2023-24 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

Some of Athletics prediction just makes no sense.

20 predictions on NBA Opening Day Eve


This is our last night without the 2023-24 NBA season for eight months.

Predictions!

 
Awards and more for the 2023-24 season!

With the NBA season tipping off tomorrow night, it’s that time of year everybody loves to screenshot! Predictions! Oh, it’ll make or break your career. Amazingly, I’ve never gotten a prediction wrong, but we don't have time to fact-check that. Let's just read 20 new ones for this season:

Most Valuable Player: Jayson Tatum, C Bags. He’d be the first American-born player to win it since James Harden in 2017-18. Larry Bird (1984-86) was the last C bag to do so.

Defensive Player of the Year: Bam Adebayo, Heat. It feels right. Alonzo Mourning (1999-00) is Miami's only DPOY winner.

Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs. Scoot Henderson and Chet Holmgren will make it interesting. No need to get cute, though.

Coach of the Year: Willie Green, Pelicans. I’ve decided to foolishly believe in their health.

Sixth Man of the Year: Malik Monk, Kings. He could average 18 points this season after averaging 19 in their playoff run.

Most Improved Player: Ben Simmons, Nets. Let’s get weird!

In-Tournament Champ: Miami Heat. It feels like something they’d oddly care about.

East Finals: Bucks over Heat in six games.

West Finals: Nuggets over Lakers in five games.

NBA Finals: Nuggets over Bucks in seven games.

First person to dunk on Wemby: Scottie Barnes, in the sixth game.

First coach fired: Billy Donovan, Bulls. Chicago's teardown is coming.

First player to drop 50: Jordan Poole, Wizards. It might happen in the first game. He’ll put up an insane number of shots all season.

Where Harden gets traded: Toronto. I think it’s going to be a weird situation for everybody.

Scoring leader: Poole, Wizards. We might see him average 35 points this season.

Rebounding leader: Rudy Gobert, Wolves. Why not?

Assist leader: Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers. It’ll be a great battle with Trae Young all season.

Steals leader: Jimmy Butler, Heat. Do we still care about steals?

Blocks leader: Wemby, Spurs. Manute Bol (1985-86) is the only rookie to lead the NBA in blocks per game. Wemby’s 11 preseason blocks tied for the league lead. Keep scrolling for the entire argument in a single image.

Technical foul leader: Dillon Brooks. He had 18 in a contract year. How will he act with $80 million guaranteed?

 

What makes it even crazier


Guess that doesn't account for someone who's 7-4 with a 8 foot wingspan and a 32 inch vert goes flying through the air.


This clip has been going around too, him doing a warmup drill against a regular sized human



He could take over the league if he can stay healthy. I'm not betting on health for him. With his strides and movement, if those twig legs take the wrong contact on a play, they're snapping in half. Hope he stays healthy, cause he could be a very fascinating player to watch... but we'll see.

 

Wowza...

 

All kinds of players I don’t know are getting 10+ million a year. That dude is getting 27 mil?

is he their 5th best player? Someone is probably losing their job over that contract. That’s absurd.

 

He's a better, less offensively limited, Vando but that's a big bag for him.



Good luck. Big chuck of that will have to go to a PG because Conley will dissolve into the dirt by then.

 

Boston bound midseason? They'll probably need a big.

 

Stoked the season is finally here! Predictions:

West

1. Nuggets
2. Suns
3. Lakers
4. Warriors
5. Wolves
6. Kings
7. Clippers
8. Grizzlies

East

1. C Bags
2. Bucks
3. Cavs
4. Knicks
5. Sixers
6. Hawks
7. Heat
8. Pacers

WCF: Lakers over Warriors
ECF: C Bags over Bucks
Finals: Lakers over C Bags, #18 baby

 

Not sure I see GSW over Denver in the WCF, but there will be a couple of great series in the Semis for sure. West is stacked.

 

100%. Best contract of the offseason

 

^^^ Will Max Christie make a similar leap this year to another Arenas rule debate this off season where the Lakers put out the same type messaging, or be willing to do the same?

https://theathletic.com/4953988/2023/10/18/nba-breakout-candidates-2023/

Los Angeles Lakers
Max Christie: Christie appears to be the Lakers’ latest draft gem. The No. 35 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft flashed 3-and-D potential in 41 games as a rookie, but he took a major step in his development during summer league. He averaged 19.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.6 blocks to go along with 49.2/55.0/96.8 shooting splits over five games. Christie shined as an on-ball creator with a tighter handle, a sturdier frame (he’s gained roughly 16 pounds of muscle since he was drafted) and better foul-drawing instincts. At just 20 years old, he’s younger than several prominent rookies. He is the favorite to land the backup shooting guard spot in L.A’s rotation, and has the potential to grow into a substantial role. — Jovan Buha

 

There is no way GSW with their small ball will win vs Denver .None,zero

 

Green (ankle) has been ruled out for Tuesday's regular-season opener against the Suns, Shayna Rubin of The San Jose Mercury News reports

Frank Vogel limited both Devin Booker (sore toe) and Bradley Beal (back tightness) in practice today. Wouldn’t expand on Booker’s toe.