We made it y’all. It honestly feels like the Finals was yesterday to me. Between getting Olympics basketball, starting to pay more attention to the WNBA (shoutout the WNBAPA, PAY THESE LADIES MORE!), and the Padres making the playoffs, I really barely noticed the time off. Although I can tell you about some people that it didn’t go by fast for: the 29 NBA teams not named the Boston Celtics. The Celtics dominated last season from start to finish and cruised their way to a championship. They went 16-3, one of the most dominant runs to the finals we have ever seen. But these other teams are hungry. Boston didn’t have to face the Knicks, Bucks, 76ers, or Magic on the way to the title last season. As for the teams they did face, all 3 east teams were dealing with multiple injuries to the roster. Now, I am not saying this to discredit the Boston Celtics championship, as much as I want to as a Lakers fan. But a championship is a championship for Christ’s sake, and I’ve always been a big believer that all rings are created equal at the end of the day. No, I mention these things to point out that the East is highly motivated to take down Boston. And out West? Luka should be highly motivated to get Dallas back to the finals after his poor defensive performance in that series, including a game where he fouled out with 5 minutes left in a close matchup. They also added Klay Thompson, a proven winner who can help lead the locker room and provide a steady presence from beyond the arc. So Dallas is feeling pretty good about their chances. But so are the Timberwolves, a team that didn’t get complacent and made a huge move, trading KAT for Julius Randle and Dante DiVincenzo. They also traded 2 future picks to move up in the draft and select Rob Dillingham, the electric rookie point guard out of Kentucky who can provide a spark off the bench. The Thunder are also revamped, swapping Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and bringing in center Isaiah Hartenstein. I also wouldn’t want to be the one to count out Denver, as Jokic is one of the best if not the best player in the NBA. The Suns, Warriors, and Lakers have 6 combined hall of famers on their teams, and are all probably a move away from being right back in the thick of the race. Upstart teams like the Rockets, Kings, and Grizzlies will be desperate to prove they belong in the upper echelon of the conference. My point in saying this is that these teams, like me after a night out with friends drinking, are fucking starving for it. To me, we haven’t had a season with this many teams vying for a championship in a very long time. All these teams starving, but only 1 team will get served a plate. Now, with that being said, who’s hungry for an NBA season preview?

Atlanta Hawks

Added: Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr, Zaccharie Risacher, David Roddy, Keaton Wallace, Cody Zeller

Lost: Saddiq Bey, Bruno Fernando, Trent Forrest, A.J. Griffin Jr, Wesley Matthews, Dejounte Murray, Dylan Windler

X-Factor: Trae Young. I know this one is simple, but this team will truly go as far as the star point guard can take them. They have a floor of a play in team but could make some noise if we get another 30-10 year from him.

Bold Prediction:  Trae Young finishes top 5 in MVP voting, makes all star and all NBA. He is going to have the ball in his hands a lot with Dejounte gone and this Hawks team quietly has some good role players. If his team somehow is a top 6 seed, expect lots of love to be sent his way.

Season Prediction: 9th in East, eliminated in the play-in tournament

Boston Celtics

Added: Baylor Scheierman

Lost: Oshae Brissett, Svi Mykhailiuk

X-Factor: Kristaps Porzingis. The team played very well without him last year but was able to become an all-time dominant team when he entered the lineup. He should be out with injury until December at the earliest, but I think there is a chance that we don’t see him until after the all-star break. If the Celtics can get a healthy playoff run out of Kristaps, they could be the first team to go back-to-back since the Golden State Warriors.

Bold Prediction: The Celtics lose in the ECSF… Championship hangover is real. It is very hard to repeat as champs. I will say, this Celtics team does seem to be very motivated coming off of the team USA fiasco with both Brown and Tatum. But still, I don’t see this team repeating… as long as Philly and Milwaukee are healthy come April.

Season Prediction: 2nd in the East, eliminated in the ECSF

Brooklyn Nets

Added: Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, Ziaire Williams

Lost: Keita Bates-Diop, Mikal Bridges, Jacob Gilyard, Dennis Smith Jr, Lonnie Walker

X-Factor: Nic Claxton. This team doesn’t have many bright spots and has become largely irrelevant since Kevin Durant left the team. But Nic Claxton is a very nice starting caliber center! He does all the things you want in a big man: hustles, shows defensive versatility, rebounds well, sets good screens, and can even dribble a little bit. He’s not so good that he will save this team from the depths of the East, but he is a nice player, and I am begging the Pelicans to pull off a trade for him.

Bold Prediction: This will be Ben Simmons last season in the NBA. It’s over. He’s cooked. Donzo. Ben Simmons has been a conundrum from the moment he entered the league. At times, he has been an All-NBA player who appeared to have a chance at becoming the game’s best player. But for the past 3 seasons of his career, he has become a player who talks a lot about how he’s going to play well, only to inevitably play horrible, get benched, and then pull up with a lame back. As someone who actually has a bad back, I believe this is stolen valor! All kidding aside, I am sad to see that state of Ben Simmons today and I hope he proves me wrong. I would love nothing more than for Ben Simmons to average 16-8-8 again like the Philly days. Unfortunately though, I believe that those days are behind us. Ben Simmons will be entering his final season and will be so toxic by the end that no team will be interested in signing him. The end of an era for someone once deemed as having LeBron potential.

Season Prediction: 14th in the East

Charlotte Hornets

Added: Taj Gibson, Josh Green, DaQan Jeffries, Tidjane Salaun, K.J. Simpson

Lost: Amari Bailey, Davis Bertans, Leaky Black, Bryce Mcgowens, Aleksej Pokusevski, J.T. Thor

X-Factor: Lamelo Ball. He simply has not been able to stay healthy so far in his career, and that is the primary reason for the Hornets lack of success. When he has been healthy though? We are talking about a guy who averages 24-5-8 on 43-36-87 shooting splits last season. He is the whole offense, not too dissimilar from how Tyrese Haliburton operates in Indiana. If we can get a healthy Lamelo season, this may be a play in team.

Bold Prediction: Lamelo Ball and Brandon Miller are a top 5 duo PPG. Brandon Miller showed us that he is an absolute bucket last season, averaging 21 a game in the final 10 games last year. It will only become easier for him with Lamelo there, as he can take off the ball handling pressure and allow Miller to do even more work off ball, which should allow for easier, more open shots. As for Lamelo, he no longer is the single scoring threat on his team, which should open up the floor more for him. I think we could see both guys average 25 a night and become one of the league’s top duos overnight.

Season Prediction: 13th in the East

Chicago Bulls

Added: Matas Buzelis, Chris Duarte, Josh Giddey, Talen Horton-Tucker, E.J. Liddell, Jalen Smith, D.J. Steward

Lost: Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, Andre Drummond, Javonte Green

X-Factor: Billy Donavan’s will to keep coaching. I am actually stunned that he is still the coach for this team, I thought for sure he would be done last year. To me, this is the easy favorite for first coach fired. The Bulls lost DeRozan and somehow expect to still be a play in team? Good luck with that.

Bold Prediction: The bulls finish with the worst record in the NBA. This roster makes no sense to me. Where are the wings outside of Williams and Buzelis? Can Giddey, white, and Lavine coexist. Does this team have a single competent big man? This team seems to have the lowest vibes, and how fitting would it be for Jerry Reinsdorf to have the worst team and baseball and basketball?

Season Prediction: Last in the East

Cleveland Cavaliers

Added: J.T. Thor, Jaylon Tyson

Lost: Damian Jones, Isaiah Mobley, Marcus Morris

X-Factor: Kenny Atkinson. This roster is essentially the same, so not sure where the difference maker could be other than coaching (secretly believe JT Thor could get minutes on this team, but that’s for me and the Thor hive. Thor’s hammer? That sounds sus, but you get the picture). Kenny Atkinson was able to turn around the Nets, but that was a rebuild situation, not a team expected to compete for a title. Can Kenny find the final starter to complement these 4? Can Allen and Mobley co-exist, or even possibly excel playing together? Can we get pre-Mitchell Garland back? These are all questions that Atkinson will have to answer, but I’m hoping he won’t need to.

Bold Prediction: Jarrett Allen for Brandon Ingram. Ingram can play the 4 with Mobley at a 5, get Theis back in the deal so you can have a center of you need it. Allows for more offensive versatility and more space for Mobley to operate in the paint. Gets Pelicans off Ingram finally and gets them a high-end starting center. It just makes too much sense, please Lord.

Season Prediction: 6th in the East, eliminated in the 1st round

Dallas Mavericks

Added: Klay Thompson, Kessler Edwards, Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes, Naji Marshall

Lost: Greg Brown III, Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr, Derrick Jones Jr

X-Factor: Klay Thompson. The Mavs made a bet this off-season. They are hoping that the offensive upside the team could have with Klay Thompson is better than having a very good wing defender in Derrick Jones Jr. who can guard the opposing team’s best perimeter players. Klay struggled last year, ultimately moving to the bench halfway through the season. Will we get the Klay that is swift off the ball, hitting quick 3’s and providing space for Kyrie and Luka? Or will he be last season’s version of Klay, someone who is inconsistent with both his shot and his mood depending on how much he is utilized? If this works out, the Mavs could win it all. If not, they aren’t buried for the long term, but wasting another Luka year is not ideal.

Bold Prediction: Jaden Hardy wins 6MOY. He recently got inked to an extension so cheap, I thought he was an NFL running back. Hardy is a legit bucket and started to get more run as the season went on last year. If he can average 15-20 minutes a game, I have no doubt that he could average close to a point a minute. Ones of the most underrated players in the league due to the Mavs depth at guard, but I think he could break out this year.

Season Prediction: 3rd in the West, eliminated in the WCSF

Denver Nuggets

Added: Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric, DaRon Holmes II, P.J. Hall

Lost: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Justin Holiday, Reggie Jackson

X-Factor: Christian Braun. He is going to start in the KCP role, since KCP is now a member of the Orlando Magic. Braun brings lots of athleticism, but a questionable 3, point shots. If he can hit 3’s at a 36% clip or better, this team could be the best team in the West. If not, the Nuggets will falter and for the first time we will need to question if Jokic will ever get another ring in Denver.

Bold Prediction: The Nuggets get eliminated round 1 of the playoffs. I think two off-seasons in a row of cost cutting move is only going to lead to worse and worse results. The nuggets have an unproven bench, and the core 4 has more questions marks than ever due to the long-term extensions this team received and Jamal Murray coming off a very poor Olympics performance. Not to mention, he was also very bad in the playoffs as well, struggling to hit from outside and being a cone on defense. In other words: Denver’s future may be turbo-fucked.

Season Prediction: 4th in the West, eliminated in the 1st round

Detroit Pistons

Added: Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr, Tobias Harris, Ron Holland, Bobi Klintman, Wendell Moore Jr, Paul Reed, Cole Swider

Lost: Buddy Boeheim, Troy Brown Jr, Malachi Flynn, Evan Fournier, Taj Gibson, Quentin Grimes, Chimezie Metu, Jaylen Nowell, James Wiseman

X-Factor: Team 3P %. This team has so much young talent, but the only problem is that they can’t play well together. Why? This team was one of the worst shooting teams in the league last year. With them adding Vets in Beasley, THJ, and Tobias Harris, the young players should have more spacing around them. I also think we see improved shooting from Ivey and Cade this year, and Holland isn’t as raw to me as people make him out to be. This team is going to be competitive this year, and the biggest reason is that I expect them to be closer to a league average shooting team this year.

Bold Prediction: Cade makes all-star team and is fringe all NBA player this year. Cade is so much better than people think he is. The only reason he hasn’t been in all-star talk to far is that he has been on the worst team in the league the past few years. I expect the Pistons to be way better this year, and Cade should average 25-5-5 at a minimum. With open driving lanes and shooters to kick out to off drives, Cade is going to look like the player the Pistons thought they were getting when they picked at 1.

Season Prediction: 11th in the East

Golden State Warriors

Added: Kyle Anderson, Reece Beekman, Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton, Quinten Post

Lost: Usman Garuba, Chris Paul, Jerome Robinson, Dario Saric, Klay Thompson

X-Factor: Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins has not been himself the past two season, as he was dealing with injury as well as the loss of his father. If he can get back to that player from 2022, this warrior’s team could be a real threat in the West.

Bold Prediction: The Warriors trade both Steph Curry and Draymond Green. This is probably the one I believe in the least out of all the bold predictions, but this would be so fun. I don’t even know where they would land, but it would be one of the craziest shake ups of my lifetime.

Season Prediction: 9th in the West, eliminated in the play-in tournament

Houston Rockets

Added: Reed Sheppard

Lost: Reggie Bullock, Boban Marjanovic

X-Factor: Reed Sheppard. This dude is him. He is so good offensively that I think there is a chance he starts over FVV by the end of the season. He isn’t super fast necessarily but he is super quick laterally. He is a lights out shooter off the catch and the dribble, can crate for others, and hustles on both ends. If he is as good as I expect him to be, the Rockets could be a playoff team this year.

Bold Prediction: Ime Udoka wins COY. I really do think they will be a playoff team, in a West that is absolutely loaded. If we see jumps from Sengun, Smith Jr and Green, this team could be the next OKC Thunder. Oh, and just wait until you see what they do in 2025. This team is set up to be very good for a long time.

Season Prediction: 7th in the West, eliminated in the 1st round

Indiana Pacers

Added: Enrique Freeman, Johnny Furphy, Tristen Newton, James Wiseman

Lost: Kendall Brown, Doug McDermott, Jalen Smith

X-Factor: Andrew Nembhard. I watched this dude give the best wing defenders in the league buckets throughout the ECF. There is no way that is just a fluke. He is a silky shooter who can seem to get to his spots on the mid-range whenever he wants. If he can play thought out the year like he did in the playoffs, this team could make it out of the East this time around.

Bold Prediction: Jarace Walker gets packaged with Benedict Mathurin and salary filler to land Jerami Grant. I think Jerami Grant is the player they keep waiting for Mathurin to become, but I don’t think he will ever get there.  To me, he is much closer to a Caris LeVert then he is a Jerami Grant. It hurts to give up Jarace Walker in the deal, but Jerami Grant and Pascal guarding other team’s best perimeter players is right up there with the Knicks new song duo and the Celtics as the best ball stoppers in the league.

Season Prediction: 5th in the East, eliminated in the 1st round

Los Angeles Clippers

Added: Mo Bamba, Nicolas Batum, Cam Christie, Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr, Kevin Porter Jr,

Lost: B.J. Boston Jr, Paul George, Mason Plumlee, Daniel Theis, Russell Westbrook

X-Factor: James Harden. With Kawhi missing time to start this year, you can already tell it’s going to be shaky for him this season. So, that means the Clippers success is entirely dependent on whether James Harden can turn back the clock to 2017 (for those at home trying to do the math, that was 7 years ago. I was a senior in high school for context). I doubt it happens, which is why I have the Clippers missing the playoffs. But if it does, and the Clippers can have Kawhi healthy for a postseason run… I can’t believe I’m about to say this… this team could make some noise in the playoffs.

Bold Prediction: Clippers miss the playoffs and give the number one overall pick to OKC. This is the more likely scenario to me. The lottery balls bounce in such a way that the Clippers give up the 1st pick to the Thunder, who get to add Cooper Flagg to the already insane squad they have. Or maybe they trade that pick with Hartenstein salary to land an even bigger fish. Whatever they do, the point is that the Clippers would be in shambles and failures. Which is why I think that this could actually happen, as the Clippers have been the embarrassing little brother for years now.

Season Prediction: 11th in the West

Los Angeles Lakers

Added: Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, Christian Koloko

Lost: Spencer Dinwiddie, Taurean Prince

X-Factor: JJ Redick. All the Lakers really did to change their rotation is swap Prince for Knecht, a sharpshooter who flourishes off ball but can provide a little bit of creation on ball. Otherwise, this team is the exact same. The only way the Lakers can possibly compete for a title is if JJ Redick is a top 10 coach right out the gate, so the pressure will be on him to prove that he deserves to have his 1st head coaching opportunity be for one of the most prestigious franchises in sports during Lebron’s final seasons. If he can deliver, he will become a legend in LA for life. If he flops, he could never get a coaching opportunity again. But hey, he made podcasts with LeBron, so he must be good, right? All kidding aside, just not being Ham presents a huge upgrade already and I am interested to see what impact he will have.

Bold Prediction:  Lakers finish the season top 5 in 3p percentage and attempts in route to a top 6 seed in the west. This is the impact I think JJ will have. I think we see the Lakers turned into one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the league, which leads to Anthony Davis and LeBron having even more space to attack the rim late in games.

Season Prediction: 6th in the West, eliminated in the 1st round

Memphis Grizzlies

Added: Zach Edey, Yuki Kawamura, Cam Spencer, Jaylen Wells

Lost: Derrick Rose, Yuta Watanabe, Ziaire Williams, Trey Jemison

X-Factor: Health. This team was by far the most injured team last year. I mean, I dare you to try to name every player who appeared in a game for Memphis last year. I must warn you, be prepared to name 33 players. It almost doesn’t sound real. If the Grizzlies are healthy, they are a team to be taken seriously in the West, it’s just that simple.

Bold Prediction: Zach Eddy puts up a double double in year one and wins ROY. This guy is a dog. He got better and better each year he was in college, and already looks better from when the tournament ended to the preseason games he just played. Edey’s post ups and screens will get him easy points, and his size combined with the fact that JJ doesn’t seem to know what a rebound is, he could put up a double double right out the gate.

Season Prediction: 10th in the West, eliminated in the play-in tournament

Miami Heat

Added: Alec Burks, Josh Christopher, Keshad Johnson, Pelle Larsson, Kel’el Ware

Lost: Caleb Martin, Patty Mills, Orlando Robinson, Cole Swider, Delon Wright

X-Factor: Bam Adebayo. A’ja Wilson’s boyfriend plays basketball? Yes, and he’s very very good. I think this is the year we finally see Bam vault himself into the best big man in the league conversations. He is arguably the most versatile defender in the NBA, doing just about anything the Miami Heat ask for him to. He also has shown a willingness to shoot threes as of late, which will pair well with the ever-improving post-game that he has. I think by season’s end, he is no doubt viewed as the best player on this team.

Bold Prediction: Bam finally wins DPOY. Only way this happened to me is if the Heat are a top 6 seed in the East, which I don’t think is entirely out of the question. Bam’s argument is this: he is the best Swiss army knife on defense in the entire NBA. He has been long overdue if you ask me, so I’m hoping this is the year that he finally gets it.

Season Prediction: 8th in the East, eliminated in the 1st round

Milwaukee Bucks

Added: A.J. Johnson, Taurean Prince, Tyler Smith, Gary Trent Jr, Delon Wright

Lost: Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jae Crowder, Danilo Gallinari, TyTy Washington

X-Factor: Andre Jackson Jr. I thought he was going to have a big role last year, as he was a stud in college and the Bucks seemed to have a depth issue. Coming into year 2, I expect we see massive improvement from him. If he can take advantage of the time that Middleton is out, he could become the most important role player on a title contender in the league. He is scrappy on defense and is the ultimate glue guy on offense, which is exactly the thing this Bucks team is needing.

Bold Prediction: Bucks finish regular season as the 1 seed in the East. What can I say. I still believe that when healthy, the Greek Freak is the best player in the league. That combined with a Dame bounce back season, improved depth at the 2-guard spot, and even more youth infusion is why I have the Bucks not only being the 1 seed, but also being the NBA champs.

Season Prediction: 1st in the East, NBA Champions

Minnesota Timberwolves

Added: Rob Dillingham, Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, Joe Ingles, Terrence Shannon Jr

Lost: Karl-Anthony Towns, Kyle Anderson, Jordan McLaughlin, Wendell Moore Jr, Monte Morris, T.J. Warren

X-Factor: Naz Reid/Julius Randle. The Timberwolves made a bet that they can get the KAT production by playing these 2 at the 4 and slightly increasing Naz Reid’s minutes. I’m a huge Randle fan, I think he offers way more versatility than KAT does, even if the shooting is worse. Randle is still respectable from beyond the arc, and if you really need to, you can play Naz Raid at the 4 and get that shooting right back. If these two can not only fill in for one another, but also share the court without being a mess on defense, the sky is the limit for this Wolves team.

Bold Prediction: Timberwolves finish regular season at the 1 seed in the West. This team just has so much depth, they could survive extended injuries to everyone but Ant in my opinion. Ant is such a dog and will set the tone for this team to take all 82 games seriously in an effort to grab the 1 seed.

Season Prediction: 1st in the West, eliminated in the NBA finals

New Orleans Pelicans

Added: B.J. Boston Jr, Javonte Green, Trey Jemison, Yves Missi, Dejounte Murray, Daniel Theis, Antonio Reeves

Lost: Dyson Daniels, E.J. Liddell, Naji Marshall, Larry Nance Jr, Matt Ryan, Jonas Valanciunas, Cody Zeller

X-Factor: The inevitable Brandon Ingram trade. This has to happen, right? They extended Murphy and Jones, and also have a massive gap at center. There are so many centers in the league that could start for the Pelicans, so ultimately, it’s about trying to get a good return for Ingram. If I’m the Nets, I would send Claxton to them in a second and not even think about it.

Bold Prediction: The Pelicans trade Ingram for a center and have one of the best records in the NBA from that point on. This team has so much perimeter talent, of they just could find a center to lock down the paint on defense they could be a title contender. Until then thought, they miss the playoffs to me. Both sides of the ball matter!!!

Season Prediction: 13th in the West

New York Knicks

Added: Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, Pacome Dadiet, Tyler Kolek, Kevin McCullar Jr, Cam Payne

Lost: Julius Randle, Alec Burks, Donte DiVincenzo, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Hartenstein, Shake Milton, DaQuan Jeffries

X-Factor: Depth. Remember last year, when the Knicks lost to the Pacers in 7 games? What was everybody trying to say? “Oh, if it wasn’t for all the injuries, we would have made the ECF and beat Boston!” So what did this team do? They decided to trade it what little depth they had to make an all-in move for KAT, a center who isn’t a rom protector. I don’t see how this works out for the Knicks, especially considering Thibs teams have dealt with plenty of injuries due to all the minutes he plays the starters. I really think this will be a disaster for New York.

Bold Prediction: The Knicks lose in the 1st round. The way I have it, they currently would match up with Boston in the 1st round. I am telling you right now, there is zero chance the Knicks as currently constructed beat the Celtics on a 7 game series. They might make it close, but they will not win.

Season Prediction: 7th in the East, eliminated in the 1st round

Oklahoma City Thunder

Added: Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, Dillon Jones, Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic

Lost: Bismack Biyombo, Josh Giddey, Gordon Hayward, Mike Muscala

X-Factor: Isaiah Hartenstein. If we get Knicks Hartenstein on this team, the rest of the league should be scared. The one flaw with OKC on defense was that you could bully Chet down low should you get the opportunity. If Chet is sharing the court with Hartenstein? Good luck.

Bold Prediction: SGA? More like MVP. To me, I don’t understand how he isn’t the betting favorite. Luka’s Mavs won’t win nearly the number of games as OKC, and Shai is the main catalyst of this team. There is no Kyrie or Dame on this team. This squad is young and should not be as dominant as they are. SGA is going to become a national name this year, if he isn’t one already.

Season Prediction: 2nd in the West, eliminated in the WCF

Orlando Magic

Added: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Tristan Da Silva, Cory Joseph, Mac McClung

Lost: Markelle Fultz, Joe Ingles, Chuma Okeke, Admiral Schofield

X-Factor: KCP. This team needed 3 points shooting desperately, so they went out and signed the best 3-point shooter available in free agency. Not to mention KCP’s defensive ability, which fits in perfectly to the identity this Orlando squad has established. If he can play the role exactly like he did in Denver, he raises the ceiling of what this Magic team could be.

Bold Prediction: Banchero finishes top 3 in MVP voting. I think this year we see Paolo make a leap to being a fringe top 10 NBA player this year. He became more efficient last year compared to his rookie year, and I expect that trend to continue. He is a gifted passer, iso scored, and is pretty damn tough to get past on defense. Banchero is a true superstar in the making.

Season Prediction: 4th in the East, eliminated in the ECSF

Philadelphia 76ers

Added: Paul George, Andre Drummond, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, Eric Gordon, Reggie Jackson, Caleb Martin, Jared McCain, Guerschon Yabusele

Lost: Mo Bamba, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Tobias Harris, Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton, Cam Payne, Paul Reed

X-Factor: The human trade exception, Kenyon Martin Jr. Basically, they signed Kenyon Martin Jr. To an inflated contract because of salary cap rules that allowed them to do so. Now, they can use his contract to acquire a more talented wing player who can make an impact on the title fun. It’s odd, because on one hand, Kenyon Martin Jr. has to be loving how much he’s getting paid, but on the other hand, he knows that he is going to have to move and restart all over again in a few months. I don’t feel much sympathy for him, but it is interesting.

Bold Prediction:  Embiid finally makes an ECF. This is the year. If not now, then when? Every year there is some excuse for him and this team, and this year is the year it finally stops. This team will be healthy entering the playoffs, will actually have real depth, and will feature the best big 3 in the NBA. This is the year for Philly to get past the ECSF.

Season Prediction: 3rd in the East, eliminated in the ECF

Phoenix Suns

Added: Jalen Bridges, Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro, Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, Mason Plumlee, TyTy Washington Jr,

Lost: Drew Eubanks, Eric Gordon, Saben Lee, Nassir Little, David Roddy, Isaiah Thomas, Ish Wainright, Thaddeus Young

X-Factor: The 2024 Suns Rookies. I absolutely loved the Suns rookie class this year, and they should all make an impact right away. Ryan Dunn and Jalen Bridges are legit 3 and D wings who can guard multiple positions and provide enough floor spacing to stay on the court. And Oso Ighodaro is a young, athletic, versatile center, something this team is lacking unless you count Bol Bol (it’s okay Bol Bol, I still love you, just ignore that last part).

Bold Prediction: Bradley Beal gets benched at some point this season so he can run the bench unit. I think ultimately, they will find that this is the only way this will work, as they need to find a way to stagger the minutes of their big 3. Beal could be great off the bench.. or he could throw a hissy fit and tank this team with poor chemistry. I really want it to work out in Phoenix this year, but ultimately, I think this thing is going down in flames.

Season Prediction: 8th in the West, eliminated in the 1st round

Portland Trail Blazers

Added: Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, Bryce McGowens

Lost: Malcom Brogdon, Moses Brown

X-Factor: Scoot Henderson’s development. Can we something from Scoot? Like anything? It scared me when I saw him pull up to Summer League to play at top golf with the Summer League team, but did not actually participate in the basketball games. Hey, I don’t know shit about making it in the NBA, so maybe he has it all figured out. But Brandon Miller, who had a much better rookie year, showed up. So did Cam Whitmore, the Summer League MVP the year prior. If Scoot doesn’t show flashes this year, this Portland team may be set back for the next 3-5 years. I hope for his sake that he can turn it around.

Bold Prediction: Trail Blazers finish with worst record in the West. This team is so clunky, I think there is going to be bad chemistry due to all the young players competing for playing time. Between that and the fact that Portland will want to tank for Cooper Flagg, I really think this team is the worst in the West.

Season Prediction: 15th in the West

Sacramento Kings

Added: Devin Carter, DeMar DeRozan, Doug McDermott, Jordan McLaughlin, Orlando Robinson

Lost: Harrison Barnes, Chris Duarte, Kessler Edwardds, JaVale McGee, Davion Mitchell, Sasha Vezenkov

X-Factor: Keon Ellis. Who? I understand if that’s what you thought while reading this, because I wasn’t aware of this guy entering last season. Keon is the perfect 2 guard to pair with Fox, as he is a good player off the ball and picks up the opposing teams best guards on the other end. They drafted a replacement for him in Devin Carter, so I know Ellis is hungry to prove he belongs. He is the best perimeter defender on this team and will be a crucial part of the Kings success.

Bold Prediction: The Kings finish with the number one offense in the NBA. Fox, DeRozan, and Sabonis are three dudes who can create their own shot, but also don’t mind playing team basketball. I think the key to this prediction is 3-point shooting. I am assuming since these 3 guys prefer mid-range, that they will all know how important it is to space the floor. If they can do so, this Kings team is super dangerous.

Season Prediction: 5th in the West, eliminated in the WCSF

San Antonio Spurs

Added: Harrison Barnes, Chris Paul, Stephon Castle, Harrison Ingram

Lost: Devonte’ Graham, Cedi Osman

X-Factor: Victor Wembanyama. I know, I’m such a big fucking brainiac for this one. But really though, similar to Trae Young in Atlanta, this team will go as far as Wemby. They have an exciting mix of young players and established veterans around him, so the path is technically there. I still think it’s a year away from postseason, but it doesn’t mean we won’t see some of the most insane plays of all time.

Bold Prediction: Victor Wembanyama makes All NBA despite his team not making the playoffs. If Embiid could play enough games, there is no chance I make this prediction. However, since I know he won’t make the games played requirements, all he really needs to do is beat out Bam, KAT, and Sabonis, which should be easy. The whole league better realize this is their last chance before he is the best player in basketball for the next 15 years.

Season Prediction: 12th in the West

Toronto Raptors

Added: Ulrich Chomche, Bruno Fernando, Davion Mitchell, Jonathan Mogbo, Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter

Lost: Jalen McDaniels, Jordan Nwora, Gary Trent Jr

X-Factor:  Idek wtf is going on here. I tried to come up with something, but this team is the definition of irrelevant. For starters, they play in Canada. But this team also has no direction, has no player with a top 10 upside, and has committed lots of money to these players despite no results. This team is sad, and I will be watching them solely to try to see if there are any players worth building around. Right now, my answer is no.

Bold Prediction: Raptors finish with the worst record in the East. This team should tank. I pray they tank. If they try to make a run at the play in, I will go insane. Just lose, play the young guys, and call it a successful season.

Season Prediction: 12th in the East

Utah Jazz

Added: Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier, Drew Eubanks, Kyle Flipowski, Patty Mills, Svi Mykhailiuck

Lost: Darius Bazley, Kris Dunn, Talen Horton-Tucker, Kira Lewis Jr, Kenny Lofton Jr, Omer Yurtseven

X-Factor: Lauri Markkanen. He to me could be the 2nd best player on a title contender. Number 1 though? Hard disagree, so it’ll be interesting to see what the Jazz do with him. They just signed him to an extension, which implies they plan to keep him, but they have a super young team, which means they won’t be competitive any time soon. Bro is going to get paid, get buckets, lose games and chill. Sounds like a vibe honestly.

Bold Prediction: Keyonte George wins MIP. I was a big fan of Keynote after seeing the flashes throughout Summer League and his rookie year. This dude is a bucket, trust me, I don’t care what his percentages were. He’s starting to develop a sense for playmaking also, which is huge considering he at best would be number 2 option on this team. I think he is going to have a breakout year, becoming the first Jazz to win MIP since… oh yeah, Lauri.

Season Prediction: 14th in the West

Washington Wizards

Added: Saddiq Bey, Malcolm Brogdon, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, Jonas Valanciunas

Lost: Deni Avdija, Tyus Jones, Landry Shamet

X-Factor: winning vs development. I think they could easily tank this year and become the worst team in the league. I also think they could decide to play more vets, and actually have a real shot at competing for a play in spot. What’s best for the franchise long term? I’m not too sure, and that will be the challenge for the Wizards this season.

Bold Prediction: Wizards make the play in. They e got some solid pros, some up and coming young guys, and Brian Keefe seems like a solid coach. Plus, what other teams in the East of the bottom 7 are you super confident will make the play in? Exactly.

Season Prediction: 10th in the East, eliminated in the play in tournament

Awards and Finals Prediction

MVP: SGA

ROY: Zach Eddy

6MOY: Malik Monk

MIP: Franz Wagner

COY: Ime Udoka

ECF: 76ers vs Bucks

WCF: Timberwolves vs Thunder

NBA finals: Bucks over Timberwolves 

All NBA teams:

1st team: SGA, Giannis, Jokic, ANT, Luka

2nd team: Tatum, LeBron, Brunson, Dame, AD

3rd team: Wemby, Jaylen Brown, Paolo, Donovan Mitchell, Haliburton

NBA Standings

West

1. Timberwolves
2. Thunder
3. Mavericks
4. Nuggets
5. Kings
6. Lakers
7. Rockets
8. Suns
9. Warriors
10. Grizzlies
11. Clippers
12. Spurs
13. Pelicans
14. Jazz
15. Trail Blazers

East

1. Bucks
2. Celtics
3. 76ers
4. Magic
5. Pacers
6. Cavs
7. Knicks
8. Heat
9. Hawks
10. Wizards
11. Pistons
12. Raptors
13. Hornets
14. Nets
15. Bulls