Photo Credit: Tony Dejak, AP

The NBA season has finally returned. After a memorable off-season, the focus is back on the action on the court and the dozens of intriguing storylines. Who can stop the Golden State Warriors? Who will win NBA MVP? Will the Boston Celtics dethrone LeBron James and the Cavaliers? Will the superstar trio in OKC work out in the long-term? So much to follow in what should be an exciting season.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics:

Notable Additions: Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward

Notable Departures: Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Avery Bradley

What to watch for this season: Kyrie Irving’s offensive game blossoming under Brad Stevens

Biggest concern: Rebounding and bench scoring

It is crazy to think that a team that played in the conference finals last season would come into the new season with just four returning players. Usually when that happens, it would signal the start of a long and horrendous rebuilding process but in the case of Danny Ainge’s Celtics, it was the end of one of the most successful rebuilding stages in NBA history.

The Celtics offseason was a wild one starting with Ainge trading the #1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft to shocking everyone with the Kyrie Irving trade. The offseason also featured some tough goodbyes as fan favorites Avery Bradley, Isaiah Thomas, and Jae Crowder were all traded after a successful #1 seed and ECF season.

Nonetheless, Ainge has now gone all out to end rebuilding and begin contending now. Kyrie will be a man on a mission this season. He desperately wanted to move out of the shadow of LeBron and now he has the spotlight all to himself with a legacy to build. Gordon Hayward reuniting with Brad Stevens will be just like old times as his versatile scoring and unlimited range will be an enormous boost to the offense. And do not overlook the impact that Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum can have this season — these two will wreck havoc on defense along with their improving offensive game.

Ultimately, the success of the Celtics season will boil down to whether they can finally dethrone LeBron James and the Cavaliers. Unlike in previous seasons where they were given the “overachievers” label for just making the playoffs, the Celtics are now in the stage where taking the next step and reaching the NBA Finals is the new expectation.

Brooklyn Nets

Notable Additions: D’Angelo Russell, Allen Crabbe, DeMarre Carroll, and Timofey Mozgov

Notable Departures: Brook Lopez and Justin Hamilton

What to watch for this season: D’Angelo Russell’s development

Biggest concern: Scoring outside of Lin and Russell

For the first time in years, Nets fans actually have something to look forward to this season. The addition of D’Angelo Russell has instilled new hope into a fan base that has had to endure a couple of miserable seasons in this decade.

Russell will be a player to watch out for this season not only because of a new team but because he could have one of the biggest breakout seasons this year. In a new offense, Russell has all that he needs to break out and showcase his offensive talents. Under head coach Kenny Atkinson, Russell will very likely play at the shooting guard position and in a more on-ball role to keep him active and aggressive throughout games. Russell has shown glimpses of what he can offensively such as with his seven 25-point games last season but consistency and an improved 3-point shot will be the x-factor for his improvement.

Overall, this Nets team could be a pleasant surprise. While they might not make the playoffs, this team will be hungry and focused as they have a roster full of “chip on their shoulder” players with a ton to prove. Be on the lookout for some unexpected upset wins by the Nets this season.

New York Knicks

Notable Additions: Frank Ntilikina, Tim Hardaway Jr., Enes Kanter, and Doug McDermott

Notable Departures: Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose

What to watch for this season: Chemistry between Frank Ntilikina and Kristaps Porzingis

Biggest concern: Perimeter defense and leadership

It was yet another eventful offseason from the Knicks. It all began with Kristaps Porzingis missing the exit interview, which garnered some criticism to both sides. Then, it went downhill (kind of) after the Knicks signed Tim Hardaway Jr. to a 4-year, $71 million deal, which left Knicks fans wondering why sign him during a rebuild? But it eventually got better. James Dolan finally fired Phil Jackson but sadly, it ended with the trade of Carmelo Anthony, an underappreciated star who deserved better.

So for the thousandth time in 20 years, the New York “Euro” Knicks will reset and begin with a fresh slate. Only this time, they have a young face of the franchise type player that they can build around. This is now Kristaps Porzingis’ team.

Porzingis is coming off of an impressive tournament performance at EuroBasket 2017 where he averaged 23.6 PPG and 1.9 BPG.

As he did at EuroBasket 2017, look for Porzingis to improve his shooting and most importantly, his 3-point shot. Porzingis will have a much bigger part in the offense now with Carmelo gone so expect his shot attempts per game and usage % to go up.

After last season’s mediocre offensive season, the Knicks will also look to get some positive production from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Doug McDermott. With the triangle offense philosophy abandoned, these two should be a major focus into the Knicks offensive gameplan as they look to not overload Porzingis will all of the offensive responsibilities.

On paper, the Knicks are bound for another lottery season but this is the Eastern Conference so never say never…

Philadelphia 76ers

Notable Additions: Markelle Fultz, J.J. Redick, and Amir Johnson

Notable Departures: Gerald Henderson

What to watch for this season: The FEDS’ first season together

Biggest concern: Health

Excitement is in the air in Philadelphia for the 76ers upcoming season. Joel Embiid is healthy, Dario Saric is coming off of an encouraging rookie season, and Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons will be making their debuts this year. 76ers fans have trusted The Process for years and now they potentially have the next Eastern Conference dynasty.

What is most intriguing about this team is how Ben Simmons will fit in. His athleticism and versatility can have him play the point guard position and become the main ball handler or he can wind up as a forward. As it stands, head coach Brett Brown will likely roll him out at the 4 but he will not play the traditional power forward role but rather bring up the ball up the court and space the floor too.

If this team can stay healthy and if Brett Brown can perfect the rotations, then the 76ers can realistically fight for the #6 or #7 seed in the weaken Eastern Conference. If the season goes south and the injuries begin to pile up, well then 76ers fans will have to trust The Process all over again and hope for a high lottery pick.

Toronto Raptors

Notable Additions: C.J Miles

Notable Departures: DeMarre Carroll, P.J. Tucker, Cory Joseph, and Patrick Patterson

What to watch for this season: DeMar DeRozan improving his 3-point shot

Biggest concern: Bench productivity and 3-point shooting

The Toronto Raptors are in an interesting position in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors were able to bring back Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka while adding C.J. Miles and dumping DeMarre Carroll’s contract but they lost three key contributors in P.J. Tucker, Patrick Patterson, and Cory Joseph. Even after a positive off-season, the Raptors are still left looking up at a much tougher road to the NBA Finals with not only the Cavs but the emergence of the Celtics and Wizards in their way.

One thing to keep an eye out for this season is the play of DeMar DeRozan. Last season, DeRozan improved his PPG and FG% while posting a 34.3 usage %. The workload will be even heavier this season so an underperforming season can be disastrous for the Raptors. If the Raptors will take the next step this season, the Raptors will need DeRozan to transform into 2005 Kobe Bryant because it takes a one of a kind player to take down a superteam.

Central Division

Chicago Bulls

Notable Additions: Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine

Notable Departures: Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo, and Taj Gibson

What to watch for this season: The development of Kris Dunn

Biggest concern: Everything

This team is in shambles. Since the end of last season, the Bulls have: traded Jimmy Butler in a lopsided trade, traded Jordan Bell for cash, and bought out Dwyane Wade by paying him $15 million to not play in Chicago.

The disastrous off-season even prompted thousands of Bulls fans across the world to fund a #FireGarPax billboard in Chicago (don’t doubt the power of Reddit).

Now of course, Gar Forman and John Paxson were not fired in response to this but Bulls fans made their voices heard that enough is enough. Poor front office management and leadership has turned a team that was once a serious championship contender five years ago to now the newest laughingstock of the NBA.

Now looking ahead to this season and even near the future, there is a feeling of hopelessness in Chicago. Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine are two promising young players but they are not close to being franchise changing players. Dunn’s potential can see him become a 15 PPG/10 APG type of player but even that is a reach after his disappointing rookie season. LaVine, on the other hand, has already shown what he can produce on the court. He is coming off of an 18 PPG on 45% shooting season. Similar to the growth of Blake Griffin, LaVine will look to prove that he is more than just a dunker.

Bulls fans should be inspired by what the 76ers fans endured through with the “Trust the Process” motto because that is now their reality.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Notable Additions: Isaiah Thomas, Dwyane Wade, Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose, and Ante Zizic

Notable Departures: Kyrie Irving

What to watch for this season: The reunion of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade

Biggest concern: Isaiah Thomas’ hip injury

Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue will be constructing new rotations and a brand new starting lineup this season but there is not much to worry about when you have the best player in the game. Regardless of the which NBA players are playing alongside him, LeBron will always find ways to get them involved by exploiting their strengths.

With Kyrie out of LeBron’s shadow, Isaiah Thomas will look to fill the offensive void. Thomas will have the advantage of playing alongside a pass-friendly superstar that is unselfish and puts team accomplishments over personal statistics. When Thomas returns in December or January, he should continue where he left off last season as the aggressive scorer that drives to the rim and collects clutch 4th quarter buckets.

Even though Thomas’ injury was a major concern for the Cavs front office, the team should not really worry about his production this season and just focus on getting him healthy for the 2nd half of the season. The Cavs proved it last season in the Eastern Conference Finals that playoff positioning and home-court advantage is not much of a priority when you have LeBron, who is unstoppable in Eastern Conference playoff series matchups. Team chemistry and health should be the highest priority this season as the Cavs look to avenge their Finals loss to the Warriors and look to meet up for part IV. So for the regular season, just enjoy watching LeBron and Wade produce highlight plays and Rose putting together some vintage performances that will make you think again, what if he stayed healthy throughout his career?

Detroit Pistons

Notable Additions: Avery Bradley

Notable Departures: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Marcus Morris, and Aron Baynes

What to watch for this season: Avery Bradley’s lockdown defense

Biggest concern: Who will be the consistent #1 scorer?

After an impressive playoff season in 2015–2016, the Pistons regressed last season and finished with a losing record and missed the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons. Now on paper, the Pistons do not look like an intriguing team that you would regularly watch on League Pass but there is a lot to like about this team.

The departures of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Marcus Morris will very likely free up starter minutes for the promising Stanley Johnson. He has shown excellent flashes of defensive brilliance but he will need to balance it out with a polished offensive game. Pistons fans should hope that Johnson spent the last five months working on his 3-point shot and overall shot release.

The addition of Avery Bradley was arguably one of the biggest non-star additions of the NBA off-season. Bradley can be a 15 PPG player while also providing All-NBA defensive performances.

In the big picture, Detroit will go as far as Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond take them. A healthy 18 PPG Reggie Jackson along with an improved post and mid-range shooting Drummond can get the Pistons right back into the playoffs. In the depleted Eastern Conference, the playoffs are realistic possibility for every team so look out for the Pistons as they will likely fight for a #7 or #8 seed if all goes right.

Indiana Pacers

Notable Additions: Victor Oladipo, Darren Collison, Cory Joseph, and Domantas Sabonis

Notable Departures: Paul George, C.J. Miles, Jeff Teague, and Monta Ellis

What to watch for this season: This is Myles Turner’s team now

Biggest concern: Wing scoring

The post-Paul George era in Indiana will begin this season in bittersweet fashion. The “leaked” news of Paul George wanting to play for the Lakers in 2018 ticked off some fans and management as the team lost any leverage they had in a trade. While it was strange to see it all play out in the off-season, it is safe to say that Pacers fans have already moved on and are excited for the future.

Not just Pacers fans but NBA fans should be excited to see the development of Myles Turner. Last season in his second year, Turner improved his PPG, FG%, and TRB. Turner has also joined the league-wide revolution of big men embracing the 3-point shot. Turner shot 34% from 3-point land while taking 115 3-point shots, which ranked in the top 20 among 4’s and 5’s. With a polished post game and improved defensive rebounding, expect Turner to make a huge leap this season and contend for the Most Improved Player of the Year award.

Aside from Turner, there is not much to look forward to with this Pacers team. This team could surprise fans by sneaking into the playoffs or end up as a lottery team, win-win situation for Pacers fans at this stage in the rebuild.

Milwaukee Bucks

Notable Additions: None

Notable Departures: Michael Beasley

What to watch for this season: Giannis Antetokounmpo continuing to improve all aspects of his game

Biggest concern: Is Jason Kidd the right coach for this team?

After a disappointing 2016–2017 playoff campaign where they were eliminated by the Raptors in the 1st round, the Bucks will look to take a giant step this season and begin to cement their status as the East’s next dynasty team. But can they?

The Bucks have only won a total of four playoff games in the Giannis era so far. The team has continued to stock up on young talent but along the way, injuries have held them back. Last season, Khris Middleton played in just 29 games while Jabari Parker tore his ACL and will miss significant time this season.

This team does have what it takes to challenge the Cavs in the Eastern Conference. Giannis has been improving season by season and he will look to become a serious MVP contender this year. Rookie of the Year winner Malcolm Brogdon has all the tools to become one of the best all-around point guards in the NBA. The bench is underrated as they have an array of scorers and playmakers that can bring a spark to the game.

The Bucks will have heavy expectations this season to win over 50 games and win a playoff series. If they fail to do so, goodbye Jason Kidd.

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

Notable Additions: Dewayne Dedmon

Notable Departures: Paul Millsap, Dwight Howard, Thabo Sefolosha, and Tim Hardaway Jr.

What to watch for this season: The Dennis Schroder and Dewayne Dedmon pick-and-roll duo

Biggest concern: Can Taurean Prince and John Collins become effective offensive players?

The Hawks are now officially in rebuilding mode but a restart is a better phrase to describe their status

All eyes will now be on the core trio of young players that the Hawks hope can become key franchise players. Dennis Schroder will look to continue improving after coming off of a Most Improved Player of the Year type season last year where he raised his PPG, FG%, 3P%, and APG by a significant margin. Taurean Prince will have an expanded role this season in year two as he will be the starting small forward. He has shown promise on both sides of the ball and he will look to translate that into a breakout sophomore season. Lastly, rookie John Collins will likely be shifting between the 4 and 5. The Hawks are very high on him as he comes in looking to try and replace Paul Millsap — tough task.

While playoffs might not be on the radar this season, the Hawks are trending in the right direction.

Charlotte Hornets

Notable Additions: Dwight Howard and Malik Monk

Notable Departures: Marco Belinelli

What to watch for this season: The underrated Kemba Walker

Biggest concern: Will the Hornets regret bringing in Dwight Howard?

The Hornets are coming off of a disappointing season where they finished five games under the .500 mark and missed the playoffs again. The roster is mostly the same except for the additions of Dwight Howard and Malik Monk.

With Howard, who knows which D12 the Hornets will get. Could Howard return to his dominant Magic days or will he be inconsistent as he has benn with his last three teams? Howard will certainly be a major part of the offense but will he be a reliable threat? There is so much uncertainty with Howard on the Hornets and if it fails, it will not end well.

Aside from Kemba Walker, where will the offense come from? No other player on this roster has proven to be a consistent scorer. This is likely where Malik Monk can step in and assist in a major way. The Hornets have not had a scorer like Monk off the bench in years. If Monk can prove that he is an NBA-ready scorer and deliver quality offensive performances throughout the season, the Hornets might just have enough to return to the playoffs.

Miami Heat

Notable Additions: Kelly Olynyk and Bam Adebayo

Notable Departures: Willie Reed

What to watch for this season: The Heat overachieving again

Biggest concern: Consistency from Dion Waiters

The Heat overachieved expectations by finishing the 2nd half of the season with an out of nowhere 30–11 finish. This season, the Heat are once again in the same position as last year — the under the radar team that no one expects much out of.

Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters will be the main scorers on this team. Both can create their shot in multiple different ways and they have a superb 3-point shot. Hassan Whiteside on the other hand will be tasked to be the dominant defensive force that also has an underappreciated offensive game. James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk will be a unique offensive threat as they can space the floor and drive to the rim. Tyler Johnson should also provide quality minutes off the bench and bolster Erik Spoelstra’s offense.

If healthy, the Heat should bring over the momentum that they had last season into this year for a playoff season.

Orlando Magic

Notable Additions: Jonathan Simmons, Jonathan Isaac, Shelvin Mack, Marreese Speights, Adreian Payne and Arron Afflalo

Notable Departures: Jeff Green, C.J. Watson and Jodie Meeks

What to watch for this season: Which young player will have a breakout season?

Biggest concern: Consistency on defense

It seems like every season, the Magic are one of the favorites to have a breakout season that ends with a playoff berth. Instead, the team falls flat and they finish among the worst records in the league. Last season was disastrous as the Magic finished 27th in PPG and 22nd in PPG allowed. Although it seems that the organization is trending in the wrong direction, this year feels like the start of something positive.

In year two of Frank Vogel’s tenure with the Magic, you get the sense that with a stacked young roster in a weak East, it is playoff or bust. Change begins with the young and promising players having a bounce back season this year, starting with Elfrid Payton, Aaron Gordon, and Mario Hezonja. The same goes for rookie Jonathan Isaac. If he can come into this team and emerge as a double-double type player, it can go a long way into helping the Magic get over the hump.

Washington Wizards

Notable Additions: Jodie Meeks and Tim Frazier

Notable Departures: Bojan Bogdanovic

What to watch for this season: The Wall and Beal duo

Biggest concern: Pressure to improve after last season’s success

While much of the Eastern Conference either added or lost key players, the Wizards remained the same. Why change? They are coming off an impressive playoff run that included a memorable Game 6 against Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

But you know how it ended. Kelly Olynyk turned into playoff LeBron and eliminated the Wizards in Game 7.

In the off-season, the Wizards made keeping their core a top priority as they extended Otto Porter and John Wall to long-term contracts.

Now the question for this Wizards team, can they repeat last season’s success and even make an Eastern Conference Finals run… or surprise the NBA and make the Finals? John Wall has repeatedly stated that he wants to stay with Washington and lead them to the Finals but it will not be easy. The Cavs and Celtics will be the two teams in their way this season and maybe for the rest of this decade.

If the Wizards want to take the next step, they will need more than just John Wall and Bradley Beal carrying them. Otto Porter will need to prove that he is worth the max contract and grow into one of the best two-way players in the NBA. Kelly Oubre’s scoring will need to improve and if he can be a double-digit PPG bench player, watch out for the Wizards.

Western Conference

Northwest Division

Denver Nuggets

Notable Additions: Paul Millsap, Trey Lyles, and Tyler Lydon

Notable Departures: Danilo Gallinari

What to watch for this season: The Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic duo

Biggest concern: Defense

The Nuggets proved to their fan base that they will be major players in free agency as they signed Paul Millsap to a 3-year, $90 million deal. It is really refreshing to see a small market team make a splash move in free agency, good for the organization and the NBA in general.

The Nuggets offense has the talent to hang with the best teams in the NBA but that is not the case with their defense. If the Nuggets were an NFL team, they would be the New Orleans Saints — elite offense but their defense is what holds them back. Defense will be the major concern for the Nuggets and the x-factor that will determine whether this will be a playoff season. The Nuggets ranked 27th in PPG allowed and had a defensive rating of 112.7. In a conference that features so many elite offensive talents, the Nuggets will need to tighten up their defense by playing strong isolation D and contain the 3-point shot.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Notable Additions: Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, Jamal Crawford, and Aaron Brooks

Notable Departures: Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, Omri Casspi, and Adreian Payne

What to watch for this season: Karl Anthony-Towns putting together an MVP type season

Biggest concern: Will Thibs’ heavy minute usage on the starters hurt them down the season?

Timberwolves fans have not seen their team in the playoffs since 2004 but that will very likely change this season. The additions of Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, and bench players Jamal Crawford and Aaron Brooks have this T-Wolves team in the midst of a wild Western Conference playoff battle. KAT should continue to build off of his incredible season last year while Andrew Wiggins, fresh off of signing a max extension, will look to continue to raise his PPG average again and hopefully improve his defense too. Expect the T-Wolves to make some noise in the playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Notable Additions: Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Patterson, Raymond Felton, and Isaiah Canaan

Notable Departures: Taj Gibson, Victor Oladipo, Enes Kanter, Domantas Sabonis, and Doug McDermott

What to watch for this season: Chemistry between Russ, PG13 and Hoddie Melo

Biggest concern: Bench productivity

The Thunder came into the off-season with two concerning questions: How will Sam Presti improve this team and will Russell Westbrook commit to a long-term extension?

Well, don’t doubt Presti.

Presti was able to trade for Paul George and Carmelo Anthony in exchange for Oladipo, Sabonis, Kanter, McDermott, and a 2018 2nd round pick. AND Westbrook committed to the team by signing a $205M extenstion.

Now this OKC team has their sights set on one goal: taking down the defending champion Warriors.

Can they do it? Well, it will take an amazing effort from the star trio to do so. Russell Westbrook would need to repeat his MVP form from last season, Carmelo needs to transform into Hoodie Melo, and Paul George would need to come up clutch like in his recent playoff performances. But this is a hungry and motivated trio that are out to prove their doubters wrong and each have one person that they would like to have a last laugh against.

Portland Trail Blazers

Notable Additions: Zach Collins, Caleb Swanigan, Anthony Morrow, and Archie Goodwin

Notable Departures: Allen Crabbe, Festus Ezeli, and Tim Quarterman

What to watch for this season: Jusuf Nurkic’s development

Biggest concern: Stopping fast paced defenses

The Trail Blazers did not make a big splash during the off-season but they did make a couple of good moves. The Blazers were able to get rid of Allen Crabbe’s contract and they added two promising power forwards with Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan.

Overall, this is a well-rounded roster but are they good enough to make the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference? They will need Damian Lillard to play like he is about to get snubbed from the All-Star game so he can drop 30 points every night. They will also need their promising center Jusuf Nurkic to become the next consistent double-double center. Now while the Blazers are not stacked 1–15 like the Warriors, Spurs, Rockets, or Thunder, they are certainly good enough to return to the playoffs.

Utah Jazz

Notable Additions: Ricky Rubio, Jonas Jerebko, Donovan Mitchell, Ekpe Udoh, and Thabo Sefolosha

Notable Departures: Gordon Hayward, George, Hill, Boris Diaw, Trey Lyles and Shelvin Mack

What to watch for this season: Rubio dishing assists to Gobert

Biggest concern: Who will replace Gordon Hayward’s offensive production?

For a franchise that looked to become a potential powerhouse in the Western Conference, Gordon Hayward’s departure erased any hope of that. Unlike in a situation where a franchise star leaves and the team rebuilds, this Jazz team will not be doing that. Instead, Rudy Gobert will now takeover as the franchise star and the Jazz will just move on.

Gobert’s strengths will be exploited playing alongside a pass-first point guard like Ricky Rubio. Rubio has already shown what he can do playing with a talented center in KAT. Expect a new Lob City in the NBA…

The Jazz are also excited about their 2017 1st round pick Donovan Mitchell. The 21-year-old out of Louisville excelled in the Summer League and preseason. As it stands, Rodney Hood will be the starting shooting guard but if Mitchell continues to impress, the starting role will be his.

Do not expect the Jazz to completely collapse and become one of the worst teams in the NBA because Hayward left. 35 games seems like a realistically target for the Jazz while 30 is a worst case scenario and a winning season as the best case scenario.

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors

Notable Additions: Jordan Bell, Omri Casspi, and Nick Young

Notable Departures: Ian Clark and James Michael McAdoo

What to watch for this season: How many games will they win?

Biggest concern: Nothing

The biggest question in the NBA this season: who can stop the Golden State Warriors? Even after a crazy off-season where many teams decided to not shy away and add talent to compete, the Warriors are still the favorites to win it all again. The Warriors somehow also got slightly better during the off-season. They added two superb off the bench scorers with Nick Young and Omri Casspi along with trading for rookie Jordan Bell, who impressed in March Madness.

As long as Curry, Klay, KD, and Dray are all playing together in their primes, the Warriors will be the unstoppable and immovable force in the NBA.

Los Angeles Clippers

Notable Additions: Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari, Milos Teodosic

Notable Departures: Paul Pierce, Jamal Crawford, Chris Paul, and J.J. Redick

What to watch for this season: Danilo Gallinari’s offensive game

Biggest concern: Performances against the elite teams in the West

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer saved the franchise in the off-season. Instead of losing Chris Paul in free agency, the team traded him to the Rockets for a few key role players that can help improve the team. Ballmer also went all out by acquiring Danilo Gallinari and convincing Blake Griffin to stay. If Ballmer decided to stay back and let a long rebuild unfold, who knows how long it would last considering this team’s bad draft picks over the last 30+ years.

Even without arguably the best player in franchise history (sorry Blake), the Clippers will be a fun team to watch. Doc Rivers will have a defensive specialist in Patrick Beverley to rely on and contain some of the best point guards in the Western Conference. Gallinari’s offensive game will be like a breath of fresh air to this team as not only can he space to floor but is also an underrated, no-dribble scorer . Jamal Crawford is gone but Lou Williams will fill in and become the main off the bench scorer for the Clippers.

Los Angeles Lakers

Notable Additions: Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brook Lopez, Andrew Bogut, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart

Notable Departures: D’Angelo Russell

What to watch for this season: Lonzo Ball’s rookie season

Biggest concern: Will Lonzo Ball live up to the hype?

Excitement for Lakers basketball has not been this high in years.

The addition of Lonzo Ball to the team has fans buzzing in a new era for the Lakers. The Lakers have not had an electric pass-first point guard since Magic Johnson and the Lakers, especially Magic, hope that Lonzo can come close to what Magic accomplished. To me, Lonzo’s game is more of a Jason Kidd type player — not an elite scorer but his passing can bring best out of his teammates and he was always a threat to post a triple-double.

The Lakers hope that Lonzo’s superb court vision and ball handling skills will elevate the team to success and especially elevate Brandon Ingram’s game, a player who is desperate for an impressive breakout season. If the two can have good chemistry on the court, the rebuilding process in Los Angeles might not last very long.

Phoenix Suns

Notable Additions: Josh Jackson

Notable Departures: None

What to watch for this season: The Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker backcourt

Biggest concern: Health

Although the Suns were not among the Western Conference teams that added a star player in the off-season, they are still a team to watch out for. They have very slim hopes at the playoffs but Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, and Marquese Chriss give Phoenix hope that the team can return to the glory days of the 2000’s.

Devin Booker is the main attraction and a player that is more than “the guy who dropped 70 on Boston.” Last season, Booker averaged 22.1 PPG in 35 MPG. He is not a playmaker that can distribute the ball and create plays but rather a one-dimensional offensive player but he is still young and has a long way to go to polish all aspects of his game. To take the next step in his young career, Booker first needs to address his mediocre shooting percentage after shooting 42% last season. A healthy Bledsoe and Warren should help out Booker this season as opponents will now have to keep an eye on the trio rather than double-team Booker every game.

If the Suns struggle out of the gates again, look out for them to be sellers by the trade deadline as they look to reload with young prospects and draft picks.

Sacramento Kings

Notable Additions: De’Aaron Fox, George Hill, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter, Justin Jackson, Frank Mason III, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Harry Giles

Notable Departures: Darren Collison, Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo, Ben McLemore and Rudy Gay

What to watch for this season: Development of the young players

Biggest concern: But will the young players develop under this system and coaching?

The Kings’ off-season moves set their future plan in stone: stock up on young and promising prospects. The team currently has six players on the roster under the age of 23 to go along with the faces of the franchise inBuddy Hield and Willie Cauley-Stein. Vlade Divac’s shift from building around DeMarcus Cousins to moving to a youth movement is risky but the end result could see Sacramento with two or three long-term starters.

The additions of George Hill, Vince Carter, and Zach Randolph confused many but their veteran presence will be huge for the development of the Kings young players. Minutes rotation should not be an issue either for head coach Dave Joerger. As it stands, George Hill and Zach Randolph will be starting but in the case that Fox, Mason, Labissiere, or Giles impress in their bench role, Joerger will have no problem inserting them into the starting role.

The Kings might not make the playoffs this season but at least there is finally a plan to look forward to in Sacramento.

Southwest Division

Dallas Mavericks

Notable Additions: Dennis Smith Jr. and Josh McRoberts

Notable Departures: None

What to watch for this season: Dirk Nowitzki’s farewell season?

Biggest concern: Offensive production

The biggest concern coming into the season for the Mavericks is arguably offense. Last season, the Mavs ranked last in the NBA in PPG with 97.9 PPG and 25th in offensive rating with 105.6. The Mavs’ offense was slow and stagnant as they ranked 29th in pace and were miles away from teams in the West were producing.

At a first glance, this year’s Mavericks should be at the least better offensively. Dirk looks healthy and ready for his 20th season. Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell overachieved last season and they should carry their success into this year. Harrison Barnes emerged as the team’s leading scorer last season and with an improving mid-range and 3-point game, Barnes has a good shot at orchestrating his first career 20+ PPG season. And last but not least, Rookie of the Year candidate Dennis Smith Jr. has his eyes set on making a huge impact in his rookie season by living up to the high expectations.

Houston Rockets

Notable Additions: Chris Paul and P.J. Tucker

Notable Departures: Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell, and Lou Williams

What to watch for this season: How CP3 will fit in

Biggest concern: Bench depth

Let me start off by giving a huge shoutout to Daryl Morey and the Rockets. Instead of standing back and watching the Warriors steamroll the competition, the Rockets decided to out and bring in All-Star point guard Chris Paul. Of course, this is a huge risk. Worst case scenario is that Paul becomes ineffective in the Rockets high-scoring, 3-point offense and they end up regretting trading away four players that were pivotal in last season’s 55-win team.

Or, you can look at it from the optimist’s point of view and see how one of the best passers of this generation will flow into the Rockets’ system with ease. Paul will be the main distributor and create 3-point opportunities for teammates rather than have them create their own shot on the dribble. Clint Capela should be a major part of this offense as well. Maybe Paul can recreate Lob City in Houston but this time around, Capela will be dunking on opponents.

It’s going to be a Royal Rumble for spots 2–5 in the Western Conference and if all goes well for Houston, the #2 spot should be theirs.

Memphis Grizzlies

Notable Additions: Mario Chalmers, Tyreke Evans and Ivan Rabb

Notable Departures: Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter and Troy Daniels

What to watch for this season: A healthy Chandler Parsons?

Biggest concern: How much will the loss of Tony Allen and Zach Randolph hurt them?

In just his first season in Memphis, head coach Dave Fizdale exceeded expectations by leading the injury-plagued Grizzlies to yet another playoff season. This season, he faces another challenge as he will not have Grizzlies greats Tony Allen and Zach Randolph and he will have to maneuver his way with a roster filled with players that have a long history of injuries.

Aside from injuries, major question marks surround this team. Can Chandler Parsons live up to the mega contract he received a year ago? In the 34 games that he played in last season, Parsons averaged an atrocious 6.2 PPG on 33% shooting. And in a conference filled with elite offenses, can the Grizzlies hang with the best? They have been known for their elite all-around defense in this decade but that is not going to cut it out in this era of fast paced offenses. The team ranked 29th in PPG last season, just ahead of the Mavericks. It’s up to Mike Conley and Chandler Parsons to carry them offensively. Also look for Fizdale to run more faster offensive sets and for the team to shoot more 3’s.

New Orleans Pelicans

Notable Additions: Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen and Ian Clark

Notable Departures: Tim Frazier

What to watch for this season: Davis and Cousins playing a full season together

Biggest concern: Scoring outside of Davis and Cousins

Even though Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins statistically dominated the 2nd half of the season last year, the Pelicans still finished 11–14 in their final 25 games of the season. You can expect Davis and Cousins to put up video game numbers every night but that will not get it done in the West.

This team will go as far as their supporting cast takes them. Rajon Rondo will need to transform into triple-double Celtics Rondo and be the playmaker that earned him the recognition as one of the best passers of the last decade.

In the case of Jrue Holiday, the Pelicans can not afford to lose him for over 20 games again. Avoiding a major and shifting to an aggressive offensive mentality are what the Pelicans need from Holiday this year. And for a bench that look like they will be among the worst offensively this season, Ian Clark and Tyreke Evans need to lead the way and provide stellar off the bench offensive performances.

It is make or break time for the Pelicans. If the Pelicans struggle and are out of the playoff race early on, look for the Anthony Davis trade rumors to heat up once again.

San Antonio Spurs

Notable Additions: Joffrey Lauvergne and Rudy Gay

Notable Departures: Jonathan Simmons, Dewayne Dedmon and David Lee

What to watch for this season: Kawhi Leonard putting the team on his back

Biggest concern: A motivated LaMarcus Aldridge

Somehow, someway even with the injuries and a depleted roster, the San Antonio Spurs won over 60 games last season. This is thanks in large part to an incredible season on both sides of the ball from Kawhi Leonard. Once again, Leonard raised his PPG average by hitting the 25.5 PPG mark while shooting 48%. He capped off his stellar season by finishing 3rd in MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting.

As was seen in the Western Conference Finals last season, the Spurs need to be more than just a team that relies solely on Kawhi to deliver. During Tim Duncan’s prime, he was never in a position to put the team on his back and carry them for long periods of time because the starters and role players always had his back. That’s not the case with the current Spurs. Tony Parker, Pau Gasol, and Manu Ginobili are all well past their primes and are all likely in the final two or three years of their careers. Overachievers Jonathan Simmons and Dewayne Dedmon left the team after breaking out onto the scene last season. Finally, the curious case of LaMarcus Aldridge. His play is on a downward trend and there rumors over the past year that he is leaning towards requesting a trade.

Even with the red flags, there is no need to worry when you have arguably a top three head coach in NBA history. The Spurs unselfish system will lead them to another 50+ win season as they look to get revenge on the Warriors.

NBA awards, All-NBA, All-Defensive, and All-Rookie predictions:

Standings and Playoff predictions

Eastern Conference 1st round predictions: Cavs over the Pistons in 4, Celtics over the 76ers in 5, Wizards over the Heat in 5, and the Bucks over the Raptors in 7.

Western Conference 1st round predictions: Warriors over the Blazers in 4, Rockets over the Nuggets in 6, Spurs over the Clippers in 5, and the Thunder over the Timberwolves in 6.

Eastern Conference Semifinal predictions: Cavs over the Bucks in 5 and the Celtics over the Wizards in 5.

Western Conference Semifinal predictions: Warriors over the Thunder in 6 and the Rockets over the Spurs in 7.

Western Conference Finals prediction: Warriors over the Rockets in 5.

Eastern Conference Finals prediction: Cavaliers over the Celtics in 7.

2018 NBA Finals prediction: The Warriors remain at the top of the mountain for the 3rd time in 4 years as they will beat the Cavaliers in 5 games again.

Writer’s Note: All depth charts in this article are a projection and not the official team depth chart. Stats credited to ESPN and Basketball Reference. Special shoutout to Operation Sports for their great depth chart templates.