It is that time of year again, where pundits and fans across the globe make their predictions on the upcoming NBA season. It is a fresh start to see the top players in the game make their mark on the league in spectacular fashion.

As usual, individual awards will be handed out following the end of the regular season in order to reward players for their performances over 82-games.

For this upcoming season, we have seen a lot of movement from a lot of superstar players and plenty of roster changes. This season is shaping up to be one of the best ever and here are the predictions of the major awards heading into 2020.

Coach of the Year: Doc Rivers

Doc Rivers will manage to be rewarded for his efforts in leading the Clippers to an excellent season this year. Of course, the Clippers will succeed mostly because of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but Rivers is a Hall-of-Fame coach with an incredible ability to get the most out of his players.

Much like his 2008 Championship season with the Celtics, he has an assortment of stars and role-players that should make his team the favorites. This award often rewards winning, and the Clippers will do a lot of it.

6th Man of the Year: Lou Williams

Williams will manage to snag another 6th man of the year award, as he is simply the most dominate player coming off the bench. He can score points in bunches and does so at a very consistent rate.

Williams is one of those special players that thrives coming into the game and being the focal point of the offense, without his team losing their flow. He is quick, agile, and has developed into a fantastic shooter from beyond. Barring any unexpected performances by other bench players, Lou Williams will be very crucial for the Clippers off the bench.

Most Improved Player: Derrick White

Derrick White unexpectedly came into his own last season, following the injury to Spurs’ starting point guard Dejounte Murray. White slowly became one of the key players in the Spurs system, even when surrounded by two All-Star players in LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan.

Even during the playoffs, White showcased an incredible skillset on both sides of the floor. He gets at it defensively and can get hot when his shots are falling. Many times during last season, White was playing like an All-Star player. Expect White to continue his development, and become one of the key cogs for the Spurs future.

Rookie of the Year: Zion Williamson

In one of the most exciting draft classes in recent memory, Zion leads the pack for a chance at winning the ROY award. He will receive plenty of opportunities to produce at a high level, along with all the media attention that can be compared to a certain LeBron James.

While no one expects the Pelicans to be great, Zion will do wonders for his first season if he is able to put up big numbers and potentially sneak his team to the playoffs. Even if they do not make it, Zion’s production and highlight-reel plays will honor him at the end of the season. He still must be able to outplay Ja Morant, who will also be contending for this award from the very first game of the season.

Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis

Davis will be a force for the Lakers, leading them to a strong seeding and putting up spectacular numbers. Davis will be the focal point of the Lakers’ offense, along with LeBron James, and will score a lot of points with his incredible skill set. However, Davis will take the next leap and become Defensive Player of the Year.

He will use his incredible length and athleticism to block shots, come up with steals, and defend the rim with purpose. He will also be able to switch out to guards and stay close to them to prevent easy looks. It can be assumed that Davis is hungry for an award on his resume, and will start the season locked in on defense.

Most Valuable Player: Stephen Curry

Curry will be forced to lead his Warriors team in the absence of Klay Thompson and the departed Kevin Durant and will put up extraordinary scoring numbers. Curry will remain hot from the perimeter all season long and will be the main man on a team that will still be in title contention. Remember, the Warriors have an excellent starting case with the return of Draymond Green and the signing of D’Angelo Russell.

The Warriors will win enough games, and Curry will play at a high level all season to grab the MVP award. Most likely, teams resting their star players will be a major factor this upcoming season so it provides ample opportunity to prove who the best point guard in the league is.

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