NBA Champion Anthony Davis maybe getting his Championship ring Tonight, but he wants to help make our Christmas a little more special with an opportunity to win a free pair of sneakers (Grails) we’ve missed out on the past few years. Now if you don’t happen to win, you’re still enter in for a chance to get a pair of “Chicago Off-White” Air Jordan 1’s.
Santa Claus asked Davis for help delivering hot sneakers, however the baller ran into trouble handling the sleigh, swerved mid-flight and more than 500 pairs fell off the sleigh. In an effort to make up for it, Davis partnered with eBay to turn the dropped sneakers into a sneaker drop.
The “Santa Sneaker Drop” kicked off Today at 12 p.m. EST, and will end Thursday Dec. 24th. Over 500 pairs of free “hard-to-find sneakers” will be offered up over the three days.
Sneakers included are Air Jordan 1s, Air Jordan 3, Nike Lebron 8 and Adidas Yeezy 350. Those who want try there luck just need to head to eBay Santa Sneaker Drop, enter the email to access the unique VR experience that has a Santa dropping a price down your chimney that could hold a L or a grail.
“Sneakers are at the top of millions of wish lists this year, and we’re hoping to make holiday dreams come true for sneakerheads across the country,” said Davis in a statement.
The partnership is also donating 40,000 pairs of shoes to students through nonprofit Soles4Shoes, which donates shoes and clothing to those in need across the U.S. and around the world.
“For most kids, having the right sneakers to wear for a game of pickup basketball is a given,” Soles4Souls president and CEO Buddy Teaster said in a statement. “But that’s not the case when families are struggling with homelessness. We believe every kid deserves to have their basic needs met — including a pair of shoes on their feet. This donation couldn’t come at a better time, and a superstar like Anthony Davis brings a whole new level of awareness to our program.”
Happy Tip-Off day! In light of the shortest offseason ever (or longest if your team didn’t qualify for the bubble restart), basketball is back into our living rooms as the 2020-21 NBA season starts tonight, on December 22 at 7:00 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on TNT! That feels great to say, and hopefully, this time around we don’t have to worry about a massive shutdown that sent the season into peril back on March 11.
This year is massively different, and an array of curveballs will be thrown at conventionality. That’s just the order of things. But sports are practically the quintessential microcosm of life itself; things never quite turn out how we predict. Case in point – back in October when the bubble playoffs and Finals concluded with the Los Angeles Lakers hoisting ol’ Larry OB above their heads while blanketed by purple and gold confetti, commissioner Adam Silver initially scheduled this NBA season to start mid-January or early February, if health coordinators and state officials across the nation even complied. But, we’re here. And this time, if all goes well and there aren’t too many COVID-19 cases throughout the league, this thing should go swimmingly.
That being said, should this abridged 72-game season go according to plan, there will be our usual 16-team postseason, and order of award winners ranging from League’s Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, Executive of the Year, and many more. What we already know, however, is just how impossible it is to get every award prediction correctly year-in and year-out. I took a stab at who won the MVP last year, and that looks like the only one that I and a bunch of content creators hammered correctly. But it’s always fun to try.
So without further ado, let’s hop into these predictions for who is winning hardware at the end of this season.
1.) Executive of the Year: Rob Pelinka, General Manager, Los Angeles Lakers
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka talks about the team’s recent free agent signings at their training facility in El Segundo on Wednesday, July 11, 2018. (Photo by Scott Varley, Staff Photographer)
Being quite honest, this is an award won in the weeks and months of the lengthy offseason, and while proven in year’s past where teams have had at least a 5-6 month lapse for determining how they want to approach their next season and how they want to mold their roster to achieve championship success, the defending champs were tasked with not only remodeling some core parts of this already exceptional team but in the stretch of only 61 days. So to me, Rob Pelinka seems like the safe pick, because it’s not often championship teams add even better pieces while bolstering their depth and locking down their most coveted two pieces in the manner that Pelinka has.
In one offseason, the former agent to the late great Kobe Bryant struck gold after taking Anthony Davis off of the free agency market, (as if he was really going anywhere else, right?) fully signing him to the Lakers on a five-year, $190M deal and extending LeBron James to a massive two-year, $85M deal that keeps the now four-time champ and Finals MVP through 2023.
And now for the “they got even better” clarification: they got 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year award winner Montrezl Harrell to switch uniforms in the Staples Center to play for the Lakers instead of the cross-hallway rival Clippers, “swooping in” to pick him up while contract talks between him and the Clips broke down. Also, they immediately addressed their fervent need for outside shooting by giving away Danny Green and the draft rights to Jaden McDaniels to the Thunder and getting 6MOTY runner-up, shot creator, and sharpshooter Dennis Schroder in return.
Oh, and not to mention them getting Wesley Matthews from the Bucks via the bi-annual exception as well as extending Kyle Kuzma to a lucrative-yet-responsible deal that could be a bargain if he pans out in LA, and viable trade/draft capital if he underperforms. Should the Lakers get back to the NBA Finals in a suddenly weakening Western Conference and repeat, it seems like Pelinka will earn this honor.
2.) Coach of the Year: Terry Stotts, Head Coach, Portland Trail Blazers
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Bit of a surprising pick here, but stick with me. Portland had one of the most disappointing regular seasons in recent memory for a team with that much talent on its roster, finishing eighth in the West after fighting to supplant themselves in the playoff picture by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies in the first-ever play-in tournament for the final seed. Damian Lillard put on some historic performances both in the bubble during the season’s resumption and out of the bubble before the suspension, putting up streaks of 50+ point performances that rivaled the likes of Kobe Bryant’s MVP award-worthy slew of 40+ point games back in 2007 and alongside established bucket-getter CJ McCollum, willed his Blazers to a first-round matchup with the Lakers, ultimately losing in five games.
This offseason was different for Portland, who knew what they needed to add in order to really be taken seriously in the West. Robert Covington was as serious of a pickup that they could as for; defense was their focus (fourth-worst def. rating in NBA) and needed to be prioiritized, so they got the respected 3-and-D wing known for shutting down some of the most proficient slashers and outside scorers in the league. By shipping away Mario Hezonja and Trevor Ariza’s contracts, they got the uber-athletic bench piece of Derrick Jones Jr., reliable backup center Harry Giles III and stout rebounder Enes Kanter in return, and also re-signed Carmelo Anthony and Rodney Hood.
Stotts rebounded from his horrendous start to the 2019-20 season on the defensive end when Zach Collins came Jusuf Nurkic returned in the bubble for the first time since March 2019 when he broke his ankle, and the Bosnian shot-blocker helped them get into the playoffs for the third-straight time. Don’t look now, but if health is on their side unlike how it wasn’t last year, Portland could upset a lot of teams in the stacked Northwest division and the West as a whole. They’re best equipped to challenge the likes of the Clippers and Lakers with the roster they’ve pieced together right now, and that’s not being stated lightly. If they end up destroying preseason Finals picks, it’ll be Stotts’ award to lose.
3.) Sixth Man of the Year: Spencer Dinwiddie, Guard, Brooklyn Nets
Harry How/Getty Images
You’d figure someone in that Steve Nash was going to be awarded for their efforts if all goes well for the new top dog in New York City. While Kevin Durant or his new teammate Kyrie Irving are likely candidates to contend for the Kia Most Valuable Player award this year, Spencer Dinwiddie is quite possibly the best choice to own hardware on this team that’s sure to put up a lot of points this year. And a couple of things point to that possibility.
For starters, the second unit the Nets will have this season is just as good as a lot of teams’ starting five, and the tandem of Caris LeVert and Dinwiddie, who already have a manufactured chemistry with the likes of DeAndre Jordan, Jarrett Allen and Joe Harris, will be frightening to guard on any given night. And as the leader of that second unit, Dinwiddie’s already proved he is capable of manning the lineup when their stars sit. When Kyrie Irving was sidelined for the rest of the season, Dinwiddie put up numbers worthy of All-Star consideration in his first 16 games as the Nets’ starter, putting up 24.3 points, 7.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds. Now imagine him doing that for an entire season as the secondary hybrid guard off the bench.
4.) Kia Most Improved Player: Michael Porter Jr., Power Forward, Denver Nuggets
Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. is rapidly asserting himself as the team’s third franchise cornerstone. It’s time for him to become a permanent fixture in Denver’s starting lineup. GETTY IMAGES
Porter’s gradual development has been noteworthy ever since his NBA debut back in 2019 for the Nuggets, who drafted him 14th overall in the 2018 draft and saw the 21-year old at the time as a project that could one day compete with the pros as a result of believing in the intangibles that the 6’10 wing with a 7.25″ wingspan had. It was only worth taking a chance with as soon as he configured his bothersome issues stemming from a back surgery that forced him to redshirt his freshman season at Missouri. A choppy rookie season in 2018-19 showed flashes of just how good this kid could be, and the fearlessness to pull up from anywhere and cash out told the simple truth to Nuggets staff officials and executives: this kid is for real.
And, promptly, MPJ made the seismic leap. In the Orlando bubble, Porter exacted that tenacity in seven of the eight season restart games for the Nugs, averaging 22 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 42 percent from deep the field. Most notably from those games where those crazy averages were determined: two back-to-back games of Porter dropping 37 against the Thunder and 30 against the Spurs, both of which he posted double-doubles in for a total of four straight games with that stat.
His numbers dipped in the playoffs, (11.4 ppg, 6.7 rebounds) mainly due to the dip in minutes and touches since Mike Malone looked to his most prominent pieces of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray to run things, but his upward trajectory is promising. The former Gatorade Athlete of the Year fits into any lineup and automatically gives the five on the floor a boost as an exceptional three-point shooter. As he enters his third season, he could very well be the third-best player on this team behind two All-NBA talents he can further develop his game with and around, especially now that Jerami Grant, their former star ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
5.) Rookie of the Year: Obi Toppin, Power Forward, New York Knicks
Daily Knicks – Brad Dressler/FanSided
Lo and behold NYC – star power has finally returned to the Madison Square Garden.
The growth from being the lowest spotted team in the East to the “top of the heap” will be slow and gradual, but worth it as the Leon Rose in Knickland is off to a pretty good start, offseason-wise. This might not sound like the sext pick for ROY, but results and volume are the determinant for this award and there will be plenty of opportunities for the highest picked Dayton Flyer in school history to make his mark on this league in what should be another reboulding year that will sort out who needs to be built around. Toppin’s offensive skillset resembles a former Knick and legendary household name who donned orange and blue legend, subjectively speaking: Amar’e Stoudamire.
Knicks fans experiencing Obi’s rookie season should be a bit of a throwback to witness: the 6’8 power forward largely does his work under the basket, and he has a knack for bruising opposing defenders on the glass as an adept rebounder and strong-yet-fluid skilled scorer on the block. A polished scorer with exceptional footwork, burst, the mentality and confidence to stretch the floor with a consistent jumper from outside, above-the-rim athleticism and equally damaging off-ball scoring intelligence should be the reason “Obi1” lights up the scoreboard betwixt a rookie class that’s without a true standalone team transformer on both the offensive and defensive end.
6.) Defensive Player of the Year: Bam Adebayo, Power Forward/Center, Miami Heat
Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo isn’t going to let a shoulder injury prevent him from playing in Game 2. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
It’ll only be a matter of time until the Kentucky product gets one, right? Makes sense for him to win one this year. The pesky, lanky, and high-energy shot-blocker (and alterer) will be at the top of the NBA All-Defensive first team voting results at year’s end, if his 2019-20 season was any indication. Another third-year player of high skill proportions, Adebayo earned his first All-Star berth, averaging 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 5 assists and an impressive 1.3 blocks on the way to helping the Miami Heat earn their first trip to the NBA Finals since the LBJ-Wade-Bosh days.
He was named to the All-Defensive Second team this year, but would’ve definitely earned his spot on the first team had his efforts in the postseason been added to his cumulative resume. While he showed where he had to grow during the Finals against Anthony Davis, who ended up averaging 25 points, 10.7 rebounds against the third-year big man, he earned his stripes in the playoffs and was responsible for earning the moniker of the “Giannis Stopper” by walling up and neutralizing the reigning MVP, clamping him in the halfcourt and keeping him to an average 21.8 points on 50 percent shooting, while also forcing 2.8 turnovers per game (decent stats, but if you were watching it was as if he couldn’t do a thing against Adebayo) as the Heat gentleman’s swept and upset the top-seeded Bucks in a 4-1 Conference Semifinals victory.
His versatility, improving all-around game, and tireless attitude to never take possessions off combined with the fact that he has eyes on him now from the outstanding shows he put on the bubble might get him into a spot where voters can’t refuse giving him the DPOY this year.
7.) Kia Most Valuable Player: Luka Doncic, Point Guard, Dallas Mavericks
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 23: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates a game winning three point basket against the LA Clippers during overtime in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 23, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Slovenian walking Triple-Double might finally crack the league’s hierarchy for the first time in 2020-21, and there isn’t much anyone objecting to his rise that can do anything about it.
Luka Doncic is slowly transforming into a player of his own caliber, a rare, transcendent blend of the finesse and vision of Magic Johnson with the ballhandling skill of James Harden mixed with a sprinkle of can’t-miss marksmanship from Larry Bird. He truly is a world-class talent, and for one who’s reeled in Most Valuable Player accolades on a separate continent with the EuroLeague’s Real Madrid, earning one here in the states at the tender age of 22 just seems destined to happened.
Sure, factor in his struggling 3PT shooting (31.6 percent in 2019-20) but admit it, it’s hard to gameplan for a player like Doncic. He can do everything you ask of him. At 6’8, he can play at his own pace, and though he’s only three years in his NBA tenure, he has the knowledge, skillset and confidence of a ten-year NBA vet. He plays with an indelible level of craftiness and is always head-up when creating for others off the bounce, collapsing defenses and subsequently flinging wild passes to bigs and corner shooters, and going to the rim slashing as he’s rarely, if ever, afraid of drawing contact and getting more points at the stripe. He’s a fresh face and the future of this league.
He was a finalist for the MVP award last year, and with the numbers he put up last year, how couldn’t he be? There was only one man that had more trip-dubs LeBron James (13) last year in his MVP-contending season that obviously ended in a championship: Luka Doncic, who accumulated 17 full stat sheets in only his second year as an NBA player.
Looking at the current field of fellow MVP candidates, James (and probably Kawhi, too) may not play as many minutes in the shortened regular season with the new anti-load management rule set in place, James Harden has his own “episodes” and different motivations this year, Kevin Durant winning the league title off a torn Achilles seems shocking, at the very least, Giannis’ voters may have a little voter’s fatigue keeping him as the MVP for a third straight season, which designates a presumptuous league’s Most Valuable Player nomination and award for the Mavericks star who, along with his team, could knock off some high-up Western teams in the playoffs if they can stay healthy.
The 2020 NBA preseason is officially over and soon enough games will count for real. Rookies have gotten their feet wet in the league, logging their first NBA minutes. Veterans sat out some games and then used a game or two to fine-tune their skill set. New contracts have been signed with fresh ink and players are settling into their basketball homes.
When it comes to sneakers, the 2020-21 NBA season will be anchored by the LeBron, Kobe, KD, Kyrie, and PG line (like always). These dominant Nike athletes are on their 18th, 13th, 7th, and 4th signature sneakers respectively, with Kobe’s line continuing to go strong with the Protro versions every year. This season looks to build on the success of the Nike Kobe 5 Protro from last year by releasing the 6’s this year. Expect the Nike PG 5 to release soon, as Paul George’s PG 4 was technically his shoe for the 2019-20 season. Under Armour and Steph Curry look to make some noise with the Curry 8 – now casted as Steph’s own brand under the UA umbrella. Will Joel Embiid’s new signature shoe with Under Armour be able to do numbers as well? Adidas just released the Harden Vol. 5, and is slated to come out with the D.O.N. Issue #3 shortly. Derrick Rose’s signature series is still going strong as he just launched the 11th model in his line. Budding young superstar, Trae Young, is set to become the next signature athlete for the Three Stripes sometime later on in 2021. Jimmy Butler is off the sneaker free agent market and has inked a deal with Chinese brand Li-Ning. It will be an interesting year in terms of sneakers for sure. Scroll below to see who rocked the 15 Best Sneakers of the 2020 NBA Preseason.
We are less than 24 hours away from the season’s Tip-Off, and with that we are wrapping up our team breakdowns with the very exciting Southeast Division with many new faces that are must-see television.
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1. Atlanta Hawks (Finished Last Season 20-47, 14th Seed)
PF: John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, De’Andre Hunter, Solomon Hill, Onyeka Okongwu
C: Clint Capela, Onyeka Okongwu, Bruno Fernando, John Collins, Nathan Knight
Strengths:
Trae Young. It goes without saying that the third-year All-Star caliber PG is on a major upswing based off his performances season’s past. It seems like more times than naught that we see Young with highlight clips on Instagram or ESPN’s Top 10 on a regular basis, whether it be from his ability to shoot from anywhere on the court or showcasing his ball on a string handle on unsuspecting defenders. It’s only right to assume that he’s more than capable than keeping up such a high level of play, if not even more than we’ve seen thus far.‘
Offensive Weapons. When taking a look at the Hawks depth chart for this season, the argument can definitely be made that the organization has made some major improvements offensively off the bench with names like Bogdanovic and Gallinari in the mix. The youth on this team also has a lot of promise. With De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish being some of the few young faces having gotten their feet wet heading into their second year’s in the league, they too, alongside Trae Young will be much more comfortable in the NBA.
Weaknesses:
Hawks’ Defense. It has been pretty apparent that the Hawks had many things that needed adjusting in order for the team’s success to rise going into the new season, and it remains to be seen if they’ll be able to increase their defensive capabilities. Despite having defensive anchors John Collins and Clint Capela guarding the paint, the biggest question lies along the perimeter. Although there have been glimpses of solid defensive showings throughout the course of last season, the Hawk’s should be determined in being able to disrupting opposing offenses on a consistent basis.
Record Prediction: 33-39.
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2. Orlando Magic (Finished Last Season 33-40, 8th Seed)
2020 Offseason Acquisitions:
Jonathan Issac, PF/C (re-signed)
Markelle Fultz, PG/SG (re-signed)
Cole Anthony, PG/SG (draft)
2020 Key Losses:
N/A
Roster and Depth Chart:
PG: Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, Michael Carter-Williams, Karim Mane, Jordan Bone
SF: James Ennis III, Dwayne Bacon, Terrence Ross, Michael Carter-Williams, Evan Fournier
PF: Aaron Gordon, Chuma Okeke, Al-Farouq Aminu, Gary Clark, James Ennis III
C: Nikola Vucevic, Khem Birch, Mo Bamba, Chuma Okeke, Gary Clark
Strengths:
Consistency. Despite being an organization with no major standout players, the Magic have been consistently making trips to the Playoffs in season’s past. The players that they do have, however, have been key in their success and it would seem that the Magic are opting in to stick with what they have, with players like Aaron Gordon, Markelle Fultz, Nikola Vucevic, and Evan Fournier becoming household names in Orlando. And ultimately if this team is able to progress and get better together there’s no reason why they Magic can’t make a deeper run in the Playoffs.
Weaknesses:
No “Go-to” Option. It seems pretty counterintuitive to say that the Magic have been having success without standout players then immediately saying that they have no “Superstar” on their team, and that would be true, but it has to be said that the teams in this league for the most part have that #1 option that they look towards to be the leader of their roster. From what can be observed from seasons past, the Magic haven’t really had something of that nature. It should also be said that this doesn’t ensure turbulence for them, but having that type of player is vital to have if/when trouble does come their way.
Record Prediction: 36-36.
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3. Miami Heat (Finished Last Season 44-29, 5th Seed)
SG: Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Avery Bradley, Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala
SF: Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala, Maurice Harkless, Avery Bradley, Duncan Robinson
PF: Maurice Harkless, Meyers Leonard, Kelly Olynyk, Precious Achiuwa, Andre Iguodala
C: Bam Adebayo, Kelly Olynyk, Meyers Leonard, Precious Achiuwa, Chris Silva
Strengths:
Jimmy Butler. After last season’s Playoff run leading all the way up to the NBA Finals with Jimmy “Buckets” Butler at the head of it all, anyone would be remiss to not mention his ability to lead a team. After bouncing around the league for a couple of seasons, it seems that Butler has found a home in South Beach and is more ready than ever to take another shot at the NBA Championship.
Roster Depth. Looking back at last season, we’ve learned that the Miami Heat have threats everywhere in the scoring department with Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro showing that they’re very comfortable under the bright lights going into their rookie years. The Heat have also scouted even more talent in Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala (who’s on a 2-way contract). They’ve also managed to blend in solid veteran role players with Avery Bradley and Andre Iguodala to help defensively but more so leading the younger guys.
Weaknesses:
Team Health. Like any team in the league, the injury bugs strikes at any given time throughout the season, and unfortunately for the Heat it hit in the midst of the NBA Finals. Although Dragic and Adebayo have had some time now to recover from their injuries, there is always chance for a re-injury (knock on wood) or for another player on their roster to go down.
Record Prediction: 38-34.
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4. Charlotte Hornets (Finished 23-42 Last Season, 10th Seed)
2020 Offseason Acquisitions:
Gordon Hayward (trade)
LaMelo Ball (draft)
2020 Key Losses:
Nicolas Batum (free agency)
Roster and Depth Chart:
PG: Devonte Graham, LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Malik Monk, Cody Martin
SG: Terry Rozier, Caleb Martin, Malik Monk, Cody Martin, Devonte Graham
SF: Gordon Hayward, Miles Bridges, Cody Martin, Caleb Martin, Jalen McDaniels
PF: P.J. Washington, Jalen McDaniels, Miles Bridges, Gordon Hayward
C: Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo, P.J. Washington, Vernon Carey Jr., Nick Richards
Strengths:
Roster Changes. Last year there were many glimpses of what could be a solid Hornets team, and throughout the offseason, the organization may have been able to make some key additions to the team to propel them to a more competitive team. With Gordon Hayward coming from Boston and LaMelo Ball getting drafted by Charlotte, the team has gained some interest potential that they can potentially reach.
Weaknesses:
Roster Depth. Although with the additions of Hayward and Ball are solid acquisitions, the question bares whether or not it’s enough to put them in a position to contend in the Playoffs in what is becoming a very strong Eastern Conference.
Record Prediction: 24-48.
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5. Washington Wizards (Finished Last Season 25-47, 9th Seed)
2020 Offseason Acquisitions:
Russell Westbrook PG (traded from Houston)
2020 Key Losses:
John Wall PG (traded to Houston)
Roster and Depth Chart:
PG: Russell Westbrook, Raul Neto, Ish Smith, Cassius Winston, Troy Brown Jr.
PF: Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura, Mortiz Wagner, Deni Avdija, Troy Brown Jr.
C: Thomas Bryant, Robin Lopez, Mortiz Wagner, Anzjes Pasecniks, Rui Hachimura
Strengths:
Russell Westbrook. Although Wizards’s fans lost household name and perennial All-Star John Wall this past offseason, they’ve received what might just be a breath of fresh air in Russell Westbrook. Also despite the comparison’s between the two players that some have made, both Wizards’ fans as well as the organization should be excited to be getting a point guard of equal or higher caliber back after being without John Wall in season’s past due to injury. Now that Westbrook is in the mix, the Wizards are set to get back to old ways, that is making the Playoffs and being a contender for the Championship. This is in no way, shape, or form a knock on John Wall, however, if anything it’s truly a testament to his impact on the team when he’s on the floor versus when he’s not. But now the Wizards have a former League MVP in their corner, which could potentially set them up success and perhaps even a deep run into the post season.
Bradley Beal. Bradley Beal is easily one of the most underrated players in this league today, after being made apparent by getting snubbed in the All-Star selections several times. This however has not slowed Beal down, perhaps even driving him even further towards the recognition he deserves. Surely he finds himself in a position that can help him do so, now alongside Russell Westbrook as stated above. Beal has shown that he can take over games and now that he has more help he can definitely find more than just individual success going into this season.
Weaknesses:
Team Cohesion/Chemistry. Although it may be the opinion of some whether from fans or former teammates that Russell Westbrook is the type of player that people love to have in their locker room, there may be some turbulence with the team figuring out how he can fit in to the rest of the roster and vice versa. NBA fans saw some of said turbulence in Houston with Westbrook and Harden trying to figure out how to run their offense. Unfortunately this could still be the case potentially in Washington if things don’t work out.
A new NBA season is upon us, now a full six-going-on-five days away from next Tuesday’s tip-off. And to commemorate the ringing-in of the new year, we’re doing things a little different than previous years in giving you, the reader, full and extensive team breakdowns. In a succinct manner, we’ll take a look at where each team in each division will fare in the coming 6-8 days leading up to the adjusted NBA season. We’ll let you know what records each team in all six divisions will finish with, their playoff positioning (or lack thereof) as well as what’s to be admired as a strength, or what’s to be monitored as a weakness heading into the 2020-21 campaign.
Today’s division: the Pacific.
This might be the most unpredictable division in all of basketball this year. In a shortened season, it’s a matter of who gets hot and who stays on until May when the playoffs begin. 72 games for five of the most dominant teams in the West only means a dogfight will ensue, and as it pertains to the likes of the reigning champ Los Angeles Lakers, the fight to keep the rest of the division below them became that harder in one offseason.
Aside from LeBron and Anthony Davis, this Lakers team improved marginally, but significantly, landing Montrezl Harrell in free agency and Dennis Schroeder in trade talks. Harrell, the former Clipper and 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year will now be dressing in Purple and Gold for a franchise fresh off of their 17th title. There aren’t many weaknesses to attribute to this championship team, and as they danced in team-colored confetti in the Orlando bubble after vanquishing the rival Miami Heat in six games in the NBA Finals back in October, the champs transformed, shedding contracts belonging to Danny Green, JaVale McGee, and Rajon Rondo and got better – not exactly something championship-winning teams do in their subsequent offseason.
1. Los Angeles Lakers (Finished Last Season 52-19, 1st Seed in Western Conference)
2020 Offseason Acquisitions:
Dennis Schroder, PG (trade)
Montrezl Harrell, PF (free agency)
Marc Gasol, C (free agency)
Wesley Matthews, SG (free agency)
Key Losses:
Dwight Howard, C (free agency)
Rajon Rondo, PG (free agency)
Avery Bradley, PG (free agency)
JaVale McGee, C (free agency)
Danny Green, SG (trade with Oklahoma City)
Roster and Depth Chart:
PG: Dennis Schroder, Alex Caruso, LeBron James SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Wesley Matthews SF: LeBron James, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Alfonzo McKinnie PF: Markieff Morris, Montrezl Harrell, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma C: Marc Gasol, Montrezl Harrell, Markieff Morris
Strengths:
Year two of the LBJ – AD Dynamic Duo. As if this even needed to be added here. Davis proved that he wasn’t just some stat-padding All-Star selectee whose numbers were inflated in a small market, but a big-time player who could handle his own in much more populated and media-saturated Tinseltown next to quite arguably the greatest player to ever lace up a pair of basketball shoes. And 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks in just the regular season is pretty good, I’ll say. King James claimed the “Washed King” moniker but looked anything but last season, accumulating the second-highest amount of Trip-dubs behind Luka Doncic and the title of assist leader in an MVP-competing season at age 35. Year 18 for the now four-time NBA Champion and four-time Finals MVP, as well as the Brow in his second year in Laker purple and gold, should entail more of the same.
Rob Pelinka’s addressing of outside shooting in the offseason. Again, it’s rather a rarity for championship teams to flex their title-wielding muscle in the face of 29 other teams in one offseason, but that’s just what GM Rob Pelinka did. he treated this offseason of resting on Laker laurels as if his team was one in flux, concisely and deliberately approaching the offseason to address the most fervent of needs that could make an already-contending powerhouse into an untouchable shoo-in. Getting Montrezl Harrell as an energetic spark-plug off the bench was a positive, sure, as the big has an intangible skillset of muscle and dancer-like footwork on the block. But it’s the upgrade at the second unit guard spot from tempo controlling but inconsistent scorer Rajon Rondo (7.1 points off 42 percent shooting) to Dennis Schroder, a quick, creative guard who does both managing and scoring (18.9 points off 46 percent shooting) as if they were second nature. Additionally, the addition of ex-Buck Wesley Mathews, a prominent 3-and-D wing, is the perfect replacement for the departed Danny Green, who at times during the postseason, was wildly inefficient from downtown.
Weaknesses:
With Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee gone, where will the interior presence come from? The Lakers swooped in at the last minute to grab Marc Gasol from the Raptors, who many people speculated was going to take his talents back home in Barcelona, Spain to retire internationally. And while the pickup adds some floor-stretching with Gasol being an adept scorer from the mid-range and beyond the three-point line as an equally-gifted facilitator at the five, he’s getting up there in age and could struggle in the up-tempo pace Frank Vogel wants his guys to push the rock or get back in transition. Consider this slight nitpicking, with LeBron and AD already being a nightmare to get shots up from around two-five feet in the halfcourt, but still, the Lakers let two solid defenders in JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard go in the offseason, so it could be something to look out for.
Kyle Kuzma, A Liability? Kyle Kuzma’s regression is probably a cause of limited touches with LeBron and AD coming to town, but it’s become more than something to monitor. As one of the longer-tenured Lakers, it’s safe to say the undrafted Utah Ute has vastly underperformed as the third most-trusted man to lead in Frank Vogel’s rotation. Another season of Kuzma being on the floor means consistently below-average scoring from downtown, iffy perimeter defense, and lost minutes if 2019 G-League standout Talen Horton-Tucker steals the show as the next man up.
2. Los Angeles Clippers (Finished Last Season 49-23, 2nd Seed in Western Conference)
2020 Offseason Acquisitions:
Serge Ibaka, PF/C (free agency)
Luke Kennard, SG/SF (trade)
Nicolas Batum, G/F (free agency)
Doc Rivers, HC
Ky Bowman, PG (free agency)
Key Losses:
Montrezl Harrell, PF (free agency)
Roster and Depth Chart:
PG: Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Ky Bowman SG: Paul George, Luke Kennard, Lou Williams SF: Kawhi Leonard, Nicolas Batum, Luke Kennard PF: Marcus Morris Sr., Patrick Patterson, Mfiondu Kabengele C: Serge Ibaka, Ivica Zubac, Patrick Patterson
Strengths:
Year two of the PG-13 – Kawhi Tag Team. Despite their horrendous collapse in the bubble during the Western Conference Semifinals’s game seven in which Paul George shot an abysmal 4 of 16 from the field for 10 points with five turnovers and Leonard, uncharacteristically, scored only 14 points on 6-of-22 shooting as the Los Angeles Clippers were out-coached, out-played and out-classed blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets, ultimately falling well short of their championship goals a round before even challenging their cross-hallway rival Lakers in the Conference Finals, year two will be noticeably better for the former teammates in Indiana at one point. A lack of continuity grew as a result of Kawhi and PG’s load management needs, costing former head coach Doc Rivers his job and with the recently implemented rule of teams not being allowed to have extended periods of resting players for load management purposes, chemistry in year two between the two immensely talented scorers will have the chance to finally be constructed the right way during this 72-game season.
Rim Protection and scoring pickups in the offseason. Getting Serge Ibaka to help out a team that was dangerously anemic in bigs was more than a necessity for Michael Winger, Jerry West, and Steve Ballmer this offseason. Only having Ivica Zubac was a big red flag once Montrezl Harrell decided to play for the team across the hallway in Staples Center, so it was common sense they added someone to share minutes with at the center position. Also, the addition of underrated shooter Luke Kennard from Detroit and veteran Nicolas Batum, as well as the vital re-signing of Marcus Morris this offseason, should help the second unit led by Lou Williams produce when Kawhi and Paul George sit.
Weaknesses:
Why didn’t the Clippers go after a creative guard who can make his own shot this offseason? Patrick Beverley is one of the most outspoken talents in the game, and widely galvanizes the locker room around him as their third-best on-ball defender. Problem is, he’s not the best scorer of the basketball (other than him being called upon as a spot-up shooter off the catch) and more surprisingly, the Clippers didn’t upgrade that starting position in the offseason, something required if they wanted to go down the route of taking pressure off of their main scorers in Leonard and George. They had free agents like Rajon Rondo go in their search, and turned up with virtually nothing other than Golden State’s Ky Bowman.
Can PG-13 get the playoff yips out of his system? Perhaps the most infamous of narratives following Paul George throughout his career is his inability to rise up come playoff time, and surely by this point, it’s begun to seep in mentally for the Fresno State export. In a win-now situation as the tandem of George and Leonard will hit free agency situation, it’s yet to be seen what Tyronn Lue and his coaching staff troubleshoot the plague of the George shooting slump in big games; could it be a problem of keeping George in an off-ball role, meaning that they should slide Paul George into more of an on-ball role as a creating point forward, a job he did well enough in Indiana to garner multiple All-Star visits and consistent trips to the Eastern Conference Finals?
3. Golden State Warriors (Finished Last Season 15-50, 15th Seed in Western Conference)
2020 Offseason Acquisitions:
Kelly Oubre Jr., G/F (trade)
James Wiseman, C (draft)
Kent Bazemore, SG (free agency)
Brad Wanamaker, G (free agency)
Key Losses:
Klay Thompson (injury)
Ky Bowman (free agency)
Roster and Depth Chart:
PG: Stephen Curry, Brad Wanamaker, Jordan Poole SG: Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee, Jordan Poole SF: Kelly Oubre Jr., Kent Bazemore, Juan Toscano-Anderson PF: Draymond Green, Eric Paschall, Kelly Oubre Jr. C: James Wiseman, Marquese Chriss, Kevon Looney
Strengths:
Wardell Stephen Curry Jr. returns to the hardwood. The NBA is twice as fun when Steph Curry is healthy and playing professional basketball. Don’t kind yourself, regardless of the reservations anti-Warriors fans may have of the 6’3,180-lb marksman, games are more enticing when he’s actively making plays for the Warriors whether it be whizzing around screens and launching 40-footers with pinpoint accuracy, or catching opposing defenders lacking with that crisp handle of his. A broken hand at the beginning of last season kept Curry out of the rotation until March, but should he be healthy for all of this season, the Warriors will always be in the postseason loop.
Youth is ready to make a splash right away. James Wiseman was selected with the second-overall pick in this year’s draft and when he’s recovered from his bout with COVID-19, he is more than ready to contribute to a team that’s been apprehensive to pick big men in the draft ever since 2008 when they selected Andrew Bogut first overall. In fact, Golden State hadn’t emphasized the center position during their dynastic 3-ring-winning run, mainly because they never needed one good enough to command such a large role next to Steph and Klay Thompson. Yet on draft night, they took James Wiseman, who was by far the best big man prospect. He’s a dynamic big that isn’t afraid to shoot the ball from deep, but isn’t a center who’s considered franchise-changing, and won’t need to do a whole lot to impact the game for the Warriors. However, returning young talents like Eric Paschall, who posted 14 points and 4.6 rebounds on around 50 percent shooting from the floor his rookie season, will see an increased role in the wake of Klay Thompson’s season-ending Achilles injury.
Weaknesses:
Is Klay Thompson’s absence in the starting five too injurious to GSW’s Playoff hopes? Easy answer – probably not. Obviously, it’s nearly impossible to replace what Klay does for your basketball team on a nightly basis, mainly because he’s the other half of the best backcourt in the history of the game. Not to sound dramatic and say it’s like Jordan being without Pippen during the Bulls’ escapades in the 90s, but it’s around that. However, we know the Warriors will be orbiters around the postseason picture come May, but can the transition for Oubre and the slashing Andrew Wiggins be smooth in not only affirming their comfortability in Steve Kerr’s offensive and defensive gameplan but by filling in for arguably the most consistent 45/41/80 guy in the NBA, all while trying to stay afloat in the Western Conference?
What will Stephen Curry’s minutes look like? Chef Curry’s health is the key for Golden State to even remain close to the playoff picture at year’s end, and they need to hope and pray that another Aron Baynes freak injury doesn’t happen again. Because what the Warriors can’t withstand is for their other pillar in the backcourt to come crumbling down again for another year. By what it sounds like, Bob Myers and Steve Kerr don’t envision this season as a try-it-all-over-next-year thing now that they’ve been thrown for a loop during this Klay Thompson injury saga. To give you an idea of just how handicapped the Dubs are without Curry; even with him coming back in March, the Warriors finished with the worst offensive rating in the league (104.4 points per 100 possession) and a league-low -8.6 net rating in the worst year in Warriors basketball in nearly 15 years. Not having the greatest shooter and off-ball scorer in NBA history is too much of a mountain to climb, and from a minutes standpoint, that’s frightening for a team that can’t score without him and for an agile-but-aging star in Curry who has displayed playing 45+ minutes isn’t great for his health.
4. Phoenix Suns (Finished Last Season 34-39, 10th Seed in Western Conference)
2020 Offseason Acquisitions:
Chris Paul, PG (trade)
Jae Crowder, PF (free agency)
Jalen Smith, C (draft)
Langston Galloway, G (free agency)
E’Twaun Moore, G (free agency)
Abdel Nader, F (trade)
Key Losses:
Aron Baynes, C (free agency)
Kelly Oubre Jr., G/F (trade)
Ricky Rubio, PG (trade)
Frank Kaminsky, C (free agency)
Roster and Depth Chart:
PG: Chris Paul, Cameron Payne, Langston Galloway
SG: Devin Booker, E’Twaun Moore, Jevon Carter
SF: Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Abdel Nader
PF: Jae Crowder, Dario Saric, Cameron Johnson
C: Deandre Ayton, Jalen Smith, Damian Jones
Strengths:
Hello, Chris Paul. CP3 is officially one of the #ValleyBoyz and is, reasonably so, the most experienced and tenured NBA pro in that locker room. Paul, a ten-time All-Star and nine-time All-NBA mainstay is joining another young and developing roster filled to the brim with potential, and a team that’s growing in talent can learn a thing or ten-thousand over his expertise of the game and what’s to come in the process of being an NBA superstar. The 35-year-old showed he has plenty in the tank to impact the game in a positive way in the same fashion during his days of running an entire team as a Hornet, Clipper, Rocket, and Thunder(er?). He’s dubbed a top-3 point guard ever by a wide majority, and his intelligence and ability to raise the ceiling of any young player he’s playing and mentoring are second-to-none, which only means great things for folk like DeAndre Ayton, the former first-overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft who’s sorely needed a separation-creating guard who runs PnR with ease. Oh yeah, and that Devin Booker kid has a 20/10 guy with him in the cockpit to take the offensive and defensive pressure off of him – something he hasn’t had in his NBA career.
Mikal Bridges might take a huge step in 2020-21. The once-a-time-ago darling at Villanova dazzled fans and opponents as part of the “Bubble Suns”, a Phoenix team that went undefeated in the Orlando bubble during the restart season and nearly became the first Suns team since 2010 to reach the playoffs, and led by D. Book who played out of his mind (31 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game!) showed Suns fans no longer what “could be” for the Suns, but what is to come in the not-too-distant future. As the starting small forward of that bubble team that’ll likely live in Sun lore, Bridges showcased that 7’1 wingspan as a prototypical 3-and-D wing that every team wants to have. Equally annoying in the passing lanes as well as on the perimeter, he’s a smothering defender and he’s quickly putting it all together as a viable piece the Suns will need if they’re to make the playoffs this year. Bridges is entering his third season in the NBA with the chance to break out. But, the Suns are littered with talent, and while Bridges may not get to shine as much offensively, he’ll be considered a definite 4th option behind CP3, Booker and Ayton. And just like the rest of Monty Williams’ useful pieces, if Bridges gets more 3-point opportunities, he could flourish playing with Paul.
Weaknesses:
Losing Kelly Oubre isn’t the end of the world, but it’s still a rather significant loss. From a scoring standpoint, that’s an entire 18 points by your versatile stretch wing that won’t be on the board. and from a coaching perspective, you lose in Oubre what was the most reliable slashing and above-rim finishing forward on your team. Oubre was a casualty of the Chris Paul trade, and in the broad scale of things, it seems as though that could possibly be overcome with the tandem of Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, but you’re talking an entire dynamic of the offense circling around Oubre and his floor-stretching presence and replacing that is easier said than done.
Phoenix might have a backup guard dilemma. Losing Ricky Rubio during trade season won’t be the easiest thing to adjust to, regardless if he was sent to Phoenix for a year to be a transitional facilitatator and not a second scoring option. CP3 is a definite improvement at guard, but after him comes Cameron Payne and JeVon Carter, who are both competing for the rights to the sixth man role. Neither of those names stand out, but both are decent at scoring the ball and are well-versed in scoring the rock. It’s more of a “to be determined” thing as to who assumes the position of manning the second unit.
5. Sacramento Kings (Finished Last Season 31-41, 12th Seed in Western Conference)
2020 Offseason Acquisitions:
Hassan Whiteside, C (free agency)
Tyrese Haliburton, G (draft)
Frank Kaminsky, C (free agency)
Key Losses:
Bogdan Bogdanovic, G/F (free agency)
Roster and Depth Chart:
PG: De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Cory Joseph SG: Buddy Hield, Tyrese Haliburton, Jahmi’us Ramsey SF: Harrison Barnes, Glenn Robinson III, Buddy Hield PF: Marvin Bagley III, Nemanja Bjelica, Harrison Barnes C: Hassan Whiteside, Richaun Holmes, Frank Kaminsky
Strengths:
The Kings bolstered their guard department. The Kings are sticking to what’s already worked for them in the past, especially evident in their 2020 draft class. Building and developing guards is their m.o; take De’Aaron Fox’s massive extension for five years that’s worth $163 Million. Sac-Town is in the business of finding their third option to compliment the just-as-lucratively signed Buddy Hield who reconstructed a deal in the offseason of 2019. Those were the two biggest areas of need to make sure there was a foundation to start from, and during the 2020 draft in November, they were pleasantly surprised to select multifaceted combo guard Tyrese Haliburton out of Iowa State with the eighth-overall selection. Fox, the 2017 first-round selection, is coming off a career year averaging 21.1 points, 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 48% from the field. Hield, on the other hand, got some coaching issues settled with Head coach Luke Walton and will look for a more prominent role in the offense now that new GM Monte McNair decided to not match the Atlanta Hawks’ offer for budding talent Bogdan Bogdanovic, letting him sign with the Hawks in free agency.
Front line depth is there for cheap. Another positive outcome of this offseason: the Kings got some depth in their frontcourt for an affordable price. One of the bigger errors made during former GM Vlade Divac’s tenure was selecting Marvin Bagley II while Luka Doncic was still on the board, and as history would foretell, Doncic was selected one pick later in that 2018 class. Bagley’s only suited up for a combined 13 games over two seasons. Possibly a wasted pick, but there was a temporary workaround that McNair found before the preseason began. Acquiring leading shot-blocker Hassan Whiteside (again for his second stint, was selected in the second round by Sacramento in 2010) and improving stretch big Frank Kaminsky Jr. went under the radar as two of the smarter pickups this offseason for a team that’s not only in the business of acquiring more notable names in the league, but more next men up in case Bagley’s injury history arises again this season.
Weaknesses:
The organization is still going through a massive period of both growth and misfortune. While it’s fine and all that the Kings are secure in their process of building homegrown talent in their backcourt, they’re very much an organization banking on good luck in regards to 1.) the Marvin Bagley pick not being a miss if he stays healthy and develops into what he was at Duke, 2.) Harrison Barnes not losing his luster as a solid small forward and not regressing to the point of Sacramento having to eat that bad contract while they find trade partners for the 28-year-old playing on his third team, and 3.) Hield not wanting to play elsewhere as he’s withstood the turbulent times with this organization. Only one of those 3 scenarios could work out in the end for Sac-Town, or possibly none of them at all.
The West is too stacked. The Sacramento Kings haven’t been to the playoffs since 2006 when Doug Christie, the last player for the organization to be named an All-Star, got the Kings to 44 wins. The Western Conference looked drastically different than it does today, when the Spurs stomped out everyone on their path to facing the Detroit Pistons in that year’s NBA Finals. The West is an absolute bloodbath and, being as nice as I possibly can here, the Kings’ chances of making it to the postseason while simultaneously surviving in this division are very slim.
