THE NBA SEASON TIPS-OFF IN JUST ONE WEEK! Basketball is right around the corner, which means it is a perfect time to give my personal breakdown of each team. We are going to go division by division highlighting my expectations for each roster. I included what I expect to be the starting lineup for each team whenever they get to full strength. I am using my own thoughts on roster construction, reported lineups, and preseason starting fives to curate my predictions. Along with the starting 5 I have included the 5 bench players that I think will play and produce the most for each team. Included is also who I think is the most important player for each team, as well as players who I can see producing more than we expect at this point of preseason. As always I would love to hear your thoughts on each team and certain players you are excited to watch! Please comment below what you are excited to watch for in the upcoming NBA season!
DENVER NUGGETS
G: Jamal Murray / Bruce Brown
G: Christian Braun / Julian Strawther
F: Cam Johnson
F: Aaron Gordon / Peyton Watson
C: Nikola Jokic / Jonas Valanciunas / DaRon Holmes II
Penny Stock Investment: Jalen Pickett
X-Factor: Jonas Valanciunas / Tim Hardaway Jr
6MOY: Jonas Valanciunas
MVP: Nikola Jokic
Overview
Is this the best roster surrounding Jokic that the Nuggets have had on paper? Even better than their championship team? You can certainly make that argument. Cam Johnson is a slight upgrade over MPJ in my opinion, Jonas Valanciunas gives them a quality backup center, Bruce Brown gives them bench versatility, and Tim Hardaway Jr gives them quality shooting if needed. They have the best player in the world and have a roster constructed around him that should be good enough to compete for an NBA Finals. I like the Nuggets a lot and I think that David Adelman has options to be creative with this team.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
G: Mike Conley / Rob Dillingham
G: Anthony Edwards / Donte DiVincenzo
F: Jaden McDaniels / Terrence Shannon Jr
F: Julius Randle
C: Rudy Gobert / Naz Reid / Joan Beringer
Penny Stock Investment: Jaylen Clark
X-Factor: Rob Dillingham
6MOY: Naz Reid
MVP: Anthony Edwards
Overview
Back to back Conference Finals appearances are not going to satisfy Anthony Edwards and Minnesota Timberwolves fans. The Wolves are a really good team. Unfortunately for them, the West is littered with really good teams. I do not think the Wolves did enough in the offseason to make the next step. They are counting on internal development. They need to see a jump with increased responsibility for players such as Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr, and Jaylen Clark. For them to truly jump I think they need a better season from DiVincenzo. Conley is slowly regressing and they need another ball handler and shot creator in the backcourt to help out Ant. Joan Beringer is a rookie who interests me. I expect the Timberwolves to be a really good team once again, I am just not sure that they have done enough to improve off of last seasons playoff run.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
G: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander / Nikola Topic
G: Lu Dort / Cason Wallace / Isaiah Joe
F: Jalen Williams / Alex Caruso / Aaron Wiggins
F: Chet Holmgren
C: Isaiah Hartenstein
Penny Stock Investment: Brooks Barnhizer
X-Factor: Chet Holmgren
6MOY: Alex Caruso
MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Overview
Not much to say here. The reigning NBA champions should only get better this season. Unless they suffer a bombardment of injuries they will be the favorites to repeat as champions.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
G: Jrue Holiday / Scoot Henderson
G: Shaedon Sharpe
F: Deni Avdija / Matisse Thybulle
F: Toumani Camara / Jerami Grant
C: Donovan Clingan / Robert Williams III / Hansen Yang
Penny Stock Investment: Matisse Thybulle
X-Factor: Donovan Clingan
6MOY: Scoot Henderson
MVP: Deni Avdija
Overview
The Blazers have an intriguing lineup with some fun players, but I am still not sold on the team as a whole. Lots of people have them as a potential "sleeper" team who can compete for a playoff spot (non play-in). I am not sold on that. I think they have some good players, but not sure they a player that can carry the team offensively. Defensively they should be one of the best in the teams. I think a lot of their potential success rides on the progression of Shaedon Sharpe as a scorer and Scoot Henderson as a productive point guard. If they see that happen they will have one of the better seasons in recent franchise history and give them lots of hope for the future. People think this might be the year the Blazers make a jump, but I think they are one more year away. Especially in a loaded conference I think play-in is their ceiling.
UTAH JAZZ
G: Keyonte George / Isaiah Collier / Walter Clayton Jr
G: Brice Sensabaugh
F: Ace Bailey / Cody Williams
F: Lauri Markkanen / Taylor Hendricks
C: Walker Kessler / Kyle Filipowski
Penny Stock Investment: John Tonje
X-Factor: Young Guards
6MOY: Kyle Filipowski
MVP: Lauri Markkanen
Overview
The Jazz are going to be one of the worst teams in the league once again. They missed the prime time to sell high on Lauri Markkanen a few seasons ago and now they do not have a true building block. Ace Bailey is a young player who has a lot of upside but I expect him to struggle with efficiency in his first season on this team. It would be a successful season if one of the front court players (Taylor Hendricks, Kyle Filipowski) shows they can be a reliable starter, if Brice Sensabaugh can be an efficient scorer, and if one of Keyonte George or Isaiah Collier proves they can be the guard of the future. If 2/3 of those things happen, I would consider this season to be a successful season for the Utah Jazz.
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