It is NBA-season-eve, and basketball fans across the nation are pledging their allegiance to their teams once again. Tonight is the night where all NBA fans are equally hopeful as to their aspirations to their team’s success this season. Everyone has the same win/loss record and they are all at the same starting point. This is a brief description of each team’s roster and what their expectations are for the upcoming season.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics
It’s no secret that the Boston Celtics are powerhouses in the east this season. A disappointing loss against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals last season left the Celtics faithful with some questions regarding their management and their roster. It has been a busy offseason. The Celtics bid farewell to team legends Marcus Smart and Robert Williams, as well as reigning 6th man of the year Malcolm Brogdon in exchange for All-Stars Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday
Jaylen Brown slams home a dunk. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Celtics now add two elite scorers and defenders to their already strong roster. The Celtics retained stars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Al Horford. This season is championship or bust for the boys in green.
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets find themselves in a crossroads. They have a lineup full of young talent, but it is going to be hard keeping up with the other powerhouses in the east. The team is led by new Net Mikal Bridges, alongside Cam Johnson and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Mikal Bridges hits a three. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Nets are going to lean on the development of their young players in order to succeed this season. They are asking huge roles from Cam Thomas and Rim Protector Nic Claxton. The Nets also picked up Lonnie Walker IV who showed glimpses of greatness for the Lakers in the playoffs last season. The Nets drafted very well, adding Kansas leading scorer Jalen Wilson, as well as #2 nationally ranked player coming out of high school, former Blue Devil Dariq Whitehead.
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are in a similar position to the Brooklyn Nets where they are depending on the development of some of their players in order to gain success this season. We already know what stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle can bring to the table, but my eyes will be focused on Josh Hart and R.J. Barrett and whether or not they can take the next step in their careers.
Pictured from left to right: R.J. Barrett, Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Knicks will worry about center Mitchell Robinson’s prolonged health. 6th man of the year candidate Immanuel Quickley will be a huge component to the Knicks success. I see them falling around the 4 or 5 seed again this year.
Philadelphia 76’ers
The Philadelphia 76’ers are in a bit of a predicament. Off-season drama has left questions surrounding the James Harden era in the liberty city. Although there are questions regarding the former MVP, there are certainly none about the reigning one. If Joel Embiid can stay healthy for the entire season then the sixers will surely be in playoff contention. Him alongside budding superstar Tyrese Maxey will being the sixers to mediocrity, but do they have what it takes to make it to the next level?
Tyrese Maxey celebrates a three-pointer. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
I think not. Word on the street is that the vibes in the locker room are high, but I have yet to see any hope of that transpiring on the court. New head coach Nick Nurse will definitely be a good addition to this roster.
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are hoping to forget last season’s struggles and are ready for a new chapter. This could be a down year in the 6 but I am hopeful about how the future looks for this Raptors franchise. Point guard Fred VanFleet has moved on to the Houston Rockets and has allowed the Raptors to begin the rebuild phase.
Gradey Dick posts up in his new team colors. (Photo by Steve Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Raptors are high on their new draft pick, former Jayhawk Gradey Dick. He will add a legitimate perimeter shooting threat that they have not had in recent years. He will add to the core of stars consisting of Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl, none of whom are known three point shooters. Adrian Griffin also makes his debut as head coach.
Central Division
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are coming off a disappointing season. There is no other way to chalk it up. They have the pieces to be a legitimate threat, but for some reason have not been able to glue it all together. For a long period of time they seemed as if they had finally figured it all out, but then it all fell apart again; seems to be their story. Zach Lavine, Demar Derozan, and Nikola Vucevic have all proven that they have what it takes to be a good regular season team in the NBA, but we have not seen anything more than that from them.
Demar Derozan finishes at the rim (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
I am excited to watch the development of some of their players this season. I am hopeful that Lonzo Ball will be able to find himself back on an NBA court in the near future and can get back to the superstar status he had before. Rookie Adama Sonogo will most likely be on a two-way contract but the NCAA fan in me wants him to succeed in the league. The Bulls also added Torrey Craig, who will bring three-and-D to the team as well as Alex Caruso. I am not particularly hopeful for the Bulls season, but I hope they can figure it out.
Cleveland Cavaliers
I am high on the Cavaliers this season. Plain and Simple. I am not confident that they have the veteran leadership to win a playoff series but I can confidently say that they will be a great regular season team, barring injuries. There is no need to state just how good Donovan Mitchell is at the game of basketball, he has proven that himself. Darius Garland showed us last year that he can both score and pass the ball, which gives Cleveland a legitimate facilitator. Hypothetically Evan Mobley will take the next step as well and become an even more dominant post player than we knew him to be.
Darius Garland celebrates a three. (Photo by Rick Osentoski/Getty Images)
The place where the Cavs might run into a road block is with their role players coming off the bench. Max Strus is bringing some heat culture to the locker room, but the question is whether or not Carius LeVert and Georges Niang are enough help off the bench to take them to the next level.
Detroit Pistons
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Detroit Pistons. When are they going to be good? It feels as if every season they have a new young player that everyone thinks is going to take them to the next level but it just never happens. Their team is full of college legends: Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Marvin Bagley III, just to name a few, and that is without mentioning James Wiseman and Ausar Thompson, neither of whom played in college but are hooping mixtape legends nonetheless.
Cade Cunningham dribbles past Stephen Curry. (Photo by Rick Osentoski/Getty Images)
The Pistons may be depending on their shooters in order to stretch the floor. Bojan Bogdanovic and off-season acquisition Joe Harris will be vital to their success.
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are one of the more fun, young teams in the NBA this season. Their record may not be amazing but they will be a joy to watch every game. Leader Tyrese Haliburton has one of the more entertaining play styles in the entire NBA. He is aided by Benedict Mathurin, who is entering his sophomore season and has one of the better highlight reels in the NBA right now, as well as Buddy Heild who boasts an impressive three point percentage.
Benedict Mathurin (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Pacers are very young, and will likely find themselves in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs through the play-in tournament. Regardless, they will be fun to watch this season.
Milwaukee Bucks
Another team in the east that is full of stars from the top of their lineup to the bottom of it. Giannis Antetokounmpo needs no introduction. The most powerful player in the NBA. Any team with him on it will be discussed among championship contenders. Damian Lillard, another man who needs no introduction. The Bucks on paper have the scariest lineup in the NBA, but will they be able to play when it counts? Milwaukee made some moves this offseason and lost their defensive centerpoint in Jrue Holiday. That seems to be the only question regarding their team, will they be vulnerable on defense?
Center Brook Lopez (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Brook Lopez is a post threat, throwing himself into conversations for defensive player of the year last season. Other than him, Milwaukee is a little think in terms of defensive superstars. Guys like Khris Middleton and Jae Crowder are known for their offensive game. It is also worth noting that Bobby Portis plays a significant role on this team in facilitating the offense. The Bucks are ready to take the league by storm this season.
Southeast Division
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are similar to the Indiana Pacers in the sense where they will not be at the top of the standings at the end of this season, but if you tuned into any 20 minutes of gameplay with no context you would think they are the best team in the league. Every game they play is fun. They have a solid lineup from top to bottom. Obviously everyone knows exactly what Trae Young and Dejountae Murray can do with the ball in their hands but I think the heart of this team lies in its role players.
Trae Young shoots over an outstretched Jaylen Brown. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Hawks are nothing without the help of players such as Virginia alum De’Andre Hunter, who last season averaged 15.4 points and 4.2 rebounds. His collegiate rival A.J. Griffin also plays a large role for this team as a two-way scorer. The Hawks also resigned Onyeka Okongwu to a four year contract this week.
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are also mildly similar to the Hawks and Pacers in the sense where they are a young team, however they are not fun to watch. The Hornets seem to be a team that will take a while to come to fruition. Lamelo Ball has proved that he can be a legitimate option in this league, but most of the attention on this team will be placed on the shoulders of standout rookie Brandon Miller.
Brandon Miller, with NBA commissioner Adam Silver. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
This is an inexperienced team, with lots more pieces needed before it can be in playoff conversation. Meanwhile, the development of Miller and Ball is vital to the Hornets success in the future.
Miami Heat
Or shall I say Jimmy Butler, because he is the heart and soul of this franchise. Without ‘Himmy’ the Heat would find themselves at the bottom of the standings. Although they are coming off one of the most historic postseason runs, I do not foresee them having regular season success.
Jimmy Butler in his historic game 3 performance against the Bucks last season. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The Heat lost two of their greatest bench players from last season. Max Strus is in Cleveland and Gabe Vincent has moved on to the city of angels. This leaves the Heat to be even more dependent on Jimmy than last season, and I am not confident that he can withstand that pressure with an entire 82 game season. Once the Heat make it into the playoffs, if they do that it, we all know that anything can happen.
Orlando Magic
Young star Paolo Bancharo traded out his Blue Devil scrubs for a new shade of Orlando blue. He led this team in the majority of offensive categories and is so far living up to his hype. However, that is not enough to bring the magic into the playoff conversation. They are similar to the Hornets; young, and not really fun to watch.
Paolo Bancharo (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The Magic’s persona right now is a team full of campus superstars: Jalen Suggs, Admiral Schofield, Markelle Fultz just to name a few. They are yet to have taken that next step in the NBA and until they do, I cannot confidently call them playoff, or play-in for that matter contenders.
Washington Wizards
Who better to round out the Eastern Conference than the Washington Wizards. Many argue that the Wizards will be the worst team in the NBA this season, and I don’t disagree. However, I think it is a necessary evil in order to develop the new Wizard Jordan Poole. What better fit is there for him than an environment where he can take 25 shots a game?
Kyle Kuzma drives by Patrick Mills. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Alongside Jordan Poole is has-been Kyle Kuzma, who has shown signs of progression in his game that are going unnoticed because of his destination. Also, former Gonzaga Bulldog Corey Kispert, who is one of the better known shooters in the NBA. This season is one where the Wizards have to accept that they will be bad, and allow their young players to learn how to adjust to the NBA.
Western Conference
Northwest Division
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets will kick off the NBA season by receiving their rings and hanging their 2022 championship banner before facing the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night in Denver. If they continue playing the way they did last season, there is a universe where they are doing the exact same thing to kick off the season next year.
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Nuggets are ready to repeat, and star Nikola Jokic is undoubtedly in his prime. He is joined by Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. My only worry? Injuries. What happens if one of those guys goes down with an injury and the bench needs to backfill? Let’s just hope that does not happen.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the most mysterious teams in the entire NBA. Why are they mysterious? Because nobody knows whether they are good or not. They have the pieces to be at least a middle of the standings team, with powerful slasher Anthony Edwards at the helm. Another mysterious component to the Wolves is their double big man scheme.
Anthony Edwards. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Nobody knows exactly why the Timberwolves entered last year’s off-season sweepstakes in order to acquire Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz in order to partner him with Karl Anthony-Towns, but it has been proven that this theme does not work. THe Wolves were mediocre last season and seem to have no direction. They are not getting better and they are not bad enough to gain assets through the draft. I am just unsure about how they will perform this season but I think their ceiling is a first round exit after making it in through the play-in tournament.
Oklahoma City Thunder
I cannot be higher on the OKC Thunder this season. This team is fun, exciting, young, and most importantly talented. Shai Gilgeous Alexander is an MVP contender and he finally has developed support around him. Josh Giddey is a distributor who is a triple-double threat on any given night, and Chet Holmgren is finally back from his torn achilles and ready to take this league by storm.
SGA celebrates a game winner last season. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Thunder are the most promising team moving forward over the next couple seasons, and will eventually be a serious championship contender, but these next couple years are all about getting your core guys experience while simultaneously getting better each year. I do not think these guys are ready for the brightest light AT THIS MOMENT, but if they give them enough experience in the spotlight then it will pay off down the road.
Portland Trail Blazers
RipCity has been completely revamped, and I think it is exactly what the Trail Blazers needed. In the past few seasons, the Trail blazers were grasping onto the final seconds of the Damian Lillard era. After trading Lillard away and acquiring DeAndre Ayton, Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III in return with the addition of rookie Scoot Henderson, the Trail Blazers are a bit of a wild card in the west. Will they come together or will it take them some time to build up team rapport?
Scoot Henderson poses for Trail Blazers media day. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
I hope not. I am excited, as you should be too, for the Portland Trail Blazers this season. Wow, I never thought I would say that.
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz last season were supposed to be the team that were the favorites for Wemby, that was until star Lauri Markannen decided to absolutely take off. He had an all-star first half and has shown that he is the leader of this team. The Jazz spent some time at the top of the standings last season, until it all came crashing down.
Jordan Clarkson celebrates a huge shot. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
The Jazz had a disappointing end to the season, and resulted in them neither having playoff hopes, or a good pick in the draft. What is their direction? Are they losers who are in a rebuild phase? Are they a good team that underperforms? I think not, I think they are a mediocre team that has gotten worse while the other teams around them have gotten better. I am not high on the Jazz this season.
Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors
The Bay Area has experienced lots of glory over the past ten seasons in the National Basketball Association. The Stephen Curry era has brought life to the Golden State Warriors franchise, and even though he is a couple years older than he was at the beginning of the dynasty, he is still a lethal scorer from anywhere on the parquet. Everyone knows about what him and fellow splash brother Klay Thompson can do together.
Stephen Curry rises over Kings’ defenders in last season’s playoffs. (Photo by Loren Elliott/Getty Images)
At this point I know better than to bet against the Warriors. With that being said, I have a hard time seeing this as a championship core in this modern NBA. Draymond is in the final years of his career and is more of a game changing energy boost than a dominant scorer like he once was. And of course, how could I mention the Warriors without talking about their biggest offseason pickup, Chris Paul. me, along with every other NBA fan, will have their eyes on the dynamic of this team with Chris Paul on it. Paul, formerly of the Los Angeles Clippers, has notoriously had bad blood with this Warriors team as those teams had met in high-intensity games numerous times throughout the mid 2010’s. The Warriors are a mystery to me, and I could see them being all over the board.
Los Angeles Clippers
It’s time for the yearly debate as to whether or not this experiment is going to be successful. On paper, yes, they have one of the best teams imaginable; but when is their legacy going to come true? Yes, everyone knows about the big three with Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but is this team at this age enough to be a serious threat?
Norman Powell guards Devin Booker in last year’s playoffs (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)
With their names being thrown around in James Harden trade talks, this could become a team down the line that has enough pieces to make a serious run at some hardware, but until that is proven I will continue to assume that they will be a playoff exit team.
Los Angeles Lakers
Is this the year of promise that Lakers fans have been waiting for? Yes, I know that they went deep into the playoffs last season but we would all be lying if we said we did not think that was a bit of a fluke. The Lakers found themselves with a lof of moves to make last offseason, and in my opinion they made a lot of good ones. They brought in a lot of free agents that can add to the depth of their bench.
LeBron James celebrates after passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the Nba’s all-time leading scorer. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Lakers have brought in the likes of Taurean Prince, Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish and Christian Wood to add to the talent from last season. I think it might be what the Lakers needed in order to take them from a mediocre team to a contender.
Phoenix Suns
Welcome to the lore of the Phoenix Suns. If they are going to win a championship it is going to be right now. Simple as that. They made a big splash this off-season by bringing in Bradley Beal, but it came at a cost. The Suns watched Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Deandre Ayton all change teams in order to form the big three of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
Devin Booker and Kevin Durant (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)
Past their stars, the Suns have no depth!? This whole move seems to me like it made their franchise worse as a whole. Besides Josh Okogie they really have not kept anyone on the bench to help these guys out. Jusef Nurkic will do what he can but he has proved that he is not reliable for an entire season. The Suns’ ceiling is a championship, but their floor is an embarrassing failure of a superteam.
Sacramento Kings
LIGHT THE BEAM! More like will we light the beam? Boy do I hope so. If you are an older listener of the Corner Office then you will remember just how big of fans of this team Alex and I both are. We love to support the Kings and they were most likely our favorite team that did not wear green and white last season.
De’Aaron Fox rises up for a finish at the rim. (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
Sure it seemed as if the “city” of Sacramento rallied around the theme of The Beam, and I’m here for it. The Kings stay one of the most underrated teams in this league. So underrated that when I searched for a picture to use under the keyword “Sacramento Kings 2023” all the results were pictures of the Golden State Warriors from last season. Not the fanbase, (which is top 2 in the NBA, behind Boston of course), or the dynamic duo of Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Keep an eye out for the Beam Team, because they’re here to play.
Southwest Division
Dallas Mavericks
There is an age old saying in basketball that has to do with when there are two superstars on one team. You can only have one ball on the court at a time! That begs the obvious question of how can Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both be on the court at once?
Luka and Kyrie. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
So yes, let’s hypothetically say that these two can figure it out. The Mavs are still a long way from being a contender. However, I can see a reality in which they are. It all comes down to their bench depth. We all know that the only thing that has held them from being a title contender over the past couple of years was their lack of big man presence. With the addition of Dereck Lively, who was potentially the only player in last year’s draft (including Wemby) that was NBA ready. If he plays to his potential he will bring a double double and interior defensive presence. They also stole Grant Williams for the Celtics, who had a hefty price tag at 15 million a year but potentially if given more minutes could play up to that number. Adding those two to the likes of Tim Hardaway Jr. and you’ve got a starting 5.
Houston Rockets
The offseason big spenders! This is certainly a questionable front office. Honestly, I have no idea how this team is going to play. Alex and I talked on the show about the potential of having them be a serious contender in the Western Conference, but after some deeper thinking, it seems to be more of a hypothetical than a realistic statement. The Rockets made some big free agent splashes landing Fred VanFleet from the Toronto Raptors as well as Dillon Brooks.
Amen Thompson shoots a jumper over the outstretched hand of Pacers’ defender.
The Rockets already had a young core, with names like Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and new rookie Amen Thompson. Also, in my opinion, one of the most slept on bigs in the league in Alperen Sengun. This could be another down year in Houston, or more likely, a year with no direction. I see the Rockets hovering around .500 for most of this season.
Memphis Grizzlies
It’s a parade inside my city YEAH! - Skip Bayless (oh yeah, and also Ja Morant). But no, there is no parade in Memphis, at least not right now. Ja is serving a sizable suspension for his antics with firearms over the last few months and it seems as if this Memphis team is at a loss. Historically, they have been able to fare well without Ja, but I am not so confident about this season. The Grizzlies lost two of their biggest locker room guys, in Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks, and now the leadership of the team is in the hands of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Left to right: Luke Kennard, Ja Morant and Desmond Bane. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Now I’m not saying those are bad players, but they certainly are not the biggest locker room presences. The front office brought in Marcus Smart, who I cannot say enough good about, and who also has historically been a locker room leader for better or worse. That was in Boston, a place where I’m sure he wishes he still was, can you even blame him?
New Orleans Pelicans
I understand that I have said the word “potential” a lot throughout this preview so far, but if there is any time for me to seriously mean that word it is with the New Orleans Pelicans. They have the potential to if they play at their ceiling, be a top 3 team in the West. They have some freakish athletes on their team. Zion Williamson WHEN HEALTHY is one of the scariest men on planet earth, as well as his Duke counterpart Brandon Ingram, who can get a bucked wherever and whenever he wants. Add to these two a shooting facilitator like C.J. McCollum and this team has the star power to go places.
Rookie from UConn Jordan Hawkins with commissioner Adam Silver. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
There is something to be said about the depth of this team as well. Jonas Valinchunas has proven that he is fit for the role player style in the NBA as well as his backup in Cody Zeller. Veterans such as Larry Nance Jr. and Jose Alvarado round out this team. Also, keep an eye out for rookie Jordan Hawkins, coming off a national championship with his Huskies from UConn.
San Antonio Spurs
Here we are, my 32nd and final team. And potentially the one that you went into this article looking for. The San Antonio Spurs. Yes, Victory Wembanyama is incredibly good at basketball. Yes, I think he will take over the league. Yes, I see there being a world where he is a bust. Yes, I think it is going to take him a season or two to get adjusted to this league. Let’s talk about it. I think his expectations are incredibly high right now. Coming from the most dominant team overseas, he has to get used to the skill level, as well as the fact that he might lose every now and then. Victor has never lost before, it will take him a bit to become the superstar that we think he will be. So, everyone, please pump the brakes on the Wemby project, it is coming, but it may take longer than you think.
Victor Wembenyama blocks an Andrew Wiggins three-point attempt. (Yes, this is from the regular season but it just perfectly demonstrates how much of a freak athlete he really is.) (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
People hardly look past Victor when they see this Spurs team, but I would find it a little hard to believe that he leads this team in scoring this season. Especially when the team is led by someone like Keldon Johnson. Not a name that you hear thrown around in superstar talks but I genuinely think he is an incredibly talented player. Add to the mix Devin Vassell, Zach Collins, Jeremy Sochan and Duke alum Tre Jones and the San Antonio Spurs have put together a really fun to watch young team. I think they fall into the category that I mentioned earlier about teams that maybe won’t be successful in the win-loss column, but will compete hard and be fun to watch without a doubt in every game.
That wraps it up; all thirty-two teams and my thoughts on them. One thing I realized when writing this was that there is truly something about every team (except for maybe the Hornets) that I enjoy watching. At any point any team could beat any other team, which will undoubtedly make for an exciting and fun season of basketball. It has it all: superstars, headlines, stories, competition, and maybe even a little drama. Strap in NBA fans, because this season is going to be one hell-of-a-ride!
References:
“NBA on ESPN - Scores, Stats and Highlights.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nba/. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.
“Royalty-Free Stock Photos, Creative Images & Vectors: News, Fashion, and Entertainment Imagery.” Royalty-Free Stock Photos, Creative Images & Vectors | News, Fashion, and Entertainment Imagery - Getty Images, www.gettyimages.com/. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.
My Big Fat Brain
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