #8 seed before falling to the Nuggets. Will the KAT/Gobert/Edwards core see enough internal improvement to be better than that this season? Will the Gobert deal end up looking any better? Does Conley have anything left?

13. The Knicks had an uneventful offseason; MSG and the city of NY seemed HYPED for the Knicks to win that playoff series over the Cavs, but after the second round loss, the Knicks did very little over the summer - basically, they let Rose go(no surprise), traded Obi Toppin away, and signed Donte Divincenzo. They seem to be banking on internal improvement. Will it come? Are the Knicks going to get better or regress?

14. The Sixers enter the season in disarray, stuck in a standoff involving Harden, Morey, and the Clippers. What questions to even ask? Is there any chance Harden finishes the season with Philly? Will he play at all? If so, will he play hard enough and good enough to give them a shot at anything? If he's moved, is their season effectively done? Could they possibly get anything good enough for him to remain a fringe contender? Is the Sixers' season cooked before it's started? Is is just a matter of time before Embiid asks out?

15. This new owner of the Suns has come in aggressive - after acquiring Durant at last season's deadline, he's kicked CP3 to the curb for Bradley Beal, swapped Ayton for Nurkic, and added Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen for depth. Some think it's a superteam, but some are scratching their heads - there's only one basketball for Durant/Booker/Beal to play with, Nurkic is always hurt, and the depth still isn't great. Is this new attempt at a superteam a real contender or a pretender?

16. The Kings were the surprise of the 2022-23 season, winning 48 games and going up 3-2 on the Warriors in the first round before losing the series. Will they build on that success this season? Do they have room to grow? Or was it a fluke?

Those are last season's playoff teams. What about the rest? Which of the following teams have the best shot at getting in this season?

17. The Hornets were sold over the summer, and they start their post-MJ era by adding #2 pick Brandon Miller and getting back Miles Bridges(maybe). Will this be the start of a more successful era for the franchise(It would be hard to be less successful)?

18. Unlike last year, Lonzo Ball has been pre-emptively declared out for the season. The Bulls added decent role players in Torrey Craig and Jevon Carter, while re-upping Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu and extending Nikola Vucevic. Last season, the Bulls lost in the play-in; In the wake of this not-very-exciting offseason, will the Bulls be able to do better than that this season?

19. With Kyrie Irving signed long-term with the Mavs now, will he and Luka figure out how to co-exist effectively with each other? Is there enough of a supporting cast with Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleiber, the 12th pick Dereck Lively, and the newly acquired Grant Williams and Richaun Holmes in the front court and Tim Hardaway Jr. and the newly acquired Seth Curry in the backcourt? Are they at least going to be a solid playoff team after last season's collapse?

20. Detroit is years into their youth movement and - while they've stockpiled a fair amount of young talent - Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Isaac Stewart, last season's acquisition and former #2 pick James Wiseman, former blue chip prospect Marvin Bagley, and 2023 #5 pick Ausar Thompson, to name a few - they don't have much to show for it. Is this season they finally get out of the cellar?

21. The Rockets had a perplexing offseason, bringing in Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks - after Harden didn't enter FA after all - to join their core youth pieces in Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith, and 2023 #4 pick Amen Thompson. Will VanVleet and Thompson make a difference? Will a change of scenery make a difference for Brooks? Is adding Brooks to a young team like this asking for trouble?

22. The Pacers missed the playoffs last year, but they've added Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin to their young core of Tyrese Haliburton and Benedict Mathruin, and Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are still around. Might they make a push? Or will Turner and Hield finally be moved by the deadline?

23. As always, the only question that matters for the Pelicans is, will this be the season Zion finally stays healthy? We could talk about whether or not they have enough talent to make some noise in the first couple rounds of the playoffs, but unless Zion can stay healthy, the answer will be no.

24. The Thunder are a sneaky interesting team this season. SGA had a great 2022-23 season, and the Thunder narrowly lost the play-in, so they were already on the cusp of the playoffs. This season, they will add 2022 #2 pick Chet Holmgren(who missed last season due to injury) and 2023 #10 Carsen Wallace, as well as Vasilije Micic, who is finally coming over. Is this the year the Thunder emerge as a playoff team? How good will Holmgren be?

25. The Magic have been identified by many as a potential team on the rise, featuring the reigning rookie of the year Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Wendell Carter, as well as Jonathan Isaac who(I feel like I say this every year) is back, and they've now added the #6 pick Anthony Black and the #11 pick Jett Howard to that young core, as well the veteran Joe Ingles. Are the Magic gonna make some noise? Are they a team that could earn themselves a playoff birth this season?

26. The Blazers are now fully in the Post-Dame youth movement - is the new group of Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Shaeden Sharpe, Jerami Grant, DeAndre Ayton, Robert Williams, Matisse Thybulle, Malcolm Brogdon, and Kris Murray going to gel? They seem to have a nice core of talent there. Grant and Brogdon have been discussed as pieces that could be moved sooner rather than later - will they be moved by the deadline?

27. The only question that matters for the Spurs - how good will Victor Webenyama - the most hyped prospect since LeBron - be? Is he going to meet expectations? Will he make a difference right away? Does he have ROY locked? Could the Spurs challenge for a playoff spot this year?

28. The Raptors seem to have taken a step back, losing Fred VanVleet in FA, replacing him with Dennis Schroder, and failing to land Dame or anyone else in trade. With Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent set to expire after this season, OG Anunoby with a player option for next season, and next season being the last year of Scottie Barnes' rookie deal, it seems like the Raptors may be on the brink of big changes. They were a play-in team last season; will they even be that this season?

29. The Jazz were better than many thought they'd be last season, and now they've added John Collins on the cheap(in terms of trade value), and three first-round picks including #9 overall pick Taylor Hendricks and #16 overall pick Keyonte George to a young group that already included Lauri Markannen, Colin Sexton, and Walker Kessler. Will they surprise us more this season?

30. With Beal gone and Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones in, and Kuzma re-signed, the Wizards seem set to let Poole and Kuzma be the tank commanders while their youth(Avdija, Davis, Kispert, #7 overall pick Bilal Coulibaly) develops. Any reason to think this will be anything other than a total tank job?

31. Which rookies, besides Wemby, do you think will make the most immediate impact?

32. The TV deals seem to be taking longer than usual this time around - perhaps due to Disney/WarnerMedia not wanting to pay what the NBA wants, perhaps due to the question of whether the NBA wants to enter the streaming arena, perhaps due to the Hollywood strikes, perhaps due to other reasons; will we have new TV deals by season's end? Will anything change, or will it be ESPN and TNT again? Will the NBA enter the streaming game like other sports have?

Happy opening night everyone!

 

[mikal]

Came here to see if you'd mention Malik Beasley, oh damn you did, and I'm aroused.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Here we go: another new season, another new thread, another opening night, another new questionnaire that nobody but Headache will answer!

yessssssssssssssssssssss...

1. After going to the 2021 ECF, the Trae Young-led Hawks have had two straight seasons end in first-round defeat, with John Collins trade rumors hovering over both seasons; this summer, they finally traded him, netting(after subsequent moves) only Patty Mills and a 2nd. Is this going to be a case of addition by subtraction where the team will be better without him as other players get more minutes? Or is it just subtraction? Will they get out of the first round this year?

yea they were decidedly average last year, and i don't see any reason for them to be anything more than average again. the east is a seven team conference - and atlanta's not one of the seven. they have good coaching - so, hey, sure, they could maybe add 3 to 4 wins and end up at 44/45 wins. but a few injuries could easily have them lose 4 to 5 more and end up at 36/37 wins.

so, uh, yea. they're an average team - and a break here or there could send them a bit higher or lower than average, but not by much.

2. After a 2022 Finals appearance and a disappointing 2023 ECF loss in seven games, the Celtics were aggressive this summer, adding Kristaps Porzingis and, later, Jrue Holiday in the wake of the Lillard deal, parting with Marcus Smart and Robert Williams, mainstays of their success the last two years, as well as Grant Williams, who walked in FA. At the same time, they doubled down on their star duo giving Brown his supermax rather than trading him for Dame. Is this Celtics team better than the last two? Will they come out of the East? Can Kristaps stay healthy?

KP changed his game considerably . When he was with the Knicks - the Unicorn days - he played almost like a 7'4" small forward. He tried to do that again when he first came back with Dallas - but legs that long aren't meant to take the abuse that goes with being a slashing wing. (take note, Chet and Wemby)

offensively he'll do a lot of scoring from the high post (he's not a guy who buries you in the block), and can be very dangerous in screen/roll action - either as a roller or as a pick and pop guy. he's become VERY efficient on the offensive side.

defensively - he'll protect the rim, but can also be an absolute liability in the same area that he excels at on offense - defending on pick and rolls on the perimeter. it'll be something teams look to expose in the playoffs for sure. bazooka joe will have to figure that out (or will it be the Celtics new "consultant" that ends up being the guy to figure it out? )

i'd be very worried about his legs - while also thinking that his odds of staying healthy are better now because of the changes he's made to his game. but still, to paraphrase Jeff Ament, seven three is a long way to fall.

if he can stay healthy Boston is as good as anyone and should absolutely challenge Milwaukee for the east.

3. The Nets are entering their first full post-big three season. Ben Simmons claims to be ready to go physically and mentally and for first time is on a team not expected to win anything and thus is free of pressure. Will he redeem himself? Will he, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Nick Claxton fit? Will new acquisition Lonnie Walker add anything to the puzzle? Is there anything to root for here?

two years ago Cleveland was the sneaky team that caught people by surprise with their defense - and then added a star player the next offseason.

brooklyn is that team this year.

4. There was some genuine buzz around the Cavs after last summer's blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell, but after a disappointing first-round loss, they didn't do a whole lot this summer - their big move was swapping Cedi Osman for Max Strus, and it looks like they've lost Ricky Rubio from their depth chart indefinitely. Will Strus make any difference? Will Evan Mobley make that third-year jump? Will the Cavs be for real this year?

re: Strus - i don't put a lot of stock in Miami Heat guys who end up on other teams being able to replicate what they did in Miami (we'll come back to that when we TALK LAKERS).

Is Evan Mobley ready to take the next step? if the answer is yes? Cleveland could be very scary - not Boston/Milwaukee scary, but a dark horse team that could contend if either of the top two suffer big injuries.

if Mobley isn't? then they're likely a 45 to 50 win team that maybe can get out of the first round (but probably won't).

5. The Denver Nuggets are the defending champs, and they are running the same team back minus Bruce Brown and plus three new rookies(the 29th pick, Julian Strawther, and second round picks Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson). Quite simply, are they the favorites to repeat? Will Jokic maintain his level of play? Will Murray, MPJ, and Gordon? Do they have enough depth this season? Will they feel Brown's absence?

as long as they have the best player in the NBA on their roster - which they do - they are the favorites to repeat. nothing anyone in the west did this offseason moves the needle far enough to beat this team.

they didn't just win the title - they dominated their way to the title. the disrespect shown to them is crazy. they beat minnesota in a gentleman's sweep. they beat phoenix 4 games to 2 with all four wins being in double digits. they curb stomped the Lakers, and finished it off with another gentleman's sweep of Miami.

they are the best team in the NBA.

6. The Warriors have attempted to solve last season's locker room issues by getting rid of Jordan Poole; bringing a late-career Chris Paul into the fold in the process. Will CP3 mesh and/or be healthy enough to make a difference? Will Steph and CP3 work on the court together? Do Draymond and Klay have enough left in the tank? Do the Warriors have one last run left in them?

maaaaybe? but probably not. i wonder if Klay will be moody since he hasn't gotten his extension. CP3 will be fine - and if he's coming off the bench this could actually extend his career and allow him to finally be healthy in the postseason. they'll need Kuminga to finally make a jump - and it looks like he may have done that if you go by the preseason - but time will tell.

the issue with poole - more than anything locker room related - was that he was redundant. they didn't need his scoring - that wasn't the issue for them. their bench looks much better, and much more "warriors" like - ball movement, defense.

if all things break they could be among the teams with a shot - if denver falters (i.e. Jokic or Murray get hurt)

7. As always with this iteration of the Clippers, the question is will this be the season Kawhi and George stay healthy? And the new question now is, will Harden get there sooner or later? Will he make a difference? Is there any scenario where the Clippers can contend for a title this season, with or without Harden?

i'm tired of talking about the what if's of this team. and i'm tired of talking about james harden in general. blah.

8. After their post-deadline turnaround and WCF run last season, and after LeBron's brief threat to retire, the Lakers have run it back and then some, re-upping D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and Jerrod Vanderbilt and extending AD, and top of that, they've added interesting depth in Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, Taurean Prince, and Cam Reddish, while their only losses were Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroeder, and Lonnie Walker. Will they build on their late-season success? Are they a threat to come out of the West? Does LeBron have a shot at one last ring?

let's start by saying that cam reddish sucks. everyone's waiting for him to be a good player, but he's on, what, his fourth team already? in four years?

i'm also a bit tired of hearing about Austin Reaves. like - come on. he's a nice role player - but they're talking about him in LA like he's somehow the third star.

Rui - i watched him up close and personal for 3 years. what i saw was a guy who would always show you JUST enough to be enticed about his potential, while never actually ever reaching that potential. to borrow a very played out phrase - the dog, it ain't in him. maybe LA & lebron can bring it out of him. but i have my doubts. what he did last year lines up exactly with what he did with the Wizards. He'd look amazing one day, and then disappear for a week. his percentages and advanced stats actually went DOWN when he came to LA. to me he's always been fools gold, and i think that's exactly what he'll be in LA. he might drop 30 on opening night, and then put up 3 games in a row of 8 points. but the 30 will get everyone fired up about how good he could be. pass.

which brings us to LeBron and AD. the lakers will be as good as the health of those guys. you betting the house on that? didn't think so.

9. The Grizzlies have had a strange offseason, starting with the Morant suspension and the announcement ahead of time they the were going to let Dillon Brooks walk, and then trading Tyus Jones for Marcus Smart to facilitate the Porzingis-to-Celtics deal and signing Derrick Rose, and finishing with the recent bad news that Steven Adams will miss the season. How much will the Morant suspension hurt? Will Smart and Rose be enough to hold the PG spot down? Is Morant going to get his crap together when he does come back? Do the Grizzlies have any shot at doing anything this year, or is it going to be a lost season given Morant's early absence and Adams' season-long absence?

the Adams injury is huge for them. the west is better and deeper - so it may already be too late by the time Ja comes back.

10. For an outside observer, it looks like a bad offseason for the Heat. They waited all summer for a Dame trade that never happened, and they lost Vincent and Strus in the process(not to mention Dipo whose career is probably done anyway). They added Josh Richardson, but this is a team that had to go to the Finals from the #8 seed last season, and not only did they not get better, they look like they've gotten worse, and older in the case of Jimmy/Lowry/Love. Are they due for a regression or will they surprise everyone again?

i have a huge shrug at the loss of Vincent and Strus. The Heat create guys like that in their sleep.

I don't see a regression - because let's be real - they were the 8 seed last year. They made a big run in the playoffs when Playoff Jimmy came out - but they were a decidedly average team all year (another reason why buyers should beware when signing their big playoff performers - hi Lakers, Cleveland).

Herro is healthy - so that will help. Jovic is a guy to keep an eye on... can he finally start contributing? he looked good in FIBA. thomas bryant feels like the perfect miami player. he's incredibly active and plays with a ton of energy, and has a bit of a chip on his shoulder over not getting any time in LA or Denver. Jaime Jaquez also looks like a tailor made Heat Culture guy.

i don't think Miami has the assets to make a big trade - they don't have enough draft picks. but they'll be fine. they're not as good as Boston or Milwaukee, but they weren't last year, either. they just got hot at the right time.

11. Having made the biggest splash of the offseason, the Bucks enter 2023-24 with a new coach in Adrian Griffin, a new superstar in Dame to pair with a newly-extended Giannis, and an interesting new piece in Malik Beasley, having lost Jrue and Grayson Allen. It seems like anything less than a championship will be a disappointment. Will they do it? Will the Giannis/Dame/Middleton/BroLo core work? Will Portis/Connaughton/RoLo/Crowder/Beasley/Payne be enough depth? Will they miss Jrue more than they think?

It's a Boston / Milwaukee conference. Everyone else is playing for the ability to move in to the ECF if someone (Giannis, Tatum, Lillard, Brown) gets hurt.

I feel like Milwaukee is slightly better - but a lot of this will come down to health. conceivably the heat will be taken off of Middleton - allowing him to be healthier down the stretch. but it's also possible that Middleton is just cooked. what he is able to provide will be the difference between Boston and Milwaukee.

12. The Timberwolves are bringing back essentially the same team as last season where, after giving up the world for Gobert, they only managed to squeak out one win as the #8 seed before falling to the Nuggets. Will the KAT/Gobert/Edwards core see enough internal improvement to be better than that this season? Will the Gobert deal end up looking any better? Does Conley have anything left?

they need to make this the Anthony Edwards show - and i think they know that. don't be shocked if KAT is traded.

speaking of...

13. The Knicks had an uneventful offseason; MSG and the city of NY seemed HYPED for the Knicks to win that playoff series over the Cavs, but after the second round loss, the Knicks did very little over the summer - basically, they let Rose go(no surprise), traded Obi Toppin away, and signed Donte Divincenzo. They seem to be banking on internal improvement. Will it come? Are the Knicks going to get better or regress?

more of the same, unless they can figure out a way to swing a trade to upgrade Randall. That very well could be KAT. I don't buy the Embiid rumors that started today. Daryl Morey isn't doing that. But KAT/Minnesota? Yea I can see that happening.

When Obi Toppin is decidedly MEH in Indiana and the Knicks are again a top 6 team in the east, maybe - just maybe - Knicks fans will give Thibs the credit he deserves.

But probably not.

14. The Sixers enter the season in disarray, stuck in a standoff involving Harden, Morey, and the Clippers. What questions to even ask? Is there any chance Harden finishes the season with Philly? Will he play at all? If so, will he play hard enough and good enough to give them a shot at anything? If he's moved, is their season effectively done? Could they possibly get anything good enough for him to remain a fringe contender? Is the Sixers' season cooked before it's started? Is is just a matter of time before Embiid asks out?

man i have no idea what Morey is doing. Just take what you can get. They'll be BETTER without Harden. But, well, Morey has to be the smartest guy in the room at all times. He's putting Nurse in a bad spot.

Embiid has two to three years left before that body becomes a ticking time bomb. Philly needs to make a move now, trust that Maxey is a future stud, and see what they can do. But ultimately? Yea - Embiid will likely ask out this offseason after another playoff run where he shits the bed and disappears in the clutch (only he won't be able to blame Ben Simmons or James Harden this time. Maybe it'll be Tobias Harris' fault).

the teams with the most assets to give in an offseason Embiid trade are the Knicks and OKC. But i don't see Morey trading him to New York, and OKC doesn't need him. So I have no clue where he might end up. Miami doesn't have the draft picks. Utah?

15. This new owner of the Suns has come in aggressive - after acquiring Durant at last season's deadline, he's kicked CP3 to the curb for Bradley Beal, swapped Ayton for Nurkic, and added Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen for depth. Some think it's a superteam, but some are scratching their heads - there's only one basketball for Durant/Booker/Beal to play with, Nurkic is always hurt, and the depth still isn't great. Is this new attempt at a superteam a real contender or a pretender?

i get that trading Ayton added to their all around depth - but Nurkic is cooked (as is Gordon).

Bradley Beal hasn't been a facilitator, nor has he been a guy who plays off the ball, since the last time John Wall was healthy. and now they want him to be their point guard? good luck. he also hasn't played help defense in 5 years. maybe he can turn on a switch now that he's with a team that should be good - but i have my doubts. and he's already hurt and apparently isn't playing tonight.

look they can be good because KD Is that guy. but they got smoked by Denver. smoked. is adding Beal and losing all depth at center really going to close that gap? if brad plays help defense against Denver in the playoffs the way he played here for the past 5 seasons he's going to get absolutely eaten alive.

they're very much like the Nets with KD, Kyrie and Harden. they COULD put it together, but probably won't - and even if they do, probably won't be able to stay healthy.

16. The Kings were the surprise of the 2022-23 season, winning 48 games and going up 3-2 on the Warriors in the first round before losing the series. Will they build on that success this season? Do they have room to grow? Or was it a fluke?

If you figure Memphis will slip a little.. Phoenix and Golden State are question marks, but if you assume they'll both see a 3 to 5 game bump to the positive? that puts Sacramento pretty much in the same general position they were in last year.

they absolutely need to defend better to be taken serious come playoff time. i don't think they didn't anything to fix that.

there are a lot of "good" teams in the west - maybe only one great one, but a lot of good. a 3 game drop off - which isn't crazy, could all of a sudden see them going from the 3 seed to battling to avoid the play in.

Those are last season's playoff teams. What about the rest? Which of the following teams have the best shot at getting in this season?

feel this is a separate question and will move to the bottom - because there's one team in particular from below that could become a major player in the west this year...

17. The Hornets were sold over the summer, and they start their post-MJ era by adding #2 pick Brandon Miller and getting back Miles Bridges(maybe). Will this be the start of a more successful era for the franchise(It would be hard to be less successful)?

the Hornets have the feel of a team that SHOULD have enough talent to improve, but probably won't.

18. Unlike last year, Lonzo Ball has been pre-emptively declared out for the season. The Bulls added decent role players in Torrey Craig and Jevon Carter, while re-upping Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu and extending Nikola Vucevic. Last season, the Bulls lost in the play-in; In the wake of this not-very-exciting offseason, will the Bulls be able to do better than that this season?

Bulls are big "blow it up at the deadline" candidates. Vucivec only makes 18 million this year, 20 next, 21 the year after. that's a very reasonable contract in today's NBA (which is absurd, but stil).

derozan is in the last year of his contract. caruso's deal is only partially guaranteed next year.

lavine is the question mark. his 40ish million dollar deal will be tough to trade. but yea - i can see them dealing off the other two.

19. With Kyrie Irving signed long-term with the Mavs now, will he and Luka figure out how to co-exist effectively with each other? Is there enough of a supporting cast with Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleiber, the 12th pick Dereck Lively, and the newly acquired Grant Williams and Richaun Holmes in the front court and Tim Hardaway Jr. and the newly acquired Seth Curry in the backcourt? Are they at least going to be a solid playoff team after last season's collapse?

EKTD.

Everything Kyrie Touches Dies.

20. Detroit is years into their youth movement and - while they've stockpiled a fair amount of young talent - Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Isaac Stewart, last season's acquisition and former #2 pick James Wiseman, former blue chip prospect Marvin Bagley, and 2023 #5 pick Ausar Thompson, to name a few - they don't have much to show for it. Is this season they finally get out of the cellar?

nope. they're still in the basement. maaaaybe if things go wrong in Charlotte they might be the second worse. but they're very not good.

21. The Rockets had a perplexing offseason, bringing in Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks - after Harden didn't enter FA after all - to join their core youth pieces in Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith, and 2023 #4 pick Amen Thompson. Will VanVleet and Thompson make a difference? Will a change of scenery make a difference for Brooks? Is adding Brooks to a young team like this asking for trouble?

i don't get the brooks thing. the number one thing they needed was maturity and accountability - which, ok sure - vanvleet. but brooks? he's just an older version of what they already had - immature and unprofessional. udoka should help there in some regards - but, uh, he's also the guy who got fired for sleeping with the wife of a celtics executive.

22. The Pacers missed the playoffs last year, but they've added Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin to their young core of Tyrese Haliburton and Benedict Mathruin, and Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are still around. Might they make a push? Or will Turner and Hield finally be moved by the deadline?

they might be better - but brown, yea - he's not with Jokic of KD anymore, and Toppin is as over-rated as they come.

they're well coached, and haliburton is good. so we'll see.

23. As always, the only question that matters for the Pelicans is, will this be the season Zion finally stays healthy? We could talk about whether or not they have enough talent to make some noise in the first couple rounds of the playoffs, but unless Zion can stay healthy, the answer will be no.

yep.

24. The Thunder are a sneaky interesting team this season. SGA had a great 2022-23 season, and the Thunder narrowly lost the play-in, so they were already on the cusp of the playoffs. This season, they will add 2022 #2 pick Chet Holmgren(who missed last season due to injury) and 2023 #10 Carsen Wallace, as well as Vasilije Micic, who is finally coming over. Is this the year the Thunder emerge as a playoff team? How good will Holmgren be?

the Thunder will be a top 6 team in the west and avoid the play in. SGA is a top 10 player in the league. the sky is the limit with this team - and they have all the assets in the world to make a trade if a start unexpectedly pops free.

25. The Magic have been identified by many as a potential team on the rise, featuring the reigning rookie of the year Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Wendell Carter, as well as Jonathan Isaac who(I feel like I say this every year) is back, and they've now added the #6 pick Anthony Black and the #11 pick Jett Howard to that young core, as well the veteran Joe Ingles. Are the Magic gonna make some noise? Are they a team that could earn themselves a playoff birth this season?

i thought they'd compete for the playoffs last year... they DID get close towards the end of the season, but yea - i think they're a play in team this year. Paolo and Franz are studs.

26. The Blazers are now fully in the Post-Dame youth movement - is the new group of Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Shaeden Sharpe, Jerami Grant, DeAndre Ayton, Robert Williams, Matisse Thybulle, Malcolm Brogdon, and Kris Murray going to gel? They seem to have a nice core of talent there. Grant and Brogdon have been discussed as pieces that could be moved sooner rather than later - will they be moved by the deadline?

they have a lot of pieces that contending teams are going to want come trade deadline. if they're smart they collect a ton of firsts and go full in on the rebuild. no half measures.

27. The only question that matters for the Spurs - how good will Victor Webenyama - the most hyped prospect since LeBron - be? Is he going to meet expectations? Will he make a difference right away? Does he have ROY locked? Could the Spurs challenge for a playoff spot this year?

they're bad. really bad.

but he's good. really good.

the question isn't how good will he be. he's going to be VERY good. the question is whether or not he can stay healthy doing the things he does with that frame. touched on it with Porzingis earlier. the human body isn't mean to be able to play as a guard at that size. if he stays healthy he's a future top 10 player and potentially a top 3 player. but it's a huge if. it's literally the only question with him. his skill is not in doubt.

28. The Raptors seem to have taken a step back, losing Fred VanVleet in FA, replacing him with Dennis Schroder, and failing to land Dame or anyone else in trade. With Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent set to expire after this season, OG Anunoby with a player option for next season, and next season being the last year of Scottie Barnes' rookie deal, it seems like the Raptors may be on the brink of big changes. They were a play-in team last season; will they even be that this season?

every time i think toronto is tanking they make the playoffs. so who knows. Barnes didn't make as big of a jump last year as expected - but his development is key to what they do. Siakam seems destined to be traded (hello OKC). nothing Masai does would surprise me. so if toronto's all of a sudden in the mix for a playoff spot will i be shocked? no. but it seems like a year to break things down and collect assets... especially if you think you can build around Barnes.

29. The Jazz were better than many thought they'd be last season, and now they've added John Collins on the cheap(in terms of trade value), and three first-round picks including #9 overall pick Taylor Hendricks and #16 overall pick Keyonte George to a young group that already included Lauri Markannen, Colin Sexton, and Walker Kessler. Will they surprise us more this season?

i don't think Utah being good will be a surprise. But i don't think they'll be as good as they looked at times last year. they traded some of those guys off at the deadline. We'll see if Kessler has another level to get to. Markannen is who he is - he's good, but i don't think he has another level left. they're still another year or two away - but they do have a TON of assets to be players if they so desire.

30. With Beal gone and Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones in, and Kuzma re-signed, the Wizards seem set to let Poole and Kuzma be the tank commanders while their youth(Avdija, Davis, Kispert, #7 overall pick Bilal Coulibaly) develops. Any reason to think this will be anything other than a total tank job?

yes. they're not tanking.

when OKC traded Russ away - everyone expected the full tank job. but they didn't. they actually surprised people and made the playoffs. THEN they traded CP3 and Paul George and went full tank. they got all those picks AND they got SGA out of the deal.

the guys in charge of the Wizards now are cut from that cloth. it's a weaker draft this year. they're not going full tank. at least not yet.

the beal no trade clause kept them from getting the haul that the old regime SHOULD have gotten for him 3 years ago. so to do this right - they need assets. they have a TON of tradable contracts. they have a ton of veterans on this team that can help establish a good culture now, and be used as trade pieces later. this year is not the tank year.

now 2024-25 - when boozer and cooper flagg are on the draft board? THAT is the tank year. that's the year to go all in and try to get that top 3 pick - and i believe that's the plan.

the folks in charge now know what they're doing. the previous folks did not.

honestly? i think they'll win around 35 games this year. the same as last year, actually - but will be a lot more fun in getting to the same result. they'll run more, play better defense, and have some young kids who you can actually get excited about.

to that note... Bilal Coulibaly is a stud. he has all nba defensive player written all over him, especially given that he's still just 19 years old.

31. Which rookies, besides Wemby, do you think will make the most immediate impact?

Chet is the obvious choice here. Scoot Henderson should get every opportunity to put up numbers. Cam Whitmore looked great in the preseason and could be a sleeper. Walker's got an NBA ready body and won't be relied upon to score.

32. The TV deals seem to be taking longer than usual this time around - perhaps due to Disney/WarnerMedia not wanting to pay what the NBA wants, perhaps due to the question of whether the NBA wants to enter the streaming arena, perhaps due to the Hollywood strikes, perhaps due to other reasons; will we have new TV deals by season's end? Will anything change, or will it be ESPN and TNT again? Will the NBA enter the streaming game like other sports have?

Happy opening night everyone!

Look for TNT to move to Tuesday night only and Amazon to grab Thursday nights (starting after the NFL regular season ends).

Disney/ESPN/ABC will be the question. They want it back - but will have competition from Comcast/NBC/Peacock. What Disney ultimately ends up doing with ESPN will be a big player here.

But the league will get a motherload of cash from Amazon (or Apple or YouTube).

The new rules around players, ya know, actually playing in games is specifically aimed at the TV deal.

Look for a big global streaming rights package, too.

 

[mikal]

Headache, agreed on Middleton. I was talking with a buddy last night and we agreed that Middleton is actually critical to the team this year....or......Beauchamp takes a huge leap, which would be ok too..

 

[Jerry Dunk]

I have no idea how the Sixers' season will play out, but I am confident that whatever happens will be torture for Sixers fans.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The stat that TNT just put up - that Jokic has just one less triple double than LeBron all time- is absolutely bonkers crazy.

I could watch this guy play all day.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I have no idea how the Sixers' season will play out, but I am confident that whatever happens will be torture for Sixers fans.

Do you think a Harden trade that nets them 2-3 role players and allows Maxey to take over the true #2 role will make them better than they ever would be with James coming back? I sure do.

 

[cobl04]

Thanks Ruckman. As I mentioned, and I've done a predictor, I have the Kings going 70-12, largely thanks to the influence Delly has had on the team as a defensive coach last season.

Not sure how either of you can mention OKC without talking about Josh Giddey, who is already the greatest Australian basketballer and is set to join the league's elite this year. I have OKC going 71-11.

My two big smokies for the championship are the Mavs and the Blazers. Both of them have some incredible players in Exum, Green, Thybulle and Reath. The Hawks (with maybe the best leader in the NBA in Mills), Nets, Rockets and the Pelicans are also all great shots.

I think it'll be Nuggets vs Bucks, with the TWolves and the Celtics knocked out in the conference finals. Kings to sweep whoever they play in the first round before losing gallantly to the TWolves.

Bring on Jazz vs Kings. Can't wait.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

How's Xavier Cooks working out?

 

[cobl04]

Not his fault American talent scouts are blind.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

[emoji24]

Never change

 

[cobl04]

just be thankful you don't follow me on Instagram, I'm going to be super obnoxious tomorrow night.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

just be thankful you don't follow me on Instagram, I'm going to be super obnoxious tomorrow night.

I feel like I have to now

 

[cobl04]

thepaproth

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

thepaproth

And requested [emoji28]

 

[cobl04]

This mf name Clancy [emoji23]

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

"It was just a lot of talking," Anthony Davis said on media day earlier this month. "We get it, y'all won, but me and Bron had some conversations. ... We can't wait (to play them)."

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

It's so nice to be TALKING LAKERS again

 

[Hewson]

AD waited all summer to get his revenge.

Nuggets look like they just need to add 1 bench piece before the deadline to replace Bruce Brown and they'll be right back in the finals if healthy. (Or need Christian Braun to take a big step forward on a consistent basis, the kid shows flashes but would need to do it regularly). Their starting 5 is just about flawless for today's NBA.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

AD waited all summer to get his revenge.

Nuggets look like they just need to add 1 bench piece before the deadline to replace Bruce Brown and they'll be right back in the finals if healthy. (Or need Christian Braun to take a big step forward on a consistent basis, the kid shows flashes but would need to do it regularly). Their starting 5 is just about flawless for today's NBA.

I'm in agreement there. I actually like Braun a lot and think he can take the Bruce Brown role, but then they'll need someone to fill Braun's role.

If Denver has a weak point it's Michael Porter Jr.'s shot selection.

 

[mikal]

It's so nice to be TALKING LAKERS again

So when is Giannis joining the Lakers again? I'm confused by all this "extension" talk. ESPN told me Giannis would play for the Lakers next year.

 

[iron yuppie]

Nah, Giannis, Embiid, and Donovan Mitchell are going to make simultaneous trade demands to the Knicks. That's the inside secret.

 

[phanan]

I won’t pretend to be an expert on the economics of the NBA, but it feels like the Celtics need to take advantage of what they have before the super max deal arrives for Tatum.

 

[iron yuppie]

I really like Jaylen Brown as a player, but given their other off-season moves, you have to wonder if giving him the supermax was a mistake. Depth is going to be a problem for them, especially moving forward.

 

[Jerry Dunk]

Do you think a Harden trade that nets them 2-3 role players and allows Maxey to take over the true #2 role will make them better than they ever would be with James coming back? I sure do.

Who would even offer that for Harden?

If such a trade became possible due to a team becoming desperate as Morey lets the hours tick away, I suppose it's theoretically possible. But the next player the Sixers acquire who plays better in the playoffs will be only the second one, and I'm not sure at this age PJ Tucker even qualifies for that anymore.

Plus, for all of Harden's faults, he's the only good passer and ball handler the Sixers have. Maxey is a terrific scorer, but his handle is just okay and he'd be best described as a "reactive" passer, certainly not a playmaker. Melton is a 3-and-D guy. They don't really have anyone else who can create. Maybe that gets fixed in your theoretical trade for 2-3 role players, but I'm not banking on it.

Also, the main reason the Sixers wouldn't trade Embiid to the Knicks is not because they are in the same division, but because the Knicks can't put together a good offer. RJ Barrett and Julius Randle are not enticing players. Unfortunately, the only teams that can offer what the Sixers would need for Embiid (good draft picks and young players) are teams like OKC that probably won't do it because the timeline is off with their young core. By the time Embiid would be the right "all in" move, it'll probably be in a year or two when Embiid's body is starting to break down.

My opinion is not just that the Sixers are mega-fucked, but that they've been mega-fucked for a long time, for something between 4-7 years now. The series of events over the 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 offseasons depleted them of all of their assets while at no point ever actual having a true contender together at the same time.

Josh Harris a directionless, spineless owner who is just waiting to move the team to a new arena in Camden, NJ before he sells it to the next private equity ghoul. I will never see an NBA title in my lifetime.

 

[Jerry Dunk]

I won’t pretend to be an expert on the economics of the NBA, but it feels like the Celtics need to take advantage of what they have before the super max deal arrives for Tatum.

I really like Jaylen Brown as a player, but given their other off-season moves, you have to wonder if giving him the supermax was a mistake. Depth is going to be a problem for them, especially moving forward.

They're definitely in their all-in phase. I do wonder if building a team around Mazzulla's vision is the right move. He certainly seemed overmatched in his first season, but under admittedly tough circumstances. Now that he has his coaching staff and "his" team, he'll be under the microscope. I'm not sure blaming all of their failures on Marcus Smart and Grant Williams was the right assessment of the situation, but I do think the Jrue Holiday trade was a good one. They sold high on Brogdon, who I think is overrated and probably never going to be as healthy as he was this past season. The flip side of that is that you could say the same thing about Porzingis and his health, even if he theoretically is a great offensive fit with what they want to do.

To me, this season will come down to health (which it does for every team - the 2023 Denver Nuggets had an intact top 8 when they lifted the trophy), as well as whether Tatum can take that next step. I wonder about his shooting, both his shot selection and his efficiency after this past season. If he can settle into the right groove, they can go all the way. But to this point in his career, he has no-showed in just enough playoff games that I'd be nervous about it as a Celtics fan.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

What did Derick White do to himself?

 

[Hewson]

What did Derick White do to himself?

I miss the wild fro and headband look.

 

[cobl04]

I lit the beam right up U2inUtah’s arse

 

[U2inUtah]

I lit the beam right up U2inUtah’s arse

Not only that, but the state of Utah is now completely out of Foster's.