LET’S take a deep dive right into NBA storylines that may not be highlighted in the offseason, may not even exist in the opening week, but could snowball into a major game changer before the end of the season.
New York Knicks on the prowl
The Los Angeles Lakers have been analyzed to absurdity, and hopeful (hopeless?) fans keep talking about how the team could swing a major trade using their 2027 and 2029 first round picks along with Russell Westbrook’s soon-to-be expiring contract.
But they are not the only team that can be a destination for disgruntled stars. The New York Knicks have compiled their own assets, and the fulcrum would be Julius Randle, a recent Most Improved Player recipient (on a contract year). Also of interest is Mitchell Robinson, an emerging young center.
Aside from their own picks, they have protected 2023 first round picks from the Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards. While they are protected even beyond the lottery so it won’t work for Victor Wembanyama, the 2023 draft has plenty of good pieces. The Knicks could even package these picks for a lottery pick, if it is a team with multiple needs.
The Philadelphia experiment goes awry
Already the subject of early overreactions, the Sixers could become the most important team, not because of their success but because of their grand failure. Sixers president Daryl Morey’s love affair with James Harden and “small ball” will be the reason for their demise, and there are already factions forming within the team.
Of course, it’s too early to dismiss the Sixers, and the team is just too talented. However, their coach is Doc Rivers, and their roster is practically the 2018-20 super small ball Houston Rockets. The odd man out in this scenario? The big man, who happens to be the extremely outspoken Joel Embiid. Forcing small balls when your franchise player is 7’2, and your coach preaches interior defensive toughness and not much else is a recipe for disaster.
Denver Nuggets mile high at the top?
When the Denver Nuggets are focused, they are hard to beat. Last season, they got 47 wins without their No. 2 and No. 3 players (Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr). MPJ is back and looks brilliant, and we expect Murray to be no less. In the meantime, the Nuggets picked up Bones Hyland, Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and they just beat the defending champions in their home court.
They lost their opener against the Utah Jazz, but the Nuggets will face them three more times, when they are deep into tanking (and may have traded Jordan Clarkson and Mike Conley) and OKC Thunder could also give them freebie games. The Jazz and Thunder are among the teams vying for Victor Wembanyama.
Side note: Let’s not call it the first overall pick for the 2023 NBA Draft. Barring a freak injury, there is not one team that would not pick him if they had the chance. Speaking of tanking:
Super tanking
When the NBA Commissioner actually addresses tanking, it’s really that bad (or good?). Former Commissioner David Stern practically ignored it, or tried to blur the lines. Adam Silver needed to face it, head on.
The odds are more spread out, but instead of discouraging teams from tanking, they were actually encouraged. Owners are looking hard at their roster, their payroll, and they admit that they don’t have a champion team as currently constructed.
There is no middle ground. If you’re not a contender, you might as well be a lottery team and have a chance for the future. There is no glory, or even consolation for being a middle team. Just how many people care about the Indiana Pacers, and their commitment to try and make the playoffs. They never took a step forward, and finally, they decided to tank.
The league is wide open now, but before the trade deadline, there are contenders — perhaps 6-8 teams. The rest will evaluate if the playoffs are worth chasing. You’ll only get beaten. But making the lottery will give you a shot at the unicorn among unicorns.
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