J-Speaks: 2019-20 NBA OffSeason Review/Season Preview

The summer, the National Basketball Association (NBA) had greatest game of musical chairs in its history with Six of the 15 All- NBA selections changed addresses this summer via trade or free agency, including the reigning Finals MVP. A couple of teams via free agency and blockbuster trades put together dynamic duos, including the boys from “Clutch City;” and both teams from the “City of Angels.” Perhaps the biggest change that happened this offseason was how a plethora of teams enter this season with a legitimate chance of winning the Larry O’ Brien trophy, with this past season’s Finals participants not even being predicted to be there in June. For each of the 30 NBA squads, all this change has raised a question, which will be tackled in the J-Speaks 2019-20 NBA Off-Season Review/Season Preview.

Abbreviation Key, which represents statistics from this a season ago: ppg-points per game; rpg- rebounds per game; spg-steals per game; bpg-block shots per game; FG%-field goal percentage; 3-Pt.%-three-point percentage; opp.-opponent’s, and T-tied.

Eastern Conference

Atlanta Hawks: 29-53 (5^th Southeast Division; missed playoffs) 17-24 at home, 12-29 on the road.

-113.3 ppg-12^th; opp. ppg: 119.4-30^th; 46.1 rpg-12^th

Led by their electric and dynamic rookie lead guard and ever improving forward, the Atlanta Hawks recovered from a rough start to finish last season on a strong note. The front office took a major gamble going to rebuilding mode after owning the second longest consecutive postseason streak in the East, second overall in the league that is now showing results. With their hopeful a dynamic 1-2 punch in place; another season under their head coach’s system and some new building blocks around that dynamic duo, the question for the Hawks is can they take another step in their maturation of becoming a playoff perennial and eventually a title contender?

The Hawks finished last season under first year head coach Lloyd Pierce 23-30 after a 6-23 start, displaying a thrilling and electric brand of basketball led by 2018-19 Kia Rookie of the Year runner-up in starting lead guard Trae Young (19.1 ppg-Led Rookies, 8.1 apg-4^th NBA) and starting power forward John Collins (19.5 ppg-Leads team, 9.8 rpg-Leads team 56.0 FG%), who got their fourth and third-year, contract options for 2020-21 exercised last week are two big reasons for that optimism in the “ATL.”

After a slow start to his rookie season, Young, the 2019 All-Rookie selection had a stellar finish and made the Rookie of the Year race between him and swingman Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks a much tighter one and proving the skeptics who came out in full force when Hawks’ General Manager Travis Schlenk, who was promoted to President of Basketball Operations this summer traded the draft rights Doncic, the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 to the Mavericks for Young, the No. 5 overall in June 2018, even though that deal netted him a protected 2019 First-Round pick.

Young proved Schlenk right for that decision by posting averages of 24.7 points, 9.2 assists, and 4.7 rebounds on a respectably 44.2 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three-point range post All-Star break. He authored 30 double-doubles, which included five games of at least 13 assists; 37 games scoring 20-plus, which included nine games of 30-plus points and posted averages of.

That stretch included a three-game stretch where he had 36 points, with eight assists going 8 for 12 from three-point range in the team’s 119-111 loss at the Houston Rockets on Feb. 25. Young two nights later scored 36, with 10 assists and eight boards on 16 for 17 from the free throw line in the Hawks 131-123 overtime win versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. He posted a career-high double-double of 49 points and 16 assists, with eight rebounds on 17 for 33 from the field, including 6 for 13 from three-point range and 9 for 11 from the free throw line in one of the NBA’s best games of last season, a 168-161 four-overtime loss versus the Chicago Bulls.

“I think I did okay for my first year,” Young, who shot 41.8 percent from the field and 32.4 from three-point range said about his rookie season at Media Day on Sept. 30 to 92.9’s “The Game.” “I think I did alright for me and my standards. But like for me going into the offseason, especially this year, I know what to work on. I know what I need to get better at.”

“I mean, coming in as a rookie, you don’t necessarily know what you need to train for. You don’t necessarily know what you need to work on to be ready to play in the NBA. Now that I have a year under my belt, I know in the offseason what I need to work on. What I need to get better at to perform at an even higher going into my second year.”

For Young, that meant getting into the gym and working on his mid-range game, finishing around the rim even better and playing pick up games against other NBA players. That work will hopefully make Young a more efficient shooter compared to the 41.8 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from three-point range he shot last season.

More than anything, Young has to get better at the defensive end, especially getting over hard screens set by opposing forwards and centers. That will come with him making a serious commitment to the weight room as his career progresses and he understands the defensive concepts under Coach Pierce

After missing the first 15 games of last season because of left ankle surgery and 21 games overall, Collins averaged nearly a double-double, displaying a much-improved perimeter shot, making 34.8 percent of his threes to match his overwhelming athleticism, speed, and power at the basket. He went from 11 double-doubles his rookie season to 32 double-doubles last season.

The No. 19 overall pick out of Wake Forest University in 2017 set a new career-high with 35 points in the Hawks’ 121-101 win at the Bulls on Jan. 23, going 14 for 16 from the field, including 4 for 4 from three-point range with eight boards. He matched that career-high of 35 points with 16 rebounds, one shy of his career-high in a Hawks’ 118-112 win at the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 2.   

How important was Collins to the Hawks a season ago? The Hawks when Collins played, were 24-37 and just 5-16 when he was on the shelf.

“Our chemistry is like a 1-2 punch, you know, like peanut butter and jelly,” Collins said about the chemistry he and Young have on the court. “You see us on the court every day. You see how we interact. So, I feel like we have a great bond. We have a great pairing with each other and that only going to get better.”

“You’re gonna see a lot of maturity and growth from his decision making this year. So, I think that’s only gonna poor out more into the court into great plays. And I feel like he’s gonna be a great floor general and leader for our team this year.”

All-Rookie Second-Team selection in sharp-shooter Kevin Huerter (9.7 ppg, 38.5 3-Pt.%), who also got his third-year option for 2020-21 picked up connected on 38.5 percent of his three-point attempts in his rookie season, and the No. 19 overall pick out of the University of Maryland really showed a lot of promise as a guy who could become a consistent snipper from three-point range for the Hawks, which he displayed the night he scored a career-high of 29 points on 11 for 17 shooting, including 5 for 8 from three-point range in the Hawks’ 123-121 win at the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 11.

For Huerter, he just needs to consistently make shots than the 41.9 percent clip he shot a season ago, which should come with more time and experience on the hardwood with Young and Collins.

Center Alex Len (11.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 49.4 FG%, 36.3 3-Pt.%) gave his career a real jump start with his play a season ago, after five rough seasons with the Phoenix Suns, who selected him No. 5 overall pick in 2013. The 26-year-old, who signed a two-year deal for $8.5 million the summer of 2018 closed out the season in strong fashion with averages of 15.6 points and 5.9 boars on 51.9 percent from the floor and 40.4 from three-point range this past March and April.

Forward DeAndre’ Bembry (8.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 44.6 FG%) who defensive versatility earned consistent minutes last season of the Hawks' bench, which was No. 8 in the NBA last season with an average of 41.3 points.   

For the Hawks this offseason was about gaining assets while also drafting players that will compliment Young and Collins. 

The traded forward Taurean Prince, a protected 2020 First-Round pick and a 2021 Second-Round pick to the Nets on June 6 for veteran shooting guard Allen Crabbe (9.6 ppg, 37.8 3-Pt.% w/Nets), whose entering the final year of his contract at $18.5 million, a 2019 First-Round pick (No. 17 overall) and the Nets’ conditional 2020 First-Round pick.

The Hawks in a draft day deal with the New Orleans Pelicans on June 20 acquired a 2019 First-Round pick (No. 4 overall, via Los Angeles Lakers); a Second-Round pick (No. 57 overall); a future Second-Round pick and small forward Solomon Hill- for two 2019 First-Round picks (No. 8 and No. 17 overall); a Second-Round pick (No. 35 overall); a protected 2020 Second-Round pick (via Cleveland Cavaliers) and a Conditional 2020 First-Round pick.

That No. 4 overall pick was small forward De’Andre Hunter from the national champion Virginia Cavaliers. With the No. 10 pick, the Hawks selected forward Cam Reddish out of Duke University.

In a trade with the 76ers, the Hawks dealt the draft rights to lead guard Jordan Bone (No. 57 overall pick) to the 76ers for the draft rights to a former college teammate of Huerter’s, center Bruno Fernando, the No. 57 overall pick out of Maryland.

The major issue for the guys from the “ATL” in 2018-19 was their inability to put the defensive clamps on their opponent, which can be understood when you consider the Hawks emphasis on youth.

Along with his amazing shooting touch, especially from three-point range, where he shot 44 percent from three-point range for UVA, Hunter, the highest draft pick out of UVA since Ralph Sampson in 1983 is a great individual defender, with a 7’2 wingspan, which allowed him to guard multiple positions, which is how he won the 2018-19 Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Year and also made the 2019 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team.

He also is a player with the ability to rise to moment when called upon as evidenced by his 27-point, nine-rebound performance in the overtime victory in the National Championship contest over the Texas Tech Red Raiders, scoring 22 of those 27 points in the second half.

“When I went there, they had a pretty a pretty strong feeling about me. I knew that’s the place I wanted to be,” Hunter said to ESPN’s Maria Taylor after getting drafted about his visit with the Hawks pre-draft. “That’s one of my destinations and I’m happy they traded up and got that pick.”

Reddish came to Duke last season with credentials that equaled his college teammates in Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett-more on them later. There were games he played remarkably well alongside stars Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett, more on them later. Other times where Reddish looked lost on the floor for head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Not being able to work out for NBA teams during the pre-draft process as he was recovering from injury also did not help the 2018-19 Honorable Mentioned All-ACC selection, as he was recovering from injury.

When asked by Taylor to describe his game in an interview, Reddish called his game “reserved,” which is how he described his personality.

 “I don’t think I’m passive,” Reddish said to Taylor about the misconception people have about him as a collegiate player. “I just think I was in a different role trying to adjust through this year, but I think it was well needed. I think it’s going to prepare me for the next level.”

Like Hunter, Reddish brings a defensive tenacity to the court and he wants to play at that end of the floor, which he continued to do even when his offensive game was not up to par at Duke. If the injury issues can be put in the rearview mirror, Reddish can be the steal of this draft because he has the measurables and the skillset to flourish alongside Young, Collins and Huerter.

“We feel really good about getting Cam,” Schlenk said over the summer.  “Obviously you take the skill and what he brings on the basketball [court]. Going through Duke, and they have one of the best programs in the country, top class under Coach K. So, we just feel really good about it.”

The Hawks continued their wheeling and dealing after the draft sending Hill and center Miles Plumlee to the Memphis Grizzlies for forward Chandler Parsons, who is in the final year of four-year, $94 million deal he signed in the summer of 2016.

In a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Hawks acquired guard/forward Evan Turner (6.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 46.0 FG% w/Trail Blazers), who is entering the final year of a four-year, $70 million deal he signed also in the summer of 2016 in exchange for guard Kent Bazemore, the last player on the Hawks’ franchise setting 60-win squad in 2014-15 that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

“We are very happy to add Evan to our team, a veteran who we believe can help our club,” Schlenk said about Turner, whose previous nine seasons were with the 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, and aforementioned Trail Blazers the past three seasons. “The versatility he has shown throughout his career will be valuable for us this season.”

Forward Omari Spellman, the No. 30 overall pick in June 2018 was dealt to the five-time defending Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors for center Damian Jones and a 2026 Second-Round pick.

The Hawks in a prior deal with the Warriors acquired cash considerations of $1.3 million and a 2024 Second-Round pick in exchange for the No. 41 overall pick in this past June’s draft in forward Eric Paschall out of the Villanova University.

In free agency, the Hawks re-signed veteran swingman Vince Carter on Sept. 20 (7.4 ppg, 38.9 3-Pt.%), who will be playing in an NBA record 22^nd and final season in “The Association.”

To put this milestone into context, the No. 5 all-time leader in games played (1,481) and the No. 6 ranked in threes made (2,229) will become the first player in NBA history to appear in a game in four different decades and will join Nat Hickey, Robert Parish, and former Hawks big man Kevin Willis as the only players to appear in a game at age 43 or older when he turns that number on Jan. 26, 2020.

The Hawks also in free agency signed veteran forward Jabari Parker (14.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 49.3 FG% w/Bulls & Wizards) to a two-year, $13 million deal in the off-season.

“For me, I’m just gonna go out there and play. Have fun and hopefully we play well enough where maybe we’re in the hunt for a playoff spot,” Carter said on Media Day about his approach to his final season in the NBA.

More than anything, Vince Carter is the reason why the Toronto Raptors are where they are essentially and why a flood of players are in the NBA now.

Bringing back Carter and the additions of Crabbe, Turner and Parker will provide that necessary veteran leadership that will be important for the development of Young, Collins, Huerter and the other young Hawks.

NBATV analyst Earl Watson said that in his last year in the league with the Trail Blazers in 2013-14 he and then rookies in Crabbe, CJ McCollum and second-year players in Will Barton, now of the Denver Nuggets and Meyers Leonard now Miami Heat would be in the gym early and be prepared by Watson on the sacrifice and hard work it takes to have a long NBA career.

“Hopefully Allen Crabbe and Evan Turner can do that for these young wing players, and if they do, this team could be special in late April,” Watson said.

Reddish specifically if he wants to have a long and productive NBA career needs to get a hold of Carter and responsibly shadow him because he amongst the main vets on the Hawks can show him how to be a star player in the NBA, which he became.  

The Hawks are two years removed from 10 straight appearances in the playoffs, culminating in a franchise record 60 wins and an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals four years ago, where they were swept 4-0 by four-time Finals MVP LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

While they have endured two straight losing seasons, Owner Tony Ressler likes the direction GM Travis Schlenk through this massive rebuild has provided salary cap space, draft picks and financial flexibility that has set the Hawks up for long term success.



With a young and dynamic 1-2 punch of Trae Young and John Collins; a sharp-shooter in Kevin Huerter; talented and exciting prospects in De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish; a solid leader on the sidelines in Lloyd Pierce; and a war chest of assets to use next summer when the contracts of Evan Turner, Chandler Parsons and Allen Crabbe come off the books, the Atlanta Hawks from the front office, to the coaching staff and the roster is aligned for achieving their dream of being a playoff perennial and hopefully a championship caliber team down the road.  

“When you’re reshaping a roster, and you’re rebuilding a franchise, you need hope. And the Atlanta Hawks, they have hope,” former Hawks GM from 2015-17 and now NBATV analyst Wes Wilcox said back on June 21.

Best Case Scenario: The Hawks win close to 40 games and are in the hunt for that No. 8 and final playoff spot. Young and Collins continue to build that great chemistry on the hardwood. Hunter and Reddish make either the All-Rookie First or Second Teams. Coach Pierce sees solid improvement, especially at the defensive end.  

Worst Case Scenario: The Hawks regress in their maturation. Young slides in his production and the rookies have more low moments than high ones.

Grade: B-

Boston Celtics: 49-33 (3^rd Atlantic Division; No. 4 Seed in East) 28-13 at home, 21-20 on the road. Defeated the No. 5 Seeded Indiana Pacers in East Quarterfinals 4-0. Lost in the East Semifinals against the No. 1 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks 4-1.

-112.4 ppg-14^th; opp. ppg: 106.6-8^th; 44.5 rpg-22^nd

Inconsistency amongst the two All-Star acquisitions from last summer and the core young players fractured the locker room of the Boston Celtics a season ago as they fell way short of their championship expectations after being just one game from it the season prior. With a new lead All-Star guard in the fold, along with three new rookies, the question for the Celtics are they a better team without their quirky, yet talented All-Star floor general and their stabilizing big man?

Right from the start of the 2018-19 campaign head coach Brad Stevens squad was nowhere near the team that came within one quarter of dethroning then four-time Kia MVP LeBron James and the four-time defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the late spring of 2018.

While they showed signs of turning the corner with a 4-0 sweep in the First-Round against the Pacers and took down the No. 1 Seeded Bucks in Game 1 of the Semis, they were overwhelmed the next four games to fall to the Bucks in the Semifinals in five games. 

All-Star lead guard Kyrie Irving had a weird season in 2018-19, where he put up solid numbers of 24 points and seven assists—but his quirky demeanor rubbed his younger teammates the wrong and fractured the locker room.

To put into context how the team played with and without Irving a season ago, they were 37-30 when he played and 12-3 without him.

Jayson Tatum (15.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 45.0 FG%, 37.3 3-Pt.%), who team option of $9.9 million was exercised and Jaylen Brown (13.0 ppg, 46.5 FG%), who agreed to an four-year, $115 million extension on Monday took a major step back from how they performed in the 2018 playoffs where Tatum played as if he was the best player on the hardwood as a rookie.

Tatum in the 65 games Irving was in the lineup last season averaged 15.1 points on 44.3 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three-point range, compared to the averages 18.6 points on 47.6 from the field and 41.1 percent from three-point range in the 14 games when Irving was out.

To illustrate this even further, Tatum last season connected on just 37 percent of his shots from mid-range and just 36 percent on corner threes, compared to the accuracy of 44 percent he shot from the mid-range and 54 percent on corner threes in 2017-18.

“[I was] making the game tougher than I probably should have,” Tatum said in early October. “Last year was kind of funky in all aspects. I understand that. I acknowledge that, and I’m just trying to be better this year.”

Over the summer, Tatum’s worked with famed trainer Drew Hanlen, who put him on the program he used for Wizards two-time All-Star guard Bradley Beal earlier in his career of eschewing long twos and putting more emphasis on taking more efficient shots.

Tatum tried to put that into practice in his time with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup in China in September, where head coach Gregg Popovich of the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs preached the .5 second system of each player on the floor had half-second to shoot, drive or pass after they caught the ball.

“He’s been great,” Coach Stevens said of Tatum, adding this year’s training camp has been “by far” his best. “He’s shot it. He’s drove it. He’s been aggressive. He’s not hesitating on his three.

“I think whatever he needed to improve on, it’s been pretty obvious, but you still have to build on those habits, and it takes time. He’s really made great strides. I thought it started at the end of last year, continued through the summer, and now you can see it. [He knows], “This is what we are doing.   

After some up and down moments early last season, where he came off the bench 18 games in 2018-19, All-Star Gordon Hayward (11.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg 46.6 FG%), who was one year removed from a serious leg injury show signs of the player that he was with the Utah Jazz averaging 14.7 points on 60.0 percent shooting the final 14 games of last season.

“I stayed here all offseason, here in Boston and I was able to have a summer with no restrictions,” the All-Star said to NBATV’s Kristen Ledlow at Media Day on Sept. 30 about building on his finish to last season. “So, I could train as much as I wanted to and I was able to get, you know, my reps in and kind of train like I’m used to. And so, that’s helped me out a lot.”

If the Celtics are going to be the team that is at the level of the Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers in the East, Hayward has to get back to that top player level he was with the Utah Jazz, where he can dominate a game with his play as a scorer and facilitator.

Also, Coach Stevens has to decide who will start at the small forward spot between Hayward or Brown and also has to decide whether to either start 2018-19 All-Defensive First-Team guard Marcus Smart (8.9 ppg, 4.0 apg, 1.8 spg-Led team), who was a shell of himself on both ends of the floor after signing a new deal last summer in the starting lineup or off the bench.

“I think that was my biggest challenge, like last year things didn’t always go my way but I didn’t complain. I didn’t point fingers,” Brown said on what he learned about himself last season. “You know, I just tried to make the best of my situation and it took a lot for me to do that.”   

When all signs pointed to Irving leaving in free agency, Celtics nation, figuratively speaking had no problem driving him to the airport to get him out of their city. 

General Manager Danny Ainge in a deal with the Charlotte Hornets found Irving’s replacement in acquiring via a sign-and-trade three-time All-Star Kemba guard Walker (25.6 ppg-10^th NBA, 5.9 apg, 35.6 3-Pt.% w/Hornets) on a new four-year, $141 million super max deal and a 2020 Second-Round pick (via New York Knicks or Nets) in exchange for Terry Rozier and a protected 2020 Second-Round pick.

“The organization itself. One of the best ever,” the 2018-19 All-NBA Third Team selection said to NBATV/NBA on TNT’s Kristen Ledlow on why he wanted to join the 17-time NBA champions. “So many championships and, you know, when everybody thinks of the Boston Celtics, you know, they think of a winning culture.”

“And unfortunately, you know, I haven’t been able to be part of a consistent winning culture and that’s what I want to be a part of. Something really special and Boston is perfect, you know? It’s a sports town. They love basketball. The fans love, you know, guys who compete each and every night and, you know, I just think I fit perfect with that mold. So, I’m excited to finally get things started and get it rolling here in Boston.”

The chemistry might be better with Walker in the fold. But will the C’s win more games and advance in the playoffs?

Walker, Tatum, Brown, and Smart got to get a head start on building that chemistry on Team USA at the aforementioned FIBA World Cup this summer.  



“It was a great experience obviously,” Tatum, said to Ledlow about competing in the FIBA World Cup in China in September, that he missed most of because of an injured ankle. “Obviously we didn’t accomplish our goal. I only played two games but being with my new teammate, old teammates, playing with guys that I compete against all the time. Getting to play for Coach Pop, Steve Kerr, and Lloyd Pierce, and Jay Wright, you know was an honor, especially Pop. He reminds me of Coach K [Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski]. So, I’m very fortunate to play for two of the best coaches of all-time. It’s an experience I’ll always remember.”

General Manager Danny Ainge said in a statement by the Celtics of extending Brown, “Jaylen has made tremendous strides over the last three years and has become a fantastic for us on both ends of the court. He’s a great person and hard worker, who at 22 years old, can score and defend against the best players in the NBA. Jaylen is a true professional who did a great job accepting his role last season, and he is a major part of our championship goals.”

Not only did Irving walk in free agency this summer, veteran All-Star center Al Horford declined his $30.1 million option on the final year of his contract and bolted in free agency and signed with the archrival Philadelphia 76ers.

To fill that void, the Celtics signed power forward/center Enes Kanter (13.7 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 54.9 FG% w/Knicks and Trail Blazers) in free agency on a two-year, $10 million deal, with the second year being a player option and re-signed reserve big Daniel Theis (5.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg) to a two-year, $10 million deal.

The positives with Kanter, he is a better scorer and rebounder than Horford, especially on the offensive glass. The negative, he is nowhere the defender, especially help defender that Horford has been his entire career. Also, Horford was a great passer and he was the kind of player when he spoke everyone opened their eyes and ears and took in what he said.  

“The most important thing for me was off course was the team chemistry and the coach. And Coach Brad is the type of coach that tells you what you need to hear. Not what you want to hear,” Kanter said to Ledlow about why he signed with the Celtics, adding, “and he gives you freedom.”

“So that’s why I just wanted to come here and just go out there, and just play hard, play smart, and have fun. I feel like we have something very special. So, we just gotta out there and just focus on what we can focus on.”

Kanter and Theis will especially be counted on this season because the Celtics not only lost their defensive anchor in Horford, they dealt away center Aron Baynes to the Suns along with the draft rights to guard Ty Jerome, the No. 24 overall pick in June’s draft for a 2020 First-Round pick (via Bucks), which is lottery protected. They also might turn to 25-year-old Vincent Poirier from France or second-year center Robert Williams III.
In June’s draft, the C’s selected at No. 14 overall Romeo Langford out of Indiana University. They traded the draft rights to swingman Matisse Thybulle, the No. 20 overall pick to the 76ers for the draft rights to the No. 24 overall pick in guard Ty Jerome, who was later dealt to the Phoenix Suns, and the No. 33 overall pick in guard Carsen Edwards out of Purdue University. With the No. 22 overall pick, the Celtics chose forward Grant Williams out of the University of Tennessee. 

Langford, a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection, who averaged 16.5 points and 5.4 rebounds played nowhere close to the level in his lone one with the Hoosiers compared to what he did as a high schooler. He played most of last season with a torn ligament in his right thumb, which explains why he shot just 44.8 percent from the field and a woeful 27 percent from three-point range last season averaged. He did use his uncanny ability to attack the rim, which got him to the foul line 194 times last season.  

“I know what I’m capable of doing. I’ve been doing it for a long time, at a young age,” Langford said to Taylor about the faith he had he would be a lottery pick. “So, there really wasn’t too many doubts in my head that I was going to be in the lottery.”

The Celtics also are very high on Williams, a two-time South Eastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year and consensus First Team All-American, who despite being undersized at the power forward at 6-foot-7 spot simply got better and better, as evidenced by his SEC leading 18.8 points, with and 7.5 rebounds on 57 percent shooting.

The finalist for the Karl Malone Award in 2019 as the best power forward in college basketball brings a work ethic and a focus to get better, which is how he developed into an excellent scorer on the box and improved defensively.

Edwards, a two-time AP All-American, the first Boilermaker to do that since Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1994 draft by the Bucks brings a scoring mentality, with the ability to make shots from the parking lot. The six-foot strong guard averaged 24.3 points last season, No. 9 in Division I hoops, and the most by a Big Ten player since 1994-95. In the 2019 NCAA Tournament this past spring, Edwards averaged 34.8 points, making a Tournament record 28 triples. Edwards also has the ability to get to the charity stripe, which he did 221 times in 2018-19.

The Celtics also took a flyer on undrafted 7-foot-7 center out of University of Central Florida Taco Fall, who after his play during the MGM Resorts Summer League in Las Vegas, NV in July signed a two-way contract earlier this week. might be limited at the offensive end coming in, he has the one thing you cannot coach-size. He will at least get a good look in the NBA’s G-League and if he develops could get some run with the Celtics.

“I just think it’s a good group,” Coach Stevens said about his first impressions of Langford, Edwards, Williams and Fall from summer league to now. “They work the right way. They have the right mind set. They’re willing to be coached. They’re willing to be talked to by the older players. And yet, they’re not afraid to share their own thoughts. I like that. Very respectful group of people. We’re excited to have them.”

The Celtics also made additions to their coaching staff in former WNBA star Kara Lawson, who also was a color analyst for the Washington Wizards for NBC Sports Washington the last two seasons and spent time with ESPN, as well as former WNBA player Allison Feaster as Director of Player Development.

“We hired Kara and Allison because their tremendous,” Coach Stevens said. “The thing that stood out in interviewing Kara was, you know, her wealth of knowledge about the NBA game. She’s a really humble person, whose achieved at the highest level, whose excited to coach and who was the best candidate for our job period.”

In Feaster, Coach Steven said she was the best candidate for the off the court role designed to help the players in their personal growth and to handle the different needs each player has.

The Celtics underachieved last season losing in the Semis against the Bucks in five games. They said goodbye via free agency/trade to five key parts of last season’s playing rotation in Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Terry Rozier, Aron Baynes and Marcus Morris this summer.

While they gained an All-Star in Kemba Walker, whose is ecstatic to be part of playoff team, there is a question if he, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown have the goods with Enes Kanter, and youngsters Carsen Edwards, Romeo Langford, and Grant Williams to compete with the Bucks and 76ers for supremacy in the East? 

“We played without Kyrie last year and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals,” Smart said on the July 29 edition of ESPN’s “NBA: The Jump” on the Celtics proving the naysayers wrong about their chances this season. “So, it can be done, you know? And I think having that chip on our shoulder is that extra motivation that we needed to get us over that hump and keep going. I think it’s going to work out for us.”

Best Case Scenario: The Celtics are fighting for homecourt advantage in the East playoff race. Walker is an All-Star for the fourth time in his career. Hayward, Tatum, and Brown return to the level they played at both ends in the 2018 playoffs. Coach Stevens team reaches at least the Semifinals.

Worst Case Scenario: The Celtics do not have homecourt advantage in the postseason. There is more division in the locker room. Hayward, Tatum, and Brown have underachieving seasons again. The Celtics get bounced in the opening-round.

Grade: C

Brooklyn Nets: 42-40 (4^th Atlantic Division; No. 6 Seed in East) 23-19 at home, 19-22 on the road. Lost in Quarterfinals against the No. 3 Seeded Philadelphia 76ers 4-1.

-112.2 ppg-15^th; opp. ppg: 112.3-18^th; 46.6 rpg-7^th    

The Brooklyn Nets this past spring earned their first postseason appearance since 2015 this past spring. It was the culmination of craft moves made by the front office to get hungry and scrappy players that the head coach turned into key cogs of a playoff team. Now with the addition of two perennial All-Stars and NBA champions, mixed in with those scrappy players and a couple of solid veteran additions, and new ownership, the question is for the Nets is are they now title contenders?

While the Nets made the playoffs in 2014 and 2015, that swing for the fences deal for future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and now current NBA studio analyst for ESPN Paul Pierce-strapped their ability to improve the roster and resulted in a three-year postseason drought.

Through some strategic maneuvering by GM Sean Marks in the front office and amazing work done on the hardwood by head coach Kenny Atkinson the past three years, the Nets went from a cellular dweller to a team that recovered from an 8-18 start a season ago to a 34-22 finish that got them into the playoffs, where they fought hard but eventually fell to the more talented 76ers in five games.  

The Nets identity of playing hard and together and utilizing their ability to make threes is how they went 28-18 in games decided by single digits, which consisted of an 18-6 finish following a 10-12 mark in those games early last season.  

A breakout season by D’Angelo Russell, one of the players the Nets took a chance on when they acquired him from the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 2017 played a major role in the Nets making the playoffs.

After coming back from what at first looked like a season-ending injury to his right leg that he sustained on Nov. 12, 2018, a 120-113 loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves, third-year swingman Caris LeVert (13.7 ppg, 3.9 apg) eventually returned to the lineup after missing 42 games, and performed very well in the series against the 76ers, averaging 21.0 ppg on 49.3 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from three-point range. That earned LeVert a new three-year, $52.5 million contract extension on Aug. 26, 2019.

Sharp-shooter Joe Harris, the No. 33 overall in 2014 by the Cleveland Cavaliers and entering the last year of a two-year, $16 million deal registered career-highs of 13.7 points on 50.0 percent from the field and a league-leading 47.4 percent from three-point range and won the Foot Locker Three-Point contest at All-Star Weekend last February.

Starting center Jarrett Allen (10.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.5 bpg-Led team, 59.0 FG%) grew by leaps-and-bounds a season ago both as a lob threat, rebounder, shot blocker and all-around defender, especially in space and the Nets rewarded him by exercising the option on his contract for the 2020-21 season.  

Spencer Dinwiddie (16.8 ppg, 4.6 apg) another former Second-Round pick, No. 38 overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2014 came to the Nets in the 2016 and went from an unknown into a Kia Sixth Man of the Year finalist a season ago, which was a big reason, the Nets were No. 2 in bench scoring at 48.2 in the league a season ago and earned him a three-year, $34 million extension in Dec. 2018. 

That contract came courtesy of scoring a career-high 39 points in the Nets 127-124 win over the 76ers on Dec. 12, 2018. Authoring a double-double of 37 points and 11 assists off the bench in the Nets 134-132 double overtime win over the Charlotte Hornets on Dec. 26, 2018, his third game of 30-plus points off the bench, matching Clifford T. Robinson franchise record in the 1980-81 season. He scored 25 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter and overtime of the Nets 145-142 win at the Houston Rockets on Jan. 16.

“It’s been phenomenal,” Dinwiddie said to NBATV’s Ro Parrish during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, NV in July. “A lot of that credit goes to Kenny and Sean. Sean instilling that confidence and belief and Kenny doing the same on the court. And beyond that just continuing to work hard, and kind of being flexible, and adapting to whatever role.”

Another gem the Nets found in the Second-Round was the 40^th overall pick in the 2018 draft in forward Rodions Kurucs (8.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 45.0 FG%), who showed an ability to be active whether as someone who can score at the rim off of cuts in the half court or his ability to score in the open court.

The Nets got themselves into position to sign two A-List stars this off-season by trading Allen Crabbe and his $18.5 million salary, and the No. 17 overall pick in the recent draft, which went to the New Orleans Pelicans to the Hawks for small forward Taurean Prince (13.5 ppg, 39.0 3-Pt.% w/Hawks); a protected 2020 First-Round pick and a 2021 Second-Round pick on July 6.

“I think how versatile a lot of us are and how interchangeable we are in the positions we play,” Prince, who signed a two-year, $29 million extension on Monday said at Media Day to YES (Yankee Entertainment and Sports) Networks' Ryan Ruocco and Sarah Kustok about he will fit in with the rest of the squad. “One through Four can pretty much play it all. Bring the ball up the court and I think that’s gonna serve a purpose for us in being that much more difficult to guard.”

The also did not make a qualifying offer to forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson; did not re-sign big man Ed Davis or fellow veteran forward Jared Dudley and traded veteran forward DeMarre Carroll in a three-team deal to the Spurs. 

On draft night, the Nets traded the draft rights to the No. 27 overall pick in center Mfiondu Kabengele to the Los Angeles Clippers for the draft rights to the No. 56 overall pick in guard Jaylen Hands out of UCLA and a 2020 First-Round pick.

That gave the Nets the necessary salary cap space of $46 million, which they used to sign perennial All-Stars in two-time champion, and two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and sent shockwaves not just in the Tri-State New York area but the entire NBA.

Durant (26.0 ppg-8^th in NBA, 6.4 rpg, 5.9 apg, 52.1 FG%, 35.3 3-Pt.% w/Warriors), a 10-time All-Star came to the Nets via sign-and-trade in a three-team deal with the Warriors, came over on a new four-year, $164 million super max deal, along with a protected future First-Round pick, with Russell heading out West, along with reserve guards Shabazz Napier and forward Treveon Graham, who were dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Irving, an All-NBA Second-Team selection this past season (23.8 ppg, 6.9 apg-career-high, 5.0 rpg-career-high, 48.7 FG%, 40.1 3-Pt.% w/Celtics) joined the Nets on a four-year, $141 million super max extension.

“I’m looking forward to playing with Kyrie the most right now,” Dinwiddie said to NBATV’s Ro Parrish during NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League back in July. “Obviously it’s going to make my life a lot easier. He’s a phenomenal player, multi-time All-Star. He’s gonna get us a lot of easy shots. So, it’s gonna be fun.”

Joining the two stars in the BK are center DeAndre Jordan (11.0 ppg, 13.1 rpg-3^rd in NBA, 64.1 FG% w/Mavericks & Knicks), Irving and Durant’s teammate on the 2016 Gold Medal-winning U.S.A. Men’s National team on a four-year, $40 million; small forward/shooting guard Garrett Temple (7.8 ppg, 34.1 3-Pt.% w/Clippers & Grizzlies) on a two-year, $10 million deal; and forward Wilson Chandler on a one-year deal. The Nets also signed swingman David Nwaba (6.5 ppg, 48.1 FG% w/Cavaliers) to a two-year deal, $3.5 million deal.

Durant, a nine-time All-NBA selection told NBATV/NBA on TNT’s Kristen Ledlow on the deciding factor that led to him, Irving and Jordan joining forces in Brooklyn was the culture that was established and how much those three can add to the equation in terms of taking the Nets to a championship level with their experience, and what each of them has accomplished individually.

The Nets along with adding two superstars, got one of the elite rebounders and rim protectors in the game in Jordan. A veteran perimeter defensive ace in Temple, who along with Prince and Harris give the Nets three prolific snippers from three-point range, along with Chandler. Above all, the Nets have depth and versatility, which should serve Coach Atkinson well, with the ability to play a high number of different playing combinations.

“Veteran leadership is extremely important in this game. I think DeAndre Jordan and Garrett Temple are gonna help provide that,” Dinwiddie said to Parrish. “Obviously D.J. is a perennial All-Defensive caliber person and Garrett Temple obviously has had a lengthy career and is a phenomenal shooter. So, they’re both gonna add great benefits to the team.” 

The Nets also have new ownership as Joesph Tsai, the billionaire co-founder of the China-based global internet company Alibaba Holding Ltd. signed a record $2.35 billion deal to purchase the remaining 51 percent of the team as well as Barclays Center from Russian billionaire owner Mikhal Prokorov at $3.5 billion, marking the highest price ever for a sports franchise, beating out the $2.2 billion now Houston Rockets paid by David Tepper to purchase the NFL's Carolina Panthers and what Tillman Fertitta paid to buy the Houston Rockets in 2017. 

To put into perspective how big this moment was for the Nets this summer, from 2007-09 during the "great recession" then owner Bruce Ratner had what then general manager Bobby Marks, now with ESPN as their NBA Front Office Insider called "furlow Fridays" where members of the front office had to take an unpaid day off. 

"I sat in those budget meetings. I knew where we were balancing the books," Marks said in late August on ESPN's "NBA: The Jump." "We traded Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter for $.20 on the dollar there." 

When Prokhorov purchased the Nets in 2010, they were in debt for $300 million and were sold for as mentioned $2.35 billion.

"It has been an honor and a joy to open Barclays Center, bring the Nets to Brooklyn, and watch them grow strong roots in the community while cultivating global appeal," Prokhorov, who saw the Nets move from New Jersey to Brooklyn a decade ago said in a statement two months ago. "The team is in a better place today than ever before and I know that Joe will build on that success, while continuing to deliver the guest experience at Barclays Center that our fans, employees, and colleagues in the industry enjoy. Without Brett's innovative foresight and leadership, we would not be where we are today with the Nets and Barclays Center."

The only hitch is that Durant will likely miss the entire upcoming season as he recovers from off-season surgery on his ruptured right Achilles, he sustained in Game 5 of the 2019 Finals at the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors on June 10.

“It’s been cool to see the progress actually. You know, to see how stronger I’m getting over time, but still got a longways to go. But I’m just trying to stay locked in and also still support the guys along the way.”

“Obviously I’m so used to wanting to get up every day and prove to my teammates how good I am, and not being able to do that is frustrating for me. But it’s something I have to get over and figure out different ways to attack the situation as a teammate. So, looking forward to, you know, the challenge and figuring out new ways to help and contribute to the group. But ultimately, you know, my best way of doing it is rehabbing and getting back and, you know, being a strong player when I get back from this injury.”

For those that think if the Nets do well this spring and Durant feels better and can play, Marks squash those hopes by saying in late September, “the expectation is he’ll be out for the year.”

“His rehab will obviously be pre-determined by, you know, over the course of the next few months. How he goes with our performance team and so forth. But ultimately Kevin will have a large say in, you know, when he comes back and how he’s feeling. But the expectations now for him to be out for the year.”

Another person that will make sure Durant is shielded from any expectation from coming back early is Irving, who said at Media Day about when he came back in Game 5 of The Finals, “We all know K. was not ready to play in that environment. We all know that, whether people want to admit it or not.”

“He was out 31 days and we put him on a national stage in The Finals to end up selling a product that came before the person Kevin. And now, I’m here to protect that. I’m going to be here to protector of that all throughout the year and not allowing anyone to infiltrate that circle of, ‘Hey K. do you. Get right. We’ll be fine. We have expectations as far as our team.” 

The Nets will also be without Chandler the first 25 games of this season as he was suspended without pay by the league office after he tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug Ipamorelin in late August, which violated the NBA and the NBA Players Association’s Anti-Drug Program.

As for Irving, he is coming off a season in “Beantown” where his numbers were great, but added more fuel to the fire of his reputation as a unruly teammate, who displayed an inability to lead a bunch of young players to great heights as the Celtics were bounced in the Semifinals against the eventual East runner-up the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.

He talked on Media Day about how the passing of his grandfather, which happened two weeks following that famed announcement in front of many Celtics fans at TD Garden prior to the start of last season. The joy Irving said for the game of basketball was gone and he never got the necessary medical help to get over that hurdle and the Celtics paid for it.  

For the Nets to have success this season, Irving has to be able to give of himself to his teammates because if he does, the Nets can do some very special things this season, even without Durant on the floor.

Since the 1970s when Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J.” Irving was roaming the hardwood for the Nets of the American Basketball Association, when they were winning titles in the 1970s, the franchise has not found that kind of superstar level talent since. While the likes of Jason Kidd, Deron Williams, current Hawk Vince Carter, Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson and the late Drazen Petrovic provided a glimpse of the Nets being contenders, the additions of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has given the Brooklyn Nets that hope again, especially with a supporting cast of Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, and DeAndre Jordan.

With Durant out though likely the entire season, the Nets may not be any better then they were a season ago, even with Irving. If Dinwiddie, LeVert and Allen can take their games to another level that could put the Nets in the mix for home court in the postseason in the weaker East.

The hopes and dreams of the Nets being serious title contenders depends on the foundation they lay this season with Irving and how he and Durant perform when he comes back from his ruptured right Achilles, and how well head coach Kenny Atkinson can coach this talented group that will have high expectations over the next couple of seasons.

“It’s like the first day of school. You’re excited. Obviously, we have new class. Some new classmates that we’ve added to the team and lost some guys obviously. So, that’s always an exciting challenge trying to figure out a new team and new squad,” Coach Atkinson said at Media Day. “Obviously we’ve added some talent, and I think it’s great for the fans. Great for the city. Great challenge for our us as an organization to keep moving up.”

Best Case Scenario: The Nets are in the Top 4 in the Eastern Conference. Irving gels with his new team and becomes a more mature and patient leader. Coach Atkinson is in the running for Kia Coach of the Year. The Nets reach at least the Semifinals.

Worst Case Scenario: The Nets are a lower Seed in the East. Irving’s leadership style creates issues with his Nets teammates and Coach Atkinson. The Nets get bounced in the First-Round of the 2020 playoffs.

Grade: A

Charlotte Hornets: 39-43 (2^nd Southeast Division; missed the playoffs) 25-16 at home, 14-27 on the road.

-110.7 ppg-19^th; opp. ppg: 111.8-14^th; 43.8 rpg-23^rd    

For eight years, the Charlotte Hornets had an identity in a three-time All-Star, even though they never were more than a fringe playoff participant.  Because of some bad financial decisions made by their front office four summers back, said All-Star and their second-best scorer a season ago are gone. With the future in the hands of a rookie and second-year forwards and their new lead guard, who they traded for arguable the best player in franchise history, the question for the Hornets, is what will be their identity be as they begin this voyage filled with unknowns?

Three-time All-Star guard Kemba Walker, who averaged a career-high 25.6 points on 35.6 percent from three-point range and the breakout season of Jeremy Lamb, who averaged 15.3 points and 5.3 rebounds are the main and only reasons why the Hornets remained in playoff contention right up to the last night of the regular season under first-year head coach James Borrego a season ago.

Swingman Nicholas Batum (9.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.3 apg, 45.0 FG%, 38.9 3-Pt.%), who signed a five-year, $120 million deal four summers back averaged under 10 points for the first time since the 2014-15 campaign with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Coach Borrego said at Media Day that he expects Batum to come into this season to compete for minutes, especially after competing in the FIBA World Cup for the French national team. He did say that despite his inconsistency at the offensive end, Batum really played well defensively and that will be asked for him again as well as the rest of the team.

“We need two-way players. Guys that can compete on both ends of the floor” Borrego said. “We’re not a one-dimensional team and I think Nic’s one of those guys with his size, his experience that he can give us some defensive presence out there.”

Forward Marvin Williams (10.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 36.6 3-Pt.%) who exercised the $15 million player option of the four-year, $54.5 million deal from the summer of 2016 back in June has been steady with his production with scoring averages of 11.2, 9.5 and 10.1 points the last three seasons. His but his three-point percentage during that time at 35.0, 41.3 and 36.6 has been inconsistent with overall field goal percentage of 42.2, 45.8 and 42.2.

The acquisition of backup center Bismack Biyombo last summer added the last two years of a four-year, $72 million deal to their payroll but the production as a rebounder and shot blocker was almost invisible

Injuries and lackluster play by former lottery picks in big men Cody Zeller (10.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 55.1 FG%) and Frank Kaminsky III and forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (6.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 47.6 FG%), who exercised his player option this summer, and recent lottery picks in Malik Monk (8.9 ppg) and Miles Bridges (7.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 46.4 FG%) also played a role in the Hornets missing out on the playoffs again.

Those bad contractual and trades by owner and Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and GM/President of Basketball Operations Mitch Kupchak to the Hornets roster not only resulted in the Hornets missing the playoffs for the third straight season but mangled their salary cap to where they were at a disadvantage in terms of contract negotiations with Walker and Lamb.

The Hornets could have saved face by dealing Walker at the trade deadline last February and not losing him for nothing this summer but did not want the embarrassment of Walker not representing them at the All-Star Game in Charlotte last February and they wanted to take a shot at making the playoffs.

“You’re talking about a substantial contract that goes out many years,” Kupchak said back in late June about offering Walker a super max deal. “When that happens, it creates some financial inflexibility that you have to deal with. We have to be mindful of a Kemba contract, should we be lucky enough to re-sign him. There could be limitations [on other roster moves] absolutely.”

Not only did not offer Walker a super-max deal of five years at $221.3 million for making All-NBA, they did not even offer him a max contract of five years at $189.7 million.

Instead through a sign-and-trade dealt the all-time leading scorer at 12,009 points to the Celtics along with a 2020 Second-Round pick for reserve guard Terry Rozier (9.0 ppg, 35.3 3-Pt.% w/Celtics), who signed a new three-year, $58 million deal via a sign-and-trade and a protected 2020 Second-Round pick.

The Hornets also let Lamb walked in free agency and he inked a new deal with the Indiana Pacers. More on that later

The Hornets got a player in Rozier, who was looking for a chance run his own team after being a backup to All-Star lead guard Kyrie Irving the last two season. After a stellar 2018 Playoffs where he averaged 14.7 points, five assists and 6.1 rebounds in place of an injured Irving and led the Celtics within one win of The Finals, Rozier regressed last season shooting just 38.7 percent from the floor overall and overall has shot just 38.0 percent for his career.

Rozier is not just replacing an all-time franchise great who was not just the leader and the face of the Hornets, he was loved and respected by the faithful of the “Queen City.” That is the kind of responsibility that Rozier, whose only started 30 games in his career with the Celtics to run the show and be the leader on the floor for head coach James Borrego with nowhere to hide if he struggles.

He sounded like a man ready to take on this new challenge saying on Media Day to NBATV’s Ro Parrish on Sept. 30, “I’m honored. I feel great to be in this position to, you know, [to] showcase my talent fully,” Rozier said on Media Day to NBATV’s Ro Parrish on Sept. 30. “Just for them guys [Jordan and Kupchak] to believe in me means a lot. I’m looking forward to it and I’m ready for it. I’m super excited.”

The departures of Walker and Lamb gone, the Hornets lost their top two scorers from a season ago gives the likes of Monk a shot at some major playing time.

Hopefully Monk worked on both his body and his game over the summer to where he can turn those flashes of brilliance, he has displayed early in his NBA career into consistent efforts on the floor.  

Dwane Bacon, who really shined at the end of last season, scoring 12.6 points as a starter the last 13 games of 2018-19 has positioned the No. 40 overall pick two Junes back to take a huge leap. He brings excellent size at 6-foot-7 220 pounds and is very eager to prove he deserves to be the starter at shooting guard.

Bridges pulled no punches about how disappointed he was that he made no serious impact in his rookie season. He went to work on his game this offseason to the point that he generated some serious internal buzz about this upcoming season from the organization. He has all the physical tools needed to have a great career in the NBA. Bridges needs to simply bring it every night, especially at the defensive end.

“Just to be a pest on defense,” Bridges said at Media Day Coach Borrego has asked him to be more consistent with. “He thinks I can be a Kawhi [Leonard] type player on defense. So, I feel like I can switch 1 through 5 and make everybody’s job harder on the offensive end.”

With the No. 12 pick, the Hornets selected PJ Washington, out of the University of Kentucky.

The Associated Press Third-Team All-American, who averaged 15.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in 2018-19 is a combo forward, who really improved his ability to make shots a season ago in his sophomore season for head coach John Calipari and the Wildcats, going to making just five triples in his freshmen year to connecting on 33 of his last 78 attempts from three-point range a season ago.

That versatility to score down low, make perimeter shots and rebound is a combination that the Hornets hope Washington, who missed summer league because of a sore left foot can put on full display

“It helped a lot,” Washington said to Taylor on draft night about coming back for another collegiate season. “With it, I don’t think I would be a First-Round pick. So, I definitely credit Coach Cal and the rest of his staff for having me back and helping me get here.”

With the No. 36 overall pick, the Hornets selected forward Cody Martin out of the University of Nevada, where he averaged 12.1 points, 4.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds on 51 percent shooting, on route to being selected for the 2018-19 All-Mountain West Third Team. He is a solid defender and passer, who is solid in the pick-and-roll.

At No. 52, the Hornets selected forward Jalen McDaniels out of San Diego State, who averaged 15.9 points and 8.3 boards on 46 percent shooting for the Aztecs, earning All-Mountain West Second-Team honor. While he may be an inconsistent shooter with a slight frame, he has excellent length and a fluid offensive arsenal, which is how he registered 20 double-doubles in his two seasons at San Diego State Only two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard registered more double-figure games in points and rebounds in two seasons than the 20 McDaniels had in 2018-19.

To put into context how things have gone for the Charlotte Hornets the since the start of this century, they have not won a playoff series since defeating the Orlando Magic in five games in the opening-round when their starting backcourt was All-Star Baron Davis and current TV color analyst for the Pelicans David Wesley. Also, they have never won a Division title either when they were in the Central Division or the Southeast.

The Hornets, who last made the playoffs in the 2015-16 season enter in the 2019-20 campaign are embarking on another rebuild, without the face of their franchise in Kemba Walker. They are putting their faith and future in the hands of Terry Rozier, PJ Washington, Malik Monk and Miles Bridges to lead them to better days.

Going by the Hornets lottery picks since 2011, only time will tell if they are the building blocks for a much brighter future, that is very uncertain.

“When you have a player of Kemba’s magnitude leave a locker room, you know, let’s see who steps up? Both on the floor and off the floor” Coach Borrego said about who emerges as the main leader of the Hornets. “Those guys in there should be salivating right now at this opportunity that’s in front of them. Both on the floor and off the floor.”

Best Case Scenario: The Hornets win 30 games or more and the likes of Monk, Washington, Bridges, Rozier play consistently for Coach Borrego on both ends of the floor.

Worst Case Scenario: Another lost season with no improvement and more questions for the front office of Owner Michael Jordan and GM Mitch Kupchak.

Grade: F

Chicago Bulls: 22-60 (4^th Central Division; missed the playoffs) 9-32 at home, 13-28 on the road.

-104.9 ppg-27^th; opp. ppg: 113.4-11^th; 42.9 rpg-25^th     

Injuries; a coaching change and the inability to do anything right on both ends last season played a part in the Chicago Bulls registering the fifth worst record in franchise history. Not even a major deal at the trade deadline could swing things in their direction. With some solid additions this off-season via free agency and the draft, which includes an intriguing new lead guard joining a very talented young core, the question for the Bulls entering the 2019-20 is can they remain healthy enough to really turn the corner?

The Bulls 32 losses at the United Center in 2018-19 set a single season record for futility at home in franchise history.

As bad as the team was offensively, they were just as abysmal defensively ranking 20^th out of 30 teams in points allowed.

An avalanche of injuries to key personnel, totaling 290 games played a major role in the Bulls’ highly inconsistent offensive production.

2017-18 All-Rookie Second-Team selection Lauri Markkanen (18.7 ppg 9.0 rpg, 38.3 3-Pt.%, 36.1 3-Pt.%), missed the first 23 games this season because of a high-grade lateral sprain to his elbow, with the No. 7 overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who was acquired for All-Star Jimmy Butler two summers back missing a total of 30 games last season.

The No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Duke in center Wendell Carter, Jr. (10.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 48.5 FG%), who showed signs he can be an effective inside player and outside shooter in his rookie season in 2018-19 was shelved the final 44 games following season-ending surgery on this thumb.

Carter, Jr. said at Media Day that he used this summer to carve out a niche for himself on a talented loaded Bulls team as a defender, saying that even after his surgery he will be an even better defender with his ability to move laterally a lot better at the defensive end, while being smarter as well as aggressive on the offensive end.

“Expect to see a lot more aggressive Wendell, but smarter at the same time,” he said. “You know, someone whose just gonna go in, know where I can get my shots from. But know where my bread and butter is and that’s on the defensive side and rebounding.”

“I’m gonna do whatever I can to help the team win on the offensive end that’s realistic, but definitely see a more aggressive, confident Wendell on the offensive end.”

Lead guard Kris Dunn (11.3 ppg, 6.0 apg, 1.5 spg, 35.4 3-Pt.%) whose NBA career has been shaky so far entering Year 3 missed 36 games a season ago because of injury as well.

Guard Denzel Valentine (8.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg 37.4 3-Pt.% career), the No. 14 overall pick in the 2016 draft missed all of the 2018-19 season because of a left ankle injury.   

On top of that, the 22^nd overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Boise State University in forward Chandler Hutchinson (5.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg missed a lot of games last season due to a fractured right toe in a game in late January.

The lack of poor healthy and abysmal play on both ends of the court led to the front office firing then head coach Fred Hoiberg in Dec. 3, 2018 after a 5-19 start, being replacing with assistant coach Jim Boylen, whose efforts did not go any better as the team finished the season 17-41 under his watch.

On Feb. 6, the Bulls swung a deal to acquire forward Otto Porter, Jr. (13.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 46.5 FG%, 40.6 3-Pt.% w/Wizards & Bulls) from the Washington Wizards, who averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in 15 games with the Bulls in 2018-19.

His addition brought two things the Bulls desperately needed: consistent outside shooting, connecting on 48.3 percent of his field goals and 48.8 percent of his threes, and perimeter defense.

“I think the mentality of this organization changed since I’ve come here,” Porter, Jr. said on Media Day about the Bulls playoff prospects this season. “I think just what we want to do here has changed. So, with that being said everybody’s on the right page.”

In the handful of games he and the Bulls top gun from a season ago Zach LaVine (23.7 ppg-Led team, 4.7 rpg-Led team, 4.5 apg-Led team), the Bulls had a pair of wings who can give opposing teams something to think about this upcoming season, provided they can stay healthy.

LaVine, who entered last season fully recovered from a torn ACL in his right knee two seasons back connecting on a career-high 46.7 percent from the floor a season ago and 37.4 percent from three-point range. He also rediscovered his explosiveness, while maturing as a playmaker and gave Bulls’ nation a reason to buy tickets. He feels his next step is to become a team leader along with Markkanen.

“It’s not a lot of pressure because we expect ourselves to, you know, be and go to that level,” LaVine said at Media Day on Sept. 30. “The more were on the court together the better chance we give our team because, you know, we ask for that pressure. We want to be known as, you know, a great combo. And we want to take our team to the playoffs.”

Markkanen added to that by saying, “I feel like we both play better under the pressure anyway. So, I think it’s a positive thing for both of us.”  

If that dream of being an All-Star is going to come true for LaVine, the team has to start living up to its own expectations first by staying healthy and being collectively productive. LaVine also has to protect the basketball a lot better.

The difference between guys that are All-Stars in the NBA and superstars is superstars can carry you by themselves into the postseason; can win a playoff series and be dominant in the fourth quarter. LaVine and Markkanen have All-Star talent but which one will emerge and be that special player to take the Bulls to that next level?

“Everything comes with winning. I feel like if we win and we’re in the right positions, the sky is the limit for me,” LaVine, a two-time Slam Dunk champion told ESPN’s Eric Woodyard earlier this month about his expectations for this season. “I had an All-Star-caliber year last year, but we had 22 wins so it got a little bit swept under the rug. But that’s how it’s supposed to be when you have 20 wins. But if I continue to play the way I’m supposed to, there’s no reason I shouldn’t be an All-Star or All-NBA type guy.”

What is also needed for the Bulls to reach their full potential is for Dunn to show rapid improvement this upcoming season.

Ever since Chicago native and 2011 Kia MVP Derrick Rose sustained a major knee injury in the opening round of the 2012 Playoffs, the Bulls have not had that dynamic leader on the floor at the point guard spot, with great offensive instincts; natural leadership abilities and the skill to make plays for others.

The front office of GM Gar Forman and Vice President of Basketball Operations Jim Paxson thought that Dunn would be that player, but his inability to consistently make shots, demonstrated by his 42.5 percent from the floor in 2018-19; has been inconsistent at the defensive end.

In June’s draft, the Bulls selected at No. 7 overall pick Dunn’s possible successor in Cody White out of the University of North Carolina.

In a sign-and-trade with the Washington Wizards, the Bulls acquired guard Tomas Satoransky (8.9 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.5 rpg, 48.5 FG%, 39.5 3-Pt.% w/Wizards), on a three-year, $30 million deal for a 2020 Second-Round pick and the right to swap a future Second-Round pick.

The 19-year-old White, who averaged 16.1 points in his lone season for head coach Roy Williams at Chapel Hill brings both good size at 6-foot-3 and a solid shooting ability, setting the Tar Heel record for three-pointers made by a freshmen in a single-season with 82, hitting them at a 35.3 percent clip in 2018-19. He also became the first UNC freshmen to score 30 or more three times in a season a year ago for head coach Roy Williams, who called him the best scoring point guard he has ever coached.

“My game is electric. Play with a lot of energy. Can knock down shots,” White said of how he describes his game. “I just feel like I play hard, you know, with a will to win. I definitely think I’m a player nobody sees coming.”

His ability to play off the ball might allow Coach Boylen to play him and Dunn together possibly. Meaning, White must become a more consistent shooter, as he connected on just 42.2 percent of his shots at UNC in 2018-19.

In Satoransky, the Bulls acquired a swingman with incredible court vision and an ever- improving offensive game, which he has shown as a starter the last two seasons when All-Star floor general John Wall has been on the shelf because of injury. The No. 32 overall pick in the 2012 in the 54 starts he had last season with the Wizards d averaged 10.7 points and 6.2 assists on 48.6 percent from the floor and 40.4 percent from three-point range.

The Bulls also re-signed back-up guard Ryan Arcidiacono (6.7 ppg, 3.3 apg, 44.7 FG%, 37.3 3-Pt.%) to a three-year, $9 million deal.

For Dunn he has to use this competition for the lead guard spot as motivation to find his niche that will keep him in the play rotation whether he starts or comes off the bench.

The best example of this is current ESPN NBA analyst Chauncey Billups who bounced around before landing with the Detroit Pistons and played a key role in them winning a title in 2004 as Finals MVP and almost winning another in 2005. That is the person Dunn needs to get in contact with to be in his ear and hold him to account on what he needs to do better.

The Bulls used the No. 38 overall, which they received in a Jan. 3 trade from the Memphis Grizzlies forward Daniel Gafford out of the University of Arkansas.

Gafford’s performance in Summer League intrigued the Bulls and Coach Boylen enough that they signed him to a four-year, $6.1 million contract this summer.

“We haven’t really had that lob guy. That guy that can just go up and get it, and he’s one of those types of players. Plus, he’s unselfish” Boylen said about Gafford to NBATV’s Rick Kamla and Caron Butler during a Summer League contest between the Hornets and Bulls. “He’s greatest gift is…he knows who he is, and he likes that and he likes who he is. He’s not maybe trying to be somebody else. That doesn’t mean we don’t want him to grow. It’s just knowing who you are now and help us win with that, and we’ll work on the other things. And he’s got great sense of that.”

The Bulls in free agency brought in some veteran experience with the addition of forward Thaddeus Young (12.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 34.9 3-Pt.% w/Pacers) on a three-year, $41 million deal and forward/center Luke Kornet (7.0 ppg, 36.3 3-Pt.% w/Knicks) on a two-year deal.

Young, whose played for the 76ers, Nets and Pacers in his first 12 seasons will bring to the Bulls that much needed veteran presence that will display a work ethic and competitive focuses from practice to game day and reinforce any message that Coach Boylen is trying to get across to his young team.

“The thing I love about Thaddeus Young is he can still play,” Boylen said about young to Kamla and Butler. “Sometimes, you add leadership, but they’re long in the tooth and maybe they can’t be the player they were. So, it’s hard for the guys to rally around them. He can still contribute and play. He played 81 games the last two years, and the two games he sat out were games when they [Pacers] were already made the playoffs, and they just held him out to make sure he didn’t get hurt.”

“He can still play. He can still contribute. He can come off the bench. He can start. He can play a couple different spots for us.”

“So, what we wanted to do was add quality draft picks, which we did. Two great kids [White and Gafford] and I think are going to be really good pros. And then we wanted to build depth those first five guys, and that’s what we’ve done. Veteran depth” Boylen said about what the Bulls added to the roster behind Dunn, LaVine, Carter, Jr., Markkanen and Porter, Jr.

Speaking of Boylen, considering how the Bulls finished up last season under his guidance from him being unpopular with the fans to how he had to put the clamps on a reported uprising from the players early into his interim coaching tenure, you would think Foreman and Paxson would have thought to bring in another person to be this team’s leader on the sidelines. Instead, he had the interim title removed and was signed to a three-year deal to be the Bulls new head coach.

The Bulls really did not have another option and had they did not bring back Boylen, whose been an assistant for 20-plus seasons with the Warriors, Bucks, Houston Rockets, Pacers and Spurs it would have been another example of the Bulls’ front office inability to find the right head coach to lead them into a better future.

The Chicago Bulls missed the playoffs for a second straight season as they endured one of the worst seasons in franchise history. The front office as well as the players have high expectations of competing for a playoff spot. In order to make that massive jump, Kris Dunn has to establish himself as the starting point guard. Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen have to become the undisputed 1-2 punch for this team, with Wendell Carter, Jr., and Otto Porter, Jr. playing solid supporting roles along with the likes of Thaddeus Young, Chandler Hutchinson, Daniel Gafford, Denzel Valentine, Tomas Satoransky, Cody White, and Tomas Satoransky.

“Our goals this year are really simple. First and fore most we want to compete at a high, high level,” Paxson said at Media Day. “We think we can compete. And when you compete at a high level, you have the ability to be a playoff caliber team and we’ve set that as a goal.”

“I don’t think they’re a playoff team yet, but they’re building in the right direction,” NBATV’s Sam Mitchell said of the Bulls entering this season. “They’re in a situation where they are still ascending, but those young guys need to start showing some promise or they need to go in a different direction.”    

Best Case Scenario: The Bulls win 35 games and are in the hunt for the final playoff spot in the East. The starting five of LaVine, Carter, Jr., Dunn, Markkanen and Porter, Jr. click. Boylen has the team believing in his way of doing things from practice to gameday. White and Satoransky become a consistent part of the playing rotation.

Worst Case Scenario: The Bulls go through another season of 55-plus losses and injuries. Dunn is on the trading block and the Bulls are unresponsive to Coach Boylen.

Grade: C-

Cleveland Cavaliers: 19-63 (5^th Central Division; missed playoffs) 13-28 at home, 6-35 on the road.

-104.5 ppg-29^th; opp. ppg: 114.1-24^th; 42.7 rpg-26^th  

The four-time defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers said goodbye for a second time to the proud son of Akron, OH and four-time Kia MVP. It went just like the first departure in the summer of 2010, where they plummeted to the cellar of the East standings. With a new head coach from the collegiate ranks now in the fold; a trio of talented young guards; an intriguing young forward; and an All-Star likely to be traded more assets for, the question is for the Cavaliers, who will be celebrating their 50^th season is how long will this rebuild take?

The avalanche of a rough season in the second go-around without two-time Finals MVP LeBron James began with an 0-6 start, which led to head coach Tyronn Lue getting the axe, with three years and $35 million left on his contract. Assistant coach Larry Drew head took over and things got worse as the team finished 2018-19 22-54.

All-Star forward/center Kevin Love (17.0 ppg, 10.9 rpg 36.1 3-Pt.%), who was re-signed to a four-year, $120 million extension in the summer 2018 that begins this season, missed 60 games a season ago because of injury, with 50 of those absences came following surgery on his toe. Center Tristan Thompson (10.9 ppg, 10.2 rpg-career-high-Leads team, 52.9 FG%) was also on the shelf for 39 games a season ago because of injury.

 “I do want to be here. I always have,” Love said about the possibility of being traded later this season to Cleveland.com in early October. “I say that knowing it’s the NBA and it’s a business. I think especially after seeing last year, the summer leading up to last year and this summer, the changeover is like unprecedented so you don’t know what is going to happen.”

Veteran guard JR Smith was suspended basically for being insubordinate and basically told to go in the middle of December 2018 to go home as the Cavaliers tried to facilitate a trade, which did not occur, and he was eventually cut this summer.

Fellow veterans George Hill and Kyle Korver were traded early last season, with Korver being dealt to the Utah Jazz on Nov. 29, 2018, netting a 2020 and 2021 Second-Round pick.  Hill was dealt on Dec. 7, 2018 to the Bucks as part of  a three-team deal that involved the  Wizards, which netted the Cavs reserve guard Matthew Dellavedova (6.0 ppg, 3.6 apg, 35.8 FG%), whose in his second tour of duty with the team; forward/center John Henson and the Bucks’ First and Second-Round picks in 2021.

If that was not enough, Cavaliers’ owner Dan Gilbert suffered a stroke in May 26 and had immediate surgery for a catheter-based procedure at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI. The 57-year-old billionaire businessman Gilbert has been back in Detroit the past two months continuing his recovery and has been doing well according to an update made in late August by Quicken Loans CEO Jay Farner.

“On Friday, Dan Gilbert returned to Detroit to continue his rehabilitation locally,” Farner said. “We are extremely thankful for all the skilled medical professionals who have played a significant role in Dan’s recovery and are glad to have him back home.”

The Cavs also lost its longtime play-by-play voice in Cleveland native Fred McLeod, who passed away suddenly at the age of 67. No cause of death was announced.  

The one bright spot for the Cavaliers a season ago was the play of the No. 8 overall pick pick guard Collin Sexton (16.7 ppg, 40.2 3-Pt.%).

After a slow start to his rookie season, the All-Rookie Second-Team selection out of the University of Alabama went from averaging 15.1 points on 40.8 percent from the floor the first 58 games of 2018-19 to 20.8 points on 47.7 percent shooting from the floor the final 24 games after the All-Star break, to make the All-Rookie Second Team. He even increased his three-point percentage from 39.2 percent to 41.3 post All-Star.

“As a team, I feel like we can’t go backwards,” Sexton said about last season. “We can only move forward and continue to get better. Last season wasn’t a really good season for us as a whole. We had a lot of injuries. We had a lot of different things like that. But we can control coming in and just getting better each and every day and trying to move forward and focus on the things we can control.”

Another young player who benefited from increased playing time was sharp shooting forward Cedi Osman (13.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg), who had the third biggest increase in scoring average amongst NBA regulars of 9.1 points last season.

One other bright spot for the Cavs in a lost season was their top bench player Jordan Clarkson (16.8 ppg, 44.8 FG%), who also came over at the Feb. 2018 trade deadline from the Lakers was very impressive with a career-high average of 16.8 points on 44.8 FG%.

“If it happens, it happens,” Clarkson said at Media Day about entering the last season of his contract. “I want to be here in Cleveland. I like what they got going on here in terms of everything being new. The coaching staff, everything. It’s kind of like a fresh start, another one. But, I mean, if it happens, it happens. If not, I mean, we got to sit down and look what our possibilities could be.”

While he had a career-high of 18 double-doubles as season ago, compared to the 21 he registered his first three seasons, forward/center Larry Nance, Jr. (9.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg-Led team, 1.5 spg-Led team 52.0 FG%) on the other hand took a step back a season ago and there is a fear that the son of former Cavalier great Larry Nance, Sr. will be nothing more than a scrappy, lunch pail role player. He said this summer he is ready to take on a bigger role.  

In a summer full of surprising moves around “The Association,” one of the most underrated moves occurred in Northeast Ohio when the Cavaliers hired longtime college coach John Beilein on a five-year deal to be their new head coach.

The 66-year-old Beilein had flirted with coaching in the NBA in past years, but when that call never came, some in the NBA circle thought his time had passed, particularly when he reached the age of retirement.

The Cavaliers and General Manager Kolby Altman decided for the third time to go with the out of left field choice in Beilein, even with all the challenges that exist with coaches who make the transition from college, where was a head coach for 41 seasons at SUNY Erie (1978-82), Nazareth College (1982-83), Le Moyne College (1983-92), Canisius University (1992-97), University of Richmond (1997-2002), West Virginia University (2002-07) and University of Michigan (2007-19), compiling a record of 1,067-611 to the NBA.

In Coach Beilein’s 12 seasons in Ann Arbor, the Michigan Wolverines reached the NCAA Tournament nine times, which included two appearances in the Final Four. Won the Big Ten Conference four times in Beilein’s 12 seasons in Ann Arbor, MI. His 18 NCAA Tournament wins since 2013 is tied for the most in that span.

“I’m just thrilled to be in this position. To have the support I have from our administration and the coaching staff that we put together,” the 66-year-old Beilein said at Media Day about being the Cavs head coach. “We’re gonna have this incredible growth mindset all year long. And we’re going to be known for developing players, developing staff, developing teams. And we’re really gonna work so hard at really representing the great Cavalier history.”

Joining Coach Beilein on the sidelines is former Grizzlies head coach J.B. Bickerstaff as Associate head coach; former Cavs player Antonio Lang and former California Lady Bears head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, the first NCAA women’s head coach to be hired by an NBA team.

The Cavs youth movement suggests that Beilein is the right voice and brings the kind of authority to be the leader on the sidelines for a young team, which will get even younger as the Cavs odds of being back in the draft lottery this spring, providing Beilein with additional players in their late teens and early 20s to nurture.

“I think John Beilein will do very well,” ESPN’s Jay Bilas said during NBA Draft back in June. “He’s gotten a lot of advice from NBA coaches saying, ‘Just be yourself,’ and Coach Beilein just being yourself is good enough to do well in the NBA.”

Coach Beilein will have five such players like that to nurture this upcoming season with Sexton and Osman, plus the No. 5 overall pick in lead guard Darius Garland out of Vanderbilt University; small forward Dylan Windler, the 26^th overall pick out of Belmont University; and the No. 30 overall pick in Kevin Porter, Jr., whose draft rights were dealt to the Cavs from the Detroit Pistons for four future Second-Round picks and cash considerations.

Garland, who averaged 16.2 points on 53.7 percent from the field and 47.8 from three-point range in just his fourth career game as a collegiate scored 33 points, which was the second most ever by a Vandy freshmen. His time as a collegiate was cut short though by a meniscus tear in his left knee sustained the next game that required season-ending surgery in November 2018.

“Just to stay patient,” the son of former NBA guard Winston Garland, who played seven seasons in the NBA said to Taylor about the hardest part of coming back from his knee injury. “That was my hardest part, but I mean, I’ve overcome adversity. I’m ready to go.”

This seems very similar to someone the Cavaliers took at the beginning of this decade, whose collegiate career was limited to just 11 games in now Nets’ perennial All-Star Kyrie Irving. There hoping that Garland, a three-time “Mr. Basketball” in Tennessee; who led Brentwood Academy to four high school state titles and was considered Vanderbilt’s best recruit ever can produce at the kind of level.

The Cavs were very smitten by Garland’s ability to shoot off the catch, off the dribble and the ability to get his own shot, particularly his ability to make shots from three-point range.

The main question for Garland how well does he fit with Sexton?

Both players can play well without the ball, but both are more comfortable as the main floor general, even though Garland’s ability to create for others needs to improve, although he described his game otherwise to Taylor.

“Young point guard. Playmaker. Gets his teammates involved, but likes to score as well,” Garland said in describing his game adding, “Just like to win. I’m a competitor. So, I’m ready to get to Cleveland.”

The other thing about both players as Larry Nance, Jr., who entering his fifth season in the NBA pointed out on Media Day is that they are both good people off the floor, who are coachable on the floor. Nance also said at Media Day how during the offseason he has taken Garland, Porter, Jr. and Windler around the city to the likes of practice of the Cleveland Browns of the NFL and to Indians baseball game earlier this summer.

Nance also can remain patient with Garland and Sexton because he is old enough to share some of the ins and outs of the NBA but young enough, just finishing his rookie contract to help guide them along the start of their NBA journey.

“Hopefully I got 10 more years of this. Hopefully I can hang around like Channing [Frye]” the son of former Cavs great Larry Nance, Sr. said. “

Porter, Jr., who averaged 9.5 points on 41 percent from three-point range for the USC Trojans in 2018-19 is the wild card of the Cavs’ 2019 draft class. The Seattle, WA native has lottery talent with great size at 6-foot-6 as a left-handed ball handler who create his own shot off the dribble as well as create shots for others. He make step back jumpers and has a great hesitation dribble, just like perennial All-Star James Harden of the Houston Rockets, who is Porter’s favorite NBA player.

A suspension for poor conduct and injuries not only cost him much of his lone season with the Trojans but deterred a number of teams early on in June’s draft from selecting him, even though he was great in his pre-draft workouts. He has also battled some inner demons that developed from growing up without his father, who was shot and killed when he was just four years old in 2004.

When he is focused, Porter, Jr. can be a difference maker. If he wants to make it in the NBA though, he has to mature both on and off the hardwood.

“Just be great. Do everything I can for the community. Just do everything that he would do for the family, and just be me,” Porter, Jr. said to Taylor how he plans to fulfill the legacy of his dad’s.

“I’ve been battling through adversity all my life. Still am. So really, it’s just a learning experience from everything and a growth experience. Adversity, you know, if you overcame it, that’s great. That’s what it’s there for. But it test you. It’s challenges that you got to overcome. So, having that at a young age helped me a lot.”

Windler, a two-time First Team All Ohio Valley Conference selection was one of two seniors chosen in the First-Round of June’s draft really made the most of his four seasons at Belmont and helped them qualify for the 2019 NCAA Tournament, thanks to his stellar senior season averaging 21.3 points and 10.9 rebounds (10^th NCAA) on 54 percent from the field, which helped his draft stock.

He has a great shooting stroke; is very offensively sound, is a great cutter in the half court offensively; is a very creative finisher around the basket and can really rebound.

Windler though will start this season on the sidelines due to though will likely miss the s left tibial stress reaction he sustained in late September during a workout. He is expected to be out 4-6 weeks.  

The Cavaliers as a result of this claimed former Warriors forward Alfonzo McKinnie off waivers at the start of this week. 

The 50^th season of Cavaliers basketball will provide the fans a chance to enjoy the past, which includes four straight Eastern Conference crowns and one Larry O’Brien trophy won in 2016. Other than that, it is all about stockpiling as many assets as possible. That includes what might come if they trade Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson by Feb. 2020, and giving their young core of Colin Sexton, Cedi Osman, Larry Nance, Jr., Winston Garland, Kevin Porter, Jr., Jordan Clarkson, and Dylan Windler plenty of time to grow from their mistakes this season.  

“We’re at the point of the year where our guys and our team, everyone, right, is improving daily,” Beilein said about the team’s expectations heading into this season. “Getting better daily. Showing great habits in games and practices. It won’t be on number of wins. It will be, ‘Are you seeing this steady rise in our play?’”

“If we get better every single day, we’re gonna have a heck of a year,” Coach Beilein said.

Best Case Scenario: The Cavaliers win at least 30 games. The Sexton/Garland pairing under Coach Beilein is productive. Osman and Nance, Jr. take another step in their maturation. The Cavaliers trade Love and Thompson for future First-Round picks.

Worst Case Scenario: The Cavaliers victory total is in the teens and own the worst record in the NBA. Coach Beilein does not connect with his team. The Sexton/Garland pairing has more low moments than high ones on the hardwood.

Grade: C-

Detroit Pistons: 41-41 (3^rd Central Division; No. 8 Seed in East) 26-15 at home, 15-26 on the road. Lost in Quarterfinals 4-0 against the No. 1 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks.

-106.6 ppg-23^rd; opp. ppg: 108.1-9^th; 45.5 rpg-12^th

While they made the playoffs for just the second time the last decade, the Detroit Pistons in 2018-19 were a team where that could beat anybody, especially when their 1-2 punch in the front court played at a high level. They also could and were beaten by anybody, which is why the went just 7-10 to close out the regular season and had a quick exit in the postseason. Without a difference making draft pick and little to no salary cap room to woo a A-List free agent, the question for the Pistons, who made some decent additions over the summer is do they have enough around their 1-2 punch in their starting front court?

While the addition of new head coach Dwane Casey did make a difference in 2018-19, as the boys from the “Motor City” reached the playoffs for only the second time since 2009. But were swept by the East runner-up the Bucks last spring.

The Pistons made the postseason because of All-NBA Third-Team forward Blake Griffin (24.5 ppg-Led team, 7.5 rpg, 5.4 apg-Led team, 46.2 FG% 36.2 3-Pt.%), who the Pistons acquired in late January 2018 played at an All-Star level.

He played in 75 games a season ago, displaying good heath for the first time in a number of years, and played with the kind of offensive aggression in the low-post that made him must-see television while with the Clippers, while becoming a consistent three-point shooter.

Those injury concerns resurfaced late last season as a knee issue injured knee but Griffin on the shelf the last week of the regular season and the first two games of the First-Round versus the No. 1 Seeded Bucks. While Griffin played valiantly in Games 3 and 4 at home, the Pistons were no match for the Bucks, who took them down 4-0.

Griffin had an arthroscopic procedure on that injured knee and the Pistons hope a full summer of rest and recovery will allow him to play to the level he did a season ago, especially since they are on the hook for the final three years of the five-year, $173 million deal he signed while still a Clipper two summers back.

“Having a full summer being healthy, being in the weight room, being in the gym since the end of May, you know, was a first for me,” Griffin said at Media Day on Sept. 30 about working on his game in the summer as opposed to rehabbing from injury, which he had to do the last two to three off-seasons. “So, I really like this summer, you know, made strides not only in just conditioning and strength, and getting some explosiveness back and improving there but just in the gym. Being able to get shots up. Being able to work on my game on the things I felt I needed to work on for, you know, an entire five months almost.”

Unfortunately, Griffin will be out the first two weeks of the season as he continues according to the Pistons his "treatment and conditioning regimen for left hamstring and posterior knee soreness." The Pistons said that Griffin will be re-evaluated "for a return to action" during the first week of November. 

The Pistons were thrilled to get a full 82-game season out of starting lead guard Reggie Jackson (15.4 ppg, 36.9 3-Pt.%-career-high), whose inability to remain healthy the previous two seasons,  appearing in just 52 and 45 games cost former head coach and executive Stan Van Gundy, who acquired Jackson five seasons back his job.

The biggest thing for Jackson is becoming more of a true floor general to where he thinks pass first and shoot second.

“Focus on getting my mind right. Being in the best place I can be,” Jackson said how he is entering this season at Media Day. “Being prepared to play however it is how that we’re gonna play with all these guys.”

The most consistent Piston the past couple of seasons has been center Andre Drummond, who averaged a career-high 17.3 points and a league leading 15.6 rebounds on 53.3 percent shooting, and a league leading 69 double-doubles a season ago, including nine games of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds.

In the last three seasons, only Lakers’ center Dwight Howard (51) and Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal (34) have had more 20/20 games in terms of points and rebounds than the 24 by Drummond, with 20 such games coming in the last three seasons, which is why he expects to be offered max money if he opts out of the last year of the five-year, $130 million deal he signed in summer of 2016 this offseason.

The All-Star big man took another step in his maturation as a better defender under Coach Casey, finishing No. 8 in the league in blocks and steals respectably.

“With the work you put in, you should be rewarded for it-No matter who you are,” Drummond said to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press earlier this month. “If it’s me or even a rookie. Everybody feels like they should make a maximum amount of dollars.”

Pistons GM Ed Stefanski did not discuss whether the Pistons are in talks with Drummond’s representatives about a contract extension, which he is eligible for as mentioned.

“We really like Andre the person and the player.” Stefanski said. “So, you never know what occurs. How it’s gonna happen but we like the player as I said. We like the person.”

Drummond added about the mindset for himself this season is to be the Kia Defensive Player of the Year. He feels he accomplishes that the Pistons will be a “good team.”   

Aside from the play of Griffin, Drummond and Jackson, the Pistons mark of 28-34 following a 13-7 start last season was due to inconsistent play from the rest of the roster.

The Pistons’ front office brass led by GM Ed Stefanski hoped for significant improvement from second year sharp-shooter Luke Kennard (9.7 ppg, 39.4 3-Pt.%), who the Pistons exercised their team option on for next season has not established himself beyond being a knockdown sniper from the perimeter, despite his solid play in the four-game opening-round sweep against the division rival Bucks 15.0 points on 48.9 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from three-point range.

Reserve guard Langston Galloway (8.4 ppg, 35.5 3-Pt.%) also struggled with ability to make shots overall from the field at just 38.8 percent.

The under achieving former First-Round draft choice Stanley Johnson was dealt in a three-team deal to the Pelicans at the Feb. 7 trade deadline, that brought big man Thon Maker, who had his ups-and-downs as well with the Pistons. Former draft picks in Bruce Brown, who has established himself as a solid perimeter defender and Khyri Thomas have also struggled at the offensive end in their brief time with the Pistons.

This off-season, GM Stefanski used his lone draft pick and limited available salary cap space, to fortify the roster with a supporting cast that compliments Griffin, Drummond, and Jackson, especially from three-point range, where they hoisted more triples of all but five teams last season but connected on fewer than all but seven squads, connection on just 34.8 percent of those tries.

The Pistons drafted at No. 15 overall forward Sekou Doumbouya from France, who they are very high on.

They acquired the draft rights to Kevin Porter, the 30^th overall pick on draft night back in June and swingman Tony Snell from the Bucks for forward Jon Leuer. Porter, Jr. was then dealt to the Cavaliers for four future Second-Round picks and cash considerations.

The Pistons then traded the draft rights to power forward Isaiah Roby (No. 45 overall pick) and two future Second-Round picks to the Mavericks for small forward Deividas Sirvydis, No. 37 overall pick from Lithuania.

Doumbouya, who does not turn 19-years-old until Dec. 23 brings good size at 6-foot-9 and springs, which has him being compared to the 2019 Kia Most Improved Player Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors. If the native of Conakry, Guinea If Doumbouya, who spent the last three seasons playing for a French League squad can be anything close to Siakam, the Pistons might have their future starting small forward.  

The acquisition of Snell (6.0 ppg, 45.2 FG%, 39.7 3-Pt.% w/Bucks) will only have upside if the former Bull can play up to the expectations the Bucks hoped when they re-signed him to a four-year, $44 million deal in summer of 2017.

The Pistons signed forward Markieff Morris (9.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg w/Wizards & Thunder) to add depth to their front court as a floor spacer and banger in the paint; forward Michael Beasley, who will be playing for his eighth different team since being drafted a decade ago No. 2 overall to a one-year deal.

With Ish Smith now with the Wizards in free agency, the Pistons signed 2011 Kia MVP Derrick Rose (18.0 ppg, 48.2 FG%, 37.0 3-Pt.% w/Timberwolves) to a two-year, $15 million deal and journeyman floor general Tim Frazier on a one-year, $1.9 million deal. They also added veteran Joe Johnson, the MVP and champion of the “Big 3” one a one-year deal on Sept. 12, but waived him on Monday.

It was just four years ago that the Chicago, IL native seemed hobbled and finished from all the injuries he has sustained and his state of mind, but a long-awaited resurrection came with the Timberwolves for Rose, which included a career-high 50-point performance on Halloween night 2018 in his former team’s 128-125 win versus the Utah Jazz on 19 for 31 from the field, including 4 for 7 from three-point range.

The addition of Johnson and Rose give the Pistons two guys who can get you a bucket one-on-one when the game is close and can sink game-winners in the closing seconds. Rose particularly gives Coach Casey flexibility to use him as Jackson’s understudy or to play them together to where one can worry about scoring, depending on whose got it going offensively and who can run the team at the lead guard spot.  

“It’s a new year. We have new people on the team and we got to have expectations, and goals,” Rose said, “And the goal is to do better than last year.”  

“I’m trying to like grow as a leader and as a person. So, me coming here, one of my goals is to be vocal. Helping the young guys out with situations that they’re not used to and just trying to find that common ground with everyone.”

Since the 2007-08 season the Pistons, who have gone 372-514 mark have been in a place you do not want to be in sports-not good enough to compete for the playoffs, but not good enough to be a real threat. Last season was just their third playoff appearance since 2009, where they have gone 0-12 and have an NBA record 14 straight losses in the postseason.

With a more balance attack surrounding Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, the Pistons to a man feel that if they remain healthy and play with a sense of urgency every night, they can not only make the playoffs for a second straight season but be a threat in the East.

“I think we have the mindset to come in and compete every night,” Griffin said at Media Day about the Pistons approach this season to make it back to the playoffs. “And if we do that, the fans, the city of Detroit will get behind us and that’s going to be a big part of it for us.”

“We know what we have on this team,” Rose said. “And one of the reasons I signed so early is because I see something. Something that you all might not see but I see something.”

Coach Casey added saying at Media Day, “We’re not just here to get by or just to get in the playoffs. We want to do big things and we’re building that foundation.”

Best Case Scenario: The Pistons make their second straight appearance in the postseason this spring at right about the middle of the conference. Griffin is an All-Star again. Drummond is on the cusp of being an All-Star again. The supporting cast of Rose, Morris, Kennard, and Snell perform consistently for Coach Casey.

Worst Case Scenario: The Pistons are fighting again to just make the playoffs. Griffin battles injuries again. The supporting players perform inconsistently

Grade: D+

Indiana Pacers: 48-34 (2^nd in Central Division; No. 5 Seed in East) 29-12 at home, 19-22.

-108.0 ppg-22^nd; opp. ppg: 104.7-1^st; 43.0 rpg-24^th   

Last season the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, and Philadelphia 76ers were the headliners of the Eastern Conference, and deservedly so. So were the Indiana Pacers, until the season-ending injury sustained by their All-Star guard and top offensive player. While the team managed to make the playoffs, they just did not have enough to put any kind of fear in the opposition from “Beantown” in the playoffs last spring. With some very solid off-season additions and another year in the system of their solid head coach, the question for the Pacers is can they challenge in the East this season?

The Pacers were in the thicket of being a Top 3 team in the East until two-time All-Star guard Victory Oladipo sustained a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his right knee in the Pacers 110-106 win versus the eventual NBA champion Raptors on Jan. 23, that shelved him the final 35 games of last season.   

Not only did head coach Nate McMillan’s squad lose their best offensive player, who averaged 18.8 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals but the Pacers lost their leader inspirational leader, who guided the Pacers to a 25-11 mark with him in the lineup.

Without their All-Star, which includes and 11-game absence early into last season because of right knee issue, the Pacers finished the season 16-19, which included a 4-13 record on the road with Oladipo on the shelf, and a 23-23 mark overall.

“My mind,” Oladipo said at Media Day on Sept. 30 on what he is working on currently along with rehabbing. “With rehab it pretty much speaks for itself. It’s pretty strategic the things that I have to do. The necessary steps I have to make. But your mind is another muscle that you need to work on through this process.”

“So, for me that’s what I’m focused on is building my mind to be in game shape and being able to withstand some things that I may not be able to work on playing the game.”

Pacers’ general manager Kevin Pritchard told reporters in the early part of this summer that Oladipo may not return to the court until December or at the start of 2020.

“We don’t have a timetable as far as when he will be back playing, you know? We will really be takin that day-to-day, you know, possibly month-to-month as far as when he will be returning to play,” Coach McMillan said to Sirius XM NBA Radio in late December. “And he will not start certainly, you know, doing anything in training camp with the team.”

The good news is that Oladipo has gotten back on the court as was evidence by a video on the Instagram page @bryccestanhopetraining but has said he will take his time getting back.

Most teams that lose their best player in the middle of the season normally just fall flat and try to come back stronger next year. Head Coach Nate McMillan’s team simply inspired themselves, regrouped and played inspired basketball, where they did make it back to the playoffs. It was a credit to Coach McMillan, who finished fourth in the Kia Coach of the Year voting not allowing his team to quit when the chips were down.

Contributions from a Bojan Bogdanovic, who averaged 20.9 points after the All-Star break; Kia Sixth Man of the Year candidate Domantas Sabonis (14.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg-Led team 59.0 FG%, 52.9 3-Pt.%), who agreed to a four-year, $79.4 million contract extension at the start of this week, that could get as high as $80 million, according to ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski had 30 double-doubles after totaling just 17 in his first two seasons and an ever improving Myles Turner (13.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.7 bpg-Led NBA, 48.7 FG%, 38.8 3-Pt.%), who came into last season in the best shape of his life and it showed in the way he rebounded and protected the rim with his shot blocking, and how when he did get his opportunities in the low-post or when spotted up off of pick-and-pops he made the most of them.

For Turner, who played for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup in China in September, the big step he has to take is developing an aggressive mindset at the offensive end to match his will to block shots and rebound, especially since he and Sabonis, who started just five games in 2018-19 will be starting in the front court this season.  

“I think offensively we’ll be able to figure it out since we do two different things,” Turner said at Media Day about playing together with Domantas. “The biggest thing on offense is being able to know where everybody fits in. How we’re gonna make the engine roll.”

“And defensively, just guarding perimeter guys or being able to guard ‘stretch fours’ and all that kind of stuff.”

As good as those three were, former First-Round pick TJ Leaf and forward Doug McDermott, who signed a big contract last off-season were very subpar.

McDermott was specifically supposed to make the Pacers a much better three-point shooting team at a time when that is the most important aspect of a team’s ability to consistently score.

While the Pacers ranked in the Top 10 in three-point percentage for the third consecutive season in 2018-19, according to NBA.com’s John Schuhmann, they ranked in the Bottom 10 in percentage of their field goal attempts from behind the three-point arc at 29.2 percent, which was dead last in “The Association.” Overall, the Pacers finished No. 4 in the NBA in field goal percentage in 2018-19 at 47.5 percent but were 22^nd in free throw percentage at 75.1 percent.

This off-season, GM Pritchard used the Pacers $44.0 million in salary-cap room to bring in more offensive fire power to the Pacers.  

They acquired via a sign-and-trade with the Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (15.6 ppg w/Bucks), who last season joined Hall of Famers Larry Bird, NBA on TNT color analyst Reggie Miller and Steve Nash, future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki, the Nets Kevin Durant, Mark Price and the Warriors Stephen Curry NBA as part of the 50/40/90 club last season, where Brogdon shot 50.5 percent from the field; 42.6 percent from three-point range and 92.8 percent from the charity stripe. In exchange, the Pacers sent a future First-Round pick and two Second-Round picks to the Bucks in the deal.

Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard at Brogdon’s introductory press conference in early July that when they were putting their offseason plan together, there was a “10 percent” chance the would land Brogdon in free agency. It was a call made by owner Herb Simon that made the difference in the Pacers getting a player that med their three T’s of what their team is based on-togetherness, toughness, and trust.

“I’m extremely excited to be here,” the 26-year-old Brogdon said. “It’s a great opportunity. It’s an organization where I immediately feel extremely valued.”

“They have a great franchise player in Victor Oladipo and they have a great building blocks in Myles Turner, (Domantas) Sabonis, guys like that and a great coach in Coach McMillan. So, I’m excited to be here. Excited to be part of this organization, and I’m ready to start winning.”

The 2016-17 Kia Rookie of the Year gives the Pacers a guy who can run the offense at the point and can play just as exceptional off the ball. On top of that, the Pacers took away a good player from one of their biggest conference rivals and competitors in the Eastern Conference.

“That point guard position I felt was the most important position to sign. To be able to bring Malcolm on board, it feels like the perfect fit for this organization going to the future,” Coach McMillian said. “Getting this guard combination of Malcolm and Victor going into the future just feels like the right fit.”

“He checks all the boxes for us. We talk about character. We talk about leadership. He has won wherever he’s gone. He’s been very successful in his career from, you know, college basketball into the pros. He’s a pro. He’s a two-way player and outstanding guard.”

The Pacers also acquired forward T.J. Warren (18.0 ppg, 48.6 FG%, 42.8 3-Pt.% w/Suns) in a three-team deal with the Suns and Heat, who also sent a future Second-Round pick (via Heat) their direction.

Warren not only gives the Pacers an offensive threat who can play both forward positions, he can space the floor with his ability to make threes and his addition softens the blow of losing Bogdanovic, who left in free agency to join Utah.

“I’m excited. Very appreciative in them trading for me. Excited to get to work and just eager to get out there and start playing,” Warren said over the summer.

He added about being on a team where he could play in the postseason for the first time in his career, “It makes me feel great…I feel like everyday matters. Everything is taken seriously and I’m ready to contribute to that.”

They added another floor spacer in guard Jeremy Lamb this summer, whose career season in 2018-19 with the Hornets, where his confidence and consistency to take and make shots in the clutch that led to averages of 15.3 points and 5.5 boards, connecting on 34.8 percent of his triples earned him a three-year, $31.5 million deal from the Pacers.

Without Oladipo to start this season, Coach McMillan will need Lamb to play at the level he did with the Hornets in 2018-19 and for him to get better at the defensive end.  

“I’m excited about the opportunity. About the potential this team has,” Lamb said. “Ready for the opportunity, and like I said can’t wait to get started.”

The Pacers added more depth to their backcourt with the signing of reserve guard T.J. McConnell (6.4 ppg, 3.4 apg, 52.5 FG% w/76ers) on a two-year, $7 million deal, who will share the point guard duties with the Pacers 2018 First-Round draft choice in Aaron Holiday, who will be playing alongside older brother Justin Holiday (10.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg w/Bulls & Grizzlies), who signed a one-year, $4.8 million deal with the team in the middle of July.

Both players will get a chance to earn minutes this season because the NBA dismissed swingman Tyreke Evans for two years earlier this summer after violating the league’s anti-drug policy. The Pacers also said goodbye this offseason to forward Thaddeus Young, now with the Bulls; Bogdanovic, who signed with the Utah Jazz; guard Cory Joseph, who signed with the Kings and Kyle O’Quinn, who signed with the 76ers.  

With the No. 18 pick in this June’s draft, the Pacers drafted 20-year-old, 6-foot-11 center Goga Bitadze from Sagarejo, Georgia, who brings a lot of tools to the table as demonstrated by being the first center to win the EuroLeague Rising Stars Award, which has been won the last two seasons by the 2018-19 Kia Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.

The 2018-19 ABA League MVP and Top Prospect recipient, who played for KK Mega Leks in Serbia can shoot threes; is an effective scorer in the low post; has a nice shooting touch around the rim and has great shot blocking instincts at the defensive end.

“I want somebody whose gonna play hard and protect the rim and Goga does that,” Pritchard said back in late June of the Pacers First-Round pick. “It was the easiest decision we’ve ever made in the draft. We were surprised and thankful he was there.”

“I think we can keep our defense similar in that we have now two elite shot blockers. That’s important. To win big, you’ve got to have one guy protecting that rim and he takes more pride in that than anybody.”

In a three-way deal with the Utah Jazz and Warriors on draft night, the Pacers sent the draft rights of forward Jarrell Brantley, the No. 50 overall pick to them in exchange for a future Second-Round pick and cash considerations.

For the third straight season, they come in with a number of new faces in Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb, T.J. Warren, and T.J. McConnell to go alongside a healthy Oladipo, when he returns, Domantas Sabonis, and Myles Turner.

After four straight opening-round exits in the postseason, this is kind of a make-it or break-it season for the Pacers, who on paper are prime to make some noise in the East. But now they have to make it happen on the floor.       

“For us, it’s a year of proving it,” Coach McMillan said about the Pacers upcoming season. “You know, I think we’ve brought in seven new free agents and we all have something to prove this season. For me, the last three years we’ve had decent seasons and we’ve been able to get to the playoffs but it’s been First-Round and out… I think it’s just a year for us to prove ourselves.”

Best Case Scenario: The Pacers are fighting for any of the Top 3 Seeds in the East with the Bucks and 76ers. Oladipo returns to the form that made him an All-Star the last two seasons and he really gels with Brogdon alongside. Sabonis and Turner gel as a starting tandem in the front court. Lamb and Warren have major offensive impacts. The Pacers reach the Semifinals.

Worst Case Scenario: The Pacers are at the bottom of the East playoff race. Oladipo is not fully himself off the injury. The supporting cast struggles to play to the level Coach McMillian wants. They get bounced in the First-Round again.  

Grade: A-

Miami Heat: 39-43 (3^rd Southeast Division; missed the playoffs) 19-22 at home, 20-21 on the road.

-105.7 ppg-26^th; opp. ppg: 105.9-2^nd; 46.3 rpg-10^th

The final season for the future First Ballot Hall of Famer and best player in the history of the Miami Heat fell short of them making the playoffs last spring. As one era concluded, another one began with the acquisition of a perennial All-Star from said future Hall of Famer’s college of Marquette. With the acquisition of the hopeful newest face of the Heat franchise in place; the draft selection of a very talented and confidence sharp-shooter and the expected emergence of two former lottery picks, the question for the Heat is do they have enough to get back to the playoffs and make some noise?

For the third time in the last five seasons, the Heat finished outside the playoff picture in the final season of future First-Ballot Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, a three-time NBA champion, 2006 Finals MVP and the best player in franchise history.

To put into context the kind of season it was for head coach Erik Spoelstra’s squad in 2018-19, they had 32 games that were decided by six points or less, compiling a 15-17 record, which included a 6-11 mark in games decided by three points or less.

With the retirement of Wade, Hall of Fame head coach and long-time Heat President Pat Riley and owner Mickey Arison was in search of an A-List star to carry the Miami Heat forward into the future.

In a four-team sign-and-trade deal with the Clippers, 76ers and Trail Blazers, the Heat feel acquired four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler (18.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.9 spg-5^th NBA, 46.2 FG% w/Timberwolves & 76ers), who came over in a sign-and-trade of a four-year, $142 million max contract and dealt guard Josh Richardson to the 76ers. 

On paper, this trade worked out for both parties, where Butler, who could have played the free agent a number of ways, but chose South Beach for a fresh start with a team that had a culture that fit his personality and the Heat found in the 2015 Kia Most Improved Player and four-time All-Defensive Second-Team selection their star player and anchor moving forward.

“It’s going to be different because this is where I’m going to be hopefully the rest of my career,” Butler, who has reportedly been showing up to the facility as early as 3 a.m. said to NBATV’s Ro Parris on Media Day on Sept. 30. “I think I fit here. The way that they work. The attitude that they go about everything. It’s me in a nutshell.”

That kind of work ethic and no-nonsense attitude was something that rubbed his former teammates with the Bulls, who drafted him No. 30 overall in 2011 and with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He seemed to fit in well with the 76ers, even after a rocky beginning, forming a solid kingship with star center Joel Embiid. In the end, Butler just wanted to be with a team that fit his style and so far, his interactions with Riley and Coach Spoelstra as he told Parrish are “clicking the right way.”

“Were in constant communication. They love to work. I love to work. And we’re just gonna have to figure everything out a day at a time. I think we’re doing a great job of it now. The group of guys that we have love to work. Love to be around one another, and that’s all you can ask going into training camp.”

One person he was in constant communication about joining the Heat and what their culture was all about was fellow Marquette Golden Eagle and Alonzo Mourning, the team’s vice president and former star center after the early practices picking his brain on the no-nonsense, we defend at all times culture.

“I think he would make my job easier, along with everybody else’s,” he said to Parrish about wishing he could have played with Wade, “but I’m fortunate to have him as a brother and somebody I look up to. But he’s constantly telling me about the work and how they expect to win right now. And that’s why I’m here. I do want to win. That’s why I do this. We will do that this year.”

While the Heat found their leading man in Butler, they were unable snag a co-star to go alongside him like perennial All-Stars guard Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul, who were dealt for each other in the middle of July.

On the eve of training camp in the last weekend of September signed Coach Spoelstra, who is entering his 12^th season as the Heat leader on the sidelines to a four-year extension, where according to South Florida Sun Sentinel will take him through the 2023-24 season.

Even with that four-year run with James, Wade and Bosh at the start of this decade where they made it to The Finals and won back-to-back titles in 2012 ad 2013, the thought was the ball was just rolled out and you just let the players figure it out.

You do not compile a 523-363 record and those titles and be the second-longest tenured active coach in the league like Coach Spoelstra has without being able to keep your players attention.

Coach Spoelstra, who has risen in the Heat ranks from video coordinator to an assistant coach to now the head coach through first demanding of himself to grind and work; demanded that from the assistant coaches to the players themselves. That is how he has compiled a 523-363 mark and two titles as the Heat’s head coach and why the Heat have been one of the best defensive team’s year-after-year since Pat Riley came to town in the middle of the 1990s.

“I feel honored to be a part of this organization and to be a caretaker and a Stuart of this culture that Mickey and Pat started. So, I take it very, very seriously,” he said to Jeff Fox at Media Day.

“I think he knows the game a lot better than I do,” Butler said to Parrish about his relationship in the early going with Coach Spoelstra. “So, I’m here to learn and I think it’s been just tremendous thus far and I can’t wait to really get to work.”   

The supporting cast around Butler consists of sharp shooting big man Meyers Leonard (5.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 54.5 FG% w/Trail Blazers), who came over in that four-team deal from the Trail Blazers.

While the Heat sacrificed their best player last season in Richardson, they got off the final season of center Hassan Whiteside’s four-year, $94 million deal, which he opted into this off-season at $27.1 million.

Leonard is more of an ideal fit for the Heat due to his ability to make threes consistently, which he did at a 45 percent clip for the Trail Blazers a season ago, while also being coachable, which is most important when you play for Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra.

For most of his career in “Rip City” Leonard underachieved, but really showed out in Game 4 of the 2019 Western Conference Finals against the five-time defending West champion Warriors with a career-high of 30 points with 12 rebounds on 12 for 16 shooting, including 5 for 8 from three-point range. 

“It’s been an amazing experience so far. I’m ready for this new opportunity,” the No. 11 overall pick in the 2012 draft, whose in a contract year said about being with his new team so far. “The Heat saw something in me and I really appreciate it.” 

Two players the Heat are also hoping for strong season from former lottery picks of theirs in reserve big man Bam Adebayo (8.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 57.6 FG%), who seems primed for a breakout season with Whiteside now in the Pacific Northwest and swingman Justise Winslow (12.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.3 apg, 37.5 4 3-Pt.%).

While Leonard will provide shooting from the front court, Adebayo, the No. 14 overall pick in 2017 will see an uptick in his production to where he does the simply things-set screens, roll hard and finish above the rim and hit the glass on both ends more effectively and often. Also, he can defend shifty guards off of switches in the pick-and-roll.

Last season For Winslow, who showed how versatile he was a season ago playing both as a facilitating guard and a much improved three-point shooter. In the 37 games he started at point guard, the No. 10 overall pick in 2015 out of Duke averaged 14.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 45 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. The 15 games Winslow started at forward he averaged just 9.7 points, 5.3 boards and 4.4 assists, hitting just 36 percent of his shots and 30 percent of his threes.

“Last season the excitement was more about Dwyane and rightfully so. He deserved all that but the excitement is deserved,” Winslow said at Media Day about last season. “We’re excited. We’re ready to get on the floor and compete.”

Back in the summer of 2016, the Heat signed James Johnson (7.8 ppg), All-Star Goran Dragic (13.7 ppg, 4.8 apg), Kelly Olynyk (10.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 46.3 FG%, 35.4 3-Pt.%), and Dion Waiters (12.0 ppg, 37.7 3-Pt.%) to new deals, which they earned. Last season however, their production was ups sometimes and down other times.

Injuries, which limited Dragic and Waiters to 36 and 44 games respectably a season ago, and, while Winslow was able to thrive in their absence it ultimately kept the Heat as mentioned out of the postseason. 

Waiters specifically has missed 126 of a possible 246 games in his three seasons with the Heat largely due to injuries to his ankle and subsequent surgery on his foot and ankle.  

When healthy and engaged on both ends, Waiters has shown whether off the bench or as a starter he can score in bunches and has looked ready to in the early stages of training camp as the new season approaches.

To put into context how serious the Heat are about the high standards they have for the entire organization, Johnson was banished on the eve of training camp for not meeting the team’s conditioning requirements. He returned to camp in the middle of this month.

“It was your standards compared to Miami Heat standards,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t at Miami Heat standards.”

The Heat added some more outside shooting with the No. 13 overall pick in June’s draft selecting Tyler Herro out of the University of Kentucky, who looked very impressive in Summer League scoring 18, 20, 23, 16, 25, and 15 in those five games in Las Vegas.

To put into context the kind of impact the All-SEC Second-Team selection, who was a Heat fan growing up had had on wins and losses for Coach Calipari and the Wildcats a season ago, when he scored 15-plus points they were a perfect 19-0.  

“It’s just a dream come true,” Herro said to Taylor about being drafted by the Heat. “I can’t believe that I’m standing here with the Miami Heat hat on, walking across the stage. So, I mean, it’s a true blessing.”

The Wisconsin native brings not just the ability to shoot from three-point range, mid-range and the free throw line, where he connected on a Wildcat single-season record 93.5 percent in 2018-19, Herro brings a strong competitive spirit to the hardwood along with the ability to put the ball down and create his own shot.   

What will make this transition a little bit easier for Herro is he will be joining a former Wildcat in Adebayo.

“Me and Bam are pretty close. He text me last night,” Herro said at his Heat introductory presser in late June. “He’s excited to have me here. He just told me to be ready to work hard and, you know, come in with a positive attitude. So, I’m definitely looking forward to playing with him and the rest of the guys.”

The Heat also on draft night acquired the draft rights to forward KZ Okpala, the No. 32 overall pick in the draft out of Stanford University in a three-team deal with the Phoenix Suns and Indiana Pacers. The 2018-19 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year finalist and All-PAC-12 First-Team selection averaged 16.8 points and 5.7 boards on 46.3 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three-point range.

The Heat traded the draft rights of center Bol, the No. 44 overall pick to the Denver Nuggets for a future Second-Round pick and cash considerations.

With the little money they had in their coughers, the Heat resigned for season No. 17 the last player from their championship teams of 2006, 2012 and 2013 in 39-year-old forward/center Udonis Haslem to a one-year, $2.6 million deal as he will continue to be the veteran voice in the locker room.

In the five-decade Hall of Fame NBA career of Pat Riley, he has been surrounded by stars in the NBA. When he was not playing alongside them with the Lakers (Wilt Chamberlin, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor) or coaching them (Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade), he was busy finding them as an executive (LeBron James and Chris Bosh).

So, the long-time Heat President and head coach Erik Spoelstra set out to find that next star and that led them to Jimmy Butler, whose playing style and personality on both ends fits their culture.

How Butler, coupled with good health and production from Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters, and consistent production from the likes of Meyers Leonard, James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk, and Justise Winslow, and possibly a major addition at the Dec. 15 or  the February 2020 trade deadline, the Heat might crack the playoff eight in the East this spring and avoid missing the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 2002 to 2003 right before the start of the Wade era.

“We only do this for one reason and that’s to win a championship,” Butler said to Parrish on his expectations for the Heat this season. “We’re not gonna sell ourselves short. We don’t really care if people think we can do it or not. We got the right group of guys. The right staff, organization, ownership, everything.”

“That’s where we want to be. We’re gonna do everything in our power starting today to make sure we have the best chance to end up there. That’s all we’re thinking about. Winning a championship.”

Best Case Scenario: The Heat make the playoffs as a lower level seed. Butler makes his fifth All-Star appearance. Dragic and Waiters have healthy and productive seasons. Leonard has a big impact either as a starter or off the bench. The Heat have a competitive opening-round series.

Worst Case Scenario: The Heat deal with injuries to key personnel again. Butler becomes an irritant to his teammates like he did with the Bulls, Timberwolves and at times the 76ers. The Heat miss the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since the start of this century.

Grade: B-

Milwaukee Bucks: 60-22 (1^st Central Division; No. 1 Seed in East) 33-8 at home, 27-14 on the road. Defeated the Detroit Pistons in Quarterfinals 4-0. Defeated the Boston Celtics in Semifinals 4-1. Lost in Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors 4-2.

-118.1 ppg-1^st; opp. ppg: 109.3-11^th; 49.7 rpg-1^st

The spring of 2001 was the last time the Milwaukee Bucks advanced past the opening-round of the playoffs falling one game short of reaching The Finals. Last season, they won 60 games for the fifth time in franchise history; captured their first Central Division title and advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time in 18 seasons behind the Kia MVP and Coach of the Year; a strong supporting cast and a more modern offensive philosophy. With the reigning Kia MVP focused of the rough end to last season; their starting lead guard, forward and center re-signed and new veteran additions in the fold, the question for the Bucks is are they ready to make a run for their first title in nearly five decades?

In the Bucks inaugural season in their new home Fiserv Forum under first-year head coach Mike Budenholzer, the Bucks went from the No. 7 Seed in 2017-18 the Top Seed in the East a season ago with their fifth 60-win season in franchise history and reached the Conference Finals.

This amazing turnaround under the eventual 2018-19 Kia Coach of the Year was due in large part to the Bucks evolution at the offensive end, where they finished 20^th in scoring (106.5); 19^th in threes made per game (8.8); 14^th in assists (23.2) and 19^th in point differential (-0.3) in 2017-18. They shot up to No. 2 in threes made at 13.5; were tied with the Pacers and Jazz for No. 3 in assists at 26.0 and led the league in point differential at +8.8.

All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo elevated his game to an even higher level producing career-high averages of 27.7 points (3^rd NBA), 12.5 rebounds (6^th NBA), 5.9 assists, and 1.5 block shots (Led team) on 57.8 percent from the field, earning 2018-19 Kia MVP honors back in June and his first All-NBA First-Team selection.

The “Greek Freak,” also established a new career-best 54 double-double in 2018-19, while matching a single-season high with five triple-doubles. He registered 32 games of 30 points or more, including six games of 40-plus points, which included a career-high matching 44 points with 14 rebounds, eight assists and two block shots in the Bucks 114-102 win at the Cavaliers on Dec. 14, 2018. He set a new career-high of 52 points with 16 rebounds, seven assists and two steals on 15 for 26 shooting and 19 for 21 from the free throw line in the Bucks 130-125 loss versus the 76ers.

“I’m really happy about it. I’m not gonna lie,” Antetokounmpo said to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols about winning Kia MVP in L.A. at the launch of his Nike signature shoe in the middle of July. “But the MVP word, I don’t want to hear it again ever in my life. Because it’s a great accomplishment. It’s a great honor. But you know, that’s in the past.”

The Bucks rise from ranked 25^th and 27^th respectably, in three-pointers made and attempted in 2017-18 to ranking second in both categories a season ago was in large part to center Brook Lopez (12.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.2 bpg-4^th NBA, 45.2 FG%, 35.2 3-Pt.%), who went from a skilled big man that scores in the low-post for most of his career to a stellar marksman from three-point range, making a career-high 187 triples earning a new four-year, $52 million deal this offseason.

Khris Middleton, who earned his first All-Star selection last season thanks to a career-high average of 18.3 points with six rebounds and 4.3 assists on 37.8 percent from three-point range, which earned the South Carolina native and former Second-Round pick a new five-year, $178 million max deal this offseason

Starting lead guard Eric Bledsoe (15.9 ppg, 5.5 apg, 4.6 rpg, 1.5 spg, 48.4 FG%), who the Bucks acquired early last season from the Suns also put together a solid season in 2018-19, earning the All-Defensive First Team selection a four-year, $70 million extension near the close of last season.  

The Bucks took down the Pistons and the East runner-up the last two seasons in the Celtics pretty easily 4-0 and 4-1 respectably in the first two rounds. They won the first two games of the Conference Finals at home versus the eventual NBA champion Raptors before dropping the next four games of the series to fall in six.

Antetokounmpo, who went 18 for 24 from the charity stripe the first two games of the East Finals shot a dismal 17 for 37 from the free throw line in Games 3 through 6. He also was very sloppy with the basketball, committing 21 turnovers the first four games of the series as the Raptors cut off his driving lanes in the open court and clogged his shot attempts in the paint in the half court.

This summer, Antetokounmpo said that led him to really put in the work on his jump shot this summer, which included seeking advice from one of the best shooters in the game, who would become his teammate, more on that in a moment.

“A lot of people might not think I got room to improve. I always think that I can improve,” Antetokounmpo, who Sports Illustrated ranked as their No. 1 player in “The Association” said to NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner at Bucks Media Day on Sept. 30. “That’s one thing that I’ve be doing the first day I step in this league and I want to keep doing it. It’s going to be a day that I’m not going to improve anymore. But as long as I keep working hard and I keep believing in myself I think I gonna keep getting better.”

Antetokounmpo told Aschburner specifically that he could attempt more catch-and-shoot threes. Be a better playmaker, ball handler. As good as all that is, he needs to make the mid-range jump shot and become a better foul shooter, which will allow him to be at his best in the paint dunking and scoring over defenders.

As far as his possibly free agency in the summer of 2021, the three-time All-Star said on Media Day called it “disrespectful” to talk about it at this time.

“So, when the time is right, we’re all gonna talk about it. I don’t think the time is right, right now,” he said. “I’m not gonna talk about it a lot this season and I’m not gonna try to address it.”

Bledsoe, who will miss the start of the season because of a small fracture in his rib averaging just 10.2 points in the six-game setback against the Raptors on just 29.8 percent from the field and 16.4 percent from three-point range.

For him, he too has to become a better mid-range shooter and a better offensive player off the ball, especially in the half court hands in the half court.

Middleton came up small as well in the series as well averaging just 13.7 points on 41.4 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from three-point range.

“It’s always about getting better. Never being satisfied,” Middleton said to NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner at Bucks Media Day on Sept. 30. “I mean I’m sure Coach Bud will have a lot of motivations for us to get better in different types of areas since we didn’t win the championship…We didn’t win a championship last year. So, I think we still have a lot to work on, which I think we can accomplish.”

Given the salary cap restrictions and the need to address their own contractual matters with their roster, the Bucks could not do much in terms of adding an A-List player to their roster.

While the Bucks signed as previously mentioned Lopez, Middleton, and Bledsoe to well-deserved new deals, GM Jon Horst and owners Wes Edens, Marc Lasry, Jamie Dinan and Mike Fascitelli, they said goodbye to Bledsoe’s starting backcourt mate in Malcolm Brogdon, dealing him through a sign-and-trade the 2016-17 Kia Rookie of the Year to the Pacers for in exchange for a future First-Round pick and two Second-Round picks.

Brogdon’s shooting ability will try to be replaced by new additions Wesley Matthews (12.2 ppg, 37.2 3-Pt.% w/Mavericks, Knicks & Pacers), who played collegiately at Marquette University in the late 2000s on a two-year, $5.3 million deal, and one-year, $2.6 million deal on veteran sharp-shooter Kyle Korver (8.6 ppg, 39.7 3-Pt.% w/Cavaliers & Jazz), who worked with Antetokounmpo on improving his jump shot over the summer.

Along with his ability to make shots from the perimeter, Matthews will add some grit and defensive toughness on the perimeter.

“I just feel that what I bring as a player fits perfectly with what this team is about,” the former Marquette Golden Eagle said at Media Day.

Korver, an All-Star in 2015 with the 60-win Hawks under Coach Budenholzer will also bring a consistent shooting stroke as demonstrated by his marksmanship from three-point range of 42.9 percent, which is third amongst active players in the league and ninth all-time.

“The Bucks checked a lot of boxes for me,” Korver said at Media Day on why he signed with the Bucks in the offseason. “And I think being here and just being with Coach Bud before and being a part of his culture. Knowing what his teams were all about, I feel like that kind of fit me.”

Last season as a member of the Jazz, who acquired him early last season from the Cavaliers, they posted a 22-2 mark when Korver made three or more triples in a game and were just 8-12 when he connected on just one triple or less.

While he struggled with injuries after being acquired by the Bucks in early December 2018 from the Cavaliers, veteran reserve guard George Hill (7.6 ppg, 45.2 FG% w/Cavaliers & Bucks) played big in the Conference Finals with averages of 11.5 points on 41.7 3-Pt. off the bench. That earned him a new three-year, $29 million deal this off-season, giving the Bucks another option if Bledsoe should struggle again.

“It’s always tough to lose a guy like Malcolm. A very good teammate and a very focal point of this organization,” Hill said to Aschburner at Media Day, “But you’re getting another leader in Wesley Matthews. Another veteran guard. You’re adding Kyle Korver, whose another veteran presence in there who had success in the postseason. You have Donte [DiVincenzo] that’s back from injury this year whose looking pretty good so far. You got Sterling Brown, whose showed us glimpses of excitement last year.”

The Bucks also in free agency signed Brook’s twin brother Robin Lopez (9.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 56.8 FG% w/Bulls) in free agency reuniting the twin brothers who have not played together since their collegiate days at Stanford University. Keeping things within the family, the Bucks claimed off waivers this summer Giannis’ brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo, the No. 51 overall pick in 2014 by the New York Knicks.

“I think it’s special because Giannis has always stressed kind of like a family atmosphere with the Bucks and he’s always talked about how important family is, you know in general,” Brook Lopez said to Aschburner. “I think kind of, you know, literally shows how important family is to Milwaukee Bucks. Kind of being in the situation.”

Antetokounmpo echoed those same thoughts in the middle of July about his older brother being signed by the Bucks, “It’s definitely going to be fun. Thanasis brings a lot of energy. A lot of energy. He’s definitely going to be a fan favorite.”

The Bucks added more depth to the roster in forward Dragan Bender on a two-year deal after the Suns decline to pick his option on his rookie deal earlier this summer. The No. 4 overall pick from Croatia in the 2016 draft will be looking to put a disappointing start to his career behind him and develop into what he is capable of under Coach Budenholzer.

The additions of Korver, Bender, Lopez, Hill, and Matthews will provide Coach Budenholzer with solid depth at every position, which also includes forward Ersan Ilyasova (6.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 36.3 3-Pt.%), guards Pat Connaughton (6.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 46.6 FG%) and Sterling Brown (6.4 ppg, 46.5 FG%, 36.1 3-Pt.%), and forward D.J. Wilson (5.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 36.2 3-Pt.%), that should will make up for the loss of the aforementioned Brogdon and forward Nikola Mirotic, who decided to play overseas this season.

“Really excited about, you know, the new players that we’ve been able to add in Robin Lopez, Wes Matthews, Kyle Korver. You know, particularly those three guys with Dragan Bender,” Coach Budenholzer said to Aschburner.  

“A lot of respect for Malcolm and what he was able to do for us last year. But particularly the three older guys Robin, Wes, and Kyle, we feel like they’re all guys who’ve played at a high level. They can really help us on both ends of the court. Fit kind of our style of play. Fit our culture. So, we’re really excited about those guys.”

On draft night back in June, the Bucks dealt swingman Tony Snell, along with the draft rights to guard Kevin Porter, Jr., the No. 30 overall pick to the Pistons, for forward Jon Leuer. The traded took Snell’s $12 million salary hit next season off their books.  

Last season the Bucks took a major step in reaching the mountain top of the NBA, which they have not been since 1971, where Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson led them to the franchise’s only Larry O’Brien trophy. All-Stars Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson, Hall of Fame Ray Allen, and current Clippers’ assistant coach and two-time NBA champion with the Houston Rockets Sam Cassell had them on the edge of competing for a second Larry O’Brien trophy before falling in seven games to the 76ers and Hall of Famer Allen Iverson 19 years ago.

With the extensions given to Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez, and one super max (hopefully) of five years at possibly $247 million to come to Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are saying this is the team for the next three to four years that will try to capture the second Larry O’Brien trophy in franchise history.

With LeBron James-and now Kawhi Leonard no longer in the picture in the East, the Bucks only real competition to get through as we begin the 2019-20 season is the 76ers.

If Giannis Antetokounmpo can find a consistent mid-range jump shot, with a three-point stroke mixed in; Bledsoe and Middleton can become consistent secondary scoring options and the supporting cast of Wesley Matthews, Kyle Korver, Brook and Robin Lopez, George Hill can play well on both ends each night, the Bucks can win the East and be in The Finals.

“We tried to get better each day. We tried to compete at practice,” Antetokounmpo said to Aschburner. “We know teams gonna come try to, you know, win games against us. We got to be ready. We got to do what we did last year, defend together. Move the ball offensively together. Do whatever we do together and if we keep doing that, we’re gonna be fine.”

Best Case Scenario: The Bucks are fighting it out with the 76ers for the No. 1 Seed in the East. Antetokounmpo jump shot and free throw accuracy become consistent, which will make him a leading candidate to win his second straight Kia MVP. Middleton and Bledsoe’s maturation as the No. 2 and No. 3 scoring options for the Bucks really manifests itself. The Bucks reach The Finals and win it all.

Worst Case Scenario: The Bucks fall in the Conference Finals again. Re-signing Antetokounmpo gets hazy.

Grade: A+

New York Knicks: 17-65 (5^th Atlantic Division; missed the playoffs) 9-32 at home, 8-33 on the road.

-104.6 ppg-28^th; opp. ppg: 113.8-9^th; 44.7 rpg-20^th

After equaling the worst single season in franchise history and missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, the New York Knicks hoped their war chest of cash and getting lucky in the lottery would volt them back to relevance. They did not get lucky in the draft and no A-List free agents came to the “Big Apple.” With a roster consisting of veterans that came via Plan B and youngsters in need of development, the question for the Knicks is this season can will this be the start of them going in the right direction finally?

For the sixth consecutive season, the Knicks failed to make the playoffs as the 2018-19 season featured a number of painful points.

They not only finished with the worst record in “The Association,” but they tied their worst total for wins in a single season at 17, matching the 2014-15 squad.

Their 18 straight losses from Jan. 7 to Feb. 14 set a single season record for consecutive losses, falling two games short of the franchise mark of 20 spanning the 1984-85 and 1985-86 campaigns. They lost 26 of 27 games and 31 losses in a 33-game stretch, which also included a franchise record 17 straight losses at Madison Square Garden.

Perhaps the biggest blow came when the Knicks dealt All-Star power forward/center Kristaps Porzingis, the only good move made during the Phil Jackson era to the Mavericks a week before the Feb.6 trade deadline along with Tim Hardaway, Jr., and Courtney Lee for second-year lead guard Dennis Smith, Jr., and two future First-Round picks

The talented, but injured Porzingis and the Knicks’ front office of GM Scott Perry and President Steve Mills have not been on the same page since the Latvia native tore the ACL in his left knee after a dunk versus the Bucks on Feb. 6, 2018.

While Smith, Jr. (13.6 ppg, 4.8 apg w/Mavericks & Knicks), the No. 9 overall pick in 2017 had moments in 21 appearances head coach David Fizdale squad, with averages 14.7 points and 5.4 assists, his  struggles with his shot overall continued as he connected on just 28.9 percent of his threes, just 41.3 percent overall from the field and an abysmal 56.8 percent of his free throws.

“You know, with what other people think, it is what it is,” Smith, Jr. said at Media Day about what outsiders think of the Knicks grim prospects this season. “I’m really just focused on winning games. You know, I got to be the best version of myself to do that. And that’s what I’ve been working towards this summer.”

“The best version of Dennis Smith, Jr.-you put him out on that Knicks team it’s a pretty good team.”

Kevin Knox (12.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg,), the No. 9 overall pick in 2018 also had his moments last season, but he too was very inconsistent, especially with his shot, connecting on just 37.0 percent of his field goal attempts.

Smith’s understudy Frank Ntilikina, the No. 8 overall pick by the Knicks in 2017, struggled mightily with injuries and consistently making shots as well.

He played a big role in helping the France in handing Team USA its first major loss, 89-79 in 13 years at the FIBA World Cup quarterfinals on Sept. 11 89-79 on Sept. 11. The Knicks hope he can bring that newfound confidence into this season.

The Knicks did have some signs of hope last season from All-Rookie Second Team center Mitchell Robinson (7.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.4 bpg-2^nd NBA), the 36^th overall pick in 2018 and undrafted rookie guard out of Arizona Allonzo Trier (10.9 ppg, 44.8 FG%, 39.4 3-Pt.%), who went from being on a two-way contract between the Knicks and their G League affiliate to earning a full guaranteed contract through next season in early December 2018. Guard Damyean Dotson, who went from averaging just 4.1 points as a rookie to 10.7 points, connecting on 36.8 percent of this threes.

The hopes for a quick turnaround for the Knicks this season were for not as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery went to the Pelicans, with them getting the No. 3 overall pick, which they used to select swingman RJ Barrett out of Duke University.

In a trade with the Sacramento Kings, the Knicks acquired the draft rights to the No. 47 pick in power forward Ignas Brazdeikis out of the University of Michigan for the No. 55 overall pick guard Kyle Guy out of the University of Virginia.

Aside from what he did at Duke as season ago, leading the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC) in scoring at 22.6 points-setting a new freshmen conference record, along with with 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for head coach Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils last season, being the only player in the ACC to rank in the Top 10 in those categories, he wants to be on the big stage of Madison Square Garden. He wants to be charged with the responsibility of bringing the Knicks back to prominence. also brings the kind of level-headed focus that is required to play in a big-time media market and passionate fan base like New York.

The native of Canada, who also played for their national team while still a teenager wanted  is more than ready for this moment that he has been preparing for since he told his father Rowan Barrett, who played collegiately at St. John’s University in New York and is the Vice President and GM of the Canadian National Basketball Team at age 12 that he wanted to make basketball his career.

“I’m looking forward to playing basketball,” Barrett said at Media Day. That’s it. “You know, all the media stuff and everything doesn’t really happen without playing the game. So, I’m just looking forward to playing the game that I love.”

In free agency, the Knicks had no takers of their war chest of $70 million. They did not even get in the room with either perennial All-Stars and NBA champions Kyrie Irving and two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant, who both signed with the Knicks crosstown rivals the Nets.

Durant in speaking with a New York radio station “Hot 97” said in terms of the Knicks no longer being cool, “I think a lot of fans look at the Knicks as a brand and expect these younger players who, in their lifetime, don’t remember the Knicks being good.”

“So, like I’ve seen the Knicks in The Finals, but kids coming up after me didn’t see that. So, that whole brand of the Knicks to them is not as cool as let’s say the Golden State Warriors or even the Lakers or the Nets now. It’s like the cool thing right now is not the Knicks.”

The Knicks then executed Plan B signing second and third-tier veterans to short terms deals in power forwards Julius Randle (21.4 ppg-career-high, 8.7 rpg, 52.4 FG% w/Pelicans), the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 draft on a three-year, $63 million deal, with the third year being a player option. Brooklyn, NY native Taj Gibson (10.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 56.6 FG% w/Timberwolves) to a two-year, $20 million deal; Bobby Portis (14.2 ppg-career-high, 8.1 rpg-career-high, 39.3 3-Pt.% w/Bulls & Wizards) to a two-year $31 million offer sheet, which the Wizards did not match; and forward Marcus Morris (13.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg-career-high, 44.7 FG%, 37.5 3-Pt.% w/Celtics), who bailed on a two-year, $20 million deal with the Spurs, for a one-year, $15 million deal.

“You hope for days and wish for things, and I always wanted to play here. And now, I’m excited to have the opportunity,” Randle said at Media Day about being a Knick. “I know with that comes a huge responsibility.”

“I know the way I work. I know how to prepare for the game. I know how much I love basketball. How serious I am about it and helping this team and trying to win games. So, I really don’t look at it as pressure. I look at it as, you know, a huge opportunity and, you know, I just go out there and do what I love.”

The Knicks also added some depth to the backcourt in free agency, signing Elfrid Payton (10.6 ppg, 7.6 apg, 5.2 rpg w/Pelicans) and sharp-shooter Wayne Ellington (10.3 ppg 37.1 3-Pt.% w/Heat & Pistons) respectably to two-year, $16 million deals. Signed swingman Reggie Bullock (11.3 ppg w/Pistons & Lakers) at first to a two-year, $21 million deal in the middle of July, but reworked it to a two-year, $8.2 million deal after it was discovering the former Clipper, Phoenix Sun, Piston and Laker needed surgery for a cervical disk herniation. The team said it would provide an update on Bullock’s rehab and progress at the start of training camp.

Throughout the season, the front office brass had promised the long-suffering Knicks fan base that they would strike gold in free agency this summer, which led to ESPN “First Take’s” Stephen A. Smith saying ESPN’s “NBA: The Jump’s: Free Agency Special” back in early July,  “One of the elite free agent classes that we have ever seen in NBA history-the Knicks traded Kristaps Porzingis. Sold us the notion that we’re gonna have a big- time legitimate shot at somebody this coming summer. Kristaps Porzingis is gone and nobody is here in return,” Smith said on “I can’t even put into words my level of disgust, frustration and beyond. It’s bad enough that you don’t have Kyrie and you don’t have KD, but both of them went 20 minutes away to traffic on Atlantic Avenue to Barclays Center instead of Madison Square Garden.”

Former NBA journeyman Matt Barnes, who won a title with the Warriors in 2017 echoed those same feelings by saying, “There’s no hope in New York until [James] Dolan sells the team man. Give New York some hope.”

It has been a rough two decades for the New York Knicks, who have gone 672-952 since the start of this century (.414 winning percentage). Have made the playoffs just five times, including just three this decade and winning just three series in that span. Six different head coaches have gone through the “Big Apple” and they have had five draft lottery picks.

They are in the midst of the longest playoff drought in the Eastern Conference at six consecutive springs with no playoffs and it will continue this spring.

Yes, the Knicks loaded up on similarly skilled power forwards. Yes, there is no clear-cut star on the roster at the moment. They do have cap flexibility and six First-Round picks over the next four Junes. More than anything, they have a plan; core young players in Kevin Knox, RJ Barrett, Frank Ntilikina, Dennis Smith, Jr., and Mitchell Robinson to build with. Players on short contracts in Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, Elfrid Payton, Wayne Ellington and Bobby Portis who have an opportunity to show the young core how to be a professional. They also have a coach and a front office that is in lock step of getting the Knicks back to NBA relevance. When that happens remains to be seen.   

“We’re not in the prediction business. I’m not here to predict records. But I expect us to be better,” GM Perry said. “An improved basketball team. And I expect the team to grow and develop, and show that, and exhibit that throughout the course of a season.”

Best Case Scenario: The Knicks win close to 30 games. Barrett is in the running for Kia Rookie of the Year. Knox and Robinson continue their maturation and Coach Fizdale sees consistent effort on both ends of the court from his squad.

Worst Case Scenario: Another 60-plus loss season with no improvement or progression from the team.

Grade: F

Orlando Magic: 42-40 (1^st Southeast Division; No. 7 Seed in East) 25-16 at home, 17-24 on the road. Lost in Quarterfinals 4-1 against Toronto Raptors.

-107.3 ppg-24^th; opp. ppg: 106.6-5^th; 45.4 rpg-19^th

The addition of an established head coach; a career-year by a first time All-Star; a solid roster and a commitment to the defensive end is how the Orlando Magic won their first Division title in eight years and earned their first playoff berth in seven years. Even with the re-signing of their first time All-Star and reserve guard, who had a breakout season, the question for the Magic is will any of the three lottery picks on their roster grow into a star that can turn them into a playoff perennial?

After a 20-31 start under new head coach Steve Clifford, the Magic went 22-9 their final 31 games of last season, including 13-6 their last 19 games to reach the postseason for the first time since 2012, when eight-time All-Star and three-time Kia Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard, now of the Lakers was their starting center. Only the Houston Rockets at 24-8 and the Bucks at 24-9 had better finishes to the 2018-19 regular season.

They took that momentum and won the opening game of the First-Round at the eventual NBA champion Raptors, before losing four straight games to fall in the series in five games.

The play of first-time All-Star selection in center Nikola Vucevic (20.8 ppg-Led team, 12.0 rpg-8^th NBA, 51.8 FG%, 36.4 3-Pt.%), who re-signed on a four-year $100 million deal and a career-year by Terrence Ross (15.1 ppg, 38.3 3-Pt.%), who remained healthy last season and earned a new four-year, $54 million extension this offseason, coupled with what starters in forward Aaron Gordon (16.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.7 apg, 44.9 FG%, 34.9 3-Pt.%) and guard Evan Fournier (15.1 ppg, 3.6 apg) helped the Magic win their first Southeast Division title since 2010.

They struggled in the opening-round against the Raptors stingy defense as Vucevic only registered averages of 11.2 points and eight boards on 36.2 percent shooting and just 23.1 percent from three-point range. Ross against his former team averaged just 13.2 points on just 37.0 percent from the field. Fournier also struggled scoring just 12.4 points on 34.8 percent shooting and 23.5 percent from three-point range, while Gordon managed to average just 15.2 points and 7.2 boards.

“It changed it a lot because we finally achieved some success,” Vucevic said to NBATV’s Ro Parris on Media Day on Sept. 30 about his approach to this offseason after making the playoffs. “We finally got to where, you know, we wanted to after all these years, especially for me being here for so long, you know? It really meant a lot to me and I really want to keep that going.”

The disappointing series against the Raptors aside, what really helped Vucevic have a break out season in 2018-19 was being put in positions by Coach Clifford to score either on the block or from his jump shot from either both elbows in the half court or at the top of the free throw line or three-point line.  

The other reason the Magic played well down the stretch of last season was their play at the defensive end, where they finished 10^th in opponent’s three-point percentage at 34.7; No. 7 in steals per game at 7.0 and gave up a league-best 10.7 second chance points to their opponent in March and April of last season.

“If we can get to somewhere close to that level by the end of training camp, preseason or whatever, I think that’s gonna help us out tremendously,” Ross said at Media Day.  

As good as the Magic’s defensive effort and play from their starting five, which included veteran starting lead guard D.J. Augustin (11.7 ppg, 5.3 apg-Led team, 47.0 FG%, 42.1 3-Pt.%), their last two lottery picks in big men Jonathan Isaac and Mo Bamba were mild disappointments. 

Isaac (9.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg), the No. 6 overall pick two Junes back out of Florida State University seemed unsure of whether to a stretch-four or use his 6-foot-10 frame to dominate in the paint. As the year went on, he showed great improvement and knowing how to utilize that size and length on both ends. It is now time for Isaac to put it all together and bring it consistently each night he takes the court.

“It’s just about being comfortable out there on the court and with changes in my body, it’s now about being able bump and grind on the inside and take those hits,” Isaac said of the major work he did on his physique this offseason adding about his improved shooting stroke, “I feel more like a more confident and consistent shooter now. All of it, has gotten a lot better for me.”   
Mo Bamba (6.2 ppg), the team’s No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 draft had his rookie season cut short to 47 games due to a stress fracture in his left leg.

The injury was caught early enough back in February that Bamba only needed a minor procedure to repair that injured shin, which allowed him to get plenty of work in the weight room this off-season.

He also during the Magic’s playoff push where Coach Clifford had Bamba file reports on the center play between the two teams and the offensive and defensive sets the Magic and their opponent that game ran with assistant coach Mike Batiste.

“I don’t think he could have handled it any better,” Coach Clifford said. “He was very serious about it and put a lot into it, and I think it helped him even more to understand the value of knowing centers in this league and the guys he’s going to be playing against for years to come.”

By re-signing Vucevic, that signaled from general manager John Hammond and President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman that they were not ready to turn over the center position to Bamba or give Isaac some serious minutes as a starter in the front court.

Along with re-signing Vucevic, the Magic re-signed backup big man Khem Birch to a two-year, $6 million deal, as well as the 27-year-old Ross to a four-year, $54 million deal and added some depth to their front court with the addition of Al-Farouq Aminu (9.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 34.3 3-Pt.% w/Trail Blazers) on a three-year, $29 million deal, who will provide a floor spacer with his ability to make threes, defend on the perimeter and rebound.

“Versatility, obviously on the defensive end. Being able to guard so many different positions gonna help us,” Aminu said at Media Day about on what he can bring to the Magic. “You got so many guys with length and different things like that. I think with some of the lineups that we’ll be able to go with defensively are gonna be tough to score against for sure.” 

If Aminu, Augustin, Ross, and Fournier, who shot just 43.8 percent from the field and 34.0 percent from three-point range a season ago can make shots consistently, that will make things easier for Vucevic in the post and provide driving lanes for Augustin and the other Magic wings.

“Last year is last year. I really never though about it,” Fournier said about his shooting struggles of 2018-19 being behind him. “By June it was gone already. So, last year is last year and now I’m just looking ahead.”    

Over the past seven seasons, the Magic were a fixture in the Draft lottery. That changed this year with them making the postseason this past spring.

With the No. 16 pick, the Magic chose forward Chuma Okeke out of Auburn University, who was on the shelf in the Tigers Final Four appearance because of a torn ACL in his knee injury sustained in the Sweet 16.

Before that injury the 6-foot-8 Okeke showed a great ability as a rebounder while also displaying a steady marksmanship from three-point range. Most pro scouts thought he would have been a Top-10 pick had he not gotten injured. It is likely that Okeke will sit out his entire rookie season to rehab and eventually play for the Magic’s G-League team in Lakeland, FL.

Speaking of former lottery picks, the Magic acquired the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft in guard Markelle Fultz (7.7 ppg, 3.4 apg w/76ers from 2017-19) from the 76ers at the Feb. 7 trade deadline is fully recovered from the thoracic outlet syndrome, that has kept him on the shelf since early December 2018.

The Magic showed how much they believe Fultz will return and play at a high level by exercising his $12.3 million contract option for the 2020-21 season. While that is a huge commitment to a player that has played just 33 career games in the NBA, the only other options are Jerian Grant, who has just struggled in his time in Orlando and Michael Carter-Williams, the 2011 Kia Rookie of the Year the Magic re-signed to a one-year deal this off-season is more of a defensive presence in the spot minutes he played a season ago.

“He was a consensus number one pick in the draft two years ago, and he’s twenty years old, and he’s a terrific kid by all accounts…” Weltman said on Fultz to the Magic on their Twitter page @OrlandoMagic.  

Coach Clifford said of Fultz by saying at Media Day, “Markelle needs to do in my opinion what Markelle has done since he got here, have good days. That’s what the best players do. That’s what the best teams do-is have good days, you know? Put good stretches of days together.”

A 17-win improvement from the prior season Magic won their first Southeast Division title since 2010; earned their first playoff appearance after a seven-year absence and won a playoff game in large part due to their defense and the career-years by Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross.

The hopes of another postseason berth in Disneyland depends on the internal growth of Vucevic and Ross to make the right play when they see extra defenders. Getting steady improvement from Jonathan Isaac, Mo Bamba, and even Aaron Gordon. If Evan Fournier, Al-Farouq Aminu and D.J. Augustin can make perimeter shots consistently, especially from three-point range. Perhaps the biggest key is if Markelle Fultz can play to the level of what the Magic expect him to be, their present and future look really bright?

“As I studied the team this summer and I looked back at my notes of last year’s post practice postgame, the one common theme that I wrote constantly is, ‘We have a team that wants to win,’” Coach Clifford said at Media Day about the end of last season.

“We had a bunch of guys last year if you look at it who had career years and we’re gonna need that similar mindset this year. If we do that, the continuity will be good and if not, not so much.”

Best Case Scenario: The Magic sneak into the postseason as the No. 7 or 8 Seed. Vucevic is an All-Star again. Isaac and Bamba play solidly and a Fultz sighting takes place.

Worst Case Scenario: The Magic fall short of the postseason. Vucevic is the only consistent front court presence. No improvement from Isaac or Bamba. Fultz’s game continues to be in the shadows.    

Grade: C+

Philadelphia 76ers: 51-31 (2^nd Atlantic Division; No. 3 Seed in East) 31-10 at home, 20-21 on the road. Defeated the No. 6 Seeded Brooklyn Nets in the Quarterfinals 4-1. Lost in Semifinals against the No. 2 Seeded Toronto Raptors 4-3.

-115.2 ppg-4^th; opp. ppg: 112.5-19^th; 47.8 rpg-4^th     

A four-bounce game-winning buzzer beater in Game 7 of the Semifinals by the eventual Finals MVP of the NBA champions from Canada is what kept the Philadelphia 76ers from their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001. With their 1-2 punch lead guard and starting center each with their rookie contracts extended; their starting forward re-signed; the acquisition of a dynamic two-way guard and the addition of a savvy veteran big man, the question is for the 76ers entering this season is do they have enough to win the Eastern Conference and make it to The Finals, especially without two key scorers from last year’s squad?

The scene of 76ers two-time All-Star center Joel Embiid stumbling to the locker room following eventual two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard’s epic four-bounce game-winning fall away jumper to help the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors win the series (92-90) in Game 7 of the Semis on May 12 showed how close the Sixers came to reaching the Eastern Conference Finals and possibly the NBA Finals.

It was a tough finish for a team that went 76ers GM Elton Brand went all-in to first acquire four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves for starters Robert Covington and Dario Saric and a 2022 Second-Round pick on November 11, 2018. The on Feb. 6, one day short of the league’s trade deadline acquired forward Tobias Harris, and sharp-shooting forward Mike Scott for rookie guard Landry Shamet, a 2020 and the Heat’s unprotected 2021 First-Round picks and two future Second-Round picks (Pistons 2021 and 2023). A little over 24 hours, the 76ers dealt guard Markelle Fultz, the No. 1 overall pick in 2017, who played just 19 games to the Orlando Magic for a swingman Jonathon Simmons, a protected 2019 First-Round pick (via Thunder), and a 2019 Second-Round pick (via Cavaliers).  
While he did struggle with injuries at the tail end of last season, Embiid had an incredible year statistically for head coach Brett Brown’s team, ranking in the Top-10 in scoring at 27.5 (4^th NBA), rebounding at 13.6 (2^nd NBA) and block shots at 1.9 (7^th NBA), while hitting 48.4 percent of his field goal attempts and 80.4 percent of his free throws, earning his second All-NBA Second-Team and All-Defensive Second-Team selections.

The biggest thing for Embiid, who signed a five-year, $148 million max extension in October 2017 is being healthy, something he has struggled with since the start of his career.

The two-time All-Star said at Media Day on Sept. 30 that he lost 20 to 25 pounds in the offseason. Meaning, Embiid should at least 70 games this season. If he can stay healthy then the 76ers have a great shot in representing the East in The Finals this spring.

Embiid’s conditioning woes, from missing 14 of the last 18 games to close out the regular season last year caught up with him in the Semis against the Raptors and his production dipped from averages of 24.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks on 51.1 percent from the field against the Nets to 17.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks on 36.3 percent shooting against the Raptors in the Semis.

“Honestly, it didn’t matter,” Embiid said to NBATV’s Jared Greenberg about the criticism he got from 76ers nation about not being in tip-top shape. “I think the biggest thing for me was losing Game 7, you know?”

Simmons (16.9 ppg, 7.7 apg, 8.8 rpg, 56.3 FG%), the reigning Kia Rookie of the Year had a solid season as he used his unique size advantage over nearly all point guards to register 42 double-doubles and 10 triple-doubles a season ago. 

The 23-year-old’s continued inability to consistently make shots outside of 10 feet, it showed itself in the playoffs, going from averages of 17.2 points, 7.6 assists and 6.6 boards against the Nets, Simmons with Leonard mainly guarding him in the Semis averaged just 11.6 points, 4.9 assists, and 7.3 rebounds. The 62.2 field goal percentage he shot is a little misleading because there were times where Simmons did not seek to score.

To bring this point into clearer context, according to Second Spectrum Simmons a season ago connected on 69 percent of his shots from 0-5 feet. Of his shot attempts further away from the basket, he shot 42 percent on the 224 attempts from 6-10 feet; 25 percent of his 61 shots from 11 to 15 feet and just five percent on his 21 shots from 16-plus feet, which includes his 0 for 6 effort from three-point range. In his first two seasons in the NBA, Simmons is 0 for 11 from three-point range.

“I don’t think it’s taking shots just to take them,” Simmons said back in July. “I think it’s just being aggressive and doing my job. I don’t think it’s a certain shot. But when you give the ball, I’m able to make plays.”

To Simmons credit, he worked on his jump shot, but more importantly he told Greenberg at Media Day that he worked on his free throw stroke, where he has only connected on just 58.3 percent of his attempts in his first two NBA seasons. While working on his repetition at the charity stripe to finding a comfort level with his free throw stroke as well, Simmons also said he worked on a mindset to be more aggressive at the offensive end, which has been on display on social media at Samson Center in L.A. over the summer this summer.

“I feel like this summer I feel in love with the game again,” Simmons told “The Associated Press” on Sept. 25. “I kind of got back to who I was and having fun with the game. I felt like the past season I lost that enjoyment side of it but I feel like this summer has been huge for me. Just the work I’ve been putting in, I kind fell in love with putting that work in again and I’ve been in the gym every day working and the results have been paying off so I’m excited for the season to start.”

The Sixers showed they have that belief in the 22-year-old Australian by signing him to a five-year, $170 million extension in the middle of July, which will begin in the 2020-21 season.

It is up to him to reward that confidence by becoming a better foul shooter, which will allow Coach Brown and he can either make a play for himself by going to the basket and getting fouled or he can make a play for either Embiid or any of his teammates when he draws a second defender.

Along with extending Embiid and Simmons and re-signing Tobias Harris (20.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 48.7 FG%, 39.7 3-Pt.% w/Clippers & 76ers) to a five-year, $180 million deal, the Sixers added some major playoff experience and leadership with the signing of All-Star Al Horford (13.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.2 apg, 53.5 FG%, 36.0 3-Pt.%) to a four-year, $109 million deal, with $97 of it guaranteed and added Kyle O’Quinn to provide depth at the center spot.  

Along with his ability to be a guiding force for a team, as he demonstrated in his time with the Hawks and Celtics that he is dependable, accountable, and responsible. He and Embiid will work because he brings a demeanor and work ethic that will allow Embiid and Simmons to focus on playing and develop their leadership qualities from observing someone like Horford and how he leads and works.

“I think I’ve said this in the past, I’ve always been a fan of Joel and just everything he brings on the court and off the court,” the five-time All-Star said at his introductory presser as a 76er back in the summer. “There were some great battles and when this opportunity came along, and the possibility of teaming up with him, you know, got me really excited about the potential, you know, how good we could be. Help our team be defensively. Just to get working together and do some special things. I’m very grateful to be in this position.” 

The Sixers had hoped to bring back Butler, but when his camp told them that he wanted to go to the Heat, they granted him his wish by sending him to South Florida in a sign-and-trade in a four-team deal with the Heat, Trail Blazers and Clippers acquiring guard Josh Richardson (16.6 ppg, 4.1 apg, 35.7 3-Pt.% w/Heat), who should be a solid rotational player for the guys of the city of “Brotherly Love.”

“The one thing, you know, you’ll get out of me every night is intensity,” Richardson said at Media Day. I always play every play like its my last. I’ve always tried to do anything I can to help the team win and I’m kind of a guy that can kind of morph into anything role that I would need to on a nightly basis to give us the best chance to win.”

The other odd man out of the Sixers summer spending spree was sharp-shooter JJ Redick, who took his 39.7 percent marksmanship from three-point range to “The Big Easy,” signing with the Pelicans.

With Redick and Butler no longer in the fold for Coach Brown, it will be up to the likes of Harris, Mike Scott (5.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 40.1 3-Pt.%), who was re-signed on a two-year, $9.8 million deal; James Ennis III (6.7 ppg, 46.9 FG%, 35.3 3-Pt.%) and James Ennis III, who were resigned to two-year deals at $9.8 and $4.1 million respectably and the new additions Richardson, Horford and Trey Burke (10.9 ppg, 35.3 3-Pt.% w/Knicks & Mavericks), who signed a one-year, $2.8 million deal to pick up the slack from distance.

Harris, who averaged 18.2 points and 7.9 boards on 46.9 percent from the floor in his time with the 76ers last season will likely be the one counted on to make those clutch shots down the stretch of games Butler had a season ago.

“The thing that I love about Tobias Harris is he’s a guy you can trust,” Hall of Famer and NBATV analyst Isiah Thomas said. “You play the guys that you can trust and at the end of the game, you can trust him to do the right things. To set the screen, to be in the right position. To take the shot and possibly make the shot for others.”   

In June’s draft, the 76ers acquired the draft rights to perimeter defensive ace in forward/guard Matisse Thybulle (No. 20 overall pick) out of the University of Washington from the Celtics for guards Ty Jerome (No. 24 overall pick), who was later traded to the Suns and Carsen Edwards. They acquired the draft rights to guard Jordan Bone (No. 57 overall pick) from the Hawks for center Bruno Fernando (No. 34 overall) pick, who was later traded to the Pistons. The draft rights of forward Admiral Schofield and swingman Jonathon Simmons were dealt to the Wizards for cash considerations.

Thybulle, the 2018-19 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, who last season became the first player in the last 20 seasons to register 100-plus steals and 50-plus blocks in a single season for the Huskies brings a skill that should get him minutes on the court. It is more likely he will be in the player development program along with the likes of Furkan Korkmaz and last season’s No. 1 draft choice Zhaire Smith.

In 2011 owner Joshua Harris bought the 76ers for $287 million, which a brilliant move for a franchise worth, according to Forbes $1.7 billion. The check he wrote to re-sign Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris, and to sign Al Horford totaled $459 million, which is more than he paid to purchase the team.

The 76ers shelled out a lot of cash and they sacrificed some draft picks to compete for a championship this. The hopeful improvements from Simmons on his perimeter shot and foul shooting, and consistent health and production Joel Embiid to go along with strong play from the supporting cast will hopefully get them to The Finals this late spring.   

“If Joel Embiid can play 71 games. If Ben Simmons can become a 68 to 72 percent free throw shooter to where he’s not a liability at the end of the game, this Philadelphia 76ers team can be scary,” NBATV’s Sam Mitchell said about the 76ers championship aspirations this season. “This is the right time for Philadelphia if Joel Embiid can stay healthy. That’s the key.”

“If he can play 71 games and go into the playoffs healthy for the first time then we’ll see what Philadelphia can be.”    

Best Case Scenario: The 76ers finish as a Top 2 Seed in the East. Simmons and Embiid are All-Stars again, with Embiid also being in the conversation for Kia MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. Simmons develops and consistent jump shot and free throw stroke. The Sixers make it The Finals.

Worst Case Scenario: Another Second-Round exit. Simmons jumper is inconsistent. Embiid fights through injuries because he is not in shape again.

Grade: B+

Toronto Raptors: 58-24 (1^st Atlantic Division; No. 2 Seed in East) 32-9 at home, 26-15 on the road. Defeated the No. 7 Seeded Orlando Magic in Quarterfinals 4-1. Defeated the No. 3 Seeded Philadelphia 76ers in Semifinals 4-3. Defeated the No. 1 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks in Conference Finals 4-2. Defeated the No. 1 Seeded Golden State Warriors in The NBA Finals 4-2.

-114.4 ppg-8^th; opp. ppg: 108.4-9^th; 45.2 rpg-17^th  

Last off-season, the Toronto Raptors traded for a two-time Kia Defensive Player of the Year, and a Finals MVP with no assurances he would re-sign. That gamble worked as they finally made a deep playoff run that ended with their first title in franchise history. Unfortunately, that said player, who won his second Finals MVP bolted in free agency to return to the West Coast and join L.A.’s other basketball squad. Now led by last season’s Kia Most Valuable Player; a starting lead guard and center on the last year of their contracts, the question for the Raptors entering this season is how will their defense of their title go?

Raptors GM Masai Ujiri planted the seed of their championship run when he made a gutsy move of first firing 2017-18 NBA Kia Coach of the Year in Dwane Casey and replacing him with assistant coach Nick Nurse, whose only NBA head coaching experience was with the G-League.

Ujiri then traded All-Star swingman DeMar DeRozan, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer (13,296 points) to the Spurs for two-time Kia Defensive Player of the Year and 2014 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

Entering last season following a difficult breakup with the Spurs and a persistent quad injury that put his image in question, Leonard delivered in a major way leading the Raptors to their second most wins in a single season with 58 and the No. 2 Seed in the East.

During a stretch of 22 straight games from Nov. 29, 2018-Jan. 27, Leonard scored at least 20 points, one game shy of the franchise record held by former Raptor and current Hawk Vince Carter. During that streak include a career-high of 45 points on 16 for 22 shooting and 13 for 17 from the free throw line in Raptors 122-116 win versus the Utah Jazz on Jan. 1.

Entering the 2019 NBA Playoffs the question was were the Raptors going to make a stand when the moment called for it or will they curl up into a ball and hide in the corner?

After losing Game 1 in the First-Round 104-101 versus the Orlando Magic on Apr. 13, the Raptors simply stood up and took down the Magic the next four games to win the series in five.

Their Semifinals tilt against the 76ers came all the way down to the last possession of Game 7, where Leonard would rise to the moment by hitting a game-winning fadeaway right in front of the Raptors bench that bounced off the rim four times before falling and punching the Raptors ticket to the Conference Finals.

After dropping the first two games of the Conference Finals at the Bucks, the Raptors would win the next four games, including Game 5 in the Bucks house 105-99 on May 23 to reach The Finals for the first time in their 24-year history.

In the 2019 NBA Finals, they met the back-to-back defending NBA champion Warriors who they defeated in Game 1 of the series 118-109 on May 30 to give them the early advantage. They won Games 3 and 4 at the Warriors and won Game 6 to complete their championship journey and end the Warriors 47-year run at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA. Leonard won his second Finals MVP, joining Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Bucks & Lakers), and LeBron James (Heat & Cavaliers) as the only three men to win the Bill Russell Finals MVP with multiple teams.

Along with the stellar play of Leonard, the Raptors got a breakout season from forward Pascal Siakam, who averaged career-highs of 16.9 points and 6.9 rebounds on 54.9 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point range, earning the Cameroon, Africa native the 2018-19 Kia Most Improved Players Award.

As good as he was in the regular season, he was exceptional in the 2019 Playoffs with averages of 19.0 points and 7.1 rebounds on 47.0 percent shooting. In each series, Siakam would author a huge game that would made the difference in each series.

In the Game 3 win (98-93) of the opening-round at the Magic on Apr. 19 Siakam had a then playoff career-high of 30 points with 11 rebounds on 13 for 20 shooting.

In the Raptors 118-112 double-overtime win in Game 3 of the Conference Finals versus the Bucks on May 19, that cut the series deficit to 2-1, Siakam had his fourth double-double of the postseason with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

He got the Raptors into the win column in Game 1 of the NBA Finals with a new playoff career-high of 32 points with eight boards, five assists and two block shots on 14 for 17 shooting in the 118-109 win on May 30. In the Game 6 title clinching 114-110 win at the Warriors on May 13, Siakam had his sixth double-double of the postseason with 26 points and 10 rebounds on 10 for 17 shooting.

Lowry (14.2 points, 8.7 apg-2^nd NBA, 4.8 rpg, 34.7 3-Pt.%), who did not speak to Ujiri for months after the trade of not just his teammate but best friend in DeRozan meshed well with Leonard, and in the Game 6 title clinching win had 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

Big man Serge Ibaka (15.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg-Led team, 52.9 FG%) got back to playing at a level where he was as close to the rebounding and rim protecting demon that he was in his early years with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The trade deadline addition of former Kia Defensive Player of the Year and All-Star Marc Gasol (13.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.4 apg, 44.8 FG%, 36.3 3-Pt.%), from the Memphis Grizzlies, where he spent over a decade brought floor spacing with his shooting; a defensive prowess and intelligence gave the Raptors another vital piece to their championship run, which he used as fuel to lead Spain to the FIBA World Cup title in China this summer.

Gasol told NBATV’s Jared Greenberg at the Raptors Media Day on Sept. 30 said until the day he was traded he it was “not easy” for him because of how much he invested with the Grizzlies, who gave him his NBA start.

“You care about the team,” Gasol said to Greenberg. “It was hard to let go. But once you’re into the next challenge, you know, you feed off the energy here. You see what you’re playing for right away. Masai calls you the minute after the trade and tells you, ‘Look, we’re going for the championship,’ and you have to be a big part.”

“So, as a player that’s all you want. You want to be a part of, you know, something bigger than you and a chance to win it all the ways. So, I fought it and thankfully they didn’t listen to me much.”

What helped the Raptors pull ahead in the fourth quarter of their aforementioned title clinching win in Game 6 was the sharp-shooting of reserve guard Fred VanVleet (11.0 ppg, 4.8 apg, 37.8 3-Pt.%), who for most of the playoffs could not hit a shot to save his soul got shot 30 for 57 from three-point range following the birth of his second child and finished things off in style with scoring 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, going 5 for 11 from three.

“It’s a journey, and I mean every word of that” VanVleet said at Media Day about the road to winning a title. “It’s a journey and I’m looking forward to being on this journey with this team that we have and attacking that and trying to go and win another one.”  

This championship seed was also planted by Coach Nurse’s team during the regular season where they went 17-5 in games Leonard did not play as they tried to manage his workload and keep him as healthy as possible. The Raptors were also aided by the rash of injuries the Warriors had to two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant, who missed all but the first quarter of the series and All-Star Klay Thompson, who missed one game because of injury and sustained a torn ACL in his right knee midway through the aforementioned Game 6.

Entering the offseason, once the well-deserved championship parade happened and the entire Canadian nation got a chance to celebrate, came the question would Leonard re-sign?

Despite the goodwill he generated; the elusive title he helped the Raptors win; the pleas of an entire country and the opportunity to return a title contender intact, Kawhi decided to take his talents back home to California and join the Clippers.

 “You can’t blame a guy for wanting to go home,” Coach Nurse said about Leonard leaving the Raptors for the Clippers to reporters at the MGM Resorts Summer League in July. “That’s what he texted me today, ‘I’m going home,’ you know? I just said [to him], ‘You changed a lot of lives, man by what you accomplished in Toronto. Mine especially. And thanked him for what he did, and we’ll look to the future, and we’ll look to do it again.” 

As far as who will the player to likely fill that void left by Leonard, the likely candidate is Siakam, who over the weekend, according to a story from Tim Reynolds of “The Associated Press” agreed to a four-year, $130 million max extension, which will keep him under contract through the 2023-24 season.

“For me I think we’re a team,” Siakam said about being the Raptors go-go guy with Leonard gone to Greenberg at Raptors Media Day on Sept. 30. “We’ve always been like that and that’s always been who we are, and now with Kawhi gone, you know, I think its kind of like getting back to being that, you know. Being a real Toronto team of having that underdog mentality, and people kind of counting us out. So, it’s back to that.”

Siakam also said to Greenberg that he wants to use what he observed from Leonard and incorporate it into his game, from the composure on the floor to where even if the opposition has a plan to slow him down offensively, he has one counter after another to go to, which is something Siakam feels he has to bring as well from being an even better jump shooter, to a better ball handler and play maker.  

The Raptors also extended Lowry on a one-year, $31 million deal that will keep the 34-year-old, five time All-Star with the Raptors through the 2020-21 season.

Aside from the big contract, a four-year, $42 million extension of reserve swingman Norman Powell (9.6 ppg, 48.3 FG%, 40.0 3-Pt.%) signed in October 2017, Baka’s $23.3 million, Gasol, who opted into the final year of his deal at $25.6 million, and VanVleet’s $9.4 million expires after this season.

In free agency, the Raptors signed three underachievers in forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (8.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, w/Nets); guard Cameron Payne (6.3 ppg w/Bulls & Cavaliers), and Stanley Johnson (6.9 ppg, w/Pistons & Pelicans) looking to turn their careers around.

Not having your rookie deal extended is the kind of motivation for Hollis-Jefferson, Payne, and Johnson to have solid seasons, where they can cash in if they come through.

Hollis-Jefferson, the No. 23 overall pick in the 2015 draft out of University of Arizona is a very athletic forward who thinks defense first and who wants to put last season, where he shot a career-low 41.1 percent from the field behind him.

“Definitely a defensive mindset, a lot of energy, a lot of fun and excitement,” RHJ said that he will bring to the Raptors this season. “And then offensively, playmaking. Getting downhill in transition and an improved jump shot.”

Johnson, the No. 8 pick also in 2015 by the Pistons has the same physical attributes as his former college teammate at Arizona in Hollis-Jefferson but is still trying to find his niche in the league.

Payne, No. 14 overall pick by the Thunder out of Murray State University is a tough-minded guard who too is looking for a permanent home. He will have the chance learn a lot about how to be a consistent point guard in “The Association” from being Lowry’s understudy this season.

“Me being 23 years old and having dreams and aspirations to be way better than I am now. Obviously, I want to be with a franchise that has those same ideas,” Johnson said on why he joined the Raptors because of their ability to develop their roster.

One player the Raptors are looking forward to getting back this season is forward OG Anunoby (7.0 ppg, 45.3 FG%), who missed a majority of the championship run because of an emergency appendectomy he had in April.  

“I’ve felt really good,” Anunoby said about his physical condition. “Just been working on everything. Just ready to get back.”

There were a few reports during the summer about the Wizards potentially luring Ujiri from Canada to D.C., but it was just a rumor, and why would he leave a place where he has massive sway within the organization and is paid very well and enjoys being in Toronto.

“It’s always been about Toronto,” Ujiri said in late June. “I love it here, and my family loves it here. My wife loves it here, which is very important. My kids are Canadians and you want to win more.”

“I can continue to address teams wanting me and all those things like that. That’s a blessing in life…For me the blessing is being wanted here and finding a place that makes you happy and finding challenges that really make you grow as a person. And this place has made me grow as a person…In my mind I’m here.”

The Raptors enter the 2019-20 season in a unique situation. While they will have a bullseye on their chest like most defending champions have had before them, their prospects for this season can go one of two ways.

They could ride it out and see how they do in the playoffs or if they are not in playoff contention decide to trade Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, and anyone else they choose and begin building around Pascal Siakam.

“A championship you know. That’s always gonna be the mindset, no matter what,” Lowry said about the Raptors expectations for this season. “That’s something that I’ve always said and I’ve always believed in. You can’t play basketball and not want to win a championship.”

Best Case Scenario: The Raptors make the playoffs in the lower half of the East. Siakam plays his way into his first All-Star selection. Lowry, Gasol, Ibaka and VanVleet are not traded. The Raptors extended their opening-round series to seven games before falling.

Worst Case Scenario: The Raptors do make the playoffs and defend their championship. Lowry, Ibaka, Gasol and VanVleet are likely traded, and the rebuild is in full swing.

Grade: B

Washington Wizards: 32-50 (4^th Southeast Division; missed the playoffs) 22-19 at home, 10-31 on the road.

-114.0 ppg-10^th; opp. ppg: 116.9-T-27^th; 42.4 rpg-27^th  

The direction of the Washington Wizards was altered last season with the devastating injury to their All-Star floor general and the trade of their high-priced forward. Despite a career season from the other half of the team’s prolific starting backcourt, boys from the District of Columbia missed the playoffs for just the second time in the last six seasons. With the possibility of their starting backcourt being broken up; the drafting of the hopeful next international star and a team strapped for salary cap space, the question for the Wizards with the 2019-20 season on the horizon is what is their prospects for the future?

Wizards five-time All-Star lead guard John Wall’s (20.7 ppg, 8.7 apg, 3.6 rpg, 1.5 spg) season was cut short again to 32 games due to surgery to repair a bone spur issue in his left heel. The 28-year-old will also be on the shelf for the 2019-20 season, the first of his four-year, $170 million super max deal he signed the summer of 2018 due to surgery on his left Achilles after slipping and falling in his home.

There is no timetable for the return of Wall, whose scheduled to make $38.2 million this season; $41.2 million in 2020-21; $44.3 million in 2021-22 and $47.3 million in 2022-23, which is a player option.

“Just be a leader,” Wall said his role will be this season for head coach Scott Brook’s squad as he rehabilitates at Media Day. “Just be somebody that can talk to my teammates through anything.”

“My job is to help as much as possible from my experience I have of being in the NBA for so many years…Whatever they need help with and showing them how I attack my rehab with hard work and dedication. That’s how you should attack every day at every practice and every game that you do. So, I’m basically like a coach this year.”

He also said about when he will play again, “Whenever the doctors clear me or anything like that, its all up to John Wall and how you’re body feeling and do you feel you can go out and play the game that you love at the highest level. So, I’m in no rush.”

The spotlight turned to his backcourt mate Bradley Beal with Wall on the shelf and the two-time All-Star registered career-high averages of 25.6 points (Led team), five rebounds, a team-leading 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals, on 47.5 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from three-point range, producing a career-high 11 double-doubles a season ago, which equaled his career total entering last season and the first two triple-doubles of his career.

“It’s no problem,” Beal, whose played all 82 games the past two seasons about his leadership and producing at that same level he did a season ago. “I think it’s more or less expected out of myself…We still have vets here that’s been through the fire and know what it takes, but I know I’ll have to carry a lot of that load throughout the year. I’m prepared for it. I’m ready for it.”

Despite Beal’s breakout season, the Wizards continued to struggle in large part because the rest of the roster simply did not play at a high level.

Eight-time All-Star center Dwight Howard, who signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Wizards signed last off-season has played in just nine games because of gluteal injury that required season-ending surgery in November 2018.

Two players who took advantage of Wall and Howard’s absence were Tomas Satoransky and Thomas Bryant (10.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 61.6 FG%), who had 14 double-doubles a season ago, which included a career-high of 31 points and 13 rebounds on a perfect 14 for 14 shooting in the Wizards 149-146 triple-overtime win versus the Suns on Dec. 22, 2018.

Bryant joined the late great Wilt Chamberlin; Hall of Famer Bailey Howell; Billy McKinney’s and future Hall of Famer Gary Payton as the only players in NBA history to go perfect from the field in as many attempts in a single game. That led to the Wizards re-signing him this off-season to a new three-year, $25 million deal.

In an effort to shake things up last season, the Wizards in the middle of December traded reserved swingman Kelly Oubre, Jr., and guard Austin Rivers to the Suns for veteran forward Trevor Ariza, who left in free agency.

At the Feb. 7 trade deadline, they dealt starting small forward Otto Porter, Jr. to the Bulls, in exchange for forwards Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis, who both walked in free agency this summer and a 2023 Second-Round pick.

The trade of Porter, Jr., especially annoyed a restless Wizards fan base, who have seen a string of questionable personnel decisions in the 16 seasons of team GM Ernie Grunfeld, who was given the axe in early April.

“We did not meet our stated goals of qualifying for the playoffs this season,” owner Ted Leonsis, whose team went 568-724 during Grunfeld’s tenure, which included eight postseason appearances said in a statement issued by the Wizards, “and, despite playing with injuries to several key players, we have a culture of accountability and a responsibility of managing to positive outcomes.”

Owner Ted Leonsis, who had a chance to bask in the success of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics title run this summer took his time to decide the direction he wanted to take the Wizards after the ouster of Grunfeld. A major culture change was promised which lasted for weeks before Grunfeld’s deputy Tommy Sheppard was named the full-time GM, after a failed attempt to hire Denver Nuggets GM and D.C. native Tim Connelly into the fold.

While plenty of naysayers pointed out that elevating Sheppard was a continuation of what has gone wrong with the Wizards, the hires of also hired former front office employee of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns’ Sashi Brown; former Georgetown University head coach John Thompson III to executive roles; former Wizards Antawn Jamison as the new Director of Pro Personnel; former GM and NBA executive Rod Thorn as the senior advisor to Sheppard; and Laron Profit and John Carideo as scouts for the organization.  

“I think the biggest thing were trying to do here with Monumental Sports and Monumental Basketball is make this very much player first in the 360 effort to give our players the very best medical care. They very best on court development opportunities,” Sheppard told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols in late July.

With the No. 9 overall pick in June’s draft, the Wizards selected forward Rui Hachimura out of Gonzaga University, who became the first Japanese player drafted in the First-Round. They also acquired the draft right to forward Admiral Schofield, the No. 42 overall pick from the University of Tennessee and swingman Jonathon Simmons, who was waived.

There were 46 members of the media, representing 23 outlets in Japan were present at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY that night of June 20 to see the Toyama, Japan native and 2018-19 Julius Erving Award recipient be drafted in the Top 10.

“I mean it’s crazy. It’s unreal,” the Meisei High School grad of Sendei, Japan said to Taylor after getting drafted and all the media attention he has received. “It means a lot for me, my family and my whole country, you know? I’m so thankful.

The 2018-19 Consensus First-Team All-American, who played for Japan’s national team at the FIBA World Cup in September in China brings an NBA ready physique to the table, as well as the ability to make pull-up jumpers, shots from mid-range and the ability to finish well around the rim.

The Wizards hope that Hachimura, who averaged 19.7 points and 6.5 rebounds on 59 percent from the field last season for the Bulldogs can build a solid chemistry on the floor alongside Bryant, especially if he can increase the range on his jump shot.

The big thing with Hachimura is that is a raw talent that is coachable, which means he can be molded into the type of player Coach Brooks needs him to be.

He showed that with the Bulldogs, where he went from scoring 11 points and 3.5 rebounds as a sophomore to 19.7 points and 6.5 rebounds on 59 percent shooting in his junior year.

The reshaping of the Wizards also consisted of letting all their unrestricted free agents in Jeff Green and Parker walk in free agency and not matching the free agent offer sheet restricted free agent Bobby Portis got from the Knicks. They also dealt Howard to the Grizzlies in exchange for sharp shooting forward CJ Miles (9.3 ppg, 36.4 3-Pt.%).

They also traded Thomas Satoransky to the Bulls, receiving the Grizzlies’ and Bulls’ 2020 Second-Round picks and the right to swap the Lakers’ 2022 Second-Round pick, while getting up from under the protection of a 2023 Second-Round pick the Bulls owed the Wizards as well as getting the better of the Bulls and Pistons’ 2022 Second-Round picks.

To fill the void at the lead guard spot, Sheppard and the Wizards signed two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas (8.1 ppg in 12 games w/Nuggets), who has played just 29 games the last two seasons as he recovered from a hip injury sustained in the 2017 playoffs while with the Celtics to a one-year deal. The Wizards also signed to a one-year deal guard Ish Smith (8.9 ppg, 3.6 apg w/Pistons).

Thomas’ debut with the Wizards will not come at the start of this season as a ruptured radial collateral ligament in his left thumb sustained during a routine workout will shelve him for 6 to 8 weeks.

In a three-team trade with the Lakers and Pelicans, the Wizards acquired young talents in guard Isaac Bonga; center Moritz Wagner; forward Jemerrio Jones and the Lakers’ 2022 Second-Round pick. All three players, along with second year guard Troy Brown will have opportunities to get minutes, especially with the likes of Ian Mahinmi (Achilles strain), Miles (foot surgery), Brown (calf) and Thomas (thumb) starting the season likely on the shelf.  

“The three is open,” Coach Brooks said at Media Day about the open competition for the starting small forward spot because of injuries, especially to Brown. “I don’t know whose gonna start. I mean, Rui has obviously the opportunities to be that guy but you have to earn minutes and you have to earn your starting job and its going to be there for him to earn it.”

Another player that will be in the mix for serious playing time out the gates is sharp shooting big Davis Bertans (8.0 ppg, 45.0 FG%, 42.9 3-Pt.%), a career 40.4 percent three-point shooter, who was acquired in another three-team trade with the Spurs and Nets.

With the blessing of Leonsis, Sheppard offered in late July a three-year, $111 million max extension to Beal, who signed a two-year, $72 million deal, which begins in the 2021-22 season, with a player option for the 2022-23 season, that guarantees him nearly $130 million over the next four years.

Beal told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt the reason he signed the extension is that the Wizards were honest with him about the changes they were going to make to position themselves to be a better team moving forward and followed that up with action and including him in each decision from who they drafted to who was signed in free agency. 

“We got a lot of good character guys. Made some changes in our coaching staff. Made some changes in the front office too,” he said. “The owner Ted Leonsis is serious about, you know, creating this into one of the best world class organizations, you know in the league.”

“Didn’t say it was going to be easy. They said it’d be a challenge but, you know, it was up to them to be able to, you know, put the right guys. Put the team together and put one together that I would like in my eyes.”

If the 26-year-old Beal declines his player option upon reaching 10 seasons in the NBA in 2022, he would be eligible to sign a five-year, $266 million deal, which would be the largest contract in NBA history. If he departed the Wizards after three years for another team, he could sign a four-year, $198 million deal.

“This was a long process that really covered the entire summer and fall, including numerous conversations and meetings among Ted, Tommy, myself and Brad,” Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN on Beal’s extension. “This was probably going to be the most important decision that Brad was going to make in his career and we wanted to give Ted and Tommy every opportunity to present their vision for the franchise. And they’ve genuinely done a wonderful job of getting Brad excited about the future and how they plan to build the Wizards team around him.”

Last season, the future of the Wizards took a major left turn with the injury to Wall and the shake up in the front office with the firing of Grunfeld. While they did not do anything this summer to suggest they will be back in the playoffs after a one-year absence, new GM Sheppard did not take any major risk with the franchise’s future.

How bright that future is depends on what happens with Beal, if he is traded or not and if Wall can come next season back and play at an All-Star level? The Wizards are in store for another rebuild, but they at least have someone else steering that ship this time in Sheppard. Will Coach Brooks though, who is entering into his fourth season, with the victories coming fewer and fewer each season.

“I don’t know how good we’re gonna be but I know we’re gonna be scrappy and we’re gonna be tough, and we’re gonna play together, and we’re gonna play hard,” Coach Brooks said about his expectations for this season. “We’re gonna overcome some of our inexperience with early on I think with great effort and team spirit and hopefully our fans will see that. I think they will and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Best Case Scenario: The Wizards win over 30 games. They get a major hall for Beal either in the middle of December or at the Feb. 2020 trade deadline. Hachimura makes the First or Second All-Rookie teams.

Worst Case Scenario: Another long season for the Wizards with no improvement. Beal gets injured, diminishing his trade value.

Grade: D-

Western Conference

Dallas Mavericks: 33-49 (5^th Southwest Division; missed the playoffs) 24-17 at home, 9-32 on the road.

-108.9 ppg-21^st; opp. ppg: 110.1-11^th; 45.3 rpg-16^th

There was plenty of reason for fans of the Dallas Mavericks to pay attention in 2018-19. They got a chance to say goodbye to a future Hall of Famer who helped turn them from a cellar dweller into a postseason perennial and eventually NBA champions in 2011. A glimpse into hopefully a bright future with a pair of franchise cornerstones. With the reign Rookie of the Year back for hopefully an encore of last season; the addition of last season’s prized trade acquisition coupled with some solid role players, the question for the Mavericks is can they in a loaded Western Conference make it back to the playoffs after a three-year absence?

Last season was one of celebration for future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki, who called it career at the end of the 2018-19 season. To put the first ballot Hall of Famer’s career of 21 seasons, all in “Big D” into context, he was a 14-time All-Star. Helped the Mavericks to their first title in franchise history in 2011, winning the Bill Russell Award for Finals MVP. Won Kia MVP in 2006-07; is No. 6 all-time on the scoring list (31,560) and No. 3 all-time in games played (1,522).

He also made way for the 2019 Kia Rookie of the Year in Luka Doncic; the projected savior of the franchise gave reason for that a very rare smooth changing of the guard for a team.

“He gave me a lot of advice as you know. But the best advice I got was have fun on the court,” Doncic said on Media Day to NBATV’s Ro Parrish about what Nowitzki told him.

Doncic (21.2 ppg-Led team, 7.8 rpg-Led team, 6.0 apg-Led team), who was acquired on draft night 2018 from the Hawks in exchange for guard Trae Young definitely had fun on the hardwood as a rookie a season ago, looking every bit the player who dominated the competition in his early years overseas. That calmness under pressure gave head coach Rick Carlisle the ability to draw plays for the 6-foot-8 swingman in tight ball games. 

How good was the All-Rookie First-Team selection a season ago? Only Jay Vincent’s 53 games scoring 20 or more in the 1981-82 season were better than the 43 by the Doncic. Vincent’s 15 games scoring 30-plus that same season were better than the eight Doncic had a season ago.

Players in NBA history that scored 30 while still a teenager include the Lakers’ LeBron James (20), Carmelo Anthony (10), the Nets’ Kevin Durant (7), Donic and the Suns’ Devin Booker (6). Kobe Bryant, the Timberwolves Andrew Wiggins, and Stephon Marbury each had two such performances.

Doncic joined Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Grant Hill, and Sidney Wicks as the only Kia Rookies of the Year to average 19 points, six rebounds and four assists for the season.

The play of Doncic had the Mavericks faithful thinking playoffs as they were 15-11 after a 114-107 win on Dec. 12, 2018 versus the Hawks, which was their 11^th straight win at American Airlines Center, their longest home winning streak since a 12-game home winning streak during the 2007-08 season. The Mavericks though came crashing back down to earth losing six in a row after that win, going 18-38 the rest of the season, which included a 11-15 mark are home following a 13-2 start.

Doncic said to Parrish that will allow him to excel even more this upcoming season was that for the first time in his life he did not play basketball in the offseason, giving his body time to rest while also improving his physique in the weight room.

“I mean, it was just the first offseason I hadn’t rest for more than one month,” Doncic said to Parrish about his summer. “It was a great summer for me. I rested enough, I practiced, took care of my body and that was the key for this summer.”

Doncic also said that he worked on improving in his game this offseason from taking care of his body to working on his shooting.  

The other event that provided even more optimism was the late January acquisition of All-Star Kristaps Porzingis from the Knicks, for 2017 First-Round pick Dennis Smith, Jr., two future First-Round picks.

Porzingis, the one good move made during the Phil Jackson era in the “Big Apple” was on a very special arc before tearing the ACL in his left knee in February 2018 that cost him the entire 2018-19 season.

The Latvia native brings to the table a unique skill set of scoring inside and outside with the ability to rebound and block shots, which he put on full display in 2017-18, where he averaged for the Knicks 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 block shots, connecting on 39.5 percent of his threes, earning his first of hopefully man All-Star nods.

Hall of Famer and former running mate of Nowitzki in two-time Kia MVP Steve Nash said to Mavs.com in late September about Doncic and Porzingis, "You've got two players that are incredible difference makers, if the can form a bond and a chemistry and an understanding. They both fit the modern game extremely well...It's going to be exciting to watch them develop together this year." 


The most important thing for Porzingis is to remain healthy, and be the anchor of a defense  that went from giving up on average 108.7 points and averaging 7.1 steals in going 26-31 the Mavericks in dropping 18 of their final 25 games a season ago, gave up on average 113.4 points and registered just 5.2 steals.

The Mavericks showed serious faith that he can by signing him to a five-year, $158 million extension and Porzingis for his part stepped up his level of commitment this summer by getting in the weight room and improving his upper-body strength so he can be a better rebounder and rim protector.  

“I feel great physically right now,” Porzingis told Parrish about his health. “I know I’ve been out for a long time and, you know, that just made me realize how much I love this game, and how much I missed it when I was out. So, I’m excited to be back. I feel great physically. I’m in a new place, new city, new organization, ready to start a new chapter.”

That decision by team owner Mark Cuban, GM Donnie Nelson and the front office made shrunk their salary cap space for this summer from $56.8 million to $31.3 million.

In the draft this past June, the Mavericks traded the draft right of forward Deividas Sirvydis (No. 37 overall pick) to the Pistons in exchange for forward Isaiah Roby and two future Second-Round picks.

The Mavericks priority this summer was to use their salary cap space to retain some of their own free agents and while also adding some solid players as well.

They first re-signed 28-year-old reserve power forward/center Dwight Powell (10.6 ppg-career-high, 5.3 rpg, 59.7 FG%), who opted out the final year of his deal worth $10 million for a new two-year $33 million deal. The Mavericks also re-signed 27-year-old fellow reserve big man Maxi Kleber (6.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 45.3 FG%, 35.3 3-Pt.%) on a four-year $35 million deal and forward Dorian Finney-Smith (7.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg) to a three-year, $12 million deal.

The Mavericks added some size and depth, literally and figuratively to their front court with the signing of 7-foot-3 center Boban Marjanovic (7.3 ppg-career-high, 4.6 rpg 61.5 FG% w/Clippers & 76ers) to a two-year, $7 million deal.

They acquired guard Delon Wright (8.7 ppg w/Raptors & Grizzlies) via a sign-and-trade on a new three-year, $29 million deal in exchange for the draft rights to Satman Singh and two future Second-Round picks. Signed sharp-shooter Seth Curry on a four-year, $32 million (7.9 ppg, 45.6 FG%, 45.0 3-Pt.%-3^rd NBA w/Trail Blazers) for his second stint with the organization and re-signed veteran guard J.J. Barea, who ruptured his right Achilles that required season-ending surgery on Jan. 14 (10.9 ppg, 5.6 apg) to a one-year, $1.6 million deal.

“It feels great. It feels great. It feels like where I’m supposed to be after having one good year here,” Curry, who averaged 12.8 points on 42.5 percent from three in 2016-17 with Mavericks said at Media Day. “Missing the second year with injury. Obviously, it felt good to come back. I’m familiar with the organization, familiar with the coaching staff. It’s a new roster but I’m excited and ready to go.”

Carlisle said at Media Day about Barea, the last player from the 2011 title team still on the roster, “There’s nothing like championship experience and a guy that has great international experience that’s done it and can still do it to help you keep your team situation really focused on what’s important, which is being a family, being together… And J. J’s done all those things, and that’s a big help to us.”

The new addition at the wing positions, coupled with Tim Hardaway Jr. (18.1 ppg w/Knicks & Mavericks), who along with Courtney Lee was came over from the Knicks  with Porzingis, second-year guard Jalen Brunson (9.3 ppg, 46.7 FG%), who had a solid rookie season last year, and sharp-shooting forward Justin Jackson (7.2 ppg, 44.7 FG%, 35.5 3-Pt.%), who came over at the February trade deadline for forward Harrison Barnes give Coach Carlisle plenty of options and versatility to play alongside Doncic and Porzingis.

“I’m really excited about this group,” Coach Carlisle said about his team entering this season at Media Day. “The last three years have been challenging but this team Donnie and Mark and Mike Finley and Keith Brand have put together is exciting.”

“It’s a group of guys that has experience but are young enough to grow together. That’s very exciting.”  

For the first time in 21 years, the Mavericks will not have future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki. The difference between them and other teams that have been in this position they have players to move forward with in Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, and a clear vision for their future.

Making it back to the playoffs in an even more stacked Western Conference will be a tall order, but the Mavericks at least fielded a roster that will be primed and ready for the challenge of doing what Nowitzki did in turning the Mavericks into a playoff perennial again and eventually a champion

“We have huge shoes to fill. You know, with Dirk being gone-he was the face of this place for 20 plus years,” Porzingis said about the challenge of leading the Mavericks this season and beyond. “The things he has done for the city, for the organization is something that is not easy to replicate.”

“So, we have big shoes to fill. Not just what he did on the court but also off the court. So, me and Luka are very excited about our opportunity and try to keep doing what Dirk was doing for this city and for this organization.”

Carlisle added to that by saying, “One thing that’s a little scary but also very exciting is that this group of guys led by Doncic and Porzingis has a chance now to define what Mavericks culture is going to be like going forward.”

Best Case Scenario: The Mavericks make either the No. 7 or No. 8 playoff spot in the West. Doncic and Porzingis mesh well and become All-Stars. Coach Carlisle is in the running for Kia Coach of the Year.

Worst Case Scenario: The Mavericks miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. Doncic regresses as a player. Porzingis is a shell of himself coming off the knee injury. The role players play inconsistently.

Grade: B+

Denver Nuggets: 54-28 (1^st Northwest Division; No. 2 Seed in West) 34-7 at home, 20-21 on the road. Defeated the No. 7 Seeded San Antonio Spurs in Quarterfinals 4-3. Lost in Semifinals against the No. 3 Seeded Portland Trail Blazers 4-3.

-110.7 ppg-20^th; opp. ppg: 106.7-6^th; 46.4 rpg-8^th

After just missing out on the playoffs the last two seasons, the Denver Nuggets finally broke through in 2018-19, winning 50-plus games for the first time since 2012-13 campaign and their first division title in nearly a decade and as the No. 2 Seed in the rugged West. They took down the battle-tested five-time champion Spurs in seven games. Their playoff journey concluded though in a Game 7 loss at home versus the Trail Blazers. With their three top players locked up contractually and with basically the whole team back in the fold, the question for the Nuggets entering this season are they ready for everybody’s best shot?

The stellar growth of the Nuggets is in large part due to the emergence of their two best players in First-Time All-Star center and All-NBA First-Team selection Nikloa Jokic and lead guard Jamal Murray.

Jokic last season planted his flag as one of “The Association’s” multi-skilled and talented big men as the Serbian native increased his production again with team-leading averages of 20.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists on 51.1 percent shooting in head coach Michael Malone offense that ran through him, a rarity in today’s game where it seems like centers are getting phased out or being labeled as a role players or screen setters.

The incredible court vision, especially in the half court is how “The Joker” registered 12 triple-doubles, and a single-season career-high of 56 double-doubles a season ago. Only the late great Wilt Chamberlin with 78 has authored more triple-doubles by a seven-footer in NBA history than the 28 Jokic has in the early part of his career, which is seven more than six-time Kia MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at 21.

“I didn’t play different,” Jokic said at Media Day to NBATV’s Sekou Smith about his stellar season in 2018-19. “Maybe the media, that crowd of people started to recognize it more. But to be honest I didn’t play anything different. I mean, Denver Nuggets is team basketball. We always play like that and they put me in front of the team. So, but Denver Nuggets is all about team basketball.”  

The other half of this duo is lead guard Jamal Murray, who averaged career-highs of 18.2 points and 4.8 apg, 36.7 3-Pt.%), who made great strides not only quarterbacking the Nuggets, but made great strides as a leader on the floor, shot maker, solid compliment to Jokic.

The No. 7 overall pick from Canada and the University of Kentucky scored 19 of his career-high 48 points, going 19 for 30 from the field, including 5 for 11 from three-point range in the Nuggets 115-107 win versus the Celtics on Nov. 5, 2018. He registered 46 points with eight rebounds and six assists on 16 for 24 shooting, including a career-high nine made threes in 11 chances in helping the Nuggets to a 122-118 win at the Suns on Dec. 29, 2018.

In the Nuggets 117-113 win at the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 3, Murray scored 34 of his 36 points in the second half, with 17 of those in the fourth period on 12 for 24 shooting, including 6 for 12 from three-point range with seven boards and six assists, falling just two points shy of the franchise record 36-point second half by 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony in a game back in 2008. 

What also allowed the Nuggets to have the second-best record in the West last season was they had the best home record in “The Association” at 34-7. Counting the playoffs, went 41-2 when leading going into the fourth quarter and showed their ability to win close games going 18-5 in games decided by four points or less. 

That for sure prepared them for the playoffs where thanks to Murray, who overcame a rough Game 1 performance of 17 points on 8 for 23 shootings in his playoff debut, a 101-96 loss versus the Spurs on Apr. 13, scored 20-plus in three of the last four games of the series, which including a 23-point effort on 9 for 19 shooting in 90-86 win in Game 7 on Apr. 27, where he hit the game-clinching floater with 36.8 seconds remaining.

Jokic and Murray continued their fine play in the Semis against the Trail Blazers, where Murray authored back-to-back 34 points performances in the Trail Blazers house. The first 34 points performance came in a tough 140-137 quadruple-overtime loss in Game 3 on May 3, where Murray went 14 for 32 shooting, but was just 4 for 12 from three-point range with nine rebounds and five assists in 55 minutes. His 34-point effort in the 116-112 win in Game 4 win two nights later on a much more efficient 10 for 20 from the field, including going 3 for 7 from three-point range and 11 for 11 from the free throw line to tie the series at 2-2.  

One of the knocks on Jokic in the early part of his career has been the fact that his conditioning and work habits were not always up to par for a player of his skill and talent.

He put some of that to rest with what he did in the Game 7 clincher versus the Spurs with 21 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, his second triple-double of the series in 43 minutes. In the aforementioned Game 3 loss by the Nuggets at the Trail Blazers, Jokic, who battled foul trouble had his third triple-double of the 2019 postseason with 33 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists and two block shots on 13 for 25 shooting, including 4 for 7 from three-point range in 65 minutes.

“Just experience, you know. Just to play a lot of games. Just to play a lot of minutes and the ball is in my hands a lot of times, “Jokic, who averaged 25.1 points and 13.0 rebounds on 50.6 percent shooting in 39.8 minutes said to Smith on his All-NBA play last season. “I’m relaxed on the court right now. The games really slow for me right now.”

How Jokic and Murray played during this playoff run for the Nuggets shows why they both got big extensions by the Nuggets front office the last two summers. Jokic signed a five-year $146.5 million extension last summer, while the 22-year-old Murray inked a new five-year, $170 million deal this summer.  

The Nuggets youth and inexperience caught up with them in a tough 100-96 loss in Game 7 at home versus the Trail Blazers, where they were outscored 83-67 the next three quarters after leading by 12 points (29-17) after the first. The shot just 37.1 percent from the floor in the deciding game of the series, which included an abysmal 2 for 19 from three-point range and a disappointing 28 for 39 from the free throw line. Murry had just 17 points on a rough 4 for 18 shooting, while Jokic had 29 points and 13 rebounds, but only two assists on just 11 for 26 shooting.

To put Murray’s first postseason into context, in the wins, he averaged 24.1 points on 50.4 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three-point range, making 16 threes. In the loss just 18.4 points on 35.6 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from three-point range, with just 12 connections from three-point range.

Coach Malone feels the next step for Murray to be an elite All-Star is for him to start off on a high note and to be pay more attention to the finer details at the defensive end.

“Jamal has shown me, he’s proven to me that he can be an effective defensive player. But he cannot allow nights when he’s not making shots or whatever it might be to take away from his attention on that defensive end of the floor,” Coach Malone said at Media Day on Sept 30 to Altitude Sports Scott Hastings.  

Despite that rough close loss that ended their season on May 12, head coach Michael Malone’s young team being able to be on the better end of close games was their ability to get stops consistently, going from dead last in opponent’s three-point defense in 2017-18 at 37.8 percent to No. 1 at 33.9 last season.

That defense and stellar play from the Jokic/Murray combo was coupled with the solid play from their understudy’s in backup guard Monte Morris (10.4 ppg, 3.6 apg, 49.3 FG%, 41.4 3-Pt.%), the No. 51 overall pick in 2017, who barely played in his rookie season and Malik Beasley (11.3 ppg, 47.4 FG%, 40.2 3-Pt.%).

In the Nuggets 115-108 win versus the Knicks at the start of the new year, Beasley had a career-high 23 points with six rebounds and five assists, on 8 for 15 shooting, including 5 for 9 from three-point range in 30 minutes off the bench.

Starting in place of an injured Murray, Beasley established a new career-high of 35 points, including another 5 for 9 performance from three-point range in the Nuggets 136-122 win versus the Rockets on Feb.1, which ended a nine-game losing streak to them.

Morris had 30 games last season either as a starter or coming off the bench with zero turnovers. In his only double-double of this season where he had 17 points and 10 assists with seven boards in the Nuggets 107-106 win at the Timberwolves, Morris had just one turnover in 41 minutes, starting in place of an injured Murray.

Morris and Beasley more than made up for tough seasons by starters Gary Harris (12.9 ppg) and Will Barton (11.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg), who missed 25 and 38 games respectably because of injury.

“This summer, I stayed like at my same playing weight the whole summer right around 210 [pounds] and my body feels great,” Harris said at Media Day about coming into this season healthy.” “Cleaned up my eating, you know? Really tried to put an emphasis on that this summer.”

Along with Murray getting a huge pay day, GM Tim Connelly, who replaced now Raptors executive Masai Ujiri six years ago has continued to build the Nuggets into consistent playoff perennial. He drafted Jokic No. 41 overall in June 2014 and hired Coach Malone two years later.

The Nuggets since Malone’s arrival went from 33 wins in 2015-16 to 40, 46 and as previously mentioned 54 wins in 2018-19. A big part of that is how GM Tim Connelly has continued the work that former GM Masai Ujiri, now with the Raptors has, especially with having no contracts that the organization has second guesses on.

After being wooed by the Wizards this summer to join them in their front office, Nuggets’ President Josh Kroenke convinced Connelly to stay by extending his contract.

One of the other under the radar investments made by Connelly and team president Josh Kronenke in the team that has been the player development coaches in assistants Ogjen Stojakovic, Stephen Graham and former NBATV employee John Beckett who have done an exceptional job in developing the young talent of the Nuggets.

“We are always willing and unafraid to look deep inside of who we are, what we do and how we do it as a coaching staff to find out how we can be better. And we’ve done that every single offseason, just like this past one,” Coach Malone said.

With very little money in their war chest to go out and improve the roster, Connelly and Kroenke focused on maintaining the continuity of the team.

The Nuggets picked up veteran forward Paul Millsap (12.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 48.4 FG%, 36.5 3-Pt.%) $30.4 million option on the final year of his three-year, $90 million contract he signed on July 13, 2017.

While extending the 34-year-old veteran, who had his worst season since 2009-10, he brings that veteran presence that Coach Malone can count on to keep things from getting out of control.  

The edition of forward Jerami Grant (13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 49.7 FG%, 39.2 3-Pt.% w/Thunder), who the Nuggets acquired from the Thunder for a 2020 First-Round pick will provide the necessary rest to keep Millsap from wearing down. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, if used correctly by Coach Malone, he can bring a major dimension to the Nuggets to where they can play a big or small lineup any time.

“Just the way they move the ball on offense,” Grant said at Media Day that he is looking forward to the most with his new team. “I think they make the game a lot easier for everybody else on the team.”

Then there is the wild card: Michael Porter, Jr., the Nuggets First-Round pick (No. 14 overall) in June 2018, who sat out all last season recovering from a back injury. The former Missouri Tiger sustained a setback in his comeback when a minor knee issue scratched his summer league play two months back. If and when Porter, Jr. gets on the floor, and remains healthy, he provides the Nuggets another option at either the small forward or power forward spot, who can spread the floor.

Porter, Jr., and Grant will be part of a bench unit that consists of the previously mentioned Morris and Beasley, forward/center Mason Plumlee (7.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 59.3 FG%), Juancho Hernangomez, (5.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 36.5 3-Pt.%), and Torrey Craig (5.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg).

“It’s just going to take me being mature because we have such a great team already, and I’m a first-year player,” Porter, Jr. said about finding playing time on the Nuggets’ deep roster to The Denver Post. “I don’t know everything that is going on. I probably won’t get the huge role I wanted off the bat, but every player started slow. Look at Kawhi [Leonard} when he was first in San Antonio.”

While they had no First-Round picks in June’s draft, the Nuggets swung a deal with the Heat to acquire the draft rights to C Bol, the No. 44 overall pick out of the University of Oregon. The son of the late former NBA center Manute Bol, who played 10 seasons (1985-95) in the NBA for the Warriors, Bullets-now Wizards and 76ers got off to a great start in his Ducks career before a left foot injury cut his season short at nine games.

Bol, who averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks shots, on 52.3 percent from three-point range in those nine games does bring size, that consists of a 7-foot-7 wingspan, a fluid offensive repertoire and an interior presence at the defensive end. Connelly and the Nuggets will essentially red-shirt Bol as Porter, Jr. did, and give him ample time to heel that injured foot while working on building his strength with to prepare him for the 2020-21 season.

“I’ve been dreaming of this my whole life and it feels pretty good,” Bol Bol said to Taylor after he got drafted. “I just want to prove everyone wrong, and just come out and be the best player I can be.”

The Nuggets used this offseason to reward some of their key personnel responsible for their rise in Nikola Jokic last summer, Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap, and GM Tim Connelly this summer.

That patience with this young core, which will have six members of their playing rotation in Murry, Jokic, Gary Harris, Malik Beasley, Monte Morris and Michael Porter, Jr all age 25 or younger on Opening Night 2019 has gotten the Nuggets to this point where they can say they made the playoffs, near the top of the rugged Western Conference and fell one game short of being in the Western Conference Finals this past spring.

Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez and Torrey Craig hope to be that supporting cast moving forward as all three are up for extensions on their rookie deals.

“Last year was great. We got to work even harder this year,” Coach Malone said about competing for a championship. “I’m very excited to start camp tomorrow and start working towards hopefully bringing back a championship to this city.”

Best Case Scenario: The Nuggets will finish in the Top 3 in the stacked Western Conference. Jokic finishes in the Top 5 of Kia MVP race. Murray is on the fringe of making his first All-Star team. The Nuggets will reach the Conference Finals.

Worst Case Scenario: The Nuggets are in the middle of the pack in the Western Conference without home court advantage. They have an early playoff exit.  

Grade: A-

Golden State Warriors: 57-25 (1^st Pacific Division; No. 1 Seed in West) 30-11 at home, 27-14 on the road. Defeated the No. 8 Seeded Los Angeles Clippers in Quarterfinals 4-2. Defeated the No. 4 Seeded Houston Rockets in Semifinals 4-2. Defeated the No. 3 Seeded Portland Trail Blazers in Conference Finals 4-0. Lost in The Finals 4-2 against the No. 2 Seeded Toronto Raptors.

-117.7 ppg-2^nd; opp. ppg: 111.2-15^th; 46.2 rpg-11^th

For five consecutive seasons, the Golden State Warriors dominated the National Basketball Association capturing three of their six Larry O’Brien trophies in franchise history.  Injuries to their two-time Finals MVP and their All-Star two-way off-guard from the champagne flow of matching to the best era in “The Association” since the Shaquille O’Neal Kobe Bryant Lakers from 2000-04. With a new era set to begin in a new arena, led by their two-time Kia MVP; their re-signed do-it-all forward and a young All-Star in the fold the question for the Warriors is are they still a threat to the entire league?

At the start of the 2019 NBA Playoffs, the chances of the Warriors joining the Celtics of the late 1950s and 1960s; the then Minneapolis Lakers (of 1952-54); the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s (1990-93 & 1996-98) and the Lakers of the early 2000s (2000-02) as the only teams to three-peat seemed set in stone. They had good health and were rolling right through the competition.

Two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant; the perennial All-Star backcourt of the “Splash Brothers” in Six-time All-NBA selection Stephen Curry (27.3 ppg, 5.2 apg, 5.3 rpg, 47.2 FG%, 43.7 3-Pt.%), and All-NBA All-Defensive Second-Team selection this past season in Klay Thompson (21.5 ppg, 46.7 FG%, 40.2 3-Pt.%) were All-Stars again, with the bonus in center DeMarcus Cousins, a former All-Star and All-NBA performer, who recovered from Achilles surgery to give the Warriors an added scoring dimension down low.

Last season, Curry, Thompson, and Durant joined the 1961-62 Lakers trio of Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, and Rudy “Musty” LaRusso as the only two teams to have three players to score 50-plus in a game in the same season.

Head Coach Steve Kerr became the fastest coach in the four major North American sports to reach 300 wins when his team won at the Celtics 115-111 on Jan. 26, doing it in his 377 game. Former MLB skipper Frank Chance needed 426 games to reach that total, while legendary head coach of the NFL Don Schula and Bruce Boudreau needed 442 and 496 games respectably to reach 300 wins.

While All-Stars Draymond Green (7.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 6.9 apg, 44.5 FG%) and Andre Igoudala had below average numbers in the regular season, the Warriors still were still too good to dismiss.

Even with the Los Angeles Clippers putting up a serious fight in the opening-round, head coach Steve Kerr’s team found a way to finish them off in six games.

While they lost Durant, the 2014 Kia MVP to a calf strain in the Warriors 104-99 win in Game 5 of the Semis against the Rockets on May 8, it did not deter the Warriors who overtook the sleepwalking Houston Rockets in Game 6 of the Semis two nights later to win the series in six games.

While they had to overcome double-digit deficits in the Western Conference Finals, and they were without Durant for that series, the Warriors swept the Trail Blazers 4-0 to reach The Finals for a fourth straight season, winning Game 4 in Portland 119-117 on May 20 in overtime, their 23^rd consecutive postseason road win, extending their NBA record.

Curry and Green in the win became the first teammates in NBA playoff history to register a triple-double in the same game with Curry authoring 37 points 11 assists and 13 rebounds, while Green had 18 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists with three steals.  

The Warriors, down to the Raptors 3-1 got Durant back in Game 5 of The Finals at the Raptors, and he got off to a great start with 11 first quarter points, but in the second quarter while making a cross over move on the right wing, Durant came up lame and immediately fell to the floor grabbing the back of his right leg, right below the calf and more towards the Achilles area. It was eventually diagnosed that Durant tore his right Achilles in the Warriors 106-105 win in Game 5.

In Game 6 it got worse when Thompson, who had 30 points on the night badly injured his left knee on a breakaway drive to the basket late in the third quarter. While he did return for a moment to shoot two free throws as he was fouled on the play, he was immediately taken out of the game, and it would later be revealed that he sustained a torn ACL in his left knee.

With the Warriors down to two All-Stars left in Curry and Green, they had nothing left to challenge the Raptors, who would win Game 6 and the title in the Warriors final home game in the 47-year history of Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA.

As the five-time defending Western Conference champs packed their boxes and moved from “Oak-town” to San Francisco and the new Chase Center, which cost between $1.5 and $2 billion to build, which was all private money also embraced for a summer of serious change and major far-reaching implications from those changes.  

Durant opted out of the final year of his contract worth $31.5 million and move on to the Nets via a sign-and-trade, with the Warriors acquiring All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell (21.1 ppg, 7.0 apg 36.8 3-Pt.% w/Nets), on a new four-year, $117 million deal. The Warriors also acquired from the Nets guards Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham, who they dealt on July 8 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for the rights to Lior Eliyahu.

Andre Iguodala, the 2015 Finals MVP was dealt to the Grizzlies, along with a protected First-Round pick to clear his $17 million salary of the team’s cap to acquire Russell. Reserve big man Jordan Bell signed in free agency with the Timberwolves, while reserve guard Shaun Livingston retired after being waived on July 10. Guard Quinn Cook signed in free agency with the Lakers and Cousins, who the Warriors decided to move on from because of the high salary he would command on the open market and signed with the Lakers, more on that later.

After the first practice, Russell said to ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell about playing with Curry for the first time that he called his dad saying in a positive way, “This is going to be crazy.”

“It’s definitely somebody I’ve modeled my game after just a little bit, you know, in some sorts. So, just to get the opportunity to be hands on and see this guy close up every day. How he works and how he actually goes about his business is a luxury to have in this league.”

Russell, who earned his first All-Star selection with the Nets a season ago is coming off a breakout season where his game on the court and his maturation as a man all came together.

His additions gives the Warriors another shot maker and facilitator that will allow Curry to play off the ball and do what he does best-score from all angles, especially from three-point range.

“At the end of the day, two talented guys who know how to put the ball in the basket. Know how to make plays for each other and teammates,” Curry described at Media Day of what he foresees him and the 23-year-old Russell doing on the hardwood this season.

The Warriors began the shift of the roster on draft night in June, choosing with the No. 28 overall pick guard Jordan Poole out of Michigan, who averaged 12.8 points in being named Honorable mentioned All-Big Ten.

The 6-foot-5 guard, who hit the game-winner in the Second-Round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament for the Wolverines against the University of Houston Cougars registered 12 games last season making three or more triples.

In a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, the Warriors acquired the draft rights to the No. 39 overall pick in Serbian center Alen Smailagic, who played last season with the Santa Cruz Warriors, their G-League affiliate squad for Second-Round picks in 2021 and 2023, and cash considerations.

Both players showed well in Summer League and will likely spend the season in player development, which might include a stint with the aforementioned Santa Cruz Warriors, just like Smailagic did, with the possibility of being part of the Warriors playing rotation. 

In a deal with the Hawks landing the draft rights to the No. 41 overall pick in forward Eric Paschall out of Villanova University in exchange for a 2024 Second-Round pick and cash consideration of $1.3 million. The Warriors also did a three-team deal with the Pacers and Jazz, the receiving cash consideration from the Jazz and sent the draft rights to guard Miye Oni, the No. 58 overall pick to the Jazz.  

The Warriors rolled the dice in free agency by signing former Sacramento King lottery pick Willie Cauley-Stein (11.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 55.6 FG% w/Kings), the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 draft who the Kings gave up on after four seasons. He will be on the shelf to start this season because of a left foot strain he sustained in a pickup game in September.  

Which makes the re-signing of big man Kevon Looney (6.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg 62.5 FG%), who really showed a lot of progress late last season even more important as he earned himself a new three-year, $15 million deal.

Last season, the 23-year-old No. 30 overall pick out of UCLA in 2015 started 24 times and had some good moments in the playoffs this past spring. In the Game 4 overtime clincher of the Conference Finals at the Trail Blazers, he had a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds.

As the likely starter he will now be counted on to expand his game to be a consistent rebounder, rim protector and defender in space, which is something that Cauley-Stein will really provide, as well as the ability to be a great rim-runner and diver to the rim in the half court.

“I think my roles gonna change a little bit,” Looney said. “Until he comes back, we’re gonna have to hold down the fort. Steve likes to play center by committee anyway. I think everybody’s gonna have a chance to show what they can do and show what they can provide at the position.”

In a deal with the Hawks, the Warriors acquired sharp-shooting center Omari Spellman (5.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 34.4 3-Pt.%) the No. 30 overall pick in the 2018 draft for center Damian Jones and a 2026 Second-Round pick.

“I wouldn’t say my role would be exclusively shooting the three-ball. I think they still need other things out of someone playing the big man for this team,” Spellman said about his role with the Warriors.

The Warriors also signed on short term deals in free agency guard Alec Burks (8.8 ppg, 36.3 3-Pt.% w/Cavaliers, Kings & Jazz) and Glenn Robinson III, with his deal being for two years and the second being a player option. They also signed big man Marquese Chriss this off-season.  

“Every guy in that locker room is going to have a chance to help us succeed,” Curry said. “There’s an importance on player development more than ever has been. So, I’m excited about that.”

Coach Kerr echoed that same feeling by saying at Media Day to NBATV, “The thing our fans should look forward to is watching our team grow over the course of the year.”

 “This is really a chance to see a bunch of young guys right from the beginning and watch them grow, watch them develop. And as we go, hopefully we can kind of blend them in with our veteran players, and really develop into a good team. But we got a lot of work ahead of us.”

The Warriors major investments this off-season where a four-year, $100 million max extension for Green, which also included a 15 percent trade kicker and a five-year, $190 million max extension to retain Thompson.

The front office of GM Bob Myers, President Rick Welts, who got multi-year contract extensions this summer, and owners Peter Guber and Joe Lacob wanted to act on locking up Green to a long-term deal during this summer and not risk bringing him back with just one year left on his prior deal. They for sure wanted to get a deal done for the All-Defensive Second-Team selection, especially with what they saw from him in the playoffs where he averaged 13.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 8.5 assists in 38.7 minutes.

If Green had waited until next summer and he had won Kia Defensive Player of the Year, he could have been in line for a super max deal of five years at $240 million; a max deal of five years at $205 million; or a had he decided to test free agency, a four-year deal of $152 million. Both Green and the team wanted to get something done this off-season, and they did.

“This is the NBA. It’ll be a little tougher on us then its been in past years,” Green said on the upcoming season for the Warriors. “You got to actually show up for our games now. But that’s fine, you know, as a competitor. You’re looking forward to that and we’ll enjoy it. But understanding of not burning ourselves out to early. But I think we kind of got that down.”

The re-signing of Thompson is not a surprise because long ago he pledged that he would come back to the Warriors, especially in public when back in the middle of February he said, “Playing for one team your whole career is definitely special. Only so many guys have done it in professional sports, so it’ll be a goal of mine. Hopefully it all works out.”

Considering how things went south after Durant’s injury, the Warriors will be extra cautious of when they decide that Thompson comes back. If they have a chance to be a factor this season, it is likely we will see him after the All-Star break. If they are just a one-and-done in the playoffs they will sit him out the entire season and get ready for next season.

“As much as it kills me not to be on the court, patience is a virtue and rushing back would be not very smart,” Thompson said at Media Day about coming back way too soon.

The most dominant era of NBA basketball since the aforementioned Lakers of 2000-04, where they won 78.5 percent of their games, that included a new regular season record with 73 wins in 2015-16; went 16-1 in the 2017 playoffs and won three Larry O’Brien trophies in five seasons. The Warriors feel they are not finished winning titles.

Yes, Kevin Durant is gone out East. Klay Thompson will start this season on the shelf recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee. The key support players like Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston are gone as well.

The Warriors still have the two-time MVP Stephen Curry, the only unanimous MVP selection back in 2015-16 and Draymond Green, the NBA’s ultimate swiss army knife, who in the 2019 playoffs averaged 13.3 points, 10.1 boards and 8.5 assists and whose team including the postseason is 29-3 when he registers a triple-double in his career.

Also, the Warriors still have one of the best coaches on the bench in Steve Kerr, who will know exactly the right buttons to push.

The supporting cast will be different and how the likes of D’Angelo Russell, Willie Cauley-Stein, Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III, Jordan Poole, Alen Smailagic and Eric Paschall perform that will dictate how far the Warriors go along with the play of Curry and Green and Thompson if or when he returns will dictate their prospects for this season.

Former Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich, whose Rockets on back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995 said after the Rockets second straight title, “Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion.”

The Warriors do have the heart of a champion, and as they begin this new journey, the do it with an understanding that they have the pedigree of what it takes to reach the NBA mountain top. It will be interesting to see if they get back there again.

“We have an opportunity to create excitement,” Curry said about the Warriors creating a brand-new brand of basketball. “A new brand of basketball with the same DNA of that championship mentality. Attention to detail and expectations.”

Best Case Scenario: The Warriors are fighting for home court advantage in the middle of the rugged West. Curry is in the running for his third MVP trophy. Green is in the running for Kia Defensive Player of the Year. Cauley-Stein and Russell become key parts of the Warriors rotation. Thompson comes back and is close to the player that was one of best at his position at both ends. The Warriors reach the Conference Finals.

Worst Case Scenario: The Warriors make the playoffs in the bottom half of the West. Curry struggles to stay healthy again. Thompson does not come back this season or is a shell of himself when he does. Russell has inconsistent performances. Warriors fall in the First-Round of the postseason.  

Grade: B-

Houston Rockets: 53-29 (1^st Southwest Division; No. 4 Seed in West) 31-10 at home, 22-19 on the road. Defeated the Utah Jazz in Quarterfinals 4-1. Lost in Semifinals 4-2 against the Golden State Warriors.

-113.9 ppg-11^th; opp. ppg: 109.1-21^st; 42.1 rpg-28^th

Thanks to an epic historic season by the 2018 Kia MVP, the Houston Rockets registered 50-plus wins for the third consecutive season, and fifth in the last six seasons. But were once again denied by the Warriors, falling in the Semifinals in six games after falling in seven games in the 2018 Conference Finals, which led the Rockets to a blockbuster trade of their aging floor general for a young, faster lead guard. With the reuniting of childhood friends and the last two Kia MVPs, coupled with a couple returning key players and the veteran additions, the question for the Rockets is can they finally make it to The Finals?

The Rockets began the 2017-18 season strong out of the gates the first 25 games with a 21-4 record, scoring 115.0 points on 36.9 from three-point range. The first 25 games of last season, they were 11-14, averaging 108.3 points on 33.7 percent from three-point range in the opening 25 games of last season.

The experiment of 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who the team was eager to acquire two off-seasons ago was not working and the two parties mutually parted ways.

Head Coach Mike D’Antoni’s got back on track going 42-15 the rest of the regular season in large part to then reigning Kia MVP James Harden averaging a league leading 36.1 points, the most since Michael Jordan’s 37.1 in 1986-87, with 7.5 assists, 6.6 rebounds, and two steals, on 36.8 percent from three-point range.  

From Dec. 1, 2018 to Feb. 25, the seven-time All-Star registered a streak of 32 straight games scoring 30-plus points, with only Wilt Chamberlin having a longer streak of 65 consecutive games scoring 30 or more in 1961-62. The Rockets went 21-11 during this stretch where the six-time All-NBA selection surpassed future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant’s streak (16 straight games in 2002-03) for the longest streak of 30-plus point performances since the 1976-77 NBA/ABA merger.

Harden last season authored a total of 57 games scoring 30-plus, which included 28 games scoring 40 or more; and nine games of 50-plus points, and two games of 61 points, which not only matched his career-high for a single game but was a single-game franchise record.

The first came at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY where Harden also set a new Rockets’ franchise single-game record on 17 for 38 shooting and 22 for 25 from the free throw line with 15 rebounds and five steals in the Rockets 114-110 win at the Knicks on Jan. 23. The second 61-point performance came versus the Spurs on Mar. 22 when Harden went 19 for 34 from the field, including 9 for 13 from three-point range and 14 for 17 from three-point range.

Coach D’Antoni’s squad needed every single point Harden could put up as nine-time All-Star Chris Paul missed a lot of time during this stretch because of injury, playing in a total of 24 games in 2018-19.

2016-17 Kia Sixth Man of the Year Eric Gordon (16.2 ppg, 36.0 3-Pt.%) play was solid enough last season, that he got a max contract extension of four years at $75.6 million in early September, with the final year of the deal is non-guaranteed, unless he makes the All-Star team or the Rockets win a title. If neither takes place, the deal is listed at three years, $54.5 million, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“We have a very talented group,” Gordon said at Media Day on Sept. 30. “Nothing’s changed over the last couple of years. “I’m just trying to win a championship. That’s what we expect this year.”

Starting center Clint Capela (16.6 ppg, 12.7 rpg-5^th NBA, 1.5 bpg-Led team, 64.8 FG%), had another solid season where he registered career-highs in points and rebounds, and in double-doubles with 45.

“This year, I want to dominate even more of what I’m doing,” Capela said at Media Day on Sept. 30. “Grab more offensive rebounds. Get more block shots. Finish harder at the rim. Just really be better at what I’m doing.”

The supporting cast of reserve guard Austin Rivers (8.1 ppg); PJ Tucker (7.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.6 spg, 37.7 3-Pt.%); Danuel House (9.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 46.8 FG%, 41.6 3-Pt.%), and Gerald Green (9.2 ppg, 35.4 3-Pt.%), who unfortunately could miss the entire season after breaking his left foot in Japan during the Rockets preseason tilt against the defending NBA champion Raptors, according to Shams Charania of “The Athletic.”  

When Rockets owner Tillman Fertitta bought the Rockets for $2.2 billion a few years back, he was a reasonable and patient person. But every owner has their limit, and Fertitta was not pleased with the Rockets lackluster effort versus the Warriors in the Game 6 loss in the Semis that sent them home for the summer.

Something had to be done and GM Morey did by acquiring perennial All-Star guard and 2017 Kia MVP Russell Westbrook (22.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg-11^th NBA, 10.7 apg-Led NBA) from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Paul, First-Round picks in 2024 and 2026, along with pick swaps of First-Round picks in 2021 and 2025.

“I didn’t know we get Russ but I knew we needed to get better, you know,” Harden said to NBATV/NBA on TNT’s Allie LaForce about what the Rockets needed after the Game 6 loss versus the Warriors in the Semis last spring. “I mean, you look at the talent from the Warriors and Toronto, who was in The Finals and even the other teams that are the top tier in this league you need to get better. You need talent. You need vets that not just can run around and shoot threes and dunk but think the game of basketball, and I think we have that this year.” 

They will have some assistance in their quest in new additions of veteran big man Tyson Chandler, who won a ring with the Mavericks in 2011 when they beat the Heat the year before. His presence both as a voice of reason and as backup to Capela will be very important to the Rockets. The Rockets hope to have even more depth at center if Nene’s injured adductor heals properly.

The reunion of former Thunder teammates will be in full affect as the Rockets added defensive perimeter vet Thabo Sefolosha on a one-year, 1.6 million deal. They also brought back sharp-shooter Ryan Anderson, who played for the Rockets from 2016-18 on a partially guaranteed deal in late September and added former lottery pick in 2013 guard Ben McLemore on a partially guaranteed two-year deal. 

The relationship between Harden and Westbrook, who are both just 30 years old is the selling point because just based on both their style of play, this appears to be a major fire just waiting to happen because both players have high usage rates, meaning they do their best work with the ball individually in their hands, creating opportunities for themselves and their teammates.

In the last five seasons Harden and Westbrook are No. 1 and No. 2 in points. Only Westbrook has registered more assists than Harden; more steals than Harden; and attempted more field goals, with Harden producing more free throw attempts.

The flipside to why this in the minds of Harden and Westbrook this will work is because they have played with each other before with the Thunder form 2009-12. They have known each other going back to their days as youngsters in L.A. and they trust and respect each other. 

“I think that there are other duos around the league that got together-Kawhi [Leonard] and Paul [George]; LeBron [James] and Anthony [Davis]; Kevin [Durant] and Kyrie [Irving]. Soon as me and James got together it was quickly negative,” Westbrook said at Media Day to NBATV’s/NBA on TNT’s Allie LaForce. “To me I think it’s very interesting. I’m always looking at it as a blessing and it’s great because there’s constantly things said about you.”

“I feel like it’s a positive because I think it’s so great myself and James must be doing something very, very great or unheard of to make you think we cannot play together. I think it’s amazing because we’re so comfortable with each other and how we play the game and what I’m able to bring to the game. What he’s able to bring to the game, and it’s something we don’t even worry about because we know what we’re capable of doing.”

While that might be the case, there is some adjusting that will have to take place. Harden will have to learn how to play without the ball in his hands.

Being surround by the best shooting he will have in his career and playing alongside another great player in Harden, Westbrook must to become more judicious with his shot selection, especially from three-point range, while continuing to be a triple-double threat, where he is second all-time at 138 behind Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson’s 181.  

In the history of the league, only Robertson (22) has produced more 40-point triple-doubles than Harden (13) and Westbrook (11), who last season Westbrook set a new NBA record for consecutive triple-doubles with 11 during one stretch of the season, beating the late great Wilt Chamberlin’s old record of nine straight in 1968.

In the Jan. 10 classic tilt that the Spurs won versus the Thunder 154-147 in triple-overtime, Westbrook had a triple-double of 24 points, 24 assists and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, with the 24 assists tying him with the Lakers’ Rajon Rondo and Hall of Famer, and NBATV studio analyst Isiah Thomas for the most assists in a triple-double by a single player in NBA history.

Westbrook joined Chamberlin as the second player in league history to register a 20-point, 20-rebound, 20-assists triple-double when he had 20 points, 21 assists and 20 rebounds for the Thunder in their 119-103 win versus the Lakers on Apr 2.

Only Robertson at 14 has had more games of 20-plus points, 15-plus assists, and 15-plus rebounds than the six by Robertson and Westbrook. 

If nothing else, the Rockets have two of the best passers in the game and two guys who are the best at getting steals, with Westbrook bringing an athleticism and ferociousness to get steals and deflections, and defensive rebounds, which will allow the Rockets to get more chances to score in the open court, off of back doors in the half court that will led to lob dunks and second chance points off of Westbrook and Capela’s ability to score off offensive rebounds.

It will also allow Gordon to be even more open for uncontested threes of their dribble penetration, which the Rockets have made at a high rate setting a new NBA record with 1,323 made triples in 2018-19, breaking their previous record of 1,256 in 2017-18 and 1,181 in 2016-17, which broke the record of the 2015-16 Warriors of 1,077.

Westbrook however must put the worst shooting season of his career last season, where he connected on just 42.8 percent from the field, just 29.8 percent from three-point range and 65.6 percent from the charity stripe in the rearview mirror and be better.

Having to put this entire puzzle together will be Coach D’Antoni, who is in the last year of his contract and will have new assistant coaches in Matt Brase, Brett Gunning, Dan Hartfield, Elston Turner in the fold this season.

“The biggest strength I think of Coach D’Antoni and his staff is taking what guys are good at and putting them in ways to succeed,” Rockets GM Daryl Morey said in late July. “Not saying they need to change. Figuring out how to utilize either strengths. And that’s what Mike’s done best than any coach I’ve worked with. When you’ve got two MVPs, it’s a lot to work with, and there all excited.”

Fertitta said about D’Antoni at Media Day about his contract situation that he “truly” does not see him going anywhere and that he will engage about a new contract when it is up, which both parties agreed on

The last two years, the Rockets had their chance to take down the top dogs of the league in the Warriors in the Conference Finals and the Semis a season and they failed both times. After their setback in the 2019 Semis, management made a major gamble and traded for Russell Westbrook.

James Harden and Westbrook for all their incredible stats the past couple of seasons have no playoff success to show for it.

Westbrook was sad to leave the only team he’d ever played for, the city that embraced him and a franchise that paid him. He is now going to a team where advancing in the postseason and winning a title has increased in “Clutch City” with his arrival, especially with the high salaries of him in the third year of a five-year, $205 million super max deal he signed two summers back and Harden is in the middle of deal that will earn him $41.3, $44.3 and $47.4 million the next three seasons.

The only thing missing from Harden and Westbrook’s resumes are a title. Checking off that last piece of business will all depend on their ability to sacrifice some of their respective individual glory to help the team reach that point Given their accomplishments-MVPs, scoring titles, triple-doubles, All-Star appearances-they are certainly due. But it will not be an easy task because how loaded the Western Conference is with a bunch of solid squadrons.   

“To be able to win something you got to be able to sacrifice some parts of your game and we both understand that,” Westbrook said. “We both understand that we have one common goal and that’s to win a championship.”  

Best Case Scenario: The Rockets will win over 50 games again and are amongst the Top 3 teams in the stacked West. Harden and Westbrook are All-Stars, with Harden in the conversation for MVP for the fifth time in the last six seasons. The Rockets make it to The Finals and win it all, which leads D’Antoni to a new contract in the summer of 2020.

Worst Case Scenario: The Harden and Westbrook tandem has more low than high moments. They are in the middle of the stacked Western Conference playoff race. They get bounced in the Semifinals again, and Coach D’Antoni moves on.

Grade: A-

Los Angeles Clippers: 48-34 (2^nd Pacific Division; No. 8 Seed in West) 26-15 at home, 22-19 on the road. Lost in Quarterfinals against the No. 1 Seeded Golden State Warriors 4-2.

-115.1 ppg-5^th; opp. ppg: 113.8-25^th; 45.5 rpg-13^th  

The Los Angeles Clippers have made a monumental rise in the last eight years, that began with the “Lob City” era that led to six consecutive postseason births but did not get no further than the Semifinals. That era concluded two seasons back as the team tried to retool themselves to become a team that can become a title contender. After some strategic wheeling and dealing that led to the signing of the reigning Finals MVP; acquiring the league’s No. 2 scorer a season ago and some solid supporting players, question for the Clippers is can they put it all together and win their first title in franchise history?

The hiring of eight-time NBA champion as a player and executive with the Lakers and Warriors, who is also two-time NBA Executive of the Year in Hall of Famer Jerry West, whose more famously known for his link with the 16-time NBA champion Lakers.

Not even before the ink dried on his contract that he, owner Steve Ballmer, team president Lawrence Frank, GM Michael Winger, and head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers got to work on turning the Clippers into a title contender.

They immediately took a sledgehammer to the “Lob City” era trading nine-time All-Star guard Chris Paul in late June 2017 to the Rockets. Then dealt now six-time All-Star Blake Griffin, who the Clippers re-signed to a five-year, $173 million deal that summer to the Pistons in late January 2018. In the summer of 2018, the Clippers let starting center DeAndre Jordan, who signed with the Nets this offseason was allowed to walk in free agency.

The players that came in the Paul and Griffin deals were a part of the Clippers change in philosophy where they wanted to bring have a roster of low-cost, clean-slate approach to put themselves in position to strike it big in free agency this past off-season. More on that in a moment.

The Paul trade brought, besides bringing a 2018 protected First-Round pick and cash considerations, netted guard Patrick Beverly (7.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 39.7 3-Pt.%), who last season gave the Clippers their gritty, fight-to-the last-second, never backdown mentality that gave the Clippers their identity and the opposing team fits.

Lou Williams (20.0 ppg-Led team, 5.4 apg-Led team, 36.1 3-Pt.%), who you can make an argument at times was the Clippers best player on the floor, especially in the fourth quarter the last two seasons. In 2017-18, he led the league in fourth quarter scoring average at 7.9, which earned him a three-year, $24 million extension and last season ranking fifth in fourth quarter scoring at 7.6, and was a big reason why the Clippers led the league in fourth quarter scoring average at 28.8, the most since the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets averaged 30.2 points in the final period, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The reigning Kia Sixth Man of the Year Award recipient, who won that honor for the third time in his career recorded a league all-time best 29 games of scoring 30-plus off the bench, with eight such games coming in 2018-19. The 27^th such performance came in the Clippers’ 134-107 win versus the Suns with 30 points and 10 assists in just 22 minutes off the bench, which tied him with former Buck, Seattle Supersonic and Indiana Pacer Ricky Pierce. Williams would become the new record holder with a 40-point night in the Clippers’ 118-110 win versus the Thunder.   

In the Clippers 106-101 win at the Bulls on Jan. 25, Williams authored his first career triple-double of 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists off the bench, joining former Pacer, Seattle Supersonic and Portland Trail Blazer Detlef Schrempf, who had 34 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists on Feb. 13 1993 versus the Bucks as the only players in NBA history to record a 30-point triple-double off the bench.

In the Clippers two wins in the six-game First-Round setback against the Warriors last spring, Williams had 36 points and 11 assists, on 13 for 22 shooting in the epic comeback from 31-points down in the Game 2 win in the Warriors’ house on Apr. 15 135-131. In their Game 5 victory 129-121 that kept their season alive, Williams had 33 points and 10 assists on 12 for 19 from the field.

Back up big man Montrezl Harrell (16.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 61.5 FG%), a Kia Sixth Man of the Year candidate a season ago himself providing a much-needed physical presence in the paint on both ends that the Clippers otherwise lacked.

If per chance they should lose Harrell in free agency next summer, they have waiting in the wings the No. 27 overall pick in center Mfiondu Kabengele of Florida State, whose draft rights the Clippers acquired from the Nets in exchange for the draft rights to guard Jaylen Hands, the No. 56 overall pick and the 76ers 2020 First-Round pick.

“It feels amazing,” Kabengele said to Taylor after he got drafted. “You work your whole life for this and to have my friends, family and everybody watching at home supporting me, I’m just very grateful.”

Last season, the First-Team All-ACC selection average 13.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 block shots on 50.2 percent shooting for head coach Leonard Hamilton. He, unlike Harrell can post-up, and has a solid face-up game. He is a good offensive rebounder, shot blocker, who like Harrell brings a physicality to the court when he steps on it.

If nothing else, he is the nephew of Hall of Famer and one of the best shot blockers in NBA history Dikembe Mutombo, who Kabengele said about the best advice he got from him, “Stay out of foul trouble. Bring a lot of energy.”

The Griffin deal brought Tobias Harris, reserve big man Bojan Marjanovic, a future First-Round and Second-Round pick.

Harris in his time with the Clippers grew into their top offensive weapon, and then into their go-to guy down the stretch of games when they needed to score.

When he was traded to the 76ers on Feb. 6, not only did they net All-Rookie Second-Team selection in Landry Shamet (9.1 ppg, 42.2 3-Pt.%), who averaged 10.9 ppg on 45.0 percent from three-point range in his 25 regular season appearances with the Clippers, and the 76ers’n 2020 unprotected First-Round pick; the Heat’s unprotected 2021 First-Round pick and the Pistons’ 2021 and 2023 Second-Round picks, they made the playoffs and played valiantly against the two-time defending champion Warriors before falling in six games.

The moment had finally arrived, free agency, where the Clippers set their sights on a certain player who just helped the Raptors win their first title.

What was standing in way of said two-time Finals MVP and Southern California native was the co-tenant rival Lakers, who could offer four-time Kia MVP and two-time Finals MVP LeBron James, six-time All-Star Anthony Davis and a gaping historic edge with 16 Larry O’Brien trophies.

In the end, All-Star Kawhi Leonard (26.6 ppg-7^th NBA, 7.3 rpg, 1.8 spg -9^th NBA, 49.6 FG%, 37.1 3-Pt.% w/Raptors) chose the Clippers, signing a three-year, $103.1 million deal, with the third year being a player option because they offered the stability and trusted organization that he was looking for. Plus, the All-NBA Second-Team selection had the chance to have his own team rather than be a co-star or a third wheel with the “Purple and Gold” Lakers alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

What sealed the deal in getting Leonard to sign on the dotted line was the Clippers acquiring All-Star Paul George (28.0 ppg-2^nd NBA, 8.0 rpg, 4.1 apg, 2.2 spg-Led NBA, 38.6 3-Pt.% w/Thunder), a fellow California native who requested that the Oklahoma City Thunder  deal him back home.

Thanks to some deft management, precise building of assets via the Griffin and Harris deals, the Clippers had the right package of players and picks to offer Thunder GM Sam Presti, that he accepted and sent the five-time All-NBA selection and the All-NBA All-Defensive First-Team George selections to the Clippers in exchange for guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; forward Danilo Gallinari; their unprotected 2022, 2024 and 2026 First-Round picks, along with the Heat’s unprotected 2021 First-Rounder obtained in the Harris deal, and their 2023 protected First-Round pick in the 1-14 range that was acquired in the four-team deal with the Heat, Trail Blazers and 76ers-more on that in a moment. This deal also included pick swaps in 2023 and 2025.

“This was destiny. We we’re supposed to play together and we’re gonna make it happen,” George said at his and Leonard’s introductory presser as the newest Clippers. “L.A. our way.”

Leonard added by saying, “I think we got a great future. We can make history here.” 

To put into perspective how big a deal this moment was to bring in the caliber of players in Leonard and George to the Clippers, Ballmer who has never been afraid to show his excitement displayed that and them some at the introductory presser of the Clippers newest additions when he stood at the podium and said, “I’m just fired up to be here today!”

“Pretty cool! Pretty damn cool,” he added as he clapped his hands with pure enjoyment. “I’m pumped to say hello as Clippers to Paul and Kawhi. Come on! Come on!”

Unfortunately, the dynamic duo will not start the season together as George is on the shelf to start the season as he recovers from surgery to repair the torn labrum on his left shoulder and the rotator cuff on his right shoulder.

“I’m not 100 percent, but if I had to put a percentage on it, I think I’m about 85, 90 ish,” George said about his health to NBA.com’s Shaun Powell at Clippers Media Day on Sept. 30. “Not all the way there. I still got a little bit of stuff in range and stuff, and all that to work through. A little strength to work through. But I’m close. I’m happy where I’m at.” 

“I know what pressure to put on myself and what pressure not to put on myself as well. That comes with a lot of stress when you’re going through rehab. So, I’m just in a good place. I know what I need to do. I know what I’m capable of and ultimately I know when my body’s ready.”

The additions of Leonard and George were strokes of genius done by the Clippers front office that no one saw coming and was a great show of how far they have come from an organization that for years was fraught with dysfunction during the Donald Sterling era.  

Leonard and George are two of the best players in the game, who get it done on both ends, as evidenced by their selections to the All-Defensive First Team for George and the Second Team for Leonard.

Last season, Leonard came to the Raptors with a damaged public image by his messy exit from the Spurs. He more than restored that with what he did in the regular season and his epic postseason, where he averaged 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in route to winning his second Bill Russell Award as Finals MVP.

To illustrate how special a postseason run Leonard had, only the 759 points Michael Jordan scored in the 1992 postseason, and the 748 points LeBron James had in the 2018 playoffs are more all-time than the 732 points authored by Leonard, who joined James and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players in NBA history to win the Bill Russell Finals MVP award with two different teams. Leonard also became the first player in league history to win Finals MVP and switch teams since the award was first handed out in the 1964 Finals.

“Everybody being high character. Sacrifice, wanting to win, determination, knowledge,” was what Leonard said at Media Day about what it takes to win a title. “All that together just being on the floor. Going out there as one unit. All trying to accomplish that ultimate goal, you know, I think that’s what drives a championship team.”

George was No. 6 in fourth quarter scoring average with 7.1 and finished No. 5 in total fourth quarter points a season ago, shooting on average of 43.5 percent from the field; 40.0 percent from three-point range and 88.7 percent from the charity stripe in the final period in 2018-19.

Those two coupled with Harrell and Beverly, who was re-signed on a three-year, $40 million deal make the Clippers a superior defensive team, especially on the perimeter (at least on paper). It will give Coach Rivers a plethora of combinations and defensive switches to use that it is scary. It is the sort of challenge that makes being a head coach in the NBA enjoyable and Rivers, who did one of his best coaching jobs a season ago should enjoy this season just as much, if expectations are met.

“They’re going to set records defensively,” former NBA center Kendrick Perkins, who played on their 2008 Celtics championship team, coach by Rivers said in early July. “I tweeted last night I wouldn’t be surprised if they averaged 30 steals a game. This is something we might not see in a lifetime with these three defensive guys (Leonard, George, and Beverly).” 

George echoed those same sentiments saying to NBA.com’s Shaun Powell about him and Leonard being the best duo in “The Association,” “When you look at two guys that play both ends. Two guys that can go get a basket. Two guys that can stop you from getting a basket. Elite on both ends. I don’t see how you can beat that.” 

Along with re-signing Beverly, and bringing in Leonard and George, the Clippers re-signed center Ivica Zubac (6.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 54.0 FG% w/Lakers & Clippers), who averaged 9.4 points and 7.7 rebounds in 26 games with the Clippers, after he was essentially stolen from the Lakers in a trade in February to a four-year, $28 million deal. They also re-signed forward JaMychal Green (9.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 48.3 FG% 40.3 3-Pt.% w/Grizzlies & Clippers), who averaged 8.7 points and 6.5 rebounds on 48.4 percent shooting after being acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies on a two-year, $17 million deal. They also re-signed swingman Rodney McGruder (6.7 ppg, 34.8 3-Pt.% w/Heat & Clippers) after claiming him off waivers last season from the Heat. He will add another sniper from three-point as well as perimeter defense.

In a four-team deal with the Heat, Trail Blazers, and 76ers, the Clippers acquired forward Maurice Harkless (7.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 48.7 FG%, w/Trail Blazers) and the Heat’s future First-Round pick, which was sent to the Thunder in the George trade.

In Harkless, the Clippers have another versatile forward, who should fit in well in the rotation, especially with his ability to defend. Also, his contract of $11 million is only for this season.    

They added more depth to the bench signing on a one-year, $2.3 million deal veteran forward Patrick Patterson, who is looking to have a more impactful role than he had with the Thunder, where he averaged just 15 minutes a game the last two seasons.

Those additions coupled with the guys returning should keep the Clippers as the No. 1 scoring bench in the NBA, which they averaged 53.4 points per game a season ago.

“Having depth is no issue for us,” Williams said. “What Trez [Harrell] and I did last year was very special but we look forward to building with this new group of guys and seeing what we can do.”

Perhaps the biggest reason why the Clippers have a great shot of being NBA champions this season is the man leading them on the sidelines in Coach Rivers.

This is a man that has been through every NBA experience you can imagine from being a player over a decade plus with the Hawks, Clippers, Knicks, and Spurs. He played with a star player in Hall of Famer Dominque Wilkins with the Hawks. Was coached by current Heat executive and Hall of Famer Pat Riley while he was with the Knicks in the middle of the 1990s. Coached the Magic, where now current assistant coach Tyronn Lue was a player that was very similar to the Clippers now where they went from a team that had no superstars to one that in the summer of 2000 signed Hall of Famers Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady in free agency that were decked by a nagging foot injury to Hill, which kept them from reaching their potential to winning the Celtics 17 title led by future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and Hall of Fame sharp shooter Ray Allen 11 seasons back.

Coach Rivers also understands that getting to the point of turning the Clippers into title contenders took time. They had a lot of trial and error from bringing in the right players. Learning from the mistakes they made in the players they brought in to having the right people within the organization that people from free agents respected and can rely on.

With the talented group that is in place now, Rivers told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols that “winning” has to be their guide throughout this season as the Clippers try to advance first to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in their history in Southern California.

“You have to play together. You have to play hard. You have to work hard. You have to get along, you know, on and off the floor,” Rivers said. “If we do that, we will have success and if we don’t have that we will not have success, and those are facts. And those are facts with every team.”

This was one of the most enjoyable summer the Los Angeles Clippers have ever had. They added perennial All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and re-signed the likes of Patrick Beverly and others.

The Clippers have built a championship roster, on paper. Now Head Coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers and his staff of Tyronn Lue, Sam Cassell, Armond Hill, Casey Hill, Rex Kalamian, John Welch, Brendan O’Connor, and newest addition in assistant on their G-League squad the Agua Caliente Clippers Natalie Bakase (player development) and the players have to now make it a reality on the hardwood, which they have two years to do because Leonard and George can opted out of their deals in the summer of 2021. If Leonard does opt out, he would be eligible for a five-year, $247 million deal.

“We’ve done some winning. We want to be the winners. That’s our goal,” Coach Rivers said about the team’s ultimate goal of winning a title back in late July at Leonard and George’s introductory presser.

Best Case Scenario: The Clippers set a franchise regular season record for wins, finishing in the Top 3 in the West. Leonard and George are All-Stars and NBA All-Defensive and All-NBA selections. Leonard is in the running for Kia MVP. The supporting cast gels together on both ends. The Clippers win the championship.

Worst Case Scenario: The Clippers fall short of making it to The Finals.  

Grade: A+

Los Angeles Lakers: 37-45 (4^th Pacific Division; missed playoffs) 22-19 at home, 15-26 on the road.

-111.8 ppg-16^th; opp. ppg: 113.4-21^st; 46.6 rpg-6^th     

In the summer of 2018, the Los Angeles Lakers signed their biggest free agent since Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal 22 summers ago. Injuries and conspired drama both on the court and in the ruined any chance for the Lakers to end the longest playoff drought in the history of the 16-time NBA champions. With the addition of another star player entering his prime years; a much better supporting cast; and a new coaching staff, the question for the Lakers is do they have the right mixture to first get back into the playoffs and achieve the dream of winning title No. 17?

Through the first 34 games of last season, the Lakers were in the playoff mix with a 20-14 mark with four-time Kia MVP and three-time Bill Russell Finals MVP LeBron James (27.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 8.3 apg, 51.0 FG%) leading the way.

While the Lakers earned a big-time 127-101 win at the then back-to-back defending champion Warriors on Christmas Day 2018, James strained his left groin in the third quarter that knocked him out of the game and shelved him for 17 games.

That 6-11 without the 15-time All-NBA selection, who suffered the most significant injury of his career that shelved him for a lengthy period of time, where he missed a career-high 27 games total in 2018-19.

That was coupled with injuries to forward Kyle Kuzma (18.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 45.6 FG%), who missed 12 games last season; veteran guard and NBA champion Rajon Rondo (9.2 ppg, 8.0 apg, 35.9 3-Pt.%) missed 26 games; an ankle injury cut guard Lonzo Ball’s second NBA season to 47 games, while a diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis in the right arm of Brandon Ingram ended his season at 52 games.  

The subsequent trade to bring in superstar big man Anthony Davis from the Pelicans fell through at the Feb. 7 trade deadline.

The final nail in the coffin of the Lakers rough 2018-19 campaign came when Team President and Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson abruptly announced is resignation at press conference right before the Lakers season finale, a buzzer-beating 104-101 loss versus the Portland Trail Blazers on Apr. 9. Johnson did not even tell controlling owner and president Jeanie Buss that he was resigning.

And so, a drama filled 2018-19 season ended with the Lakers missing the playoffs for a sixth straight spring, finishing the season 17-31 following that 20-14 beginning. James saw his streak of making it to The Finals eight straight seasons end and missed the playoffs for the first time since his second season in the NBA in 2004-05.

The objective for the Lakers front office and GM Rob Pelinka was simple, put together a roster that would get the Lakers back in the playoffs and be a perennial participant. 

The trade that fell throw between the Lakers and Pelicans got done with the inclusion of Wizards as they acquired six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection in Davis (25.9 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 2.4 bpg, 1.6 spg 51.7 FG% w/Pelicans), sending Ball, Ingram, Josh Hart, a 2019 First-Round pick (No. 4 overall) to the Pelicans, along with two future First-Round picks and sending guard Isaac Bonga, center Moritz Wagner, forward Jemerrio Jones, and a 2022 Second-Round pick to the Wizards.

“I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to, you know, start a new chapter in my career,” Davis said to NBA.com’s Shaun Powell at Media Day. “Excited to just play basketball again, you know? I think I miss the last 15-plus games [with Pelicans] and I just wanna, you know, get back on the floor and compete again.”

The acquisition of Davis brings instant credibility as he possesses the unique skills to score inside and out, while also being a stellar defender, and will be the most talented player, no disrespect to Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh that James as ever had.

“We don’t know exactly what our offense things that we’re gonna do. Defensively what we’re gonna do. We haven’t gotten started yet. We got a brand-new coaching staff. We have brand new players coming into a new system. But we all know how great Anthony Davis is, and if we’re not playing through Anthony Davis while he’s on the floor it makes no sense to have him on the floor because he’s that great,” James said at Media Day about his new All-Star running mate.

“It doesn’t mean that every time down, you know, we throw it to him and throw it to him but we have the ability to do that. And he’s been very efficient in his career. He commands double teams and when you’re able to attract two, you know, defenders on one guy then you have the numbers game. Now you got 4 on 3 on the backside. So, it opens it up for other guys on the floor including myself.”

Davis and James are a perfect pairing in many ways. For starters Davis has a healthy ego to where he does not crave the spotlight and only at this point of his career just wants to win.

He can score 25 points on a solid volume of shot attempts and as mentioned earlier can bail out his teammates at the defensive end with his ability to block and alter shots at the basket and in space on the perimeter. Also, he is comfortable at the offensive end either as the first, second or third offensive option.

In the Pelicans 126-121 loss at the Nets on Jan. 2, Davis had 34 points and a new franchise record 26 rebounds, joining a list that includes Dwight Howard, current NBATV/NBA on TNT studio host and color analyst Chris Webber and Hall of Famer and fellow NBA on TNT studio analyst Charles Barkley as the only players in NBA history to score 34-plus points and pull down 26 rebounds. 

The biggest thing about Davis is just 26 years old, meaning the Lakers will eventually be his once James decides to retire at the end of his contract. Also, Davis did not sign a contract extension with the Pelicans, meaning he will be a free agent at the end of this season.

“I’m just focused on this season,” Davis told Nichols in the middle of July after his introductory presser after joining the Lakers. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I have one year here. So, I’m going to make the best of it here and when that time comes around in the summer or when the season’s over hopefully around mid-June, you know, after we’ve just had this parade…Then we can talk about that. But until then, you know, I’m trying to do everything I can to help this team win this year.”

The two most important things Davis must do in his first season with the Lakers is stay healthy and use this regular season as a springboard for a stellar postseason, where he has averaged 30.5 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.5 block. Those number though were registered in only two appearances of 13 total games as a Pelican.

“We’ve been engaged in a lot of conversations about this year and what we want to do, how we want to go about it,” Davis said to Powell. “And us being the leaders, you know, of what it’s gonna take, you know, for our guys to kind of follow us. So, I think that, you know us [him and James] having a relationship that we already have and just building on that is gonna help us tremendously, especially when we have adversity during the season.”  

One player that might possibly be on the shelf at the start of this season is Kuzma due to a stress injury to his foot, which he sustained right before Team USA played at the World Cup in China in September in workouts over the summer.

“I think it definitely sucks just because of, you know, how big this season is for us but at the same time, you know, health is wealth and I’m ahead of schedule, getting back and, you know, thirsty to get out there,” Kuzma said at Media Day on Sept. 27 to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, Zach Lowe, and Richard Jefferson.

With Davis in the fold, Pelinka used the $32 million in the Lakers’ war chest, thanks to Davis waiving his $4 million trade kicker on forming the rest of the roster, with assistance from James and Davis.

After the Lakers failed to sign two-time Final MVP Kawhi Leonard, Pelinka brought in shooters, in guard Danny Green (10.3 ppg, 46.5 FG%, 45.5 3-Pt.% w/Raptors) on a two-year, $30 million deal; Guard Troy Daniels (6.2 ppg, 38.1 3-Pt.% w/Suns), whose shot 40.0 percent from three-point range in his previous six seasons with the Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Hornets, and Suns on a one-year, $2.1 million deal. Veteran forward Jared Dudley, whose a career 39.2 percent three-point shooter on a one-year, $2.6 million deal;   two-time champion from the Warriors Quinn Cook (6.9 ppg, 46.5 FG%, 40.5 3-Pt.% w/Warriors) on a two-year, $6 million deal and guard Avery Bradley (9.9 ppg, 35.1 3-Pt.% w/Clippers & Grizzlies) on a two-year, $9.7 million deal, who is also a solid three-point shooter at 36.4 percent for his career and will bring a defensive presence on the perimeter alongside Green.

“I think it was a pretty easy decision,” Green said to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, Zach Lowe, and Richard Jefferson about joining the Lakers this offseason. “They did not have a lot of players on the roster but the players they did have on the roster were pretty damn good. They had Anthony Davis and LeBron I think and two other guys Kuz and they signed Troy Daniels. I was like, ‘Looks like a great foundation. It’s a great city and we have a chance to be a contender with those four.”

To put into perspective how much the Laker struggled shooting threes last season, according to NBA.com’s John Schuhmann they shot just 33.6 percent on catch-and-shoot triples, which was 30^th, dead last in “The Association.”

The only decent shooter on the team last year was guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (11.4 ppg), who also re-signed with the Lakers shot just 34.7 percent from distance a season ago.  

“In terms of shooting, I think the best way to learn in life from things that didn’t go right,” Pelinka said about not adding shooting around James a season ago. “I think failure is a much better professor in life than success sometimes. And we go right down our roster if you look at Danny Green, Quinn Cook, KCP and Jared Dudley, Troy Daniels, it’s full of multi-dimensional players that are great shooters. So, we’re really confident in that construction.”

The Lakers also re-signed Rondo, who will be reunited with Davis on a two-year, $2.6 million deal, with the second year being a player option, while also signing reserve guard Alex Caruso to a two-year, $5.5 million deal.

Along with adding shooting to the roster, the Lakers with the additions of Green and Cook, along with re-signing Rondo and McGee have championship experience with Green and Cook having won multiple time with the Warriors, Spurs and Green with the Raptors a season ago. 

To put that into perspective, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, there are only two players to win an NBA title with three different teams in Robert Horry, who won two titles with the Rockets, three titles with Bryant and O’Neal with the Lakers and two with the Spurs. John Salley won two titles with the “Bad Boy” Pistons and one each with the Bulls and Lakers. Green can join that list if the Lakers win it all this spring.

“We have so many winners on this team. JaVale’s got two, Rondo’s got one, LeBron’s got three,” Green said to Nichols, Lowe and Jefferson. So many guys that have been in the playoffs and been with contenders or been to The Finals and won. So many veterans that I don’t have to be that main focus or that main leader guy in the locker room. We can do it collectively as a group and I think it’s going to be really helpful in the future, especially deep in the playoffs when we have our depth or we have some injuries.”

One of those decisions was signing All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins to a one-year, $3.5 million deal, who the Lakers hoped would return about as close to the form he was prior the Achilles injury two seasons back that wrecked his chances at a big pay day. He never got to training camp as he sustained a torn ACL in his right knee while working out in Las Vegas, NV in the middle of August.

It was a major blow to the Lakers, whose only legitimate big man was JaVale McGee (12.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 62.4 FG%), who was re-signed on a two-year, $8.2 million deal.

They had brought in late August former Laker Dwight Howard, former Chicago Bull Joakim Noah and former Warrior Marreese Speights for a workout to see who they would sign to replace Cousins.

They chose the eight-time All-Star and three-time Kia Defensive Player of the Year, who they signed to a non-guaranteed deal for his second tour of duty with the “Purple and Gold.”

Since leaving the Lakers in free agency after only one season in 2012-13, Howard (12.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 62.3 FG% w/Wizards), a future Hall of Famer has suited up for the Rockets, Hawks, Hornets and Wizards in the last five seasons. His last one with the Wizards was limited to just nine games because of back surgery.

To put into context how low Howard has sunk, he did not even get an introductory press conference when the Lakers signed him to a non-guaranteed deal. He only got an appearance on their twitter page.

There is no question that Howard has certainly been humbled, but can he make a contribution is the question. If he can, the Lakers have a player impact the game on the glass and as a rim protector.

“I’m just happy to be here. Happy to be back in L.A. Just filled with so many emotions but just really happy and thankful to be playing for the Lakers,” the 16-year veteran said to Spectrum Sportsnet’s James Worthy, Chris McGee and Allie Clifton on Media Day adding about what he wants to be different this time around, “I just want to win. That’s the only thing that matters

The Lakers will have a new leader on the sidelines in former Pacers and Magic head coach Frank Vogel on a three-year deal, replacing the fired Luke Walton, who is now the head coach of the Sacramento Kings.

Vogel, who has a record of 304-291 entering this season comes with head coaching experience, an even temperament that will be necessary with the job he will be tasked with in leading the Lakers to a title and a focus on defense.

In the two seasons the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals against James in 2013 and 2014 and the Heat, the Pacers allowed just 90.7 and 92.3 points per game respectably. What will be different with this group that Coach Vogel will be coaching is they should be a better offensive team then those Pacers squads led by Paul George, Roy Hibbert, David West, and Lance Stephenson which averaged just 94.7 and 96.7 points in 2012-13 and 2013-14 respectably.

“As great as they want to be and we have the talent to be elite at the defensive end of the floor,” Coach Vogel, the 27^th Lakers head coach in franchise history said at Lakers Media Day on Sept. 27 about his expectations for the team at the defensive end this season.

“We got to commit to it. Care factors got to be higher than anybody in the league and we got to play harder and more physical than anybody in the league throughout the 82 games. And that will build the standard, build habits of who we need to be going into the playoffs.”

For Coach Vogel, he has to be able to evolve with his defensive philosophy to match how the game is today from being able to have players switch in pick-and-roll defense.  

The bigger surprise is the assistant coaches he will be working with in former NBA coaches in Hall of Fame guard Jason Kidd, the highest paid assistant in the league. Former Nets and Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins, Phil Handy, Miles Simon, Mike Penberthy and Quinton Crawford, which were all choices by the Lakers’ front office.

The hiring of Kidd instantly gave those in the NBA circle license to speculate that if the Lakers should struggle out the gate that Kidd would replace Vogel as head coach. On top of that, Vogel has James and Rondo, two other coaches on the floor that can see the game from a multitude of angles.

“You can’t worry about looking over your shoulder. You got worry about getting good damn coaches and that is how I feel about this hire,” Coach Vogel said to ESPN.com’s Ohm Youngmisuk in late May about the hiring of Kidd as a Lakers’ assistant.

In the first 65 seasons of the Lakers, going back to their start in Minneapolis, they only missed the playoffs five times. The Lakers went all in on being in position to end this aforementioned six-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise history and to win it all this season.

They brought in a proven head coach in Frank Vogel, even though he was not the team’s first choice. They have perhaps the best duo in the NBA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis and added/re-signed win now players in Danny Green, JaVale McGee, Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo, Jared Dudley, and Dwight Howard.

“For us, anything short of a championship is not success,” Pelinka said back in July.

“I’ve been very quiet this summer for a reason. And my mother always taught me, ‘Don’t talk about it. Be about it,” James, whose entering season No. 17 said about his approach to this season.        

“I like our roster. I like every player that we have from 1 to 14,” Davis said at his introductory presser in the middle of July. “I’m excited about it and, you know, I’ll put our roster up against anybody. I feel like that in a seven-game series that we’ll come out victorious.”

“We’re never gonna get to the playoffs. We’re never gonna succeed in the playoffs if we don’t focus on our daily work,” Coach Vogel said at Media Day. That’s going to be the message all year is to remain in the moment, through the ups-and-downs of the NBA season. Build the necessary habits to have success in the playoffs.”

Best Case Scenario: The Lakers make the playoffs in the Top 4 of the stacked Western Conference. Davis is in the MVP conversation. James is back to being one of the best players in the NBA thanks to the shooting around him. The Lakers reach The Finals and win it all, which leads to Davis re-signing a super max of five years at possibly $203.5 million.

Worst Case Scenario: The Lakers make the playoffs in the middle or bottom half of the West. James and Davis struggle to stay healthy. The supporting cast does not play up to par. Howard becomes a distraction and is waived. The Lakers have an early playoff exit.  

Memphis Grizzlies: 33-49 (4^th Southwest Division; missed the playoffs) 21-20 at home, 12-29 on the road.  

-103.5 ppg-30^th; opp. ppg: 106.1-3^rd; 41.8 rpg-29^th

After consecutive losing seasons, the Memphis Grizzlies in the span of four months traded away their two cornerstones of the “Grit ‘N Grind” era, which saw them make the postseason seven straight times, including an appearance in the Western Conference Finals in 2013. With a dynamic rookie guard now in the fold alongside an athletic second-year big man; a new head coach, and a revamped front office, the question for the Grizzlies will this new era bring the success of the previous one did?

The Grizzlies began last season pretty well at 16-11, but a rash of injuries and the inability to impose their will on teams via tough defense and a methodical inside offensive attack was gone as the finished last season just 17-38. On three occasions last season, the had losing streaks of five games or more.

Forward Jaren Jackson, Jr. (13.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg-Led team, 50.6 FG%, 35.9 3-Pt.%), the Grizzlies No. 4 overall pick in 2018 draft, who showed flashes of what he could become a season ago before a deep thigh bruise shelved the All-Rookie First-Team selection the final 28 games of his rookie season.

“It’s flattering getting any sort of feedback that’s you know positive or anybody acknowledging the work you put in. It feels good,” Jackson, Jr. said at Media Day about emerging as a cornerstone of the Grizzlies moving forward. “I’m glad I got the rookie stuff over with because now you can kind of being a player.”

Injuries to swingmen Dillon Brooks (7.5 ppg, 37.5 3-Pt.%) played just 18 games in 2018-19 because of injuries, and Kyle Anderson (8.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 54.3 FG%), limited both to just 18 and 43 games respectably in 2018-19.  

To put how ravaged the Grizzlies were by injuries last season, they tied their own dubious record from 2017-18 with 29 different players suiting up to play, while also setting a dubious all-time league record with 20 different leading scorers in 2018-19, surpassing the old record of 16 set by the Knicks in 2014-15.

The front office began the final dismantle of the “Grit “n Grind” era with the trade of All-Star center Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies second all-time leading scorer, assists man, games played and No. 7 in three-pointers made to the eventual NBA champion Raptors on Feb. 7

Starting center Mike Conley, the Grizzlies all-time leader in points, assists, games played and three-pointers made was dealt this off-season to the Jazz, more on who came in return in a moment.  

In return for Gasol, the Grizzlies got center Jonas Valanciunas (15.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 55.9 FG% w/Raptors & Grizzlies), who averaged 19.9 points and 10.7 rebounds on 54.5 FG% in 19 games with the Grizzlies last season.

The Grizzlies also shook things up first on the sidelines firing head coach J.B. Bickerstaff in April.

“In order to put our team on the path to sustainable success, it was necessary to change our approach to basketball operations,” Grizzlies controlling owner Robert Pera said in April. “I look forward to a re-energized front office and fresh approach to Memphis Grizzlies basketball under new leadership, while retaining the identity and values that have distinguished our team.” 

They also remade their their front office demoting longtime GM Chriss Wallace to the scouting department. Jason Wexler became the new president of the organization, overseeing both the basketball and business operations, with 30-year-old Zachary Z. Kleinman replacing John Hollinger as Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, with Hollinger moving into an advisory role. Former Hornets GM Rich Cho also in April was brought on as Vice President of Basketball Strategy, with Glen Grunwald being named as Senior Advisor. Grizzlies forward Tayshaun Prince will remain as a special advisor. 

The Grizzlies really went outside the box in hiring 34-year-old Taylor Jenkins, an assistant head coach on Mike Budenholzer’s staff of the Bucks the last two seasons, and the previous five with the Hawks as their new head coach back on June 11.

Jenkins, who was on head coach Mike Budenholzer staffs with the Hawks and Bucks from 2013-19, began his NBA journey as an intern in the Spurs basketball operations department in the 2007-08 season, before moving on to their G-League affiliate the Austin Toros first as an assistant coach for four seasons before becoming the head coach in the 2012-13 seasons.

“Biggest tone we want to set is our competitive environment,” Coach Jenkins said of the way he wants his team to be at the start of his tenure. “Training camps always breathe competitiveness. But we want that to be something we sustain, and not just in the first few days of the season. But carry it all the way to the end of the season.”

With the front office staff rearranged or filled with new people and the head coach in place, it was time to go to work on reshaping the roster.

It began with the previously mentioned trading of Conley to the Jazz for guard Grayson Allen; forward Jae Crowder; veteran sharp-shooter Kyle Korver; a 2019 First-Round pick (No. 23 overall) and a protected future First-Round pick.

With Conley gone, the Grizzlies with the No. 2 overall pick chose hopefully their floor general for years to come in Ja Morant out of Murray State University.

Around this time last year, Morant, who recently became a father was a relative unknown. That all changed with the season he put together, becoming the first player ever in NCAA Division I history to average 20-plus points at 24.5 (2^nd in Div. I) and 10 assists at 10.0 (Led Div. I) for the Racers, displaying a combination of athleticism and playmaking that had NBA scouts projecting Morant as a franchise game changer, who ended being a solid choice behind an even more dynamic player who went one spot ahead of him, more on that later.

“It feels good to be able to accomplish my dream,” Morant said to Taylor after he got drafted. 

The 2018-19 AP First-Team All-American from South Carolina brings an offensive creativity; an athleticism with elite speed very athletic with elite speed where he can split pick-and-rolls, is a dominant finisher at the basket, with the court vision to find the open man.

Those athletic gifts the South Carolina native has, coupled with a by a work ethic, and focus that Morant had instilled in him through legendary backyard workouts designed by his dad Ronnie “Tee” Morant from jumping on tires, agility drills, shooting off-the-dribble shots through cones.

“It started with me. I feel if you don’t believe in yourself than who will? I had the right people around me, my family, coaches always lifted me up and pushed me to work hard and be the best player I could be.”

Morant also said to NBATV’s Jared Greenberg on playing alongside Jackson, Jr., “We’re both excited. Obviously, he’s very excited just for to be drafted. We’re building a relationship and we’re very close.”

Morant’s understudy will be newest addition Tyus Jones (6.9 ppg, 4.8 apg, w/Timberwolves), who the Grizzlies offered a three-year, $28 million offer sheet to the restricted free agent that the Timberwolves did not match.

In a draft night trade with the Thunder, Grizzlies acquired the draft rights to forward Brandon Clarke, the No. 21 overall pick out of Gonzaga University for the draft rights to the No. 23 overall pick in forward Darius Bazley.

Clarke, who made a big splash by earning Game and Tournament MVP honors during the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League in July, displaying his ability to switch off and guard multiple positions, while scoring well at the rim and on the interior. The West Coast Conference (WCC) Defensive Player of the Year led not just the conference but all of Division I in field goal last season at 69 percent, while averaging 16.9 points and finishing third in the NCAA in blocks shots per game at 3.2.  

“It was so much work and so much trust in myself, my teammates, and my coaches that I’ve had,” Clarke said to Taylor about the persistence it took to become a First-Round draft choice. “So, I’m just really grateful, you know, all that stuff that happened to me.”

He added at Media Day on being around teammates of similar age, “We all kind of just get to go out and just play hard and kind of learn. So, I feel like it’s just going to be fun competing with the guys.”

The Grizzlies finished filling out the roster with some minor deals that included trading forward Chandler Parsons to the Hawks for small forward Solomon Hill and power forward/center Miles Plumlee.

In a deal with the Wizards, the Grizzlies acquired eight-time All-Star Dwight Howard, who was eventually waived for CJ Miles.   

Their deal with Suns brought them forward Josh Jackson (11.5 ppg w/Suns) along with guard De’Anthony Melton, Korver, a 2020 Second-Round pick and a conditional 2021 Second-Round pick.

Jackson, a former No. 4 overall pick was a major bust in two seasons with the Suns as his perimeter shot never improved and he was very immature off the court. He is just 22 years of age and because the Grizzlies are not in win now mode, he becomes a worthwhile project in Coach Jenkins’ player development program. Jackson will start at the bottom level of that program in the G-League.

If he has any plans on getting back to the Grizzlies main roster, he has to greatly improve his jump shot and become a much better defender.

“You don’t change until you hit rock bottom. You’re a lotter pick and you’re starting the season in the G-League, I think you’re at rock bottom,” NBATV’s Sam Mitchell said of Jackson’s predicament. “The only way he can go is up now.”

There are high hopes for Melton also, who offense needs serious work, but has great defensive instincts where the coaching staff of the Grizzlies can hopefully groom him into being a specialist or a consistent part of the playing rotation.

Allen brings something that will for sure get him on the court for the Grizzlies after being basically a benchwarmer in his one season with the Jazz. He did flash a glimpse of what he can do if given minutes when he scored 40, though he was 11 for 30 from the field, but went 5 for 13 from three-point range and 13 for 14 from the free throw line in the Utah’s 143-137 overtime loss in their regular-season finale at the Clippers on Apr. 10.

In a deal with the five-time defending West champion Warriors, the Grizzlies acquired 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and a protected First-Round pick for Julian Washburn.

While Iguodala is not a part of the Grizzlies future plans and is more of a trade chip, the question is when will he be dealt and how much the Grizzlies get for Igoudala?   

The Grizzlies trade with the Mavericks netted them the draft rights to Satnam Singh and two future Second-Round picks in exchange for guard Delon Wright.

Beginning with the Feb. 7 trade deadline and with this off-season, Grizzlies owner Robert Pera wanted to shake up the franchise. Move on from the very successful “Grit ‘N Grind” era and give Memphis Grizzlies a new vision and leadership in the hopes of accelerating this small-market team that has a bolder and meaningful future.

The success of this new era depends on how quickly Ja Morant and Jared Jackson, Jr. can develop a cohesion on the hardwood and how wisely the Grizzlies front office can build around this talented duo with what they have now or who they can bring in going forward.   

“We talk about our three pillars of competing, playing together and getting better every single day, especially with a lot of young guys but even with our vets it’s something we want to instill from Day One,” Coach Jenkins said. “Knowing that each individual comes in with that competitive mentality. But how as a unit how are we going to do that? How are we going to compete on the practice floor? How are we going to compete in the training room? How are we going to compete in our scouting process? And it all leads up to how are we going to compete on a night-in and night-out basis come game time?”

“So, for these young guys to start getting that understanding of how important competitiveness is, that’s super important to start here in Year One.”  

Best Case Scenario: The Grizzlies win at least 25 games this season. Morant is in the running for Kia Rookie of the Year. Jackson, Jr. takes another step in his maturation as a franchise cornerstone. Coach Jenkins can develop a system and philosophy that brings the best out of his players.

Worst Case Scenario: Another season of near or above 50 losses for the Grizzlies. Morant struggles in his rookie season. Jackson, Jr. takes a step backwards in his development. Coach Jenkins’ message falls on death ears to his players.

Grade: C

Minnesota Timberwolves: 36-46 (5^th Northwest Division; missed the playoffs) 25-16 at home, 11-30 on the road.

-112.5 ppg-13^th; opp. ppg: 111.7-23^rd; 44.8 rpg-19^th

Outrages melodrama kept the Minnesota Timberwolves out of the playoffs for the 14^th time the last 15 seasons last spring. While they got stellar production statistically from the 2016 Kia Rookie of the Year, the team saw little to no growth amongst their talented players, specifically from the 2015 Kia Rookies of the Year. With a new innovative leader in the front office, the interim tag removed from their head coach, and some interesting new additions, the question now for the Timberwolves can their talented 1-2 punch get them back to the playoffs in an even more stacked Western Conference?

The melodrama that hit the Timberwolves a season ago began with the trade demands of All-Star Jimmy Butler, who was eventually dealt to the 76ers in November 2018 for Dario Saric and Robert Covington (13.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 37.8 3-Pt% w/76ers & Timberwolves). Then came eventual ouster of head coach and President of Basketball Operations Tom Thibodeau after a 108-86 win versus the Lakers on Jan. 6, replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Ryan Saunders, who finished the season with a 17-25 mark.

There is no question about how talented All-Star center Karl-Anthony, the 2016 Kia Rookie of the Year and 2015 Kia Rookie of the Year in swingman Andrew Wiggins are.

While Towns, whose starting a huge five-year, $190 million contract extension he signed last summer has had consistent production in terms of his stats to the tune of a team-leading 24.4 points and 12.2 rebounds (7^th NBA) and 1.6 blocks (9^th NBA) on 51.8 percent from the field, and 40.0 percent from three-point range, it had not impact for the Timberwolves in the win column.

To bring this point into clearer context, in the 18 games Towns has scored at least 30 points and 15 rebounds, the Timberwolves record is just 9-9.

He registered a near quadruple-double of 34 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists, six block shots and three steals in the Timberwolves Dec. 30, 2018 contest at the Heat, becoming other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35 points, 19 rebounds, nine assists, and eight blocks against the Suns on Dec. 14, 1975) to have that kind of stat line, but it happened in a 113-104 loss.

Wiggins on the other hand has simply regressed not just in terms of his production, but just he demeanor has been mediocre, especially after signing a lavish max five-year, $148 million max extension two years ago. Last season, he registered subpar averages of 18.1 points and 4.8 rebounds, on 41.2 percent from the field.

Team owner Glen Taylor to get things flowing in the right direction in early May hired Gersson Rosas, who has spent the last 16 seasons in many roles in the Rockets front office as the Timberwolves new President of Basketball Operations on May 3, becoming the first Latino to be in that position in NBA history.

Rosas, unlike Thibodeau brings front office experience where he learned every in-and-out of “The Association”  and how to be innovative by two of the most respect GMs in the league first by Carroll Dawson and then by current Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, who said of Rosas, “He’s been way overqualified for his job for a while here. He’s more than earned his shot although I wish he would’ve gone East.”

Morey added, “We’re going to have an extremely tough competitor in the West. Minnesota is going to find how forward thinking; how hard-working, and how talented he is at putting together a winning team.”

Hall of Famer and former Rocket Tracy McGrady echoed those same feelings saying on the May 2 edition of ESPN’s “NBA: The Jump,” “If he learned anything from Daryl Morey is ow to put a team together and he’s going to do a phenomenal job of helping KAT, you know, bring some talent in there to help him out win.”

The first move Rosas made was take interim tag off Saunders and naming him the new head coach of the Timberwolves in on May 20, even though the Timberwolves interviewed several prominent NBA assistants like Juwan Howard of the Heat; David Vanderpool of the Trail Blazers, who is now on Saunders’ staff as the Associate Head Coach; Pelicans assistant Chris Finch and the Bucks Darvin Ham.

“I need to recognize someone who is unable to be here in the physical form, but I know he’s here and he’s looking down and I know he’d say, ‘There’s no place else he’d rather have me get my start in coaching.’ So, I wanted to make sure I acknowledge my dad ‘Flip,’ and just thank him for putting me in this,” the emotional young Saunders said about earning the job his late father once had. “This is me. It happens. You get emotional over things. But that’s one of the reasons this is so special today.”

What got Saunders the job ultimately was the respect he had from the players, specifically Towns and Wiggins. That he comes from solid blood lines in the aforementioned late Philip “Flip” Saunders, who coached the team from 1995-2005 and by keeping the younger Saunders in the fold, it maintains some sense of stability, for a team that has missed the playoffs in 14 of the last 15 seasons.

Towns in the 37 games he played for Coach Saunders, he averaged 26.8 points, 12.4 rebounds on 54.1 percent from the field and 42.2 three-point percentage, compared to the 22.4 points and 12.4 boards on 49.5 percent from the floor and 37.9 from three-point range in the 40 games under Coach Thibodeau.

“It’s going to be a fun for me to have a coach that’s gonna allow me to use all my talents,” Towns said at his basketball camp this summer to WCCO-TV. “I have a great coaching staff. I mean, I think we have the best coaching staff possibly in the game right now from a talent, experience and just the culture standpoint. And the culture we’re building here is something special.”

Kumbaya moments only get you so far and for Saunders to get the Timberwolves back to playoff contention, he has to coach this team to where he holds them to account for their play and demands that they bring it in practice to the game, especially from Towns and Wiggins.  

One big emphasis for Coach Saunders entering this season is the team being in tip-top condition to play at a faster pace offensively and to be a much better defensive team.

“To play faster, your defense can become your offense. So, in a way, you know, you’re a team that’s forcing turnovers,” Saunders said at Media Day on Sept. 30. “You’re being solid though. You’re not putting yourself in predicaments at the rim where guys are having to rotate...And then obviously you need to become a better defensive rebounding team because to get to offense you got to be able to corral the ball.”

Rosas added that in the short period of time he has been around Towns has been very impressive. From the projects the organization has been involved in over the summer both on and off the hardwood, to supporting his teammates.

As good as those things are, Rosas has challenged Towns to become a more consistent defender; be the kind of leader that can get on his teammates when it is called upon, especially Wiggins and have his production impacts the Timberwolves winning more games.   

When it comes to Wiggins, Rosas said that he has given him a clean slate to start but said the two had a real heart-to-heart conversation about what is expected of him and see what if anything else needs to get him to play with a high motor.

Coach Saunders said that what he has seen from Wiggins this offseason has been “tremendous,” from staying in Minnesota over the summer, where he has through work with the coaching staff through the use of analytics and game-film on what will unlock that so-called potential that has yet to be consistent on the hardwood.

“You learn from it and it’s nothing but motivation, you know. You go into the summer knowing you go to work,” Wiggins said about last season at Media Day. “People are gonna doubt you, you know? People are gonna think that, you know, you lost a step. You lost it and all these things. But all you can focus on is yourself. And the fact I can prove people wrong, you know, and get back out there and let people know ‘I’m the same player,’ that’s motivation. So, it means a lot. I’m gonna work harder. Think harder. I wanna be great.”

Saunders feels the same way about Wiggins this upcoming season also saying at Media Day. “I’ve known him since he was about 18 now and I’ve haven’t seen a lot of players that love this market like Andrew does. And he really loves being here in Minnesota. And you know so, with the passion. With his commitment we feel that he’s gonna have a good season.”

In June’s draft, the Timberwolves dealt the draft rights to the No. 11 overall pick in Cameron Johnson to the Suns, along with forward Dario Saric for the draft rights to the No. 6 overall pick in guard/forward Jarrett Culver out of Texas Tech University. At No. 43 overall, the T’Wolves selected Jaylen Nowell out of the University of Washington.

“It’s a dream just to be drafted and be in the NBA is a dream for me,” Culver said to Taylor after getting drafted. “I worked hard for it, and God gave me the talent, and I’m here, and I’m truly blessed to be in this position I’m in.”

The Big 12 Player of the Year, first Red Raider to win that honor averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 46 percent from the field.

He plays both ends of the floor really well, with the ability to guard multiple positions and can make plays for others on offensive, especially off the pick-and-roll.

“I’m an elite two-way player,” Culver said of how he describes his game. “I see myself as determined, motivated and hardworking. I put in hours and hours to work on my craft to be great at what I do.”

“I have a lot to prove. I got out every night trying to prove myself. A lot of people doubted me. A lot of people didn’t believe in me. So, I stay true to myself…. I know there’s a lot of great players that played in the NBA and I just want to be one of them.”

The biggest thing for Culver to learn is how to shoot, which is something that the player he will be competing with for minutes at the wing position in last season’s First-Round pick in fellow swingman Josh Okogie (7.7 ppg), who had some tough defensive assignments and held his own quite well a season ago. For him to get more consistent minutes on the floor, he must improve his ability to make shots consistently His 38.6 field goal percentage he shot a season ago will not cut it.

“The one thing I think is the easiest to add through time and effort is the outside shot,” Sports Illustrated’s Seth Davis said about what Culver needs to add to his offensive repertoire. “He’s got to add that three-point shot or he won’t last in the NBA. I think he will work hard and add that three-point shot to his arsenal. And when he does look out.”

The addition of Culver with Covington, whose time with the Timberwolves was cut short last season due to an injured right knee that required surgery and Okogie gives the Timberwolves three players who can guard the two most prolific scoring positions in the NBA.

“I’m good now. I’ve utilized my summer to the best,” Covington said at Media Day about his recovery from surgery both in Minneapolis, MN and with his team in Nashville, TN. “Only thing now is getting back in playing shape.”

While the team has some depth at the small forward and shooting guard spots, more on that in a moment, their backcourt depth took a major hit with guards Derrick Rose and Tyus Jones, who signed in the offseason with the Pistons and Grizzlies respectably.

They still has starting floor general Jeff Teague (12.1 ppg, 8.2 apg), whose entering the last year of his contract struggled with injuries that limited him to 42 games in 2018-19.

“It was very frustrating. Never really been injured before like that,” Tegaue said at Media Day about last season. “So, I’m glad guys helped me out all summer to get better and I’m excited for the season to come.”

The T’Wolve acquire journeyman Shabazz Napier (9.4 ppg w/Nets) to back up Teague, along with shooting guard Treveon Graham in a deal with the Nets, for the draft rights to Lior Elizaku.

The T’Wolves added some depth to their front court, getting via sign-and-trade restricted free agent Jake Layman (7.6 ppg, 50.9 FG% w/Trail Blazers) from the Trail Blazers on a three-year, $15 million deal for the draft rights to Bojan Dublijevic on July 3. They also signed former Warriors big man Jordan Bell and forward Noah Vonleh to a one-year deals at $1.6 million and $2 million respectably in July.

Layman briefly flourished with the Trail Blazers both as a spot starter and off the bench last season before he lost ground in the rotation, while Bell had a reasonable role in the Warriors playing rotation the last two seasons, but not showing consistent improvement led to head coach Steve Kerr reducing his minutes. Both players will be competing for minutes with fellow reserve big Gorgui Dieng (6.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 50.0 FG%).

It was rough 2018-19 for the Timberwolves, who saw all the momentum from 2017-18 making the playoffs after a 13-year absence go down the drain by missing the postseason last spring. Even with the hiring of Gersson Rosas and retaining Ryan Saunders as the new head coach, and with the additions to the roster, the success of the team will depend on the production and leadership shown by Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

“One thing that I do feel good about this team among a number of things, but one thing I always feel good about with this group especially is how hard they’re gonna to play,” Coach Saunders said at Media Day. “And they’ve shown that this summer, and everything these guys have done so far have proven that.”

Best Case Scenario: The Timberwolves are knocking at the door of a playoff berth in the lower part of the West. Towns is an All-Star for the third straight season. Wiggins regains his confidence and knocks on the door of being named an All-Star. Culver makes one of the All-Rookie squads. Saunders gets the defensive effort and knockdown shooting from the supporting cast.

Worst Case Scenario: Another spring with no playoffs. Towns and Wiggins put up numbers, but do not have an impact in terms of victories. Culver struggles. Saunders see no consistent effort on either end of the floor.

Grade: D+

New Orleans Pelicans: 33-49 (T-3^rd Southwest Division; missed the playoffs) 19-22 at home, 14-27 on the road.

-115.4 ppg-3^rd; opp. ppg: 114.8-T-27^th; 47.3 rpg-5^th

Following their playoff run in 2018 that ended in the Semifinals to the eventual NBA champion Warriors, the New Orleans Pelicans took a serious backslide into the lottery after a tumultuous 2018-19 season. A season that saw their franchise cornerstone wanting out and a front office in need of a major overhaul. Those changes came to “The Big Easy” from the front office right down to the roster, which included drafting that rare franchise changing player. The question for the Pelicans is with all this change that has energized the city result in them back in the playoff mix?

When six-time All-Star center Anthony Davis, who joined forces with the most powerful sports agent Rich Paul, the business partner of the Lakers four-time Kia MVP LeBron James of “Klutch Sports,” told the Pelicans he would sign a contract extension and asked to be traded, it began a state of limbo for the team that would wreck their season.

GM Dell Demps was fired on Feb. 15. The fanbase wanted nothing to do with Davis anymore, especially after leaving the Smoothie King Center on Apr. 9 with T-shirt of the famed Looney Tunes sign off, “That’s All Folks” written across the chest.

Everything else about the Pelicans season from Julius Randle’s solid production in what would be his only season with the team and from All-Star and All-Defensive Second-Team selection in lead guard Jrue Holiday’s (21.2 ppg, 7.7 apg-Led team, 5.0 rpg, 1.6 spg-10^th NBA, 47.2 FG%) continued stellar play on both ends of the court.

If there was any team in “The Association” that needed massive sweeping changes and a bunch of good luck to head right to them, it was the Pelicans, and they got it big time.

It began on Apr. 12 when Owner Gayle Benson hired former Cavaliers GM from 2014-17 David Griffin as the new Vice President of Basketball Operations.

Griffin and Mrs. Benson added some heft to the Pelicans front office with the addition of new GM Trajan Langdon in the middle of May, who served as the Assistant General Manager of the Nets since 2016, while also serving as the GM of the Nets’ G-League affiliate the Long Island Nets. Langdon also spent one season as Director of Player Administration and Basketball Operations for the Cavaliers, under Griffin.

In June, the Pelicans hired former WNBA player and NBA studio analyst for ESPN and the Knicks for Madison Square Garden Network and CBS Sports’ “We Need to Talk” Swin Cash as Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development. They also added Hall of Famer and WNBA legend of the New York Liberty Teresa Weatherspoon to head coach Alvin Gentry’s staff.  

“These are winners to the core who they are as people,” Griffin said to NBATV’s Kristen Ledlow on draft night about Langdon, the 2018-19 G-League Basketball Executive of the Year and two-time WNBA champion Cash. “They found that winning frequency, and we’re going to continue to add people to the mix tuned to that frequency.”

His first order of business was to tackle the Davis situation straight on rather than waiver or tiptoe around it like Demps did. Because Davis was basically benched for all the second half of this past season, the Pelicans fell into the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery, where “lady luck” was on their side, landing the No. 1 overall pick in a draft, which they used on the most talented and hyped player to come into the NBA since LeBron James in Zion Williamson.

He became overcome with emotion as he said with tears to Taylor after being the first player born in the 2000s to be selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft, “I mean, I don’t know what to say.”

Williamson added about shaking Commissioner Adam Silver’s hand after getting drafted, “It don’t seem real that I just shook his hand. I’ve dreamed of this since I was four, and for it to actually happen I just thank God for it.”

In his lone season at Duke, the South Carolina native was sensational for head coach Mike Krzyzewski, with averages of 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 2018-19, on 68 percent shooting, the highest field goal percentage by a freshman in Division I history. The 81 points he had in the 2019 ACC Tournament were the most by a freshman in the history of the Conference. He joined current Net Kevin Durant, and now former Pelican in Davis to win the John R. Wooden.

Beyond being a great player at Duke, Williamson was just as exceptional off the court with his humility and the kindness he displayed to his teammates, especially fellow lottery picks in RJ Barrett, who went to the Knicks No. 3 overall and Cam Reddish, the No. 10 overall pick by the Hawks.

“I think to some degree the human element was more powerful than the basketball element of it,” GM Griffin said to NBATV’s Kristen Ledlow on draft night about why they took Williamson No. 1 overall. “I’ve said before, you’re talking about a guy who obviously everybody can watch and knows touched by the hands of God right?”

“There’s a population of one. There’s no other person like this as a basketball player. To be that size, propel his body with that much force, and speed, and have touch, and be all about winning first-we’ve really haven’t seen that before in the league. So, the upside is enormous, but the beautiful thing is the work ethic matches all that too. So, you know work great is never going to be the reason you don’t succeed. But the human part of this kid is just really special.”

Williamson’s impact was so big, that the Pelicans solid more than 12,000 season tickets, their biggest number in a decade. The NFL’s New Orleans Saints, Louisiana State University and Tulane Wave have invited Williamson to their sidelines. Nike’s Jordan Brand there is even huge giant 219-foot banner by the Smoothie King Center with a photo of Williamson in the middle with the entire city of New Orleans at his back, with a caption that reads, “Possible Alone Possible Together.”

To put into context what these two moves did for the Pelicans, they will be playing on Christmas Day in the nightcap of the five-game slate at the Nuggets at 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 25 on ESPN.

One thing that GM Griffin has made very clear is that Williamson is only a rookie and any expectation that he will be the best player on this team is a little premature. 

“Look, this is somebody who’s not supposed to be the savior of this franchise. That’s not what this is,” Griffin said at Williamson’s introductory presser on June 21. “This is a 19-year-old kind whose going to spend this year learning how to play winning NBA Basketball. And everything that we’re doing from now until the end of our time here as a franchise is going to be about long-term sustainable success.” 

Those expectations will surely be slowed after the news came out at the start of this week   that Williamson will be sidelined approximately 6-8 weeks following arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, which he injured in the preseason game on Oct. 13 against the Spurs.  

Then came the blockbuster deal with the Lakers, that included the Wizards were Davis was traded to the Lakers, which became official on July 6 and in return the Pelicans received guard Lonzo Ball; swingman Josh Hart; forward Brandon Ingram; the No. 4 overall pick, which would eventually be traded to the Hawks; two of the Lakers First-Round picks and cash considerations from the Wizards.

Griffin not only acquired three promising players in Ball (9.9 ppg, 5.4 apg, 5.3 rpg, 1.5 spg w/Lakers), Ingram (18.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 49.7 FG% w/Lakers), and Hart (7.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, w/Lakers), he acquired the Lakers’ future assets in their two First-Round picks and First-Round swaps. Meaning, if the Lakers collapse following the conclusion of the LBJ era, the Pelicans will make out like bandits, similarly to the Celtics did in that famed trade with the Nets in the summer of 2013 when those First-Round picks and pick swaps became as worthy as gold.

For Ball, a L.A. native who has been directly in the spotlight since entering the NBA as the No. 2 overall pick in 2017 will finally not have the pressure of playing in the “City of Angels” and will play alongside Holiday, who should allow him to play off the ball more as well as be interchangeable on both ends.

The biggest thing for Ball is to improve his game at the offensive end especially his shooting stroke. The 40.6 percent from the field, 32.6 from three-point range and 41.7 percent from the foul line is unacceptable for a player of his caliber. Also, he has to stay healthy after missing a total of 69 games his first two seasons because of injury.

“Obviously, injuries kind of messed up things a little bit,” Ball said of his time playing in his hometown in the middle of last month. “But you take the bumps with the bruises and keep moving forward. Only been in the league for two years and looking forward to this third year in New Orleans, get a fresh start and show people what I can do.”

Ball added, “I know New Orleans is excited to have me, and I’m excited to get started. Moving to a new team, a new situation, a new organization, new coaches, new everything-it’s a refresh, getting back to playing basketball like I know I can play.”

Ball’s teammate Ingram, who had his 2018-19 season cut short at 52 games after being diagnosed with a deep venous thrombosis, a blood clot in his arm in early March. The prognosis is good for the No. 2 overall pick in 2016. In fact, he has been a full participant in Pelicans voluntary offseason workouts, according to a report in late September by Andrew Lopez of The New Orleans Times-Picayune.

“It’s been exciting,” Ingram said about being back on the floor after last season. “I couldn’t imagine not being away from the game for about five months without playing basketball and it made me cherish it a little bit more. Every time I come out here, I make sure I’m putting good work into my body. Making sure everything is right before I go out on the court.”

That is why Griffin brought on board longtime trainer of the Suns Aaron Nelson as Vice President of Player Care and Performance.

Nelson, who worked with Griffin from 1993-2010 with the Suns, where he began as an assistant athletic trainer brings 26 years of experience as the Suns trainer, with 19 of them as their head athletic trainer and most recently Vice President of Health and Performance.

In a pre-draft trade with the Hawks, the Pelicans acquired the No. 8, 17 and 35 overall picks and a conditional 2020 First-Round pick for forward Solomon Hill, the No. 4, which went to the Lakers and the No. 57 overall pick, and a conditional 2023 Second-Round pick.

The Pelicans in that deal acquired the draft rights to center Jaxson Hayes (No. 8 overall) out of the University of Texas; guard Nickel Alexander-Walker (No. 17 overall) from Toronto, Ontario, and Virginia Tech University; and forward Marcos Louzada Silva (No. 35 overall) from France.

They will join a cast that includes the aforementioned Williamson, Holiday, Ball, Ingram,  Hart, E’Twaun Moore (11.9 ppg, 48.1 FG% 43.2 3-Pt.%) Frank Jackson (8.1 ppg), Darius Miller (8.2 ppg, 36.5 3-Pt.%), Jahlil Okafor (8.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 58.6 FG%) and Kenrich Williams (6.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg).

Hayes, went from a guy who did not start at Cincinnati Molyer High School until his senior year to a guy who grew 11 inches from 6-feet to 6-foot-11 and played solidly at UT for head coach Shaka Smart, with averages of 10.0 points, and a Big 12 leading 72.9 percent shooting.

“It’s really been crazy. Two years ago, today, I was on a high school team hardly playing. Now, I’m a lottery pick,” Hayes said to Taylor on draft night. “So, it’s really exciting. I’m just excited for me and my family.”

The Big 12 Freshmen of the Year and Second Team All-Big 12 selection may be raw offensively as he took only three jump shots in his lone season with the Longhorns, but he is a freakish athlete who can jump right out of the gym, whose has a 7-foot-3 wingspan that makes him a lob threat at the basket; a guy who can get shots by just rim running and can defend in space as well as protect the basket.

Those tools that Hayes has entering the NBA are what the likes of veteran center Tyson Chandler of the Rockets and the Nets’ DeAndre Jordan have long and successful careers. The ability to block shots, score off of lob passes, rebound, set screens to get their teammates open and just play with all out energy. If Hayes can master those things during his time in the Pelicans development program, he will stick in this league for a decade.

Alexander-Walker, the cousin of the Thunder’s newest guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the No. 11 overall pick by the Clippers in 2018 brings excellent size (6-foot-5) to the backcourt, along with an immense skill to handle the ball, pass, shoot and is very ambidextrous around the basket.

He led the Hokies last season in points (16.2), field goals made, assists (4.0) and steals (1.9), while registering 12 games of 20-plus points.

“What we dreamed of and all we talked about when we were kids,” Alexander-Walker, a Third Team All-ACC selection said to Taylor on draft night alongside his cousin Shai, who called it “a blessing” to see his cousin get drafted.

Alexander-Walker added, “First time I touched a basketball that’s all I wanted to do. I used to cry when my mom told me this couldn’t possibly never happen. And for God to make it happen is a blessing.” 

Griffin has said many times this summer that the Pelicans leader is Jrue Holiday, who is entering his 11^th season in the league, his seventh with the Pelicans and he is very excited about the potential of the new additions to the Pelicans.

The 29-year-old Holiday said to NBATV’s Steve Smith pm Media Day on Sept. 30 that Alexander-Walker has been one his favorite players on the team because he has “a lot of abilities.” He also said that he is very excited to throw a lob pass to Hayes in a game and see what he can do with the basketball. When asked how to describe Williamson, Holiday said he is “normal.”

Holiday also said about Williamson, “I feel like he has very good character. Very humble kid and really just loving this atmosphere and everything that New Orleans brings as well as just the NBA. I feel like he’s very appreciative and it’s good to see that from somebody so young.”

In a trade with the Warriors, the Pelicans received their 2021 and 2023 Second-Round picks and cash considerations for the draft rights to power forward/center Alen Smailagic, 39^th overall pick out of the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G-League.  

The Pelicans traded the draft rights to guard Jordan Bone, the No. 57 overall pick to the Hawks, who later was dealt to the 76ers and then to the Pistons.

The reshaping of the roster continued with the acquisition of power forward/center Derrick Favors (11.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg 58.6 FG% w/Jazz) from the Jazz for two future Second-Round picks.

“I saw the potential in the team and I saw where I can like fit in, and I knew Utah was in a situation where they had to shed salary,” Favors said at Media Day on why he joined the Pelicans. “I’m excited to be here and I see opportunity for myself to kind of establish myself as a player and show things that I wasn’t able to show in the previous couple of years.”

In free agency, the Pelicans signed veteran sharp-shooter JJ Redick (18.1 ppg-career-high, 39.7 3-Pt.% w/76ers) on a two-year, $26.5 million deal.

As much as he will provide necessary floor spacing for Williamson and other with his three-point shooting, the 34-year-old Redick will also provide that necessary veteran presence, which is why Griffin called his addition “absolutely paramount to all of this,” adding, “Sweat equity is invaluable to a young team.”

“It’s still the start of the season. We still get to play real games. We get to compete,” Redick said on Sunday afternoon about the team’s expectations to start, even without Williamson. “We have a deep team. We’ll hold it down as best we can without him. Obviously, we need him back and hopefully he takes his time and recovers fully.”

Also, he will have the motivation to help this team make the playoffs as he has been in the postseason for 13 straight seasons.

The Pelicans also signed to a two-year, $8 million deal, EuroLeague forward/center Nicolo Melli, who was that league’s top scorer in The Finals for the Turkish club Fenerbahce.

To make this upcoming season even more stress free, GM Griffin, who worked with Coach Gentry before with the Suns when Gentry led them to the Western Conference Finals in 2010 a one-year contract extension extended his contract for one more year.

Along with that solid relationship between them, Coach Gentry is still the team’s headman on the sidelines because he is a remarkable head coach, whose get-after-it offensive approach is one that is suitable for this young team.

“Every coach, you almost have to say it, ‘We wanna run,’ but most of us don’t really mean it” NBATV’s Stan van Gundy said about Coach Gentry’s willingness to stick to who he is. “Alvin means it. I mean, he says they want to run and they run. I mean, that’s the feature of the way Alvin’s teams have played. That certainly seems to fit their personnel.”

Van Gundy added, “I think there’s good reason, even beyond the history-there’s great reason for Alvin Gentry to be coaching this team.”  

At the close of last season, there was very little optimism for this season and beyond for the New Orleans Pelicans, who just the year before reached the West Semifinals. The selection of Zion Williamson No. 1 overall, along with the other draft picks; veteran additions via free agency and the reshaping of the front office has provided plenty of optimism in for not just the present but the future.

How quickly the Pelicans turn into a playoff contender this season and eventually a title contender moving forward will depend on how quickly Williamson, who joins 76ers Ben Simmons (2016-17); now Piston Blake Griffin (2009-10) and former Trail Blazer Greg Oden (2007-08) as No. 1 overall draft picks to miss the season opener in the last 25 seasons can develop into a star and how Griffin can construct a winning cast around him.

“We want to raise all of our young players in a culture of winning,” Griffin said to Ledlow. “We don’t believe in the idea of getting higher draft picks. We want them to experience winning basketball as quickly as possible.”

“We want to stack successes one on top of the other,” adding, “Pels stay winning. Every day we’re gonna find something that we identify as our win, and we’re gonna continue to stack those on top of themselves.”

Coach Gentry added, “It just seems to be an exciting time for Pelicans basketball and we’re gonna try to do everything we can to put a product on the floor that they can really appreciate.”

Best Case Scenario: The Pelicans are fighting to make the playoffs as a lower seed in the stacked Western Conference. Williamson is the Kia Rookie of the Year. There is cohesion amongst the veterans and the rookies.

Worst Case Scenario: The Pelicans are not in playoff contention late this upcoming season. Williamson somehow struggles and Coach Gentry’s team does not perform as a cohesive unit.

Grade: A+

Oklahoma City Thunder: 49-33 (4^th Northwest Division; No. 6 Seed in West) 27-14 at home, 22-19 on the road. Lost in Quarterfinals against the No. 3 Seeded Portland Trail Blazers 4-1.

-114.5 ppg-7^th; opp. ppg: 111.1-16^th; 48.1 rpg-2^nd    

One shot changed the direction of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s present and future, where they dealt their All-Star starting backcourt in two mega trades in July took them from a title contender to a team that hopes build towards that again in the future. With a future Hall of fame new lead guard in the fold, a guard they hope to build around going forward, a plethora of draft picks, the question for the Thunder entering this season and in the years to come is can they ever get back to a team that was in the conversation for a Larry O’Brien trophy?

Trail Blazers’ four-time All-Star Damian Lillard sunk a long three-pointer at the buzzer to sink the Thunder 118-115 in Game 5 on Apr. 23 and officially close the book on the Thunder in 2018-19 in the opening-round in five games. Before getting mobbed by his teammates on the Moda Center court, Lillard sarcastic waived goodbye to the Thunder bench.

It was a terrible conclusion for a team that finished the second half of last season at 12-13 following the All-Star break and suffered it’s third straight First-Round postseason exit since now two-time Finals MVP of the Nets Kevin Durant left for greener pastures with the Warriors three off-seasons back.

As this off-season began, the Thunder and GM Sam Presit went about their business, acquiring the draft rights of forward Darius Bazley, the No. 23 overall pick from the Grizzlies for the draft rights to forward Brandon Clarke, the No. 21 overall pick out of Gonzaga University.

But then Clippers head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers showed reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in a free agent pitch meeting a list of potential players to team up alongside him, which included the Thunder’s top offensive gun last season. What followed was a trade request by George to Presti that all of a sudden changed the team’s course because the California native wanted to go home and join the two-time Finals MVP Kawhi in Leonard with the Clippers. That effect trickled down to 2017 Kia MVP and perennial All-Star Russel Westbrook, who the Thunder understood was not willing to sit through a rebuild, nor would it be fair to ask him to.

The Thunder first dealt George, a six-time All-Star on July 6 to the Clippers for guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; forward Danilo Gallinari; First-Round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026; the Heat’s First-Round picks in 2021 and 2023; and the right to swap First-Round picks in 2023 and 2025.

The most difficult trade came five days later when Westbrook, a player who spent his entire 11-year career in OKC, and resigned on a five-year, $205 million super max extension three summers ago was dealt to the Rockets in exchange for nine-time All-Star lead guard Chris Paul (15.6 ppg, 8.2 apg, 4.6 rpg, 35.8 3-Pt.% w/Rockets); two protected First-Round picks in 2024 (projected to be 1-4) and 2026 (projected to be 1-4); right to swap First-Round picks in 2021 (projected to be 1-4) and 2025 (projected to be 1-20).

Presti in another deal that occurred between those trades with the Clippers and Rockets got a 2020 First-Round pick, a Top 10 protected one from the Nuggets in exchange for unrestricted free agent to be in forward Jerami Grant.

To bring what the Thunder have moving forward into clearer context, they have a total of 15 First-Round picks and four swap rights in four different seasons between 2020 and 2026.

As ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell pointed on the July 12 edition of ESPN’s “NBA: The Jump” the Thunder have been down this road before where they used the draft and clever trades to build a roster that won 66.6 percent of their regular season games for a decade, but made only one appearance in The Finals in 2012, where they lost to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Heat in five games. They had two more opportunities for a bit at that championship apple but feel in the Western Conference Finals in 2014 and 2016.

“That’s the problem…,” Friedell said. “We live in an era where the draft is more of a crapshoot then its ever been. We live in an era now where it’s more about market over team.”

He added, “This is a bottom-line business in the league [NBA]. It’s all about titles. That’s why when you look at the legacy of this group-sure they won a lot. There’s no title.”

While the title hopes of the Thunder might have been closed with the trades of Westbrook and George, the team at least on paper is still a playoff contender entering this season and have their franchise face in Gilgeous-Alexander (10.8 ppg, 47.6 FG% 36.7 3-Pt.% w/Clippers) going forward.

In the 21-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander from Canada, who started 73 games as a rookie and all six of their playoff games against the Warriors for the Clippers in 2018-19, making the All-Rookie Second-Team and is expected to be the lead face of the franchise going forward alongside center Steven Adams (13.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.5 spg, 59.5 FG%) Bazley, Andre Roberson, who is returning from 1 ½ year absence from a ruptured tendon in his left knee, Terrence Ferguson (6.9 ppg, 36.6 3-Pt.%) Nerlens Noel, Abdel Nader, Deonte Burton, Hamidou Diallo, and new additions in Mike Muscala and Justin Patton.

Gilgeious-Alexander has all at this early stage of his career. He plays both ends of the court. He’s long. Has a great ball handling ability and can make plays for others, while being able to play both guard spots.

On top of that, he was part of a playoff team, where he learned very quickly every time you took the hardwood you had something to play for.

 “I’m looking forward to the opportunity,” SGA said about being dealt to the Thunder. “It’s another amazing opportunity that I’m blessed to have and I know a lot of people wished they had.

“I’m just gonna continue to be myself. Continue to get better every day and work hard, and I should be good.”  

Gallinari (19.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 46.3 FG%, 43.3 3-Pt.% w/Clippers) showed last year because of good health that he can be a major help to a team, especially because he is a Stretch 4 that can shoot as well as score off the dribble.

The massive cloud that hangs over the Thunder is the 34-year-old Paul, who has struggled to remain on the court in the back nine of his career-playing in just 177 of 246 regular-season games the last three seasons. Also, he has bloated contract that has three years and $124.1 million left on it, which includes a player option of $44.2 million in the third and final year of the deal in 2021-22, when Paul will be 37 years old.

Paul was on the shelf for 48 games the last two seasons because of injury with the Rockets and going back to his last season with the then New Orleans Hornets and his six seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul has played in 80-plus games only in the 2010-11 season with the Hornets and all 82 games in 2014-15 with the Clippers.

“It doesn’t change,” Paul, whose No. 7 on the league’s all-time scoring list at 9,181 said at Media Day about his approach to this season. “Man, I tell you I am who I am. I’m excited about our team.

“We’re gonna go out to win every single. You know, I always say, ‘Unless they start playing where you can put seven other guys on the court, eight other guys on the court, not five, then were in trouble. But I’m excited about what we have.”

The one clear scenario, or the most hopeful one for the Thunder organization and Paul is that desperate team comes calling after Dec. 15, when players who signed contracts this summer become available or before the February 2020 trade deadline and presents a deal.

The other scenario is that the Thunder hold onto Paul for at least this upcoming season, save a year and money off his contract, which would raise his value.

When Paul is healthy, he has shown to still be an elite guard in the NBA. Only his former teammate with the Rockets’ James Harden (84); the Lakers’ LeBron James (77); Westbrook (72); Hall of Famers Earvin “Magic” Johnson (51) and Allen Iverson (40) have more games of 30-plus points and 10-plus assists than the 40 by Paul.

Paul also on Media Day addressed his departure from the Rockets in saying about how things reportedly ended badly between him and Harden, “It’s tough. I enjoyed my two years there. It was amazing. Had some unbelievable opportunities. Made some great relationships, but it’s business, you know? Things happen, you know.”

“I wish them nothing but the best, you know? And like I said, people always try to tell your story or try to tell your truth. But I have to be who I am, you know, and continue to do that, and everything else will take care of itself.”

In reality though, there is no perfect resolution to this situation for Presti or the Thunder, and they may have to take the deal that hurts the least. Presti should find a taker for Gallinari, who is an efficient scorer and Stretch 4 that a lot of teams could use, and he is in the last year of his contract at $22.6 million. Other players that might be dealt for future assets include Adams and Paul’s understudy Dennis Schroder (15.5 ppg, 4.1 apg).

Adams, who will enter this season as the longest tenured player on the roster and Ferguson will likely remain during this rebuild because of their youth at ages 26 and 21 respectably.

Adams will provide rebounding, setting great screens and will get his points off of rim runs and catches at the basket. Ferguson really improved his shooting a season ago and really came along as a defender. For him it is about improving his all-around game to where he becomes more than just a part-time starter or reserve. 

The one good thing the Thunder do have as they embark on this eventual rebuild is head coach Billy Donovan, who ironically is in the final year of his contract. Aside from the fact that Coach Donovan has gone 15-19 in his four playoff appearances, including a 4-12 record the last three postseasons, he has compiled a 199-129 record in his four previous seasons, with them reaching the Western Conference Finals three late springs back. This is on the heels of a great career as the head coach of the University of Florida Gators, where he won back-to-back NCAA National titles, where he developed guys who were not high level recruits like Udonis Haslem of the Heat, former sharp shooter Matt Bonner, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Wizards two-time All-Star guard Bradley Beal and 76ers forward/center Al Horford.

Only Gregg Popovich of the Spurs and Steve Kerr of the Warriors have produced better records since Donovan has been on the Thunder sidelines.

“So, I think we have a real good mix of guys with a lot of different experiences,” Coach Donovan said of the roster entering this season. “But it’s all gonna come down to with all these new faces and guys being in new roles, new positions, you know how well and how long it takes for us to become a team?” 

One shot, that is what it took in the playoffs to change the direction of the Oklahoma City Thunder. They said goodbye to their All-Star duo of Russell Westbrook and Paul George. They also said goodbye to being in the mix for a championship anytime soon.

The Thunder have in their hands the choice of what they want this season to be. If they decided to keep the team as constituted, they have the talent to make a run at the playoffs in the stacked Western Conference. If Presti decides the team needs to go into full on rebuild or Paul quietly decides he wants to be dealt, the Thunder can position themselves for the No. 1 overall pick in the Draft Lottery in May 2020.

At least the Thunder unlike a lot of teams that have been in the position Presti is a glimmer of hope for better days ahead with 15 First-Round picks and four pick swaps between next spring and 2026. Also, they have a loyal fan base, that really does not have another sports team to support.

“I think those fans are gonna turn out. That’s a great fan base in Oklahoma City. They remind me of Sacramento,” NBATV’s Stan Van Gundy said. “This is a loyal fan base. They don’t have a lot else in terms of pro sports. I think they’ll back them through this rebuild. As long as that team goes out and plays hard every night, I think this fan base will stay behind them.”    

Best Case Scenario: The Thunder, if they keep Paul are in the playoff hunt. Gilgeous-Alexander shows he is the starting lead guard and face of the franchise going forward. Paul and Gallinari are traded for assets. Some of the younger players develop.

Worst Case Scenario: The Thunder fall completely of the NBA cliff and lose a lot of games. Paul possibly becomes a distraction if not traded by February 2020 trade deadline. There is no improvement amongst the young players.

Grade: B

Phoenix Suns: 19-63 (5^th Pacific Division; missed the playoffs) 12-29 at home, 7-34 on the road.

-107.5 ppg-23^rd; opp. ppg: 116.1-T-27^th; 40.4 rpg-30^th

Underachieving Draft Lottery picks, another bad choice at head coach and disfunction in the front office led to another dismal year for the Phoenix Suns, who missed the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, failing to win 25 games for the fourth consecutive season, and waisted another productive season by the one productive lottery selection. With new additions in the front office and head coach, and some veteran on the roster, that left you scratching your head at first glance, the question for the Suns is do they finally have the right mix to author the start of a turnaround?

How bad were the Suns defensively a season ago, they were dead last in “The Association” 30^th in defensive rebounding percentage at 68.3 and in second chance points allowed at 15.5, according to NBA.com’s John Schuhmann. They were also No. 26 in opponent’s fast break points at 16.7

That inability to stop the opposing team led to a 10-game losing streak from Nov. 25, 2018-Dec. 13, 2018 and a franchise worst 17-game losing streak from Jan. 15-Feb. 25.

That ultimately cost head coach Igor Kosovo his job only after one season, joining Lindsey Hunter, Jeff Hornacek, Earl Watson, and Jay Triano as the five head coaches the Suns have had since current head coach of the Pelicans Alvin Gentry left town six years ago, with Hornacek, who coached from 2013-16 lasting longer than one season.

There was also a shake up in the Suns front office as well with former player Pacer, Heat and Cavalier James Jones was promoted to General Manager and Jeff Bower assuming the role of Senior Vice President by owner Robert Sarver.

The two bright spots for the Suns in another lost season were guard Devin Booker (26.6 ppg-T-7^th NBA, 6.8 apg-Led team, 46.7 FG%) and last year’s No. 1 overall pick out of the University of Arizona in center Deandre Ayton (16.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 58.5 FG%), who registered 39 double-doubles.

Booker in the final month of last season put together five games of 40-plus points, which included games scoring 59 and 50, unfortunately in losses at the Jazz (125-92) on Mar. 25 and versus the Wizards (124-121) on Mar. 27.

Ayton, who made the All-Rookie First Team became the first rookie in NBA history to average 16 points, 10 rebounds and shoot 58-plus percent from the field.

In an NBA era where big men no longer make their mark offensively in the low-post, the Arizona native was very effective down there, which led to him registering a double-double. For Ayton it is now about him extending his range on his jump shot, being a more aggressive offensive player and improving his defensive awareness and focus.

Other than Booker and Ayton-so far, the Suns front office has drafted one bust after another with their Draft lottery selections. Center Alex Len, the No. 5 overall pick in 2013 is now with the Hawks. Big man Marquese Chriss, the No. 8 overall pick in 2016 has yet to be signed after stints with the Suns, Rockets and Cavaliers. Swingman Josh Jackson, the No. 4 overall pick just two Junes back was dealt this off-season, more on that in a moment. Forward Dragan Bender, who the Suns took with the No. 4 overall pick in 2016, signed in free agency with the Bucks this off-season. The only other lottery pick remaining is last year’s No. 10 overall selection in swingman Mikal Bridges (8.3 ppg) out of Villanova, who had his ups-and-downs shooting just 43.0 percent from the floor and just 33.5 percent from three-point range.

It was quite clear that owner Robert Sarver’s group needed a major facelift to the roster and on the sidelines and fast, which the Suns tried to do this off-season.

They first hired former 76ers and Thunder assistant Monty Williams, their fifth head coach in the last five seasons and 20^th overall in franchise history.  

In five seasons as the Pelicans head man on the sidelines from 2010-15, Williams’ record was 173-221, a .439 winning percentage, making the playoffs twice.

What gives this hire a chance to stick is that Williams is that he has worked before with Bower and Jones before. As the coach of the then New Orleans Hornets, who became the Pelicans Williams and Bower worked together. As an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers on now Pacers head coach Nate McMillan’s staff from 2005-10 where Jones was a player on the 2007-08 squad.

“We want to be forward thinking,” Coach Williams said to NBATV’s Ro Parrish on Media Day about changing the losing culture with the Suns. “There’s no reason for us to try to change something we can’t change. We’ve talked to our players about the future and all we can do to improve the culture. Be competitive every night. It sounds cliché, but that’s what I was taught.”

He added about what he learned from his prior coaching experiences is, “To be more efficient. In his first opportunity with the Hornets, Williams said that he tried to do everything comparing himself to a third world dictator with a machete in his hand. He also said to Parrish that he has put together an assistant coaching staff of Randy Ayers, Steve Blake, former Sun Mark Bryant, Willie Green, Larry Greer, Darko Rajakovic, and player development coaches Riccardo Fois and Ben Strong who he wants to let them coach.

He learned from five-time championship coach of the Spurs Gregg Popovich that “less is more,” which Coach Williams says will allow him to be a more efficient head coach.

That high character was severely tested when Williams, the associate head coach of the Thunder in 2015-16 took a hiatus from coaching after his wife and mother to their five kids Ingrid was killed in a car crash on Feb. 10, 2016. He came back to coaching when he was hired as an assistant for the Philadelphia 76ers last season.  

Booker said at Media Day to FOX Sports Arizona’s Tom Leander and Tom Chambers that his interactions with Coach Williams have been about life and what each of the players are about.

“He’s been around the game a very long time, 28 years. So, he knows what it takes,” Booker said about his new head coach. “He’s been around some of the greats and I think he’s gonna lead that to us and we’re gonna build off it.”

You would figure in June’s draft that the Suns would have made it a priority to select the right floor general to lead them into the future.

Instead, they traded the draft rights to the No. 6 overall pick in guard/forward Jarrett Culver to the Timberwolves for the draft rights to the No. 11 overall pick in sharp shooting forward Cameron Johnson out of the University of North Carolina and for big man Dario Saric (10.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 36.5 3-Pt.% w/76ers & Timberwolves).

Johnson, the only senior drafted in the lottery portion of June’s draft is a very versatile wing who can shoot, especially from three-point range, where he connected on 46 percent of his triple for head coach Roy Williams and the Tar Heels a season ago. To go along with his great shooting stroke in the mid-range and foul line as well as from three-point range, the First-Team All-ACC and AP Honorable Mention All-American is a great cutter in the half court.

To put into context how much Bower respects this 23-year-old, when he was the head coach at Marist College of the MAC five years back, he had Johnson up for a recruiting visit. Bower and his assistant at that time Brian Adams, who now works with the Clippers lost out on Johnson, who committed to the University of Pittsburgh, where he played for two seasons before transferring to Chapel Hill.

The only issue for Johnson is his durability as a hip injury he sustained cut his junior year short, but he recovered to have a great senior year in 2018-19, where he averaged 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds.

“If it comes down it and I need to be inside more, then I’ll be inside more. And if it comes down to something where over the next couple of years I put on more weight and transition to there then I will,” Johnson said at Media Day on how he feels he can be used as more than just a shooter.

In another trade on draft night in June, the Suns acquired veteran center Aron Baynes (5.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 47.1 FG% w/Celtics) from the Celtics along with the draft rights to guard Ty Jerome, the No. 24 pick from the NCAA champion University of Virginia for a protected 2020 First-Round pick (via Bucks).

One specific area that Coach Williams will drill home to his team is playing consistent defense and at the center of that will be Baynes, who was an integral part of the success of the Celtics the last two seasons and with the Spurs a few years back.

Baynes, whose worked his way in the NBA along with former Sun, now assistant coach Mark Bryant have been working closely with Ayton, who has said both can help him “be great” from knowing the specifics of being a great big man in the NBA.

“Coach is not playing this year with defense,” Ayton said to Leander and Chambers about what Coach Williams expects this season. “Protecting that rim is gonna be a major key, you know?”

“Last year, you know, we didn’t really have no threat around the rim. But now, I think having a coach whose really on top of you every time and a dude like Baynes to really be on you like, ‘Yo! We gotta protect this rim.’ You have a way different mindset.”

Jerome brings good size to the lead guard spot along with a high basketball I.Q., which he used to lead the Cavaliers to their first NCAA title in school history last April. The Final Four All-Tournament Team selection led the ACC in assists per game at 5.5 in 2018-19, while also averaging 13.6 points. He led the nation in assists/turnover ratio 3.3 to 1.

In a three-team trade with the Pacers and Heat, the Suns sent forward TJ Warren and the remaining three years and $35 million dollars left on his deal, and a future Second-Round pick (via Heat) to the Pacers for cash considerations, while also sending the draft rights to forward KZ Okpala, the No. 32 overall pick to the Heat.

While Warren was one of the very few Suns First-Round picks they got right, his salary in the eyes of the front office was not work keeping on their books and his defense was very spotty. Also, they were more comfortable with forward Kelly Oubre, Jr., who the Suns acquired from the Wizards in December 2018 for veteran forward Trevor Ariza.

Oubre, Jr. (15.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 44.5 FG% w/Wizards & Suns) provided the effort and energy at the defensive end to go along with scoring 16.9 points and 4.9 boards in his 40 appearances, which earned the restricted free agent a new two-year, $30 million deal this off-season.

“I’m bought in, you know, from the jump and I’m just excited for this season to kind of just grow with these new guys, and make a name for ourselves,” Oubre, Jr. said at Media Day to FOX Sports Arizona’s Tom Leander and Tom Chambers. 

Guard Tyler Johnson (10.9 ppg, 34.6 3-Pt.% w/Heat & Suns), who the Suns acquired at the Feb. 7 trade deadline exercised his $19.25 million player option in the final year of his four-year, $50 million deal in late June providing some depth to the backcourt and veteran leadership 

While the signing of veteran guard Ricky Rubio (12.7 ppg, 6.1 apg w/Jazz) to a three-year, $51 million deal is a welcome move, which will allow Booker to be off the ball, where he is at his best, perimeter shooting has never been Rubio strength. His strength is being an excellent facilitator; putting players in the right place on the court and being the kind of defender who can pick people up full court.

“It’s not about just putting up big numbers. It’s about those numbers working towards a goal, which is to win games and win a lot of games,” Rubio, who led Spain to the FIBA World Cup title in September and won MVP honors said at Media Day on Sept. 30. “I think I can help them really find a way where we can bring it all together and make everything work.”

Booker said to Leander and Chambers that he’s “very excited” about the addition of Rubio. “At the same time, he knows what it takes to get where were trying to go, and he’s been there the past few years. So, I’m learning from him. We’re all gonna learn from him. Learn from each other and hopefully make that next step.”

The Suns also used their $31.7 million in cap space this summer on former First-Round pick Frank “The Tank” Kaminsky (8.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 46.3 FG%, 36.0 3-Pt.% w/Hornets) on a two-year, $10 million deal, who is looking to revive his career after flaming in four seasons with the Hornets, after they chose him No. 9 overall in 2015.

In a deal with the Grizzlies, the Suns sent packing Jackson, but also reserve guard De’Anthony Melton, a 2020 Second-Round pick and a conditional 2021 Second-Round pick for second-year guard Jevon Carter and veteran sharp-shooter Kyle Korver, who they waived in early July.

The Suns this off-season led by the front office duo of Jeff Bower and James Jones sent a power message to their fans that they were no longer going to tale be a laughingstock in the NBA. Whether these off-season moves were the right ones remains to be seen.

The two hopeful building blocks are in place in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton with the truest lead guard they have had in a couple of seasons in Ricky Rubio and some good wings in Kelly Oubre, Jr. Cameron Johnson, and Mikal Bridges all in their early 20s.

They also have a proven coach in Monty Williams who feels success for this season in the brutal Western Conference is bringing a competitive, no-nonsense attitude of getting better from practice to the games.

“It sounds cliché but we want to compete every single minute we’re on the floor. Everybody knows we’re playing in a tough Western Conference but I like that. I think we’re all gonna beat each other up. It’s gonna make us a better team.”

“Our guys have seen all the predictions, narratives about our team. So, I think when we get to the end of the year, we’ll see how it all shakes out. But if we have improvement every month. Devin’s more efficient. Ricky’s running the team without me having to call plays all the time. Our defense is improving and our sprint-and-turn in transition. And we have big time video sessions and great practices everyday we’re gonna have success this year.”

Yes, the Suns made a statement this off-season, sort of. Will this have a different result? We shall see.

Best Case Scenario: The Suns win more at least 25 games this season. Booker shoots the ball better now that he can play off the ball. Ayton continues to rack up double-doubles while improving as a defender. Rubio provides stability at the lead guard spot. The Suns find a standout at the wing position between Johnson, Oubre, Jr. or Bridges. Coach Monty Williams’ system takes shape

Worst Case Scenario: Another season of less than 20 wins for the Suns. The defensive woes continue. No standouts at the small forward spot.

Grade: C+

Portland Trail Blazers: 53-29 (2^nd Northwest Division; No. 3 Seed in West) 32-9 at home, 21-20 on the road. Defeated the No. 6 Seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in Quarterfinals 4-1. Defeated the No. 2 Seeded Denver Nuggets in Semifinals 4-3. Lost in Conference Finals against the No. 1 Seeded Golden State Warriors 4-0.  

-114.7 ppg-6^th; opp. ppg: 110.3-17^th; 48.0 rpg-3^rd

The 2018 playoffs ended with an embarrassing 4-0 sweep by the No. 3 Seeded Portland Trail Blazers at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans, which led to speculation of a big- time shakeup in “Rip City.” They redeemed themselves this past spring by making it to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. While that ended in a four-game sweep, it was a season that ended with the important figures from the front office to the players and coach getting rewarded instead of pink slips.  With their starting backcourt signed to extensions, along with their head coach and GM; some savvy additions made via free agency and trades, and getting off some salary mistakes, the question for the Trail Blazers, entering their 50^th NBA season is can they reach The Finals for the first time in nearly three decades?

When you talk about the Trail Blazers, it begins with their starting backcourt of four-time All-Star Damian Lillard (25.8 ppg-Led team, 6.9 apg-career-high, 4.6 rpg, 36.9 3-Pt.%) and CJ McCollum (21.0 ppg, 45.9 FG%, 37.5 3-Pt.%) who both had stellar regular seasons once again.

Lillard, a four-time All-NBA First-Team selection also made some history a season ago as h moving into second place on the Trail Blazers’ all-time scoring list at 12,909, surpassing former teammate and current Spur in All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge (12,562 points) in the team’s 122-110 win at the Pelicans on Mar. 15, with a 24-point effort. He now just trails Hall of Famer and current Rockets color analyst Clyde “The Glide” Drexler (18,040 points).

In the Trail Blazers 148-144 double-overtime win versus the Nets on Mar. 25, Lillard had 31 points and 12 assists, authoring his 20^th career game of at least 30 points and 10 assists, passing Drexler (19) for the most in franchise history.

To put how good Lillard has been since coming into “The Association” in 2013 he is No. 2 minutes played (16,740), No. 4 in total points (11,347) and three-pointers made (1,321) and tied for No. 6 in games played (467).

The big question for the Trail Blazers coming into the season was who was going to step up and be that No. 3 scorer for them. That help was coming from starting center Jusuf Nurkic, who after signing a new four-year, $48 million contract the summer of 2018 posted career-highs of 15.6 points, a team-leading 10.4 rebounds on 50.8 percent from the field.

His scoring and rebounding coupled with the play of Lillard and McCollum gave Trail Blazers nation a reason for optimism heading down the stretch of last season entering the postseason.

In the Trail Blazers’ 113-108 win at the Sacramento Kings to start 2019, Nurkic had 24 points, a career-high 23 rebounds, seven assists five block shots and five steals. The Bosnian native became the first player in NBA history to have 20-plus points, 20-plus boards, five-plus assists, five-plus blocks, and five-plus steals, with block shots becoming an official statistic in the 1973-74 season.

Those championship dreams took a serious hit on Mar. 25 when Nurkic, who posted 32 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals suffered a serious leg injury in the Trail Blazers 148-144 double overtime win versus the Nets, that ended his season. According to the Trail Blazers that evening he suffered compound fractures to the tibia and fibula of his left leg.

“I’m gonna be back when I’m back basically,” Nurkic said at Media Day about his recovery from his leg injury. “I’m taking it one day at time, you know. When the doctors decide to go green light, I’m gonna see if I’m ready and decide. But I don’t have a date or month.”  

Ten days prior, the Trail Blazers lost McCollum to a knee injury that at first was going to end his season, but it was just a bruised knee that kept him out for a 10-game period, where the team went 8-2 in the absence of him and Nurkic to close the season.

What allowed head coach Terry Stotts team to be resilient at the close of last season was Lillard raising his level of play and leadership. Big man Enes Kanter, who signed with the Trail Blazers after clearing waivers from the Knicks in early February and playing really well. Rodney Hood (11.2 ppg, 35.6 3-Pt.% w/Cavaliers & Trail Blazers), who was acquired from the Cavaliers at the trade deadline provided a spark off the bench, as did Maurice Harkless, Al-Farouq Aminu, Jake Layman, Evan Turner and Zach Collins (6.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 47.3 FG%), who had his player option picked up over the summer.

That kind of togetherness and focus is how the Trail Blazers went 48-4 a season ago when leading after three quarters and earned their 14^th 50-plus win season in franchise history and third under Coach Stotts.

Entering the 2019 Playoffs, the Trail Blazers looked to redeem themselves from their disappointing showing the last two springs and led by their starting backcourt did exactly that.

It was Lillard, who was exceptional from start to finish in the opening-round against the Thunder, who swept the Trail Blazers 4-0 in the regular season.

He began the series registering 30 points, going 5 for 11 from three-point range in the team’s 104-99 win in Game 1 on May 14. He helped to engineer a 28-13 run to erase a 15-point lead that he capped with a game-winning 37-footer at the final buzzer to finish with a playoff career-high of 50-points on 17 for 33 shooting, including a franchise record 10 made threes on 18 tries.

In the Semis against the Nuggets, the rest of the team picked up the slack for Lillard, especially McCollum. In the team’s epic 140-137 quadruple-overtime win in Game 3 on May 3, the Leigh University alum tied his playoff career-high with 41 points with eight boards and four steals on 16 for 39 shooting, with four threes. McCollum finished the series in style with 30 points on 12 for 24 shooting in the Trail Blazers 119-108 win versus the Nuggets to tie the series at 3-3 six days later and followed that up with 37 points and nine rebounds on 17 for 29 shooting to help the Trail Blazers overcome a slow start to win at the Nuggets 100-96 in Game 7 on May 12 to win the series 4-3 and advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 19 years.

As good as McCollum was in the Semis, Hood was very impressive as the third scorer averaging 14.7 points on 57.6 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three-point range. The former Duke Blue Devil had 19 points in that epic Game 3 win, and 25 points off the bench in the Game 6 win.

The first trip to the Western Conference Finals was a short one for the Trail Blazers, who saw their season for the third straight year end in a four-game sweep, this time at the hands of the eventual five-time Western Conference champion Warriors, who despite not having two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant improved to 12-1 in the playoffs against the Trail Blazers.

For the Trail Blazers this offseason was about rewarding the players, head coach and GM that got them to the precipice of The Finals, while also making some shifts in the roster.

Coach Stotts, whose is second on the franchise’s all-time wins list with 345 was somewhat on the hotseat entering last season earned a new multi-year contract extension that last through the 2021-22 season. Only the late great Hall of Famer Dr. Jack Ramsey’s 453 wins are more than the 61-year-old Stotts’, who has a 440-417 mark in his 11-year career as a head coach of the Bucks, Hawks and Trail Blazers.

General Manager Neil Olshey, who is also the President of Basketball Operations for the Trail Blazers also earned a contract extension that will keep him in the Pacific Northwest up to the 2023-24 season. Under his leadership, the Trail Blazers have made the playoffs six straight seasons, with the last two as the No. 3 Seed in the stacked Western Conference.

Lillard, who has become an icon in the Pacific Northwest much like Hall of Famers of the Trail Blazers in Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas, current Rockets color analyst Clyde “The Glide” Drexler and many others, who had an impact both on the hardwood and in the Portland, OR community like in the summer of 2018 giving out hundreds of pairs of sneakers to fans in the East part of Portland, OR.

That earned the Oakland, CA native a four-year, $196 million super max extension, that will keep him in Portland until the 2024-25 season. By the third year of this new deal, Lillard will become the first $50-million-a-season player in NBA history at $50.75, and a salary of $54.3 in the fourth year, a player option.

This extension combined with the three years left on his current deal, Lillard will receive a total of $258 million, which makes him basically untradeable, which he is fine with as he wants to make the Trail Blazers a championship team.

“The past few years for us, people didn’t look at us as a real threat. But like, we went up against teams and I mean, this past season was a perfect example,” Lillard said about the team’s success a season ago.  

McCollum also signed an extension this summer, a three-year, $100 million extension, extending with the remaining two years left on his contract to five years and $158 million.

“Nothing makes me happier than to be sitting here again making sure we lock up CJ in for the next five years,” Olshey said in the summer at McCollum’s presser after inking his new deal.

“That’s always a factor as the playoffs get closer and closer. It’s the team that’s the healthiest that has the best chance and hopefully we can be one of those teams.” 

While the Trail Blazers also re-signed Rodney Hood to a two-year, $16 million deal, they said goodbye via trade or free agency to Harkless, Evan Turner, Meyers Leonard, Seth Curry and Jake Layman.

Turner, who they signed to a four-year, $70 million deal in summer of 2016 was traded to the Hawks for guard Kent Bazemore (11.6 ppg w/Hawks).

“I’m here to just continue moving the franchise in the right direction. That’s winning a championship,” Bazemore said at his introductory presser to the Trail Blazers this summer. “I’m excited to be here and looking forward to getting after it.”

In a four-team deal with the 76ers, Clippers, and Heat, the Trail Blazers dealt Harkless, who they re-signed to a four-year, $40 million deal and Leonard, who signed a four-year, $41 million deal the summer of 2016 respectably to the Clippers and Heat in return for center Hassan Whiteside (12.3 ppg, 11.3 rpg-10^th NBA, 1.9 bpg-8^th NBA 57.1 FG% w/Heat), who opted into the final year of his four-year, $94 million deal in 2016 at $27.1 million.

In 2016, Whiteside turned two productive seasons in South Florida into a big-time pay day. But just as the ink was drying on that four-year, $94 million contract, the NBA game drifted away from seven-foot-plus players who play with their back to the basket, replacing them floor-spacing knock down shooters.

The inability for Whiteside to adjust to the modern era of the NBA game for a seven-footer, he often found himself on the sidelines, especially in fourth quarters and that led to major frustrations, and an eventual falling out with the team.

He comes to the Trail Blazers with an opportunity to reshape his image and provide a much-needed presence in the paint on both ends, especially with no timetable for Nurkic to return.   

“Just coming in and upping the defense more, you know and come help anyway I can,” Whiteside said to NBATV/NBA on TNT’s Allie LaForce at MGM Summer League in Las Vegas, NV about what he can bring to the Trail Blazers. “Whether that’s rebounding or finishing around the rim, and getting my guys open, you know. I’m excited for what the season’s gonna bring.”

Stotts added at Whiteside’s introductory presser over the summer, “We can improve defensively in other areas. But having a guy like Hassan back there gives everybody else confidence to maybe be a little more aggressive. Maybe changing some of our defensive schemes, but we’re gonna rely on him a lot just to be the anchor back there and we’ve had success when we’ve had that kind of player back there.”

Whiteside and Collins will definitely bring rebounding and rim protection for the Trail Blazers, but what they really need from both is consistent play at the offensive end, which they got from Nurkic before his aforementioned season-ending leg injury.

Collins specifically has a real chance to grow his game on both ends to because of his ability to shoot face-up jumps on offense and he brings a toughness to the floor. For Collins he hopefully built some upper-body strength in the summertime and developed a confidence to consistently look for his shot.  

“My first two years what got me on the court was defense and obviously I had good moments on the other side of the floor,” Collins said at Media Day. “But I think this year I’m gonna have to be more consistent on the offensive end and that’s what I really worked on this summer.”

In free agency, the Trail Blazers added depth to their front court with the signing on a one-year, $2.6 million deal veteran Pau Gasol; sharp shooting and defensive ace Anthony Tolliver (5.0 ppg, 37.7 3-Pt.% w/Timberwolves) and former lottery pick, No. 5 overall in 2015 by the Magic Mario Hezonja (8.8 ppg 4.1 rpg, w/Knicks).

“The thing that really stands out about is how smart he is,” Coach Stotts said to the press early in training camp about Gasol. “He was the last guy to come here in September and he picked things up pretty quickly. He’s seen it all and he just has a great basketball IQ.”

Tolliver said about joining the Trail Blazers this offseason, “I was really looking forward to, you know, an opportunity to go to a team where, you know, I was valued but also wanted. I couldn’t really pass up the opportunity to play for a contender and play with guys like Dame and CJ.”

Hezonja being a bust with the Magic his first three seasons showed some signs in the “Big Apple” that he hopes to bring shooting and facilitating versatility to “Rip City.”

“With my ballhandling skills and my shooting, I think I can open the floor a lot and make Dame and CJ not on the ball so much,” Hezonja said at Media Day of what he can bring to the offensive end of the floor.  

With the No. 25 pick in June’s draft, the Trail Blazers selected talented forward Nassir Little out of the University of North Carolina.

“I’m just so grateful to have Portland take this chance on me,” Little said to Taylor after he got drafted in June. “I’ve so much that I can bring to the table, more than I showed at UNC. And I’m just ready to get started on this journey.”

By the measurables, Nassir Little was as good as it gets amongst the members of the 2019 NBA Draft class. He is strong, supremely athletic, and long forward, who is great in transition.

The problem in his lone season for head coach Roy Williams is he just could did not consistently used those athletic gifts to fit in with what he needed to do game-in and game-out that made him a standout in high school and the No. 6 rated prospect overall in the 2018 class, according to ESPN 100.

Little has work cut out for him to earn minutes over the likes of Hood, Bazemore, and Tolliver. He will also have to compete for minutes against youngsters Anfernee Simons and Gary Trent, Jr. The good thing about Little coming to the Trail Blazers he has no pressure to be this team’s savior. He can come in and develop under Coach Stotts and his amazing coaching staff, which developed former Trail Blazers Allen Crabbe and Will Barton and McCollum.

“Just like every young player coming in is work and get better. We’ve got a really good track record of young guys coming in and getting better,” Coach Stotts said at Little’s introductory presser. “So, I expect the same thing from Nassir. He’s a hard worker. He’s a smart kid. He’s gonna have a long career. But his job is just like a lot of rookies, especially late First-Round picks is to come in, learn how to be a pro. Learn how to work and be ready when opportunities come.”

One person that was instrumental in the Trail Blazers being able to add who they added this offseason is Jodi Allen, the sister of the late owner Paul Allen, who passed away from caner on Oct. 15, 2018.

“I just want to thank Jodi Allen publicly for all of her support this offseason,” Olshey said at McCollum signing presser this summer. “The resources she’s provided. She’s largely responsible for what we’ve been able to accomplish this offseason in terms of building this roster to the point where we think we have the most competitive roster we’ve had in our seven-year tenure.”

Last season provided a lot of necessary answers for those that had question about the Portland Trail Blazers and their mental fortitude. They showed their grit against the Thunder and Nuggets last spring and showed they can compete with the top dogs like the Warriors, even though they lost in a 4-0 sweep as mentioned in the Conference Finals.

They have the right men in place on the sidelines in head coach Terry Stotts; in the front office in GM Neil Olshey and the right leadership on the court in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.  

With new faces in place and momentum from the 2018-19, the Trail Blazers enter their 50^th season with a focus to get back to the Conference Finals, even in an ultra competitive Western Conference.

“I think it’s the deepest team we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Coach Stotts said about the depth on his team at Media Day on Sept. 30. “We’ve added some versatility, playmaking. We have good size.”

“There’s a lot to like about the roster and certainly having the carryover from Dame and CJ, it starts with that. But the guys we’ve brought in I think really fit with how we want to play at both ends. So, there’s a lot to like, you know? We had a really good year last year. I think we have a chance to be a better team this year.”

Best Case Scenario: The Trail Blazers are fighting for home court advantage in the West. Lillard is named an All-Star again, with McCollum on the fringe of making it. Nurkic and Whiteside become a powerful tandem at center. The Trail Blazers return to the Western Conference Finals.

Worst Case Scenario: The Trail Blazers are fighting to just make the playoffs and have an early exit. The supporting cast performance is subpar.  

Grade: B+

Sacramento Kings: 39-43 (3^rd Pacific Division; missed the playoffs) 24-17 at home, 15-26 on the road.

-114.2 ppg-9^th; opp. ppg: 115.3-26^th; 45.4 rpg-14^th

While they continued the longest drought of consecutive seasons without a player appearance at 13, the Sacramento Kings offered a sneak peek of their promising future led by dynamic backcourt and a productive first season from the second pick in the 2018 draft inside their high-tech gymnasium. With a new coach in the fold, to go along those dynamic young pieces, the question for the Kings is this the year they really compete for a playoff spot?

The principles for the Kings turn around, which had them above the .500 mark entering the new year (19-17 mark) for the first time since 2006 were second-year floor general De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield, who developed a great feel for each other on the hardwood with their playmaking and excellent shot selection that put many opposing defenses on alert.

In 2017-18, Fox, the No. 5 overall pick was a guard with quickness not seen since Wizards’ guard John Wall came into the NBA with at the start of this decade. Like most young guards, he did not have the knowledge to when to use that speed, which was coupled with an inconsistent jump shot.

Last season, he found a perfect balance of when to use that speed and when not to and went from scoring 11.6 points to 17.3 last season. From 4.4 assists to 7.3. From shooting 41.2 percent from the floor and 30.7 percent from three-point range to a solid 45.8 percent shooting and 37.1 from three-point range.

He showed that balance in registering his first career triple-double scoring a career-high 31 points with 15 assists and 10 boards on 9 for 13 from the field and 10 for 11 from the charity stripe in the Kings 146-115 win at the Hawks on No. 1, 2018. This was the first 30-point triple-double by a Kings player since 1997 when Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond did it versus the Detroit Pistons. Fox also joined LeBron James as the only two players in NBA history to author a 30-point triple-double under the age of 21.

He had just one game scoring over 20 in his rookie season. In his sophomore season in “The Association,” Fox registered 27 games of scoring at least 20.

“I just think that the biggest difference from my first year to my second year was my feel for the game,” Fox said to NBATV’s Matt Winer and Steve Smith on Media Day on Sept. 27. “You know, the speed of the game really changed. It really slowed down. And I think its gonna continue to slow down, you know, as I get better. And my decision making I think is taking another step as well. So, just excited to get back on the court and show people what I’ve done all summer and hopefully I can show people I can be up there, and help my team win as many games as possible.”

Fox also said to Winer and Smith that he received an invitation to work out with future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant and well-known trainer Phil Handley at his summer camp, where he said that he learned a great deal.

When the Kings acquired Buddy Hield two seasons back at the February 2017 trade deadline for All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, he was seen as a player who the Kings hoped would find a role and be productive. He gradually found his way into the starting lineup and earned his role as a key offensive player for the Kings, leading them in scoring at 20.7 points, while also improving his all-around game averaging five boards as well.

The Bahamas native really shined as a three-point shooter a season ago, surpassing the franchise record for a single season with 278 triples made, connecting on 42.7 percent of his triples breaking the previous record of 240 set by All-Star Peja Stojakovic in the 2003-04 season.

To put into context how stellar Hield, who scored at least 20 points 44 times a season ago has been from three-point range in his first three seasons, his 602 made threes is more than the Trail Blazers All-Star lead guard Damian Lillard’s 599 made from distance in his first three seasons in the league. 

That earned Hield a four-year, $94 million extension at the start of this week and said about the extension at a Tuesday news conference, "I'm here as a King now. and I'm just trying to win games and take us to the playoffs." 

While he missed 22 games in his rookie season because of injury and had to adjust to coming off the bench for the first time in his basketball life his rookie season, forward Marvin Bagley III (14.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 50.4 FG%), the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft provided low-post scoring and rebounding, producing 19 double-doubles for a team that was in major need of it.

“Some positives came, you know, especially in the summer. But you know, not making the playoffs was something I really thought about all summer,” the All-Rookie First Team selection said about last season. “Working out, I just had that in the back of my mind that we still got to get to the playoffs and show everybody what we can do. I just can’t wait to get this thing rolling and get back at it.”

He will likely be a starter this season, which should give him the boost all young players need at the start of their professional journey. However, Bagley III must get better at the defensive end, especially in rotation where he at times forgot his assignment. He is very talented, which means he will find ways to score, especially with his unreal athleticism. That said, if he is going to be an effective player in the half court, he must improve his upper body strength so he can hold up in the paint. 

Then there was Bogdan Bogdanovic (14.1 ppg, 36.0 3-Pt.%), who at the drop of hat provided scoring and sharp-shooting off the bench a season ago is a big reason were No. 5 in bench scoring with a 42.7 average a season ago. That earned him an offer from the Kings of a four-year, $51 million extension that he has until June to sign. .  

“Here the goal is to win more games and be better in general,” Serbian native, who played for his country at the FIBA World Cup in China in September said at Media Day about the upcoming season.

These three men were a huge reason the Kings were in the playoff hunt in the final quarter of last season, before their youth and experience caught up with them. That is serious progress for a franchise that for over a decade seemed to be plagued by one poor decision after another on who they drafted or signed in free agency.  

Despite that progress, the Kings brass owner Vivek Ranadive and GM Vlade Divac, the newest addition to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer in early September gave the man overseeing this maturation in head coach Dave Joerger the axe at season’s end.

How did decision come to fruition? Well Coach Joerger clashed with management over bringing Bagley III off the bench

“After evaluating the season, I determined that we needed to move in a different direction in order to take us to the next level,” Divac, who got a contract extension that will keep him with the Kings until at least 2022-23 said in a statement about Joerger’s ouster, after three seasons last April. “On behalf of the entire Kings organization, I want to thank Dave for his contributions to our team and I wish him all the best.”

It did not take long for the Kings to find Joerger’s replacement in former Lakers head coach Luke Walton fired head coach Luke Walton virtually right before he got his car out of his former employer’s parking lot.

“When you get into coaching, you know, you spend time reflecting on what’s important to you as far as a culture and what’s important to winning, and you draw on those experiences that you’ve had as a player,” The 39-year-old Walton, who was 98-148 in this three seasons with the Lakers, his first full-time head coaching job said at Media Day on Sept. 27.  

“So, playing under Phil Jackson, you know, who believed very strongly in kind of being that even keeled warrior mentality. But playing next to Kobe Bryant, who was the most intense individual I’d ever played the game with. There’s different things to take from people like that, and I have, what’s true to me as a basketball person.”

“Coaching in Golden State, you know, with Steve Kerr and seeing the culture that was put into place there and the, you know, what that can look like when you get the players bought in to taking ownership and I try to draw off of that of who I am as a coach, and what we’re gonna get done here.”

Before his head coaching stint with the Lakers, Walton was an assistant on the Warriors title team of 2015 and helping them to a 39-4 record, including 24 straight wins to start the 2015-16 season as the interim leader for an ailing Coach Kerr following complications from two back surgeries.

This feels like a win-win for the Kings and Walton, who both are searching for stability and respect.

To bring this point into context, the Kings have had nine different head coaches since firing Rick Adelman in 2006, who led the Kings to eight straight playoff appearances and the Kings have not been back since. 

The most important thing for Walton entering this new opportunity is to establish an identity that brings the best out of the likes of Fox, Hield and Bagley III on both ends and defining roles for each player on the roster.

“This is gonna be Luke’s first opportunity to really get a team, a good young team and mold them the way he wants to,” NBATV studio analyst Brendan Haywood said. “So, I think they’re going to play up and down. That’s going to play to their strengths…. but I think they’re gonna have to find a way to get better defense.”

To illustrate the point Haywood made, the Kings averaged 114 points a game a season ago but allowed 115. That is something Fox said to Winer and Smith about what he feels will change under Coach Walton.

“That’s what we know we have to work on,” he said. “We know we can score with the best of them last year. But we know if want to take that next step as a team we know we have to do it at the defensive end.”

“We got to be able to get stops when we need them and with a young team, we struggled to close out games. We had a lot of games where we had 20-point leads and ended up losing. “So, just continue to grow with the experience and be able to close out games, I think our problem will be solved.”

With all their First-Round picks belonging to the Celtics in the 2019 draft, the Kings addition to the roster via the draft came in the Second-Round with the selections of guard Justin James at No. 47 overall out of Wyoming. With the 60^th and final pick of the draft, the Kings chose guard Vanja Marinkovic from Partizan Belgrade. They traded the draft rights of forward Ignas Barzdeikis (No. 47 overall pick) to the Knicks for the No. 55 overall pick in guard Kyle Guy from the NCAA champion Virginia Cavaliers.

In free agency, the Kings used their salary cap space to add savvy veterans, a couple of whom are playoff tested and championship proven in Trevor Ariza (12.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg w/Suns & Wizards) on a two-year, $25 million deal; guard Cory Joseph (6.5 ppg, 3.9 apg w/Pacers) on a three-year, $37 million deal; big man Richaun Holmes (8.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 60.8 FG% w/Suns) was signed on a two-year, $10 million deal and three-year, $41 million deal on center Dewayne Dedmon (10.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 49.2 FG%, 38.2 3-Pt.% w/Hawks).

The Kings biggest commitment this summer was to forward Harrison Barnes (14.3 g, 5.5 rpg, 45.5 FG%, 40.8 3-Pt.% w/Mavericks & Kings), who they acquired at the trade deadline on Feb. 7, declined the $25.1 million option on the last year of his deal, and re-signed a new four-year, $85 million deal.

Good swingmen who can score and shoot well from the perimeter and defend do not grow on trees these days in the NBA and there are very few players that have championship experience. That is what Barnes and Ariza bring to the Kings, as well as the ability to simply blend in with a team.

Barnes specifically gives the Coach Walton versatility to play either the small forward or power forward, with the ability to score in the low-post and be efficient with his scoring opportunities.  
“I’m excited about what we have. I like our chances,” Barnes said at Media Day about their hopes of making the playoffs. “I mean, just seeing the pieces we’ve added. Being able to come here and just fit right not only from a personality standpoint but from a performance standpoint.”

While the likes of forwards Nemanja Bjelica (7.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 47.9 FG%, 40.1 3-Pt.%) and Harry Giles III (7.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 50.3 FG%) had their moments last season, they are not even in the ballpark of being better than Barnes.

Last season, the Kings were right on the cusp of making the 2019 Playoffs before their inexperience and defensive focus let them down. The hopes of the Kings making their first postseason since 2006 will depend on the continued growth of De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Marvin Bagley III and Buddy Hield under head coach Luke Walton’s system.

It will not be easy, especially in the loaded Western Conference. If they can continue to mature, then they might end this long playoff drought sooner rather than later.

“We all know basketball in this room. The West is a monster this year,” Walton said about the team’s prospects for making the playoffs in the stacked West this season. “You can have a great year. You can win 40-plus games and maybe you don’t make it. So, the fans should want us to make the playoffs. The fans should expect us to make the playoffs and we’re gonna give everything we’ve have to try to get there.”   

“How we’re gonna get there? Where our focus is gonna be on is let’s show up every single night. Play with a certain level of competitive greatness. Play with a certain level of intent and mindfulness as far as, you know, what our culture is how we play as a team,” Walton said about how the Kings will become a playoff team. “And if we do that every night, then I think the fan base will be very happy. And I think we’ll give ourselves the best chance of making those playoffs.”

Best Case Scenario: The Kings are fighting for the No. 8 and final playoff spot in the rugged Western Conference. Fox, Hield, Bogdanovic, who signs the offered contract extension and Bagley III take another step in their maturation as the Kings “Core Four.” Barnes has a solid season, while also providing a calming presence in the locker room, along with Ariza and Joseph.

Worst Case Scenario: The Kings do not play well at all under Coach Walton. Hield, Fox, Bogdanovic, and Bagley III take a step back in their maturation. They are not in playoff contention by the spring 2020.

Grade: B

San Antonio Spurs: 48-34 (2^nd Southwest Division; No. 7 Seed in West) 32-9 at home, 16-25 on the road. Lost in Quarterfinals to the No. 2 Seeded Denver Nuggets 4-3.

-111.7 ppg-18^th; opp. ppg: 110.0-16^th; 44.7 rpg-21^st

Despite the loss of their starting lead guard due to injury and trading their star of the future for another All-Star and backup center, the Spurs made the playoffs again and took the upstart Nuggets to the brink before falling in the opening-round in seven games. As the Spurs usher in a new era with the return of their starting guard; their All-Star tandem; their future Hall of Fame head coach with a future Hall of Famer added to his staff, the question is do they have another season in them to make some noise in the stacked Western Conference?

Thanks to a 10-game winning streak late in the season, the Spurs extended their streak of consecutive postseason appearances to 22 last spring, tying the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers, who made the playoffs from 1950-71. The Trail Blazers with 21 straight playoff appearances from 1982-2003 and Jazz with 20 consecutive appearances in the playoffs from 1984-2003 are second and third respectably.

To put into context how remarkable this streak by the Spurs is, the Warriors and Rockets are tied for the second longest streak of consecutive postseason appearances with seven straight appearances, with the Trail Blazers and Raptors right behind with six straight appearances.

In the opening-round against the Nuggets, the Spurs used their veteran experience that has helped them out so many times before to push the No. 2 Seeded Nuggets to the brink before falling in seven games.

It was another typical season for head coach Gregg Popovich’s squad where they authored a winning record for the 22^nd straight season, where they were exceptional at home where they tied the Trail Blazers and eventual NBA champion Raptors with the third best home mark in “The Association” with a 32-9 mark at AT&T Center.

The season was atypical with the fact it was the first time since the 1995-96 that no Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili or Tony Parker were on the roster.

This new era of Spurs basketball did not start well when second-year guard Dejounte Murray (8.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, in 2017-18) was lost for the year when he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in a preseason game against the Rockets on Oct. 7, 2018.

Perhaps the best advice he got during this dark time of his basketball life came from nine-time All-Star of the Thunder in lead guard Chris Paul who called him the night he got injured that the whole world was going to put their arms around him at that moment, but that after a week that support would dwindle, except for those that really genuinely will be there for you.  

“I got to really lock in, you know, try to find myself as a person. As a basketball player. It’s all around,” Murray said about his journey to get back on the hardwood. “I just want to show my teammates that I’m a team guy…Just being there for them.”  

Even though he was the 2017-18 All-Defensive Second team continued to be around the Spurs while he rehabbed. Murry said that he woke up during this nine-month period at 8 a.m. every day, ate breakfast, came to the gym where he lifted weights and then spent time with the coaching staff improving his game.

He was always on the bench showing support to his team on at games last season. He never missing a team meeting on game day or a film session a season ago, which really impressed Coach Popovich.

“Whether it was Las Vegas [for Summer League] or here in San Antonio, or in L.A. he made a great effort to be around. To be close to the guys and interact with them,” Coach Popovich said. “And it’s important obviously this upcoming season.”

Popovich added, “He’s been so professional about not skipping any steps and doing the work that he needed to do to rehab his body. That was No. 1 but No. 2 he’s reached out to people. He’s given himself to the staff…He’s really engaging. You know it kind of what you might think a point guard does on the court. Everybody’s got to react to him and he’s tried to do that, even though it’s not basketball. It’s life, and in that sense he’s really matured.”

That maturity earned Murray a four-year, $64 million contract extension on Monday, according to NBA.com

Injuries as well as inexperience limited last season’s First-Round draft choice (No. 18 overall) out of the University of Miami draft in guard Lonnie Walker IV to 17 games his rookie season in 2018-19.

The injury to Murray opened up minutes for second-year guard Derrick White (9.9 ppg, 3.9 apg, 47.9 FG%), who went from a solid role player to being a big reason the Spurs pushed the Nuggets in the opening round last spring by averaging 15.1 points on 54.7 percent from the floor in the seven-game series.

White this summer played for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup in China in September, playing for Coach Popovich.

“Overall it was a great experience for me personally and I learned a lot from it and I’m grateful to be a part of it,” White said of his experience with Team USA even though they did not capture gold. “Whenever you can put USA jersey on, it’s a blessing.”  

Third-year guard Bryn Forbes, who went undrafted also took advantage of getting extra minutes in Murray’s absence with a breakout season where he averaged career-highs of 11.8 points on 45.6 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from three-point range.

The return of Murray, and the experience that White and Forbes got last season now gives the Spurs some serious depth at the lead guard spot, which should be a major plus for them entering this season. Murray gives them athleticism and length at the defensive end, which the Spurs desperately missed a season ago, while White and Forbes bring shooting and steady play. Walker IV showed in summer league that he is ready for a strong second season.

“Our chemistry off the court is amazing, which makes the game on the court even better,” Walker IV said about the team’s chemistry entering this season.

He added about his individual game, “In every aspect of the game I’m not content. I wanna be the greatest of Lonnie Walker.”  

The Spurs All-Star due of LaMarcus (21.3 ppg-Led team, 9.2 rpg-Led team, 51.9 FG%) and DeMar DeRozan (21.2 ppg, 6.2 apg-Led team, 6.0 rpg, 48.1 FG%), obtained from the Raptors for former Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard last summer really gelled together a season ago.

DeRozan at times was the main facilitator, especially at the start of last season, producing 23 games of 10 assists or more. In the Spurs 125-107 win versus the eventual NBA champion Raptors on Jan. 3, DeRozan against his old team authored the first triple-double of his career with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists with two steals. Of the 12 double-doubles he had a season ago, four of those 12 double-doubles that were authored were of points and assists.

While he arrived in the “Alamo City” still wounded by the fact the team he spent his entire career with and just re-signed the summer prior dealt him. DeRozan blended in nicely with his new team and teammates, and immediately formed a bond on the floor with Aldridge, where they did most of their scoring from the mid-range area.  

“Much more comfortable. Understanding what they expect everyday” DeRozan said as he enters his second year with the Spurs at Media Day. “You know, everyday last year was something new for me. I learned and experienced every single day, trying to learn everybody on and off the court. Everybody in the organization. So, this time around, feeling 100 percent comfortable.”

After a tough start to his Spurs career, Aldridge has been very consistent the last two seasons averaging over 21 points and eight boards.

In the Spurs thrilling 154-147 double-overtime win versus the Thunder on Jan. 10, Aldridge had a career-high of 56 points on 20 for 33 shooting and a perfect 16 for 16 from the free throw line with nine boards and four block shots.

“We weren’t bad last year and, you know we got better over the offseason. Got guys healthy” Aldridge said of the team heading into 2018-19. “Getting DJ [Dejounte Murray] back should help. Having guys be here a second and third year should help. So, having some older guys always help to. So, we come in and just working out.”

The Spurs received solid play from the likes of veteran swingman Rudy Gay (13.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg-career-high, 50.4 FG%, 40.2 3-Pt.%), Marco Bellinelli (10.5 ppg, 37.2 3-Pt.%), Patty Mills (9.9 ppg, 39.4 3-Pt.%) and Jakob Poeltl (5.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 64.5 FG%).

Gay specifically in his time with the Spurs has not only become a more complete player with his ability to not only score, which he has done throughout his career with the Grizzlies, Raptors and Kings but his ability to rebound and more importantly, he has impacted the Spurs winning games where as before Gay had a reputation as a player who played to get his stats.

“This was honestly one of those summers where I sat back and, you know, let management be management,” Gay said about his agent and the Spurs reaching a new two-year, $32 million deal for him to return to the “Silver and Black.” “I really just let fate work and, you know, it drew me back here. So, let’s make the best out of it.”

Last season was another amplifier of Coach Popovich’s ability to make the necessary adjustments to put his team in the best position to succeed and maintain the Spurs reputation of excellence that began with the first season of Hall of Famer David Robinson three decades ago.

Last season, Coach Pop became the all-time leader amongst NBA head coaches in road wins, now at 527 and is third on the all-time wins list amongst NBA head coaches at 1,222, trailing Hall of Famers Lenny Wilkins (1,332) and Don Nelson at 1,335.

You end up being able to rise up those all-time ranks that Coach Popovich has when you do not allow moments like the trading of a franchise player like Leonard or the losses of franchise staples like Ginobili and Parker to get you down. Or how four losses the Spurs sustained last season that were by 30-plus points, which was the most since they sustained six in the 1988-89 season. To put that in context, the Spurs had only nine such defeats entering last season in the Coach Popovich era, with five of those defeats coming in the first 1,758 regular-season games with the Spurs.

If the Spurs are going to make any noise in the aforementioned stacked Western Conference, they must play better on the road. Prior to these last two seasons, the Spurs registered 20 straight seasons with a winning road record.

While there were no significant additions to the roster this summer, the Spurs spent this offseason locking up the most important figure in franchise history: Coach Popovich.

There was speculation league-wide about Popovich’s future once the “Big Three” left and the fact that he was serving as head coach of Team USA in the World Cup over the summer. If he wanted to retire from the Spurs, he would still have USA basketball as his release and the fact that he is in his 70s.

He showed that he wants to lead this new era of Spurs basketball, agreeing to a three-year extension, which will make him the highest paid coach in the league.

That next generation of Spurs includes Murray and Walker, who should be poised to play big roles for the team this upcoming season will get the most incredible knowledge from a future Hall of Famer who in his 19 NBA season was a big part of the Spurs winning all five of their Larry O’Brien trophies, while having a resume that consists of winning Kia Rookie of the Year and being named to the All-Rookie Team in 1997-98; winning two Kia MVPs; being selected as an All-Star 15 times; winning Finals MVP three times; being an All-NBA and All-Defensive selection 15 times respectably.

“He projects a confidence. He just loves being in the gym. When you’re with Tim you feel like you’re gonna win,” Robinson said to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols and Richard Jefferson in Shanghai, China in early October about his former teammate becoming a Spurs assistant coach.

There were a couple of subtractions from the coaching staff with assistants Ettore Messina and Ime Udoka taking other jobs respectably with Olimpia Milano overseas and the 76ers, while also adding Will Hardy. While she has not been named the Spurs’ lead assistant yet, holdover Becky Hammon might get the chance to be the first woman to serve as an NBA head coach if perchance Coach Popovich is ejected from a game, which happened twice in a single week last season.   

“He just brings that to the table. His bring professionalism. He brings a focus like Pop. A no-nonsense kind of mentality, and I think that’s gonna play on those young guys because that’s the thing we’re missing right now. That leadership in that locker room to make sure that, ‘Hey, let’s take this to the next level.’ And I think he’ll bring that.”

There was one odd moment during the summer for the Spurs as free agent forward Marcus Morris renigged on a two-year, $20 million deal that he agreed to sign during the NBA moratorium period, and instead signed a one-year deal with the Knicks.

The Spurs moved on and signed forward Trey Lyles (8.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, w/Nuggets), whose hopes to find a groove in the “Alamo City” after not finding a groove with the Jazz or Nuggets. They also added veteran forward DeMarre Carroll (11.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, w/Nets) via three-team trade with the Nets and Wizards, sending sharp-shooting forward Davis Bertans to D.C. Carroll, whose contract was reworked from a two-year $13 million deal to a three-year, $21 million deal. They also re-signed Gay to a two-year, $32 million deal.

Along with the new additions they made in free agency, the Spurs with a couple of picks in the middle and late First-Round hope they found two more players that will become foundational pieces going forward.

At No. 19 overall, the Spurs selected 19-year-old Croatian forward Luka Samanic, whose skill set resembles another Croatian forward in three-time champion with Bulls Toni Kukoc: who was a huge part of the second three-peat the Bulls had in the 1990s. Samanic, who played for KK Olimpiza in Slovenia after playing two seasons in Barcelona is very long, and athletic. Can shoot from deep, with the ability to make plays off the bounce.

With the next to last pick of the First-Round of the 2019 draft, the Spurs chose at No. 29 overall 6-foot-6 swingman Keldon Johnson out of the University of Kentucky, who in his lone season averaged 13.5 points and 5.9 rebounds on 46 percent shooting.

The 2018-19 SEC Freshmen of the Year is described as a relentless competitor, who plays with a great motor. Can finish at the basket off the dribble very well and has improved his jump shot and can defend in space and will stick his noise amongst the trees and go after rebounds.

These two will be entrenched in the Spurs exceptional player development program that has produced players like Leonard, Ginobili, and Parker, who played major roles in helping the Spurs capture four of their five Larry O’Brien trophies.

While they did not find that necessary superstar player to be a serious title contender in the loaded West, the Spurs put together the kind of roster that should have them in the playoffs for a 23^rd straight season this spring, which would set a new all-time league record.

They have a solid 1-2 punch in the All-Star tandem of LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, who know how to produce offensively and they do not stray away from that. Solid roles players in the likes of Patty Mills, Rudy Gay, and Marco Bellinelli. The Spurs also have young players in Dejounte Murray, Bryn Forbes, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker IV, Jakob Poeltl and possibly Luka Samanic and Keldon Johnson that they can continue the standard that the players that came before them.

Most of all, the Spurs have a future Hall of Famer on the bench in head coach Gregg Popovich, who will make sure his team is prepared each night to compete and win.

Best Case Scenario: The Spurs make the playoffs for a 23^rd straight season, setting a new NBA record. Aldridge and DeRozan produced at optimum level again. White, Forbes, Murray, and Walker IV take another step in their maturation of the Spurs way. Coach Popovich or the Spurs set a new league or team record. The Spurs take another opening-round opponent to the brink.

Worst Case Scenario: The Spurs miss the playoffs, seeing their consecutive postseason streak end.

Grade: B-

Utah Jazz: 50-32 (3^rd Northwest Division; No. 5 Seed in West) 29-12 at home, 21-20 on the road. Lost in Quarterfinals against the No. 4 Seeded Houston Rockets 4-1.

-111.7 ppg-17^th; opp. ppg: 106.5-4^th; 46.4 rpg-9^th    

They have made the playoffs for three straight seasons, winning 51 and 50 games in two of those three seasons, thanks to their dynamic shooting guard and one of the best defensive big men in “The Association.” With the addition of one of the most underrated guards in the NBA; an emerging sharp shooting forward and two solid veteran forwards to go with their dynamic guard and center, the question for the Jazz is are they best positioned to really make a run at the title?

Two seasons back Donovan Mitchell took the NBA by storm and provided hope for a Jazz squad that lost All-Star forward Gordon Hayward in free agency to the Celtics.

He carried that momentum into the opening-round series against then All-Star duo Russell Westbrook and Paul George of the Thunder to averages of 24.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals in helping the Jazz win the series in six games. The Jazz would fall in the Semifinals 4-1 against the West runner-up the Rockets.

Last season, Mitchell, who played for Team USA at FIBA World Cup in China in September (23.8 ppg-Led team, 4.1 rpg, 4.2 apg) shook off a slow start and had a solid second season, where he was tied with Devin Booker of the Suns, and newest Laker Anthony Davis for No. 7 in fourth quarter scoring average with 6.8.

To put how good the guy dubbed “Spida,” who finished second in the Kia Rookie of the Year voting the season prior in the money quarter, he has registered 39 career games scoring 10-plus points in the fourth quarter. Four-time Kia MVP LeBron James had 33 such scoring quarters through the first two seasons of his eventual Hall of Fame career. Fellow future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant had 13, while 2018 Kia MVP of the Rockets James Harden had 11.

Mitchell, who had his third-year team option exercised by the Jazz on Saturday has shown in the early stages of his career he is not afraid of rising to the moment, which was a major reason head coach Quin Snyder’s team won 50 games for the second time in the last three seasons.

The other reason is the back-to-back Kia Defensive Player of the Year, two-time All-NBA selection and All-Defensive First Team in starting center Rudy Gobert (15.9 ppg-career-high, 12.3 rpg-4^th NBA, 2.3 bpg-3^rd NBA, 66.9 FG%), who also played in the FIBA World Cup this summer on the French national team registered a career-high 66 double-doubles a season ago has worked himself into being the best rim protector in the league. Last season, the “Stifle Tower” took a big step forward as a pick-and-roll defender and offensively developed a near reliable jump hook and semi-jump shot to go along with his ability to set great screens and getting on the offensive glass to keep the Jazz offense flow at its peak.

The Jazz have had their last two postseason runs end at the hands of 2018 Kia MVP James Harden and the Rockets respectably in five games in the Semis in 2018 and in the opening-round of 2019 from being a serious contender in the stacked Western Conference, where they have gone 2-8 the last two postseasons against the Rockets.

The biggest reason for those defeats, the lack of a reliable second scoring option and the production, or lack there-of at times at the lead guard spot from last season’s starter Ricky Rubio and reserve guard Dante Exum.

While Ricky Rubio, who signed with the Suns this offseason was a great distributor in his NBA career first with the Timberwolves and the Jazz the last two seasons, his inability to shoot consistently is why Mitchell has seen more of the defensive coverage from the opposing team.

In the case of Exum (6.9 ppg, 2.6 apg in 42 games), the No. 5 overall pick’s time with the Jazz has been marred by injuries that have shelved him for a total of 124 games in his first four seasons and will likely start this season on the shelf again because of nagging knee injury.  

At the Feb. 7 trade deadline, the Jazz tried to acquire a lead guard that could’ve gotten them over that hump, but the team they were negotiating with held firm to their starting lead guard. Right before the 2019 draft, the Jazz did acquire lead guard Mike Conley (21.1 ppg-career-high, 6.4 apg, 36.4 3-Pt.% w/Grizzlies) from the Grizzlies in exchange for Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, and the No. 23 overall pick in the 2019 draft.

“I’m really just excited to get out there and get things going,” Conley said to ESPN in late June about being dealt to the Jazz.

He added at his introductory presser, “Really just excited for the opportunity to be, you know, amongst the culture that the Jazz has already put in place. The foundations that are there. The players that are already there.”

The 12-year veteran, who re-signed on the then richest contract in NBA history of five years at $153 million in 2016 was a major part of the “Grit ‘N Grind” era of Grizzlies basketball in the early part of this decades will provide the Jazz a consistent knock down shooter, which has helped him average 20-plus points in two of the last three seasons.

Along with his play on the court, Conley brings a selflessness, competitive, and highly motivated attitude into the Jazz locker room where he will make all the Jazz players raise their level of play even higher.

The pairing of Conley and Mitchell will provide the Jazz with a dynamic two-way tandem that will give their opponent’s a fit night in and night out with their ability to score and play make for their teammates, especially in fourth quarters have a sidekick to not only handle the scoring load.

“Mike’s a guy who, like I said I try to learn as much as I can from,” Mitchell said recently about the early connection he and Conley have developed. “But you know, I think we’re gelling a lot faster than I think anticipated. I think just from understanding his knowledge of the game, which is the kind of things we go over. Obviously, the names are different but the schemes are the same.”  

Conley concurred the respect he had for Mitchell saying at his Jazz introductory presser over the summer, “I’m really impressed with how mature he is,” Conley said about Mitchell, who he worked out with in L.A. in late June prior to the NBA Awards. “For a guy in his situation, face of the franchise. He has everything at his feet but he’s willing to learn. He’s willing to get better.”

“That’s impressive to me because you don’t find that in a lot of young guys, and he’s gonna be special. He already is, but he’s going to be really, really good in this league.”

The Jazz added some depth at the lead guard spot with the signing of former lottery pick Emmanuel Mudiay (14.8 ppg, 3.9 apg, 44.6 FG% w/Knicks), who really showed some intestinal fortitude after losing out on the lead guard spot with the Nuggets to Jamal Murray by getting better in the last season-and-a-half with the Knicks.  

Mudiay, the No. 7 overall pick in 2015 will have no pressure on him and he can settle into the role as the understudy to Conley, while providing athleticism and energy to the second unit for Coach Snyder, while also making a full fledge commitment to being a better defender, like Royce O’Neale, who averaged 10.6 points and 4.6 rebounds on 46.7 percent shooting off the bench in last year’s playoffs against the Rockets.

“Me personally, I’ve never played in the playoffs, and I’ve seen what this team has done in the playoffs, and you know, it’s just a couple of things here and there that could’ve went the right way for them to go and move on in rounds,” Mudiay said at his introductory presser over the summer.

“But I think this year is a great opportunity for me and the team as well to just keep moving forward into the direction that obviously the ultimate goal is the championship.”

The only consistent knockdown shooter the Jazz had prior to this summer was swingman Joe Ingles (12.1 ppg, 5.7 apg, 44.8 FG%), who shot 39.1 percent from three-point range a season ago, which was down from the 44.0 and 44.1 the Australian native shot the last two seasons. 


That said, last season Mitchell and Ingles, who signed a one-year, $14 million extension on Monday made 189 and 188 threes for the Jazz, which were the second and third most respectably for a single season in Jazz history, which is on the heels of Ingles setting the franchise mark with 204 made triples the season before, while Mitchell made 187 three-pointers in his rookie season.

In last season’s opening-round five-game loss against the Rockets though, the Jazz connected on just 26 percent of their triples.  

They added some more fire power on the perimeter signing of Bojan Bagdanovic (18.0 ppg-career-high, 49.7 FG%, 42.5 3-Pt.%-career-high w/Pacers) to a four-year, $73 million deal.

While that is a huge price tag for a guy that has been basically a role player his entire career, Bogdanovic has plenty of upside for the Jazz, especially after becoming their lead option offensively especially after two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo went down because of a knee injury in late January. He registered games of 37, 35 and 31 points for the Pacers in 2018-19 and averaged 20.5 points from late January on.

Bogdanovic, Mitchell, and Ingles should be even more prolific from three-point range this season, especially with Conley and Mitchell’s ability to penetrate the defense and find the open man. The same can be said for Ingles, who last season led the Jazz in assists 42 times.

“So excited to be part of this organization and culture, and one of the deepest rosters right now in the league,” Bogdanovic said when he and Conley were introduced at their presser this summer. “So, so excited to be a part of this and I cannot wait to start playing for the Jazz.”

The one glaring weakness for the Jazz may be at power forward, where they sent Crowder to the Grizzlies in the Conley deal, and traded starting power forward Derrick Favors to the Pelicans for two future Second-Round picks.

The Jazz did sign veteran power forward/center Ed Davis (5.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 61.6 FG%), who is a solid rebounder and help defender to fill the void. While they gain a solid rebounder and defender in Davis, he is very limited offensively.

“I’m gonna give all I’ve got. I’m not the most skilled player but you know, I’ll say I’m one of the, you know, the toughest players in the league," Davis said. "So, you know, you’ll get that every night." 

They also signed Jeff Green (12.3 ppg, 47.5 FG%, 34.7 3-Pt.% w/Wizards), who has played both forward positions his first 12 years in the NBA and will provide versatility both with the ability to score off the dribble and make shots off of drive and kicks. He also is productive whether he is a spot starter or a key reserve.  

The Jazz might also use at the power forward spot Georges Niang or possibly Jarrell Brantley, the No. 50 overall pick in this summer’s draft out of the College of Charleston, who the Jazz acquired his draft right in a three-team deal with the Pacers and Warriors, as well as the draft rights to the No. 58 overall pick guard Miye Oni, the No. 58 overall pick out of Yale University. They used their own draft pick, the No. 53 overall to draft guard Justin Wright-Foreman out of Hofstra University. 

Even with all the talk of the Jazz being one of the better offensive teams in the league this season, defense has been the one constant under Coach Snyder, where the Jazz last season tied with the Bucks for No. 2 in blocks at 5.9 and tied with the Lakers for No. 8 opponent’s field goal percentage at 45.2 percent.

“Defensively we can be something special,” Green said late in the preseason. “We just got to continue to communicate. Continue to get better. Not get content and offensively, we have scorers on this team.”

“We have numerous of guys who can put numbers on the board. But defensively I think is where were gonna be very, very special.”   

Coach Snyder, who agreed to a multi-year extension over the weekend echoed that same thought at Media Day on Sept. 30 saying that the identity of this team “doesn’t change,” of being an elite defensive squad.

“Personnel may dictate differently, particularly in certain situations because that’s playing to your personnel,” Coach Snyder said. “It’s more common to think about playing to your personnel from an offensive standpoint and we’ll try to do that to…We’re still gonna emphasize transition defense. Doesn’t matter whose on the floor. We got to get back. That’s the first line of defense.”

The Jazz came into this offseason looking to add an elite point guard and another shooter to go alongside Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles. They found that floor general in Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic, while also adding vets Ed Davis and Jeff Green and Emmanuel Mudiay. They now have a complete starting five with the main scorer in Donovan Mitchell; a stellar lead guard in Mike Conley; knockdown shooters in Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles; and the pillar who can dominate the interior on both ends in Rudy Gobert.

They also have an interchangeable second unit of Ed Davis, Jeff Green, Royce O’Neale, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Dante Exum.

The Jazz have the most complete starting five perhaps since the Karl Malone-John Stockton era and a solid second unit. How quickly they put it all together will decide how far they go in the stacked Western Conference.  

“Well obviously out ultimate goal is to win a championship. I think that’s ultimately,” Conley said. “But we’re not fooling ourselves like we’ve been there and done that. We’re gonna come in everyday and try to maximize each day.”

“So, I think each day will set us up for the next and hopefully we give ourselves the best chance of achieving each goal we put out.”

Best Case Scenario: The Jazz make the playoffs and are fighting for homecourt advantage. Mitchell and Conley make their All-Star Game debuts. The offensive and defense become in sync for the first time under Coach Snyder. The Jazz reach the Conference Finals for the first time since 2007.

Worst Case Scenario: The Jazz are a lower playoff seed and fall again in the opening-round of the playoffs.  

Grade: A+

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of https://www.nba.com/draft/2019/teams; https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26914752/2019-nba-free-agency-latest-buzz; https://ww.nba.com/draft/trade-tracker; www.espn.com;  https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20229609/nba-free-agents-team-team-lists-2020-2021; 11/2/18 1 a.m. “Inside the NBA,” presented by Kia on TNT with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal;  1/7/19 7 p.m. “San Antonio Spurs versus Detroit Pistons” on FOX Sports Southeast with Bill Land and Sean Elliott;  1/8/19 3 p.m., “NBA” The Jump” on ESPN with Rachel Nichols, Chiney Ogwumike, and Richard Jefferson; 3/15/19 8 p.m. “Portland Trail Blazers versus New Orleans Pelicans” on NBC Sports Northwest with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd, and Brooke Olzendam; 1/11/19 www.nba.com story, “Gregg Popovich Climbs Into Third In All-Time Coaching Victories;” 1/25/19 8:30 p.m. “Detroit Pistons versus Dallas Mavericks,” on FOX Sports Southwest with Mark Followill, Derek Harper, and Jeff “Skin” Wade;  

1/25/19 1 a.m. “Inside The NBA,” presented by Kia on TNT with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal; 1/27/19 7 p.m. “Toronto Raptors versus Dallas Mavericks,” on FOX Sports Southwest with Mark Followill, Derek Harper and Jeff “Skin” Wade; 1/27/19 www.poundtherock.com story “Gregg Popovich Has The Most Road Wins By An NBA Coach…Ever,” by Jeph Duarte; 1/27/19 9:30 a.m. ESPN’s “Sportscenter,” with Steve Levy and John Anderson; 2/6/19 1 a.m. “Players Only Postgame,” presented by Kia on TNT with Chris Webber, Baron Davis, Shaquille O’Neal, and Candace Parker; 2/26/19 NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by Kia with Matt Winer, Derek Fisher, and David Griffin; 3/25/19 3 p.m. “NBA: The Jump” on ESPN with Rachel Nichols, Brian Windhorst, Scottie Pippen, and Jason Kidd; 5/20/19 9 p.m. “Golden State Warriors versus Portland Trail Blazers,” Game 4 Western Conference Finals, presented by Google Next with Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, and Doris Burke; 4/8/19 1 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by Kia with Rick Kamla, Dennis Scott, and Greg Anthony; 6/13/19 9 p.m. “Toronto Raptors versus Golden State Warriors,” Game 6 of NBA Finals, presented by YouTube TV with Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, and Doris Burke; 6/20/19 7 p.m. “2019 NBA Draft,” presented by State Farm on ESPN with Rece Davis, Chauncey Billups, Jay Bilas, Adrian Wojnarowski, Bobby Marks, and Maria Taylor; 6/21/19 8 p.m. NBATV’s “NBA Draft: Next Steps,” with Matt Winer, Sam Mitchell, Seth Davis, Wes Wilcox, and Bruce Pearl; 7/13/19 8:30 a.m. NBATV “Gametime” with Casey Stern and Rex Chapman; 8/14/19 3 p.m. edition "NBA: The Jump" on ESPN 2 with Cassidy Hubbarth, Tim Bontemps and Dave McMenamin; 8/16/19 www.nba.com story, "Joseph Tsai To Buy Rest of Nets from Mikhail Prokhorov;"  8/23/19 3 p.m. edition "NBA: The Jump" on ESPN with Cassidy Hubbarth, Royce Young, and Bobby Marks;m; 9/7/19 https://www.nba.com/30teams/30days/2019 by Shaun Powell; 9/20/19 www.espn.com story, “Carter, 42 To Play Swan Song Season With Hawks;” 9/24/19 11:30 p.m. NBATV’s “Gametime,” with Jared Greenberg and Dennis Scott; 9/26/19 7 p.m. NBATV Forecast “Storylines,” with Jared Greenberg, Dennis Scott, Steve Smith and Sam Mitchell; 9/27/19 11 p.m. NBATV’s “Gametime,” with Matt Winer and Steve Smith 10/8/19 www.espn.com story, “The De-Kobe-ing Of Jayson Tatum Has Begun,” by Tim Bontemps; 9/20/19 3 p.m. edition "NBA: The Jump" on ESPN with Rachel Nichols, Dave McMenamin, and Richard Jefferson; 9/29/19 9 p.m. NBATV”s “Gametime,” with Chris Miles, Angel Gray, and Caron Butler; 10/9/19 https://www.nba.com/preview/2019, presented by Kia by Sekou Smith, Shaun Powell, John Schuhmann, Steve Aschburner, and Michael C. Wright;
10/19/19 www.cbssports.com story, “Utah Jazz Sign Coach Quin Snyder To Long-Term Contract Extension, Per Report,” by Jack Maloney; 10/21/19 www.espn.com stories, “Jaylen Brown Agrees To 4-year, $115 Million Extension With Celtics,” by Adrian Wojnarowski and “Zion Williamson Undergoes Knee Surgery, Out 6-8 Weeks,” by Andrew Lopez; https://en.m.wikpedia.org/wiki/Paul_Millsap; All 30 team’s coverage of Media Day courtesy of You Tube; 10/2/19-10/18/19 NBATV’s Preview of All 30 teams with Chris Miles, Matt Winer, Stephanie Ready, Kristen Ledlow, Ro Parrish, Isiah Thomas, Sam Mitchell, Brendan Haywood, Brian Shaw, Greg Anthony, Kevin McHale, Dennis Scott, Earl Watson, Steve Smith, Tony Delk and Antonio Daniels; 10/22/19 1 a.m. edition NBATV's "Gametime," with Jared Greenberg, Steve Smith and Dennis Scott; www.foxsports.com; www.hoopstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/teamstats/19/7/pts/1-1;  https://en.hispanonba.com/coaches/most-wins; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Portland_Trail_Blazers_head_coaches; and http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_40_90_club.