Josh Giddey’s fit with the Oklahoma City Thunder – and whether his future belongs at the franchise – has become a talking point in the NBA this season.
The Thunder have surged to the top of the West standings behind the rise of superstar MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and emergence of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren as arguably the NBA’s most exciting young core that arrived ahead of its time.
Though Mark Daigneault’s side looks every bit a contender, there’s a view it’s still a move or two away from away from being a true playoff threat against some of the league’s most experienced teams.
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Giddey, taking more of a back seat this season while the aforementioned Gilgeous-Alexander-Williams-Holmgren trio have blossomed as the clear foundation the team will build around moving forward, has posed a question of whether the Aussie could at some stage be traded.
Josh Giddey’s fit with the Oklahoma City Thunder – and whether his future belongs at the franchise – has become a talking point in the NBA this season. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
“Before the social-media accusations that Giddey had an improper relationship with a minor, other front offices were beginning to pinpoint Giddey as a quiet trade possibility, this being his third season without improving into a viable 3-point shooter next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander,” Fischer wrote.
Though it couldn’t be ruled out (this is the NBA, of course), a Giddey trade before the February 9 trade deadline (all times AEDT) feels unlikely. There’s always a groundswell of rumours surrounding a big name – including teams interested – before they’re moved, and that’s yet to materialise despite some noise.
Plus, the league is yet to conclude its probe into the Giddey off-court allegations despite the California police not making any charges. Until the case is closed, it’s hard to see another team acquiring him, and it inherently lowers Giddey’s trade value.
OKC however has a bigger picture call to make soon.
Giddey, 21, in his third NBA campaign, is eligible for a contract extension next off-season, while he can become a free agent in 2025.
With that would clearly come a bigger payday from his current deal, which is why the Thunder must now decide if they’re married to Giddey long-term, or if a different piece makes more sense.
There’s two ways to look at it.
For one, the Thunder have invested a lot into Giddey including taking him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
He was given every opportunity in his first two seasons on a rebuilding OKC side, featuring prominently alongside Gilgeous-Alexander in the backcourt in what felt like a long-term pairing.
It resulted in the Aussie playmaker exceeding expectations, producing some incredible performances where he broke several records as one of the most well-rounded and versatile guards – standing 6-foot-8 – to come into the NBA.
If Giddey was capable of such displays at just 19 and 20 years of age, the sky was the ceiling for the young gun. And so the idea of moving a player with so much potential feels crazy and one the Thunder could seriously regret.
Giddey in action (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
But the NBA moves fast … very fast.
In year three, not only has Giddey struggled to really evolve his game – in particular the outside shot (averaging 0.9 threes at 33 per cent efficiency) – his numbers have in fact gone backwards in his worst season yet despite the team’s rise.
He’s currently averaging career-lows in points per game (11.5), rebounds (4.8), assists (4.6) and minutes (24.8), with Daigneault at times opting to play other players ahead of him down the stretch of games.
Given Gilgeous-Alexander is such a ball-dominant player – and demands such high usage as one of the most unstoppable offensive players in the game – Giddey’s inability to develop his outside stroke has made the pair’s fit clunky.
If that can’t improve, it’s hard to see how Giddey would be a worthwhile investment for the Thunder long term. That aside, Giddey also hasn’t been efficient enough or as aggressive as he could be with the ball and has at times appeared to lack confidence.
And while Williams and Holmgren have seamlessly stepped into larger roles and made meaningful contributions to OKC winning games, Giddey has sort of gotten lost in the mix.
In Giddey’s first couple of seasons, the Thunder were prepared for growing pains, with player development a clear priority. But OKC is now in win-now mode, already has its superstar centrepiece in Gilgeous-Alexander and would be looking to surround him with the right pieces to help it win a championship.
It crucially comes with the backdrop of the franchise sitting on an unprecedented mountain of draft picks it could cash in on at any moment when it thinks the team is ready to compete title, and when the right star becomes available. There’s frankly never been a team this good, this soon, with so many draft assets to utilise.
General manager Sam Presti has been happy to play the waiting game and let the Thunder’s exciting young core continue to gel together, with the current iteration still yet to make the playoffs.
Suddenly though, the urgency levels have risen considerably for Presti to make a move.
Is the Giddey-Gilgeous-Alexander pairing viable long-term? (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
“The fit of Josh Giddey is a frequent topic of conversation around the league,” Yahoo Sports journalist Ben Rohrbach wrote.
“He is a 6-foot-8 playmaker, and those do not grow on trees, but he is not a 3-and-D wing (although his 3-point accuracy and defence are improving). There are deals to be made that could benefit both the team trading for Giddey and the Thunder, who can package the 21-year-old with however many first-round draft picks it takes to improve.”
Suggesting Giddey mightn’t belong on a budding Thunder team ready to compete isn’t a knock on him or his game, it’s more about ensuring he’s in the best possible place to flourish, and ultimately, what’s best for his career.
And while Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren are all clearly untouchables, Giddey is the one OKC could be prepared to dangle – along with its draft capital – that would clearly intrigue other teams looking to add long-term assets.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor argued it’d be in both Giddey and the Thunder’s best interests for a trade, suggesting the team should move the Aussie for a big.
“Giddey is the trade piece. Simple as that. They have to trade Giddey for a big. They need a big next to Chet Holmgren in the front court,” O’Connor told The Mismatch podcast in November.
“I like Giddey a lot. It’s nothing against him individually as a player. It’s about the greater good of the team and probably the greater good for the team too. It’s not a great fit for him.
“It’s year three (for Giddey), that contract extension is coming up very, very soon for Giddey. I don’t think the fit is great and I worry about his jump shot.
“Sometimes to win championships you’ve got to move pieces that you love for pieces that make more sense for you and then you fall in love with those pieces too. That’s what team building is.
“I think with Giddey he’s a great young player who is going to have a long, successful career but it might not be in Oklahoma City.
“If they did make him available they could probably get something really, really good in return that makes more sense next to SGA and Chet.”
Giddey’s Thunder blow through Pelicans | 00:58
So even if a move isn’t imminent, which teams could be surveying the situation?
The San Antonio Spurs could be an ideal fit given the franchise’s need for an upgrade at point guard, having experimented with Jeremy Sochan in the role this season. Giddey could be a nice running partner for Victor Wembanyama to put the French phenom in the better spots and maximise the team’s size, plus the Aussie fits the teams rebuilding timeline.
The New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz are also in need of a true playmaker, and though Giddey clearly isn’t on the same level as James Harden, we’ve seen the impact a true floor general can have on a team with the 10-time All-Star’s move to the LA Clippers.
The Chicago Bulls are another potential team to watch as they weigh up which direction they take. Having under achieved in recent years, the Bulls appear to be open for a shake-up – Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are reportedly on the trade table, and even Nikola Vucevic, who’d appeal to the Thunder to shore up their big man stocks, could be on the table.
Given some believe the Thunder should target Nets big man Nic Claxton, Brooklyn, one of many teams on trade watch, also naturally becomes a potential landing spot. That would see Giddey join forces with fellow Aussie Ben Simmons (though that feels like a clunky pairing).
Other rebuilding teams in development mode like the Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons could be on the radar considering they’d immediately put Giddey in a larger role and give him a bigger opportunity to shine.
Ultimately, you’d expect the Thunder wait it out on the trade front and see how far this team can go this season before rushing into any Giddey move, even if it seems to makes sense right now.
Though the goalposts have shifted on the team’s timeline, Presti, one of the NBA’s most shrewd general managers, wouldn’t make a big move unless it was clearly the right one for the team’s direction. The same goes for the Thunder trading away their surplus of picks.
Again, this is the NBA though, and stranger things have happened.
As we reach the quarter-way mark of the NBA season, it’s the perfect time to hit the pause button and reflect on how all 30 teams have fared.
It’s been a campaign filled with epic match-ups, big breakouts, incredible superstar performances, drama and entertainment including the league’s inaugural In-Season Tournament, while a host of shock contenders have emerged and others have endured a tumultuous start.
Taking into account the expectations for every team, their front office decision-making and generally what each franchise is hoping to achieve this season, here’s how we’ve graded the entire league through the first quarter.
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Grades for all 30 teams at the quarter-way mark of the season.Source: FOX SPORTS
ATLANTA HAWKS (9-13) — C-
Contending for a Play-In spot and hovering around .500, the Hawks are pretty well on pace to what most expected, if not slightly underwhelming. One thing’s clear — Quin Snyder’s team is just a middle of the road team and not a contender to come out of the East as constructed. Atlanta will at least score a ton, however is ranked among the worst teams defensively. And what’s the splash move they can make without breaking up Trae Young and Dejounte Murray? Jalen Johnson was enjoying a breakout season prior to getting struck down with injury in an untimely setback for both the third-year forward and Hawks at large.
BOSTON CELTICS (16-5) — A+
The clear frontrunner in the title race. It’s been a hot start to the season for a Celtics powerhouse that has gotten even stronger after the additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis — even if their true worth will be determined at the business end of the season – to boast the clear best starting five in the NBA. The early signs couldn’t be much better, with Porzingis in particular helping take Joe Mazulla’s team to another level at both ends of the floor as a rim protecting shot blocker and floor stretching five. Boston has the best record in the league, No. 4 defensive rating and No. 7 offensive rating. Full marks.
BROOKLYN NETS (12-10) – C+
Despite arguably battling the worst injury toll of any side in the league, the Nets sit just a game behind the sixth-seeded Cavaliers, and when healthy, have shown they can be a real handful. It’s largely been built around Brooklyn’s high-octane offence – ranked eighth in the league – as Cam Thomas has shined in a bigger role and Mikal Bridges has flourished as the true leader of the team. Ben Simmons’ ongoing back issue is however getting alarming. The Aussie could help the Nets improve offensively to give them a more well-rounded game. But when, or if, Simmons returns remains very much up in the air.
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CHARLOTTE HORNETS (7-14) – D+
Yes, the Hornets sit third-last in the East, but there’s a few things to factor in, largely their injury situation. Charlotte was without Miles Bridges for the first 10 games due to his suspension, while Terry Rozier also missed a key stretch. Since the aforementioned duo returned, LaMelo Ball suffered a nasty ankle injury, so we haven’t gotten a proper look at this Hornets team as constructed at full strength — a core that had the potential to contend for a Play-In spot. In saying all this, the Hornets have been a mess on the defensive end and have the fifth-worst net rating in the league, so they have a ways to improve, and injuries can’t be solely to blame for a team with the longest active playoff drought in the league dating back to 2016.
CHICAGO BULLS (9-15) – D
Are the Bulls … better without Zach LaVine? After a really grim start to the season, Chicago has curiously improved to 4-1 since LaVine was struck down with injury … time for a trade? You’d think Chicago has to pull the trigger on a move for either (or a collection of) LaVine, DeMar DeRozan or Nikola Vucevic at some stage to bring in long-term assets and continue to expose the likes of Coby White and Patrick Williams to bigger roles, as they have in recent times. Because what they have right now is the profile of a near enough lottery team despite being built to win now, so it desperately needs a reboot as the franchise arguably in the worst position of any. A big few months ahead for the front office.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-10) – C+
The Cavaliers have been simply solid this season. But for whatever reason, something has been off, while they haven’t had the same spark as last campaign and continue to struggle offensively. As good as Donovan Mitchell has been, just about every other Cleveland player bar Max Strus has struggled to take a step forward … plus is the Jarrett Allen/Evan Mobley froncourt viable long term? A team that was considered to be on the rise with a ton of potential has underwhelmed, even if its 13-10 record is far from disappointing. It comes in a particular crucial period with the franchise hoping to convince Mitchell to re-sign.
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DALLAS MAVERICKS (14-8) – B
Another team that has probably surpassed expectations, sitting fourth in the West as an offensive powerhouse, even if the Mavs have struggled defensively. Luka Doncic has done Luka Doncic things, but beyond the Slovenian superstar and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs lack consistent production from the rest of their squad and have really struggled on the defensive end — even with exciting rookie Derek Lively providing a real presence as a centre. And how much do we trust Irving to stay healthy and/or to not act up? It’s been an overall positive season, but until they fix their defensive issues, Jason Kidd’s side can’t be considered a true contender to come out of the West.
DENVER NUGGETS (15-9) – A-
The defending champs are in cruise control, though Nikoka Jokic has somehow gotten better to really cement himself as the consensus best player in the league/world. With Jokic running the show in the Mile High City, it’ll always be a dominant force, but they’ve at times been too reliant on him, particularly when Jamal Murray was sidelined despite Reggie Jackson stepping up in a starting role. Of course, prioritising health and peaking come May and June is the prime concern for Mike Malone’s squad as opposed to regular season wins and finishing as high as possible, with things ticking along just fine despite a recent three-game skid and some question marks about their bench and depth as a whole following the departures of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green.
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DETROIT PISTONS (2-21) – F
A season from hell. Things can’t get much worse than what they are right now for the Pistons … can they? They’ve dropped a franchise record 20 games on the trot and have a league-worst 2-21 record. Monty Williams is constantly changing the line-up in hopes of finding a spark – but that in itself has been a problem as nothing has felt settled or stable. The sporadicness of Jaden Ivey – both the guard’s form and how he’s being used by Williams – has personified the team’s struggles. And while Bojan Bogdanovic recently returned to give them some veteran leadership, it’ll take more than that to turn things around.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (10-12) – D+
Is the dynasty Warriors era finally over? It certainly appears to be amid a rough stretch with just four wins from their last 14 outings. Steph Curry is doing everything he possibly can right now, but where’s the help? And what would happen if he got injured? Veterans Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have underperformed and Chris Paul already suffered his first injury setback, while Andrew Wiggins looks a shadow of the star that helped guide the team to the 2022 championship. Meanwhile Jonathan Kuminga has struggled to evolve into the player the team would’ve hoped for, and their other youngsters don’t appear capable to take on bigger roles – or at least Steve Kerr hasn’t been willing to give it to them – so there’s more issues than answers right now. A shake-up could be coming, either to the rotation or via trade.
HOUSTON ROCKETS (11-9) – B+
There’s been some hiccups along the way, but it’s been an overall promising season for the West’s seven seed. Ime Udoka has brought an intensity, defensive focus (ranked second in the NBA) and professionalism to the team we haven’t seen in years — boosted by the additions of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks as well as Alperen Sengun taking his game to another level. Some cracks started to appear over the last month or so and it felt like things could fall apart, but the Rockets have since steadied the ship in signs of genuine maturation. Houston does need to replicate its home form on the road, with just one away win so far (over reigning champ Denver), but there’s so much to like overall at the moment.
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INDIANA PACERS (13-8) – A
That In-Season tournament run felt massive including taking down Eastern Conference powerhouses Boston and Milwaukee en route to the championship game. Even if they didn’t raise the trophy, the Pacers would’ve gained a ton of confidence and respect. Plus, not only did it give Indiana playoff-like atmosphere experience against some of the best teams in the league, it was the coming out of a superstar in Tyrese Haliburton under the bright lights. Can we finally admit the Pacers won the Sabonis trade? There’s simply a ton of excitement surrounding Indiana right now as one of the most fun teams to watch and best stories of the first quarter of the season that current sits fifth in the East. It’s largely been because of the Pacers’ potent No. 1 rated offence, though they’ve leaked points on the other end.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (12-1o) – B-
Should the league be officially on notice? The Clippers are two games above .500 after winning nine of their last 12. The slow start in the James Harden era is a thing of the past as Tyrone Lu’s side is figuring things out and looking a genuine threat with a new starting line-up after Russell Westbrook’s move to the bench. We’re also seeing all of their big three, Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, playing well in the same games more consistently, while the Clippers have the NBA’s No. 8 defensive rating and No. 8 net rating. It comes in a crucial season for the franchise, having gone all-in with this roster ahead of the opening of its new stadium next year. You still can’t help but think, as quickly as things have come together, they could again fall apart, with the health of their injury-prone stars key.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS (14-9) – A-
They have to get extra marks for winning the In-Season Tournament, even if it ultimately counts for nothing from a bigger picture perspective. It’s otherwise been a similar-looking Lakers to last season — a robust defence but lacklustre offence and need for more consistent scoring alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, with Austin Reaves struggling to step up in a bigger role and having more success as a sixth man. Through it all, LA is still 14-9 and getting close to full strength, with the likes of Jared Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent missing key time, while Cam Reddish has been a solid addition. The evergreen and soon-to-be 39-year old James is ageing like a fine wine and doing straight up freakish things at his age. Between James and Davis, who’s having one of his best defensive seasons, this team will always be a threat, plus you sense this Lakers team has room to grow with more continuity and could go on a run at some stage like last season.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (6-16) – D-
Operation keep their head above water until Ja Morant returns next week has been a fail for the Grizzlies, who’s also been without Marcus Smart and lost Steven Adams on the eve of the season to leave a bunch of key voids. Tyus Jones’ departure also can’t be understated as a guy who knew their system so well and how to run it whenever Morant was out. With that in mind, you can’t be too harsh on Taylor Jenkins’ crew. Morant will clearly provide a much-needed boost on the offensive end, but they also can’t expect him to return and magically solve all their problems. Not many lesser Memphis players have otherwise really stepped up with extra responsibilities, while Jackson Jr. hasn’t looked like the same defender without Adams there. The Griz have at least showed better signs in recent times to creep closer to having a somewhat respectful record and look capable of turning around its season with Morant and Smart back in the fold.
MIAMI HEAT (13-10) – B
You can be glass half full or half empty on the Heat depending on what your expectations are. But never sleep on Erik Spoelstra and company — and this season has proven no different despite Miami being without Tyler Herro for a key chunk of the season (though it’s becoming increasingly hard to trust the team to ever be consistently healthy). Miami just finds useful pieces to surround Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo with including draftee Jaime Jaquez Jr., while Duncan Robinson has enjoyed a bounce back season and the returning Josh Richardson has been a useful addition. There’s still a few question marks, with the Heat rated average on both ends of the floor amid a stretch of five losses from their last eight, but they’re in a good spot when Herro and now Adebayo return from injury all things considered.
Silver breaks silence on Giddey drama | 00:43
MILWAUKEE BUCKS (16-7) – A-
It’s all kind of just going according to script for any team that lands a superstar in the off-season. Sure, the Bucks still have to improve significantly to just become an OK defensive team as they adjust to life with Damian Lillard. But through what’s felt like a slow start to the season under new coach Adrian Griffin, Milwaukee sits equal second in Eastern Conference and just a game behind Boston with the equal-third best record in the entire league. Not only are the Bucks figuring out how to best integrate Lillard with the rest of the team — most importantly, alongside star teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo — as well as other new pieces, but Khris Middleton is still (very slowly) being ramped up to full minutes. Reports of locker room drama involving Bobby Portis and Griffin is also a worry so early in the campaign. In some ways, all the apparent concerns make their .696 winning percentage even more impressive, but it’s very much is championship or bust season in Milwaukee, so expectations are rightfully high.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (17-5) – A+
Ticks all around for the team with the fourth-best net rating in the league. Seemingly the most improved team in the NBA this season, or at least, the team that’s made the jump from a playoff side to a true contender. Indeed, what the Timberwolves are doing feels real, built around the league’s No. 1 ranked defence led by Rudy Gobert getting back to some of his best form at that end of the floor. Minnesota has elite size otherwise that’s really worried opposition teams, while Karl-Anthony Towns is playing at a high level to function effectively alongside Gobert in the frontcourt, while Anthony Edwards just keeps getting better and better. And all of this despite Jaden McDaniels only appearing in roughly half their games due to injury.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (13-11) – B-
Are they good or not? The opinion on this team seems to flip-flop quicker than any either — and the Pelicans are an enigma of sorts. But when they’ve been at full strength, there’s an argument the Pelicans can compete with anyone in the Western Conference. The Pels have in recent times shown what they can do with all their pieces on the court together including winning seven of their last 11 games. Willie Green’s side has weapons at both ends of the floor and is deep, while Zion Williamson has looked fantastic at times despite some queries around his overall professionalism and commitment to his craft. Though a blowout loss at the hands of the red-hot Lakers in the In-Season Tournament semis was a misstep, there’s reason to be bullish about how far New Orleans could go this season if things click.
NEW YORK KNICKS (13-9) – B
It’s been a solid, but unspectacular start to the season for the Knicks, who have struggled against the best teams but are rated top 10 in all three of offensive, defensive and net rating. Despite this, New York still appears to be a move away from being a true contender that’s capable of hanging with the likes of Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia out East. Mitch Robinson being ruled out for at least the next two months after ankle surgery is clearly a big blow, while the wing/guard rotation feels crowded after New York brought in Donte DiVincenzo. Quintin Grimes even expressed frustration over his role given so much of the team’s offence is predicated around Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett. How far can a team go that leans so heavily on those three on the offensive end?
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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (15-7) – A+
The rebuild couldn’t be going much better. In fact, could the Thunder be sneaky contenders in the West? They’ve exceeded expectations this season to surge ahead of their time as the third-youngest team in the NBA. OKC is the only team in the NBA with a top six offensive and defensive rating, while it’s third in net rating. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a legit MVP contender, Chet Holmgren has been Rookie of the Year good to provide another dimension to Mark Daigneault’s squad and Jalen Williams has taken a leap forward in his second season. Plus, whoever Daigneault puts on the court, which can at times be fluid, always competes hard and buys in on the defensive end. All of this with a mountain of draft picks at their disposal to further upgrade their roster, there’s perhaps no team better positioned overall. The only real negative has been Josh Giddey’s underwhelming form on the court — not helped by the off-court investigation — as the Aussie struggles to find his role in an altered system.
ORLANDO MAGIC (16-7) – A+
The unexpected dark horse in the Eastern Conference behind it’s No. 2 rated defence and budding young guns. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are blossoming into stars, leading a team with killer instinct that’s taken several big scalps including the Nuggets and Celtics – arguably the best two teams in the NBA. It’s been all the more impressive considering Marklette Fultz has been limited to only five games due to an ongoing knee injury, though the guard’s absence has at least opened up more opportunities for the likes of Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony to really take their games to the next level. Meanwhile Joe Ingles has added an invaluable veteran presence off the bench.
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PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (15-7) – A
You’ve got to respect the way the Sixers consistently remain in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference, particularly after overcoming the James Harden drama that was. With Joel Embiid leading the charge in another MVP-calibre season and Tyrese Maxey emerging as a superstar, anything feels possible with these Nick Nurse-led Sixers. A faster-paced offence (ranked second in the NBA) and still rock solid defence (ranked ninth) under Nurse’s system has so far equated to the best net rating in the league. Veterans Nicholas Batum and Robert Covington have meanwhile been valuable additions on the wing from the Harden trade and provided better depth — plus Philly has a bounty of draft picks it can use to further bolster its roster. Should again be one of the key contenders to come out of the East, if not go a step further.
PHOENIX SUNS (12-10) – B-
It’s hard to get a proper read on Frank Vogel’s Suns given their new big three is still yet to share the court together this season. That was set to change this week with Bradley Beal’s imminent return, but now Kevin Durant is out, so the trio staying healthy will always be a concern. But Beal’s absence doesn’t completely let Phoenix off for a near .500 start given the franchise has gone all-in on a title with this roster, particularly given the defensive concerns have so far been validated. While it hasn’t been all smooth sailing, the Suns have still managed to stay in touch with the top teams in the Western Conference and shown they can compete with anyone. Though Durant has wound back the clock, this team will go as far as Devin Booker takes it in a new point guard role, while their role players have stepped up to fill voids.
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PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (6-16) – D+
To no great surprise, it’s been tough goings for the new-look Blazers this season as they move into rebuild mode after trading away Damian Lillard – but still have a blend of veterans in key roles. That slow start has been exasperated by Anferne Simons being sidelined for most of the season to date due to injury, while a host of other key names have also missed time. Portland has actually been solid on the defensive end, however is ranked second-last offensively in an area Simons will improve it. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before Scoot Henderson is handed the keys as the starting point guard role, with the Pick 3 draftee, Simons and Shaedon Sharpe the future of this franchise.
SACRAMENTO KINGS (13-8) – B+
After a slow start to the season, the still heavily offensive-focused Kings have gotten a roll in recent times with five wins from their last seven to make a charge in the Western Conference standings. De’Aaron Fox just keeps getting better and better, in the best form of his career and playing at an MVP level with a much-improved three-point stroke, while Malik Monk might be the most underrated player in the NBA as a sneaky Sixth Man of the Year candidate. The issues on the defensive end remain a problem though and have halted Sacramento from making the jump from being a fun – but potent – team last season to a legit West contender to be taken more seriously.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (3-19) – D-
Expectations recalibrated. A team some thought was capable of making a run for the Play-In with the addition of Victor Wembanyama has been a mile off and is in contention for having the worst record in the league. They’ve dropped a franchise record 17 straight games and … well, look like a young team still figuring things out and their identity as a whole. The Spurs have been a mess at both ends of the floor – rankled dead last offensively and sixth-last defensively for the league’s worst overall net rating. The Jeremy Sochan point guard experiment has been abandoned, and right now, outside of Wembanyama, there’s not a heap to be bullish about on the roster for the future (though Wembanyama might be more than enough). But again, this is a team that was always going to suffer from some type of growing pains and can at least say they planned for such pain by committing to a rebuild — even if they weren’t expected to be this bad. Hard to give a team a fail that just landed a generational talent, who’s looked as a good as advertised.
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TORONTO RAPTORS (9-14) – C-
A contender for most confusing team in the NBA in terms of what it’s trying to accomplish, currently sitting outside the Play-In qualification. The Raptors have dropped four in a row amid struggles at both ends of the floor under new coach Darko Rajaković. If they can’t get things together soon, a trade involving Pascal Siakam and/or OG Anunoby by the deadline seems likely given both can become free agents at the end of the season. It very much feels like Scottie Barnes’ team now in a brilliant third season from the forward as the franchise cornerstone they should build around, while every other Raptor feels expandable.
UTAH JAZZ (7-16) – D
How long until the Jazz commit to all-out rebuild mode? Despite having a surplus of draft picks from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades, Utah has attempted to regenerate its roster on the run and stay competitive in the always loaded West — evident by its off-season move for John Collins. However the team has really struggled this season compared to last. While the absence of Lauri Markannen in recent times hasn’t helped and Walker Kessler has also missed a key chunk of the season, the Jazz have dropped five of their last six games and are plummeting quickly in the West standings in campaign getting away from it. Given Utah owes OKC a top-10 protected pick, don’t be surprised if Will Hardy shakes things up soon and puts his younger players into bigger roles, while the Jazz could also be sellers ahead of the trade deadline to ensure the franchise takes something away from this season.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS (3-19) – F
It’s been bad. The Wizards have just one win from their last 15 games to remain anchored in a bottom two seed with Detroit in the East. While it’s been by design after Washington off-loaded Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis in the off-season for long-term assets, there hasn’t been much get excited about by the way of young players impressing. And so there’s not many positive takeaways for this season outside of the Wizards potentially ending up with a top draft pick. This year’s Pick 7 Bilal Coulibaly figures to move into a bigger role as the season goes on, while Washington’s other high-end draftees look like misses that haven’t warranted increased opportunities. Jordan Poole has been a big disappointment, while the ex-Warrior and/or Tyus Jones could find themselves in another jersey by the deadline.
What are the Power Rankings? This is our attempt to rank every NBA team from best to worst. We take wins and losses into account, but also the quality of opposition faced and whether teams are likely to get healthier or improve going forward. It’s a little bit ‘who’s hot and who’s not’; part predictive, part analysis of what’s happened. If Team A is above Team B, we’d probably tip A to beat B at a neutral venue.
Every NBA team analysed in our Power Rankings.Source: FOX SPORTS
1. BOSTON CELTICS (14-4)
Who else but? Continuing on from last campaign’s dominant regular season, the Celtics appear to have gotten even stronger with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Integrating such key pieces to a rotation can take time for teams to adjust, but not Boston, having posted a top eight offensive rating and top three defensive rating. Still undefeated at home, the Celtics’ +9.6 point differential is the best in the league. Not only do they have top-line stars, most notably Jayson Tatum, who’s having another MVP-calibre season, but Joe Mazulla’s rotation is arguably the deepest and most talented in the NBA. It’ll help them mitigate injuries (provided they don’t come at the business end of the season). Can anyone stop them? The clear best team in the league right now.
2. DENVER NUGGETS (13-6)
The reigning champs have been in cruise control in the early parts of the season, while Jamal Murray has been limited to eight games due to a hamstring injury … yet they still sit second in the West standings at 13-6 and have a top 10 offensive and defensive rating. It included a particularly strong start to the season before the Nuggets hit a lean patch, dropping four of five games as their less experience and depth compared to last season showed. But a road win over the Clippers on the second half of a back-to-back without Murray, Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon displayed championship DNA at its finest and would build huge belief in the second unit and team as a whole. Jokic remains out-of-this-world good as the current frontrunner for the MVP in what’d be his third overall. Oh and they’re also the only other team still unbeaten at home.
‘Wait a minute!’ Smith blasts ‘idiots’ | 02:01
3. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (13-4)
One of the big surprise packages so far, Minnesota is emerging as a legitimate contender before our eyes. In fact, it’s the Wolves we thought we were getting last season after three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner Rudy Gobert joined the team, as his twin tower frontcourt pairing with Karl Anthony-Towns is starting to flourish. Sitting first in the West with the best defensive rating in the entire NBA – built around Gobert, and great size and flexibility that’s really troubled opposition – the Wolves have taken the leap into the top tier of teams. Then there’s the Anthony Edwards piece, with the star guard evolving into a MVP-level superstar that plays both ends of the floor and has a certain dog and killer instinct about him that reminds you of some of the game’s all-time greats.
4. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (13-5)
The new-look Bucks are starting to figure things out – and that’s a scary prospect for the rest of the NBA. After a slow start, Milwaukee has won eight of its last nine games and is beginning to live up to the hype after recruiting Damian Lillard to join forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo and create one of the most dominant one-two offensive punches in the NBA. Though the Bucks have the fourth-best offence in the league, there’s still issues at the other end of the floor, with a bottom 10 defensive rating. Brook Lopez is starting to rediscover his dominant defensive form from last season, but misses having Jrue Holiday out on the perimeter, while Khris Middleton is still ramping up to full health after off-season knee surgery. If they can make improvements on the defensive end to at least be middle of the road, the Nuggets showed last season you don’t necessarily need to have an elite defence to win it all. Could they simply score their way to a title?
5. PHILADLEPHIA 76ERS (12-6)
Couldn’t have navigated the James Harden trade saga much better. It was addition by subtraction for the Sixers, with Harden’s departure paving the way for Tyrese Maxey to evolve into a superstar – even if he’s cooled off from his epic early-season heights – while Joel Embiid continues to do Joel Embiid things. The star centre has also improved as a facilitator, averaging a career-best 6.6 assists per game. Philly also added a host of handy role players in the Harden trade plus assets it could use to recruit another star by the trade deadline. They sit top four in the East and have the second-best points differential (+8.7) in the NBA, having shown a ruthlessness to really crush teams. Nick Nurse’s team has the second-best offence – playing with more movement and freedom than last season – to go with a top 10 defence. A team with all the tools to make another deep playoff run.
6. ORLANDO MAGIC (13-5)
The other shock riser – and this one has been even more unexpected – including riding a current seven-game winning streak. Orlando was seen as a fun, budding team on the rise, but not many could’ve predicted Jamahl Mosley’s side would be this good, this fast. The Magic have the third-best record in the East and their improvement has largely come behind a more robust defence – currently the second-best in the league. They simply have guys who compete hard every game like Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony, while Paolo Banchero has taken his game to new heights alongside co-star Franz Wagner, an elite running partner who’s still somehow underrated. Joe Ingles has also provide invaluable leadership and stability off the bench. The Magic, who’ve taken down arguably the best two teams in the NBA in Boston and Denver, have done all of this with Markelle Fultz missing most of the season with a knee injury!
Booker torches the Garden with dagger 3 | 00:37
7. PHOENIX SUNS (11-6)
The Suns are coming. Despite Bradley Beal being restricted to three games due to a back issue and Devin Booker also battling injury, they’re still sitting in the upper echelon of the always competitive West. Kevin Durant has wound the clock back to look like… well, prime Kevin Durant, while Booker too has had some monster performances top really ascend his status to the top-line superstars. What’s also been encouraging is how recruits Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen have stepped up with more opportunities and Jusuf Nurkic might have found his perfect landing spot. It’s the defensive end of the floor where there’s still some issues, but sitting 11-6 despite their new big three having never played together yet and there’s huge reason for optimism in the Valley of the Sun.
Giddey starts for OKC amid investigation | 00:50
8. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (11-6)
Another big improver and team that looks genuinely ready to contend, perhaps slightly ahead of its time. OKC is ranked top seven both offensively and defensively and doesn’t seem to fear anyone. The impact of former Pick 2 Chet Holmgren has been significant, with the gun big man emerging as the unlikely frontrunner for Rookie of the Year over Victor Wembanyama, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to be crazy good to back up his breakout 2022/23 season. Mark Daigneault is generally getting better production across the board from the likes of Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe, allowing him to be more flexible with his line-ups. The hovering allegations about Josh Giddey have been the only real downside amid an indifferent start to the season for the Aussie, but there’s so much to like about what the Thunder are doing. And all of this with a mountain of draft picks at their disposal to upgrade the roster when they see fit. Look out.
9. DALLAS MAVERICKS (11-6)
The forgotten contender in the arms race following last season’s big disappointment, even after they acquired Kyrie Irving. But Luka Doncic looks like a man on a mission – with a better roster around him including a barrage of three-point shooters. It’s the offensive end of the floor where Dallas has really excelled – boasting the No.3 offensive rating – while they do have a ways to improve defensively to be taken more seriously as a legit contender. But the Doncic-Irving duo has proven to be a real handful, plus in Dereck Lively II the Mavericks have a promising big man for the first time in several years. It’d be nice to see more consistency from Josh Green, though the Aussie remains an important member of the rotation and has had some bright moments.
Kings topple Warriors for Group C throne | 00:57
10. SACRAMENTO KINGS (10-7)
The beam is starting to come alight. After a 2-4 start to the campaign where the Kings looked like a big regression contender, they’ve rediscovered their spark, going 8-2 over their last 10 games including 4-2 over a recent road trip. The offence from last season is starting to come back too, led by De’Aaron Fox amid a spectacular start to the season from the star guard, who’s averaged a career-best 3.1 three-pointers per game. And Mike Brown’s team has improved at the other end of the floor to become middle-of-the-road defensively. Keegan Murray hasn’t quite taken the second-year leap in what could really propel the Kings to another level, which might be more likely to come in the forward’s third season.
11. LA LAKERS (11-8)
It’s been an up and down start to the season for the Lakers — and perhaps they’re ultimately not the contenders we thought they were amid a host of other Western Conference sides improving. While it’s still early days, LA has had issues at both ends of the floor — mainly the offensive end (ranked bottom three in three-point shooting) — as Darvin Ham works through finding his best line-ups after a few off-season changes to the roster. They’ve also been affected by injury and have struggled on the road (3-6). Beyond Anthony Davis and LeBron James, who’s still freakishly good at near age 39, there’s a lack of other consistent production, even if D’Angelo Russell has bounced back from a disappointing playoff series, while Austin Reaves hasn’t had the breakout season come expected in year three and has been moved to the bench.
LeBron suffers WORST loss in NBA career | 00:51
12. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (10-8)
The Cavs have overcome a slow start to the season to get on a roll in recent times, having won six of their last eight games. We frankly haven’t seen Cleveland at full strength enough yet this season to get a real grasp of where this team is at – a team that finished top four in the East last season. The core remains as talented as some of the top sides and the addition of Max Strus has been a big win to add much-needed three-point shooting on the wing. The Caves don’t really want for anything, though there’s question marks of whether the Even Mobley-Jarrett Allen frontcourt is viable long-term given the spacing issues. It comes in an important juncture and season at large for the franchise as it’ll be hoping to convince Donovan Mitchell to stick around long-term, in one of the potential trade narratives to keep an eye on.
13. NEW YORK KNICKS (10-7)
When it’s all clicking for the Knicks, they’re a strong unit. Jalen Brunson proved last season was no aberration, backing up his breakout campaign to again lead this team, while Julius Randle and RJ Barrett haven’t been quite as consistent even though the latter has shown an improved three-point stroke. New York does have a top-five ranked defence and the 11th-best offence, but Tom Thibodeau’s squad has struggled against the best teams in the league. From that perspective, how far can a Brunson-Randle-Barrett trio go — even with an improved roster around them? Might be one big move away from seriously contending.
Knicks stun Heat with comeback in NY | 01:16
14. INDIANA PACERS (9-7)
With Tyrese Haliburton in this kind of form, anything might be possible. Haliburton is putting together an All-NBA level season, averaging stupidly good numbers across the board (25.9 points on 51 per cent shooting, 3.8 triples and 11.9 assists per game). It’s been key to the team’s promising 9-7 start to the season, with claim to the league’s No.1 offensive rating while averaging 127 points per game. It’s completely opened the Pacers up defensively though …and where’s Haliburton’s help coming from? Myles Turner’s minutes are down, while Rick Carlisle seemingly can’t decide if he wants to develop Benedict Mathurin as a starter or just play veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield heavy minutes, with the latter more of a win-now move. Bruce Brown has been a handy addition, but he’s more a role player than anything. Another team to watch ahead of the trade deadline.
15. MIAMI HEAT (10-8)
Another team that’s hard to figure out, albeit hampered by injuries, As if coming off an NBA Finals appearance as the eighth seed didn’t already make it tricky enough! The Heat have at least navigated the majority of the opening weeks without star guard Tyler Herro, who looked set for a huge breakout season as Miami’s leading scorer, and they’ve clearly missed his offence. The good has been good — including a seven-game winning streak and Bam Adebayo rolling in a career-best season to take on the mantle as Miami’s alpha. But the bad has been bad — opening the campaign 1-4 and currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak, while there’s question marks of the team’s depth.
16. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (10-9)
One of the biggest enigmas in the NBA … are still an enigma? There’s been some good and some bad — including a five-game losing streak — and they’ve all-round just been an average side. It’s a somewhat disappointing return for a franchise that spent parts of last season as the No.1 seed in the West and could be so much more with Zion Williamson. But the former No.1 pick hasn’t yet lived up to expectations and has appeared frustrated at times with how the team is going and his role. Frankly, we haven’t seen Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum on the court together enough to get a proper gauge of how good they can be. McCollum’s lung injury did open the door for Dyson Daniels to play more minutes though and show a glimpse of the Aussie young gun’s promising future.
17. LA CLIPPERS (8-9)
Still adjusting to life with James Harden, the Clippers might’ve worked things out. After starting the Harden era 0-5, Tyronn Lue’s side has since won five of its last seven games as it starts to move up the West standings. There were always to be growing pains with Harden and a need to fine-tune rotations, which has ultimately seen Russell Westbrook move to the bench. Well, over their last six games, the Clippers have the best defensive rating in the league, while Harden is coming off his best game yet as a Clipper with a season-high 26 points, five triples and five steals. Paul George’s hot start to the season hasn’t been talked about enough too amid the team’s struggles.
18. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (8-10)
It’s hard to know what to make of Golden State at times and how much we judge Steve Kerr’s team on reputation. Some predicted the addition of Chris Paul would take the Warriors to the next level, but right now they’re sitting just inside the Play-In qualification. It’s been the same story as last season — they rely too much on Steph Curry, Klay Thompson has been inconsistent and unreliable, Draymond Green has been engulfed in drama and the young players haven’t stepped up (but haven’t necessarily had opportunities to). Andrew Wiggins has meanwhile fallen off a cliff to leave a big scoring void, but Kerr doesn’t quite seem prepared yet to pass the baton to the next crop. They’ve gone 2-8 in their last 10 games and Paul has already suffered his first injury setback of the season.
Curry tops Wemby in battle of the stars | 01:11
19. HOUSTON ROCKETS (8-8)
Ime Uodka has done some sort of job in his first 16 games as Rockets coach. A team considered a potential improver looks like a genuine playoff team. It’s been a bit of a seesaw — with revolving winning and losing streaks — but this team is highly disciplined defensively, helped by the addition of Dillon Brooks, is deep and has beaten reigning champion Denver twice. Having an established point guard in Fred VanVleet has provided more overall structure and Alpereen Sengun looks like a mini Jokic in a brilliant breakout season from the 21-year old centre. And to think the Rockets tried — and failed — to land Brook Lopez in the off-season in what would’ve almost certainly prevented Sengun from doing what he’s doing now. A really impressive start in H-Town in a big tick overall. Now just to replicate their home form (8-1) on the road (0-7) — and more Jock Landale too please!
20. ATLANTA HAWKS (8-9)
One thing you can count on with Atlanta — it’s going to score in bunches. The Hawks have the No. 5 offensive rating this season while averaging 122.5 points per game — trailing only Indiana — driven by Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Jalen Johnson’s emergence has offset John Collins’ departure, and so the forward’s injury leaves a big hole in Quin Snyder’s streamlined rotation — that has featured Patty Mills for all of five total minutes this season. After a promising start to the season, the Hawks have gone 2-5 over their last seven games, so they have a few things to figure out ahead of tough upcoming schedule including playing Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Denver in their next five games. Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu remain locked in a minutes split at centre, but you sense it’s only a matter of time before Okongwu is given full rein.
21. BROOKLYN NETS (9-8)
The Nets have managed to keep their head above water despite battling a host of injuries to the likes of Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, Cameron Johnson and Cam Thomas. Considering the amount of changes to the line-up, Brooklyn would be happy to currently be sitting ninth in the East including currently riding a three-game winning streak. The team has also had the sixth-toughest schedule in the league, according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, while Mikal Bridges hasn’t quite had the breakout season some anticipated yet. With all that in mind, there’s a fair bit of upside when — or if — the Nets get fully healthy.
22. TORONTO RAPTORS (9-10)
Offence has been the main concern for the Raptors — in particular their bottom-five ranked three-point shooting. As good as Scottie Barnes has been in a breakout season from the forward, it’s hard to get a grasp of this team’s identity. One game it’s Barnes leading the charge, the next it’s Pascal Siakam, while OG Anunoby has struggled amongst it all and Jakob Poeltl has been used sparingly despite costing the team a first-round pick and getting a juicy contract extension. Could they be sellers at the deadline? Dennis Schroder has at least enjoyed a strong season as the team’s new point guard to get back to some of his best form of years past.
23. UTAH JAZZ (6-12)
Lauri Markkanen is doing everything he can, but fair to say this season hasn’t started nearly well as last for the young Jazz. You could see it going either way in Utah — but it’s been tough goings for Will Hardy and company. After struggling in the opening games before getting injured, Walker Kessler now finds himself coming off the bench, though that should change soon, while Keyonte George has moved into the starting line-up in Hardy’s bid for more playmaking and movement in that opening five. The Jazz however still have major issues at both ends of the floor, and at some stage, they’ll need to commit to a path of either competing for the playoffs or rebuilding, as right now it feels like they’re trying do both but failing to achieve anything.
24. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (5-11)
Just when the Hornets were starting to turn their season around, the near worst possible thing happened – LaMelo Ball suffered another setback to his troublesome ankle that required surgery earlier this year. At full strength, Charlotte has a solid roster that could contend for the playoffs, but it hasn’t had all its key pieces on the floor together at once, with Ball central to everything. Controversial forward Miles Bridges has taken no time to get up to speed since returning from suspension, and now he and Terry Rozier in particular will need to take on a much bigger load with the Hornets’ franchise superstar sidelined for the next several weeks.
25. CHICAGO BULLS (5-14)
If it wasn’t already clear, it’s time to blow it up. Things are a mess for the Bulls right now — a team built to win now is a ways off and is sitting all the way down as the Eastern Conference 13th seed amid a five-game losing streak — including dropping eight of their last nine. If Chicago’s situation doesn’t improve, which, right now, it’s hard to see how it does, expect one — or both — of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan to be wearing a different jersey by the trade deadline. At least then Chicago can start building with a new nucleus, because the current one is stuck in NBA purgatory — where no team wants to be.
26. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (5-12)
Going according to script after the Damian Lillard trade as the Blazers prioritise developing their emerging crop of youngsters including Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, who should eventually take over the starting point guard job. Portland recently snapped an eight-game losing streak, with its offence the key area letting it down. Anfernee Simons having only played one game due to a thumb injury clearly hasn’t helped. Elsewhere, Aussie duo Matisse Thybulle and Duop Reath are getting more opportunities in the rotation to show their worth, with the former’s defensive prowess again proving valuable.
27. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (4-13)
When is Ja Morant free to return again? It’s the question the Grizzlies would be repeatedly asking themselves amid a grim 4-13 start to the season as perhaps the most disappointing team. Because sure, having no Morant for over a quarter of the season is significant, but the Grizzlies have looked like a lottery team without him. It includes the Griz being ranked dead last in three-point shooting with the second-worst rated offence. Unlike Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. has struggled to step up with extra offensive opportunities. And as if it couldn’t get any worse, Marcus Smart is now sidelined for the next several weeks after suffering a nasty ankle injury. They did finally end their 0-8 winless drought at home — the last team to do so — after beating Utah on Thursday.
28. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (3-14)
The Spurs are probably lucky they’re not even lower (not that there’s much scope). But it’s been the very definition of growing pains and teething issues for the rebuilding team in welcoming Victor Wembanyama into its young core despite the No.1 pick’s sensational start to his career. San Antonio is in the midst of a 12-game losing streak to sit dead last in the West, while its -12.9 point difference is the worst in the NBA. Maybe expectations were simply set too high amid the hype around ‘Wemby’ — but just because they’re not playing well doesn’t mean their future isn’t bright. The Spurs are simply in experiment and trial and error mode — so even a Play-In appearance feels unlikely right now. Devin Vassell missing five games due to an adductor injury hasn’t helped their cause.
Spurs fall short despite Wemby heroics | 00:51
29. WASHINGTON WIZARDS (3-15)
Not that the Wizards were expected to be any good this season, but it’s probably been even worse than imagined, with Kyle Kuzma the sole shining light. It took for Washington to play the Pistons to end a nine-game losing streak and pick up its fifth overall win nearing the quarter-way mark of the season. Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones have underwhelmed, though neither have played big minutes amid some curious rotation decisions from Wes Unseld Jr. Ranked bottom 10 at both ends of the floor, the Wizards are officially in all-out tank mode and could be sellers ahead of the trade deadline.
30. DETROIT PISTONS (2-16)
Perhaps the most alarming thing is that the Pistons started the season 2-1 and looked like a sneaky improver! Well, they’ve since lost 15 on the trot to hold the worst record in the NBA, with the eighth-worst defence and fourth-west offence. This is a team some thought could start climbing the standings after spending years going to the draft. But Detroit is still behind newer rebuilding teams like Portland, San Antonio and Washington, while Monty Williams can barely figure out his rotation and which players will help take this franchise forward. Having Cade Cunningham back has been important and rookie Ausar Thompson and second-year centre Jalen Duren have both impressed, but it looks set to be another long season in the Motor City — even if Bojan Bogdanovic’s imminent return will help.
If it’s not yet panic stations for the Los Angeles Clippers, it can’t be far off.
The team has fallen to 0-5 in the James Harden era since his trade from Philadelphia – an era that’s so far looked dysfunctional with an array of problems that need to be solved.
It comes amid an overall six-game losing streak – the longest such losing streak of Kawhi Leonard’s career including his high school and college days, per Clippers writer Justin Russo – to see the team sit 3-7 overall in the standings.
The main concern post the Harden trade was how a team with four stars in Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Harden and Russell Westbrook, who all need to the ball to be effective, would function together. And so far that concern has been validated.
It’s not a knock on the players – they’re all still stars (we think?) – but more around the team build and particularly the pairing of Westbrook and Harden on the court, which has created stagnation and spacing concerns. In fact, in the minutes Harden has been on the court in his five appearances for the Clippers, Tyron Lue’s team has been outscored by 70.
James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers looks on before the start of a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square GardenSource: FOX SPORTS
The chemistry has been a mess with limited movement and a lot of ‘your turn, my turn’ on offence, with both Harden and Leonard really struggling to have an impact in those last five games. It’s just too crowded and cannibalising both the players’ games and the team as a whole.
They also lack size, which is of great concern against bigger West Conference opponents like Denver, Minnesota and the Lakers, and depth – particularly on the wings – after dealing a host of role players to Philly in the Harden trade.
Plus, this is it. The Clippers went all in with this roster by trading away nearly all their draft picks for the rest of the decade.
And so they’re now basically investing all their hopes into an ageing core/rotation consisting of the big four, all of whom can become free agents at the end of the season, a combination of Ivicia Zubac and Mason Plumlee at centre (who’ve both battled injury), Terrence Mann, Norman Powell and PJ Tucker.
The numbers so far tell the story of their struggles, with the Clippers during the Harden era posting a bottom four offensive rating, while it hasn’t been much better at the other end of the floor either, with a bottom six defensive rating.
Harden did note after the team’s most recent loss to Denver he’s still “getting into shape” after missing pre-season and “learning on the fly” after only recently joining the Clippers.
But fitness aside, Harden declaring in his press conference after the trade he’s “a system” – “not a system player” – doesn’t necessarily fill you with any great confidence about him potential willingness to adapt his game – even if it means sacrificing stats – to make things work in LA.
Some growing pains were to be expected, but this has been plain ugly.
Paul George #13 of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts against the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena.Source: FOX SPORTS
“It takes a while when you throw players together, especially really good players. You have four guys who are used to having the ball, so they’ve got to figure out that aspect,” NBA analyst Bill Simmons said of the Clippers on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
“I thought the (Harden) trade was ludicrous and stupid by them, I just didn’t understand it. One of the reasons was, there’s just not enough balls, all of these guys are at their best when they have the ball … you can see it already, the standing around — that’s now how they were playing two weeks ago.
“I just don’t see how it’s going to work. I know Ty Lue is a really good coach, but I just don’t see it. The more I watch it, I still don’t see it. I don’t think they have enough size, I don’t think they can switch and I think there’s certain players who are going to kill them.
“I think they could be out of the playoff picture in six weeks.
“Then James had that press conference, which made me feel worse about everything from a Clippers standpoint … it seemed like he was complaining about how he was used last year. It’s like, you played with a guy who won the MVP (Joel Embiid) and he averaged 33 points a game. (The Sixers) were 46-19 in the last 65 games. I thought that was alarming those were his feelings on last year.
“They literally gave (Harden) the car keys and the car and there wasn’t even a backup driver … I’m dubious (about the Clippers) and I think this is going to get worse before it gets better.”
Indeed, there’s problems everywhere like a myriad of spot fires that need to be put out before this team can move in the right direction. Establishing roles and the ideal rotation and becoming a more cohesive basketball team is clearly key – and with time those things can be resolved.
However in the current NBA climate, it’s widely thought that the ideal roster construction is two superstars being surrounded by a host of versatile role players who buy into those roles and compliment the big guns. Think Denver, Boston and Philadelphia.
The Clippers have meanwhile gone in the polar opposite direction and followed the lead of past failed experiments by bunching a group of ball-dominant stars together in hopes it’ll somehow click. But that’s not how basketball nor any team sport works.
Draymond Green handed 5-game suspension | 00:39
The absence of role players on the Clippers just makes it that much more difficult for everyone else. Who’s going to set screens (especially with limited bigs), dive on loose balls, take fouls and do all the other little, selfless acts for the betterment of the team?
You don’t even necessarily wan’t to rely on your stars to do those things in season, particularly given the injury concerns to George and Leonard.
“I think they’re in a situation where, even though it’s early and you’re going to give them a chance and time, doesn’t it feel like these early signs may be some problems that aren’t solvable? Who’s to say Harden just hasn’t continued to decline physically even more than he did the last two or three years?,” The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor posed on the Mismatch Podcast.
“We have all these issues – the stars needing to fill into a role on certain nights, figuring out roles, a lack of depth after trading away everybody they did, Ty Lue needing to figure out rotations.
“And then there’s the lack of assets, they don’t have anything to upgrade this team from what it is today. That’s the scary part here for the Clippers, if Zubac doesn’t get healthy and Plumlee is already hurt – and it’s Plumlee, he’s nothing special – where’s your answer at the five? How do you solve some of these big, long and versatile teams?
“It’s very possible this is not just the beginning and it gets better from here, but the beginning of the end.”
O’Connor highlighted how the addition of Harden has thrown out all the Clippers’ roles after they’d been established over the pre-season, with the team now needing to “figure it out on the fly.”
He emphasised that Harden simply “isn’t producing”, with the 10-time All-Star currently averaging just 15 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game with a 16.2 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) [which is essentially how productive or positive a player is on the court] – well down on his career average of 24.3.
Harden’s 16.2 PER is worse than the likes of Malik Monk, Dennis Schroder, DeAndre Ayton, Jusuf Nurkic, Zubac and Obi Toppin this season.
“(Harden) looks like he doesn’t have the same level of burst right now off the dribble, even less so than last year. He’s not getting to the rim as much, he’s not able to create as much space and defensively he looks even more like a liability,” O’Connor told the Mismatch Podcast.
“And he’s just changing the way that offence plays because he’s still playing the way he typically always has. With Russ (Westbrook), the offence ran better, but it’s not like Russ is necessarily the answer, that’s why they got Harden …
“James Harden needs to prove he can do the little things as well, it’s on Harden to bring that back in his game. I’m going to keep hammering that point all year, because I know it’s true … it was assumed he was still going to be the same quality as last year where he helped Embiid to an MVP season.
“He was a great playmaker and still had some really good scoring nights. Harden was like top 30-35 last season, but right now he hasn’t been one of the 100 best players in the league through the small sample thus far. That more than anything else needs to improve for the Clippers.”
LeBron heroics not enough for Lakers | 00:23
NBA analyst Nick Wright went so far to label Harden “maybe the most tone deaf athlete of my lifetime”.
“Even if you wanted out of Philly, you could’ve stayed in shape and gone to training camp,” Wright said on Fox Sports US’ First Things First.
“Also I don’t think when he gets in shape it’s necessarily going to be good for the Clippers. His whole reason of wanting to be there is to get a big contract and he’s going to think he has to do that by being the James Harden ‘system’ and other people sitting around and watching him.
“So when he gets in shape he’s going to try to meet his own ends, which is his numbers go up and so somebody pays him. Which by the way, he doesn’t get it, because no one is going to pay him.
“But here’s the part of this I can’t get over – the Clippers opted into this. I understand why the Sixers traded him, they had to, and I understand why James wanted to go to the Clippers … why did (team president) Lawrence Frank do this!?
“This is an unforced error of epic proportions.”
Without doubt one of the big questions is – with so many concerns around Harden’s fit on the team even before he’d played a game for the Clippers, why did they trade for him? And mortgage more of their future assets in the process?
According to former NBA coach Doc Rivers, it was Clippers owner Steve Balmer’s huge swing ahead of the team moving into a new arena next year.
“They’re going all in and we don’t know if they went in the right way,” Rivers said on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
“If you could tap into Steve Balmer’s head, his dream is to go into that new arena putting up a banner. So you get desperate at times — I don’t know if desperate is the right word — but you start making moves maybe you wouldn’t make if you wanted to be more patient.
“And they can’t be patient when you look at the ages of Paul and Kawhi. It’s been four years they’ve been together, this almost has to be the year.”
Granted, there’s still plenty of time to figure things out.
Boston beat Philly for Eastern top spot | 01:03
While they’ve slumped to 3-7 overall to currently sit outside the play-in qualification, it’s just 10 games into an 82-game season – or 12 per cent of the way through.
That’s the beauty of the marathon NBA campaign, the Clippers can afford time in-season to iron out the kinks. We’ve seen struggling teams turn it around before including the Lakers recovering from a 2-10 start last season.
Former NBA player Kenny Smith on NBA on TNT said he believes the onus is on Lue to create an offence and develop a brand where their stars can coexist, saying “this is why coaches get paid.”
But the clock is ticking, and as mentioned, it’s now or never for the Clippers given they’ve gone chips in with this team.
After coming up considerably short in the playoffs with just George and Leonard, who despite being genuine superstars have struggled with health, this is effectively the team’s last chance to complete for a championship.
So what could they do in terms of roster moves despite having little trade value or rotation changes otherwise?
There’s a view that Westbrook will be made the scapegoat, whether it’s by benching him or moving him into a sixth-man role.
Lue has so far been steadfast that he has no plans of moving Westbrook to the bench – even though it’s a role he had success in at the Lakers last season. But Lue’s hand might be eventually forced if the team’s woes continue.
It’s frankly hard to see how else the teams quartet of stars – namely Westbrook Harden – can function at their and the team’s optimum. At the very least, Westbrook and Harden need to have their minutes on the court together staggered.
Or the team could force Westbrook off the court by trading him …
“They’re going to figure it out by trading (Westbrook), and he’s going to be on Miami in like three weeks. You can already see it, the bread crumbs are already being laid out,” Bill Simmons said on the Bill Simmons Podcast.
“By the way, if I was Miami I would go get him. I think that’s somebody who could really help them — he plays at a crazy intensity, he can help with the rebounding, he gives them Lowry insurance — Lowry is 37, you know he’s going to get hurt at some point.”
Just like immediately after the trade went down, there’s more questions than answers for the Clippers.
It’s supposed to be the team that acquires the star in a trade that flourishes. But in this case, the Clippers have watched Philadelphia surge in the Eastern Conference standings and into bona fide title contention after Harden’s departure opened the door for Tyrese Maxey to grow into a genuine superstar.
It was addition by subtraction for the Sixers in a complete contrast to the stumbling Clippers. After all, they say a champion team will always beat a team of champions.
There were always going to be growing pains early for New Orleans this season as the Pelicans hired new assistant coach James Borrego to give the offence a much-needed makeover.
Although it sounds like it is still taking time for franchise superstar Zion Williamson to buy into his role in that new system.
Williamson has not shied away from admitting to the challenges that he has faced as a player as a result, telling reporters after the team’s latest loss to the Mavericks that he is “trying” his “best” to “buy in”.
“Like I said last year, we had a team meeting,” Williamson said.
“We brought up some things I could do better, especially with buying into the program. It’s tough right now but I’m taking a little back seat right now and I’m trusting the process. I’m trying my best to buy in right now.”
The last part of that response would have to be of most concern to the Pelicans given it is hardly the kind of public affirmation a franchise would be hoping for from its star player.
That is particularly true in the case of Williamson given the rumours that circulated last season linking him to a move before the league’s trade deadline.
Not that his latest comments give any weight to a possibility of a trade but that on a more general scale they suggest a level of discontent that only winning can solve at the moment.
“You tell me, man,” added Williamson when a reporter pressed on whether it was difficult for him to take a “back seat” and let other guys handle the ball more.
“That’s your opinion. I don’t know what to really tell you on all that. I’m just trying to be a team player and really buy into it. It’s tough right now but I think we’re going to figure it all out.”
For the most part, what Williamson said is to largely be expected of a superstar player trying to make sense of his role in a new system and with a new-look team that has been constantly chopping and changing due to injuries.
Unfortunately for the Pelicans that is nothing new after an injury-interrupted 2022-23 season derailed what was a dominant opening from the once Western Conference leaders.
With CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy both unavailable, Borrego and the Pelicans haven’t been able to fully lean into the vision to elevate this offence by surrounding Williamson and Brandon Ingram with 3-point shooting.
Green ejected after heated exchange | 00:38
For context, of players who made more than 25 appearances for New Orleans last season, Murphy (.406) and Ingram (.390) led the team in 3-point shooting percentage.
Still, even when the Pelicans are healthy there will need to be an adjustment from Williamson when it comes to handling the ball less and that is something he is aware of.
“I’m definitely finding a rhythm. I’m still learning the new offense,” Williamson said last week after the Pelicans’ loss to the Rockets.
“It’s not really what we did last year. It is definitely an adjustment, especially this being my sixth, seventh game back. But as time goes on, we’ll definitely figure it out.”
“Definitely how much the ball is in my hands for sure,” he added when asked of the biggest change.
“I think last year I was definitely able to facilitate a lot more. This year, it’s kind of like taking a back seat a little bit and just kind of letting everybody else get in their rhythm and being unselfish.”
Dameris explodes on ‘the problem’ Harden | 01:50
Williamson is averaging a career-low 21.6 points this season, although that doesn’t necessarily mean he is seeing less opportunities.
Rather, the numbers show that his efficiency has taken a significant dip with the 23-year-old shooting just 51.5 per cent from the field. Last season, that number was 60.8 per cent.
Another issue has been the lack of connection between Williamson and Ingram, who are obviously great players in their own right but haven’t played off of each other enough.
Injuries have played some part in that while Williamson said after the loss to the Rockets that the pair’s communication has improved.
“Our communication has gotten a lot better on the court,” Williamson said.
“Sometimes coach might call a play and I’ll look at coach and go, ‘Nah, run this play for BI’. Coach might try call a play for B and B will be like, ‘Run this play for Z’. We’re definitely both unselfish. But we’ve just got to be able to do it more fluently and smooth in the new offence.”
The San Antonio Spurs’ star rookie has lit it up at both ends of the floor, averaging 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks — the third-most in the NBA — in just under 29 minutes for a 3-4 Spurs outfit that looks improved under his lead.
The numbers themselves are off the charts for a rookie, though his impact has gone well beyond the box score even if there have been some growing pains while he adjusts to the huge step up to the game’s premier league against star-studded opposition.
As advertised. Victor Wembanyama has made an immediate impact.Source: FOX SPORTS
In fact, he’s already had the game to put him on the map and get everyone talking.
Though he’d already had some big performances, it was a proper breakout game where his confidence went to another level — and his teammate started to really trust, and lean, on Wembanyama.
“Oh my god, what happened!? I don’t even believe what I saw last night (the second game against Phoenix). That kid is 19-year old and he was doing that!?,” NBA writer Zach Lowe said on ESPN’s NBA Today.
“The jumpers in people’s faces with the game on the line, the crowd is roaring, KD (Durant) and Booker are doing their thing. And he’s like: ‘Nah, I’m putting the game away’.
“He’s too tall, the Spurs offence is just going to have plays that are cut to the rim and throw it high to the air where nobody else can reach it.
Wemby torches Toronto on both ends! | 00:53
“Those are smart plays and reads of the flow, those aren’t scripted sets or broken fast breaks. That’s a dude thinking the game and then being way taller than everyone else, that stuff is scary.”
You only had to see the near 7-foot Durant playing on Wembanyama to get a proper grasp of the spindly rookie’s freakish size.
Durant was clearly left impressed after playing against Wembanyama in consecutive games too, emphasising that the exciting prodigy shouldn’t be compared to previous or current champions of the NBA including the Suns superstar himself.
“I don’t see anybody else in his game. I know we’re both skinny and I’m sure he’s said he watched me growing up, he’s his own player,” Durant said.
“He’s an enthusiasm for the game, you can tell that through the TV and playing against him. He’s his own player and personal and he’s going to create his own lane much different to anyone who’s ever played.
“You can try to compare, but he’s going to carve out his own lane.”
The No.1 pick went toe to toe with Kevin Durant.Source: FOX SPORTS
Indeed, while Wembanyama has been likened to names such as Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, it’s clear he’s his own player — and a special one of that.
Direct comparisons aside, US sports media personality Colin Cowherd said Wembanyama is a once-in-a-generation level pure talent.
“If you’re really honest about this, here’s the truth. The NBA only gives us one jaw dropping talent every 8-10 years — Wilt in the 60s, Kareem in the 70s, Magic and Bird in the 80s, MJ in the late 80s then 90s, Shaq in the early 2000s, LeBron 2010s, then Steph,” Cowherd began on The Herd.
“I’m not talking just because they won titles, I’m talking stuff you’ve never seen before. I’m talking: ‘Wow, OMG’, jaw dropping stuff.
“It is totally different — 7-foot-4, gets any shot he wants, fourth quarter, all stars on the floor, and he’s unstoppable.
“This guy is going to last a long time and win a lot of titles. You get about one every eight years.
“LeBron was great when he came in, but it wasn’t this. This guy gives you Giannis on one end and KD on the other.”
Wembanyama is already setting records for one of the game’s most successful ever franchises, and even the league at large.
He became the second-youngest player in NBA history with at least 35 points and 10 rebounds in a single game, with only Durant reaching those numbers at a younger age.
Wembanyama also joined Tim Duncan and David Robinson (who did it five times) as the only other Spurs rookies to record a 35-plus point double-double, while the 38 points marked the third-most ever by a San Antonio rookie.
In a separate game, Wembanyama also became the first Spurs rookie since Duncan to record to record 20 points and five blocks in a game.
ESPN already had Wembanyama ranked the third-best player aged under 25 behind only Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards and ahead of the likes of Tyrese Haliburton, Ja Morant and Zion Williamson.
Again, all of this just seven games into his career.
While the young gun has been lauded for his defensive impact including remarkably blocking shots no other NBA players are capable of, a graphic on NBA Today showed his offensive versatility and incredible shooting touch all over the floor and beyond the arc.
Wembanyama is hitting shots from all over the floor (source: ESPN’s NBA Today).Source: FOX SPORTS
After that second game against Phoenix, Wembanyama had shot a total of 38-for-76 field goals (50 per cent), with those shots quite literally coming from everywhere.
He also astonishingly ranked third in the entire NBA in clutch points this season (defined as points in the last five minutes when the score is within five), with Wembanyaa’s 21 trailing only LeBron James (23) and Luka Doncic (22) and ahead of Steph Curry (2o).
Not bad company.
He’s also currently shooting 16-for-22 (72 per cent) from the field in fourth quarters, per NBA journalist Marc Stein.
“Every player in the NBA has to earn the right to lead their team, no matter how good you are. What we saw in the first Suns game is his teammates realising: ‘This is the guy, he has earned it through his clutch play’,” WNMBA player Chiney Ogwumike told NBA Today.
“The second Suns game you saw an emerged confidence. I think what we have seen is the confidence and real time build among his teammates.
“Because the first game of the year Victor Wembanyama played, his teammates weren’t really passing him the ball the way we were all excited and expected. If you watched last night’s game (second game against Phoenix) they were feeding him the ball.
“They know he is the one that’s going to take them where the need to go. No matter how good you are as an NBA player or any professional athlete, you have to earn that right, and he has done so in such a short amount of time.”
Though Devin Vassell’s groin injury opened up more scoring opportunities in the San Antonio side, it was only a matter of time before this really became Wembanyama’s team.
Wemby crosses Durant in crazy clutch win | 00:47
It just might’ve happened sooner than anyone anticipated.
“I think he’s exceeding everybody’s expectations. I don’t think anybody predicted in the fifth game of his career he outplays Kevin Durant and Devin Booker by kind of a significant margin,” NBA analyst Chris Broussard said on First Things First.
“This dude is doing stuff that’s crazy. I honestly think he could be averaging in the mid-to-high 20s already.
“The thing I really like about him, he’s got the dog about him. He’s saying with all these expectations: ‘I want it’.
“Midway through the season I think he may be one of the top 10 players in the league.”
While so much has been made of Wembanyama the individual, one of his key attributes is his commitment to the team.
That’s something legendary coach Gregg Popovich will only further ingrain in him, but being able to park his ego and recognise the need for complete team buy in from others is special for such a young player.
“When you talked to people (in San Antonio) this summer … they would say a couple of things,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said.
“Every day he would do two, three or fours things you have never quite seen anybody quite do on a basketball court. People didn’t want to miss practice and be doing something else in the building, because they were seeing something they had never seen before.
“It is the character and all the intangibles he brought to the NBA that people around him and people that have scouted him have known since he was 14, 15 and 16.
“The kind of teammate he is in San Antonio. The whole world wants to make this all about him, and he is so determined to include his teammates and always talk about the team. That’s a really unique thing with a 19-year old player who is going to be the face of the NBA maybe even sooner than anyone imagined.”
Unstoppable.Source: FOX SPORTS
The scary part about Wembanyama is that we’re only scratching the surface of his potential.
Not only does his he have so much individual scope to improve, so do the rest of the Spurs as whole, among the youngest and least-experienced NBA sides this season.
The San Antonio core is aged 24 and younger, while the team is still very much in experiment and trial-and-error mode.
That includes Popovich currently trialling 6-foot-8 Jeremy Sochan as his pseudo point guard while shifting Tre Jones into a sixth man role — a move that’s had mixed results.
As sports presenter Rachel Nichols highlighted, the prospect of eventually pairing Wembanyama with a more seasoned point guard would only further ascend the French prodigy’s game.
“Just wait until he gets an upgrade at point guard. That’s the other thing we’re not talking about, this is such a young team,” Nichols said on Undisputed.
“The Greg Poppovich experiment at point guard — I have to say, he’s a Hall of Fame coach and knows better than me — but I would not go this direction on this team, I think there’s other guys on the roster who might step in better there.
“That being said, at some point they are going to get a truly great point guard to be alongside him, and then it’s going to open up an entire other level of his game. You have to remember who he’s playing with right now.”
The NBA is back and while the season is only fresh there are already some key talking points to come out of the limited action we have seen so far.
From how the Nets can get the best out of Ben Simmons to trouble in Chicago and the defending champions quelling a key concern. Here are the latest talking points!
SUDDEN MEETING SHINES LIGHT ON STARK REALITY FACING BULLS STARS
Heated sideline and locker room exchanges are nothing new in the NBA. Sometimes they are needed.
Having a players-only meeting after just one loss though is something different and it speaks to the fact that the vibes in Chicago are definitely not good.
Obviously being blown out 124-104 in the season opener against Oklahoma City at home was hardly ideal but it was hardly a death knell for the Bulls either.
The fact Chicago players felt compelled to ask head coach Billy Donovan to allow them to have the room to themselves to talk over the defeat though says two things.
One – this is a playing group that is willing to tackle an issue head-on and isn’t afraid to have those tough conversations. That’s a good thing.
But it also says that there had to be some level of concern or tension heading into the season for the players to feel like such conversations need to be had already.
The Bulls are 1-2 to start the season. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I thought the tweet was fake,” ESPN reporter Zach Lowe said on ‘NBA Today’.
“They had a players meeting already? They’re 0-1. They got thumped at home but they’re 0-1? This is a team that is built to win now and just has not won enough and at some point they’ve just got to start winning.”
The Bulls did just that against the Raptors, although it was hardly convincing and then backed it up with a 118-102 loss to the Pistons despite getting a career-high 51 points from Zach LaVine.
The rest of Chicago’s core did their best to support LaVine in that loss, with DeMar DeRozan adding 20 points and four assists while Nikola Vucevic had 12 points.
Consistent production across the board otherwise was nowhere to be seen, with the bench combining for just 19 points.
But when it comes to weighing up the future of this roster, it is the bigger names that are more likely to be moved on after only qualifying for the playoffs once in the past three seasons.
Of course, Lonzo Ball’s string of injuries didn’t help but that is the reality Chicago has found itself in for a few years now and patience is starting to wear thin.
DeRozan is a free agent next summer while both LaVine and Vucevic have also been floated as potential trade pieces if the Bulls decided to blow it all up.
‘Four straight 3’s!’: Curry lets loose | 01:15
That possibility may explain why things seem so tense in Chicago this season, with the reality that every loss brings the Bulls closer to having to accept that unfortunate reality.
“We understand that, we’ve been around long enough,’’ LaVine said, per the Chicago Tribune, after the loss to the Pistons.
“Shoot, Vooch has been traded, I’ve been traded, DeMar’s been traded. We understand the business. As much as we care for each other, you understand what’s on the other side of that. It’s just three games in, but we don’t want this to get past three games.
“We don’t want this to snowball.’’
NETS ADMIT BIG BEN SIMMONS PROBLEM IS ‘STARING US IN THE FACE’
Ben Simmons has shown he can get back to playing well, maybe even play like his old self.
But he hasn’t shown he can do it alongside Nic Claxton.
That’s the challenge for the Nets, for whom something good is seemingly always followed by something worrying.
“That’s definitely been addressed from me in front of this group. It is staring us in the face. And like I said, we have to look at how do we play with Ben with another big on the floor?” coach Jacque Vaughn admitted.
“You can only play five dudes out there at one time. We’ve got to start a certain group, we want certain dudes to play; how do we get all that to mesh within the course of a game and the season?
“Ben still has the ability to attack and have pace no matter who’s out there on the floor, especially the way teams are going to guard. So some nights when we do go small and we have more shooting out there, we have to take advantage of that.
“On the nights where Nic is with him, then we have to be better on the defensive end of the floor and allow us to get stops and run. So that’s the connection there.
“Then we can’t allow people to get to the paint as much or to the rim as much with Nic and Ben. … Then we’ve got to figure out, like I’ve talked about, the spacing around it, and not playing in the half-court.
“It’s staring us in the face that we are better at playing in transition and in fullcourt basketball than in the half-court. And the sooner we realise that as a group, the better off we’re going to be.”
Ben Simmons in action for the Nets. Dustin Satloff/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
It’s hard to imagine the Nets haven’t realized it.
The concern isn’t panic over a handful of minutes this season and last.
Simmons’ difficulty playing alongside another non-shooter has been a topic of discussion since his 76ers days with Joel Embiid.
While Simmons did coexist with Claxton for large stretches last season, the duo was flanked by stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, as well as shooters Joe Harris, Seth Curry, Patty Mills and Yuta Watanabe.
Since the team got remade in February, it’s been more of a struggle.
Simmons had 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in Dallas, driving the lane, attacking the rim, and looking like the player Brooklyn needs him to be. He was dangerous surrounded by four shooters, with stretch-4 Dorian Finney-Smith filling in for the injured Claxton as a 6-foot-7, 220-pound small-ball center.
But the dark cloud obscuring the silver lining? He did it with Claxton out and Day’Ron Sharpe logging just four minutes, shorthanded Brooklyn experimenting with a wide-open five-out lineup they clearly won’t start once Claxton returns.
Robbed of so much gravity, the Nets will need to compensate with meticulous spacing.
“It’s reads and learning. Repetition. We haven’t had too many reps of doing it, so I think the more reps the better obviously and we’ll figure it out,” Simmons said.
“That comes with time. It’s basketball at the end of the day; there’s no magic secret to it. It’s a feel, it’s reads, it’s guys with talent, IQ. Just got to play into that, lean and trust — trust in your players.”
What happens when Nic Claxton returns? (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
While Simmons and Claxton had a plus-5.7 Net Rating in 517 minutes together last season, almost all of those were pre-trade. In their six minutes from Feb. 9 on, they were a minus-70. This season, their Net Rating is a minus-17.6 in 15.6 minutes.
And the nominal starting lineup playing them alongside Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson was a minus-100 (with a horrid 77.8 Offensive Rating).
“[It’s vital that we’re] not playing the half-court where teams are able to use our non-shooters against us to crowd the floor,” Vaughn said.
“So there’s a process I think that we’ve got to be patient about, but keeping things extremely simple, I think will be good for us to live in that space.”
KEY TO CHAMPS’ HOT START AS CONCERN EASED (FOR NOW)
Not a bad first week back at the office for the defending champions.
If there were any questions around the legitimacy – or hunger – of the Denver Nuggets following the team’s first ever title win in its history, they’ve been quickly brushed aside to start this season.
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets have meant business through one week of action as the first team to improve to 3-0 and thus have claim to the best record in the NBA as well as the No. 1 defensive rating – an area last campaign the champs were just middle of the road.
It included Denver mauling the previously unbeaten Thunder in Oklahoma City on Monday in a game it held Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to seven points, snapping a streak of 37-straight games of 20-plus points for the superstar guard.
Jokic has been, well … Jokic, with the Finals MVP picking up right where he left off in June’s championship series to atypically lead this team by dominating in multiple ways,
The two-time regular season MVP winner, who at times during his career has taken a few weeks to get up and running, has bursted out of the blocks, averaging 26.3 points, 13 rebounds and 7.7 assists to be named the Western Conference Player of the Week.
Nikola Jokic drives to the basket. Joshua Gateley/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Monday’s big outing against OKC marked Jokic’s 103rd 25-point, 10rebound, five-assist game since 2020 – the most of any player in the NBA during that span, per StatMuse.
Jokic has been well supported by Jamal Murray (averaging 20.7 points on 54 per cent shooting and 2.7 triples) as the star guard looks to make his first All-Star appearance.
Of course, a big difference from this season to last for Mike Malone’s squad is that it gets a fully fit and firing Murray from the get go, whereas last year he was ramping back up after an ACL injury.
The rest of Denver’s starters – Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – have also played well, with all the key Nuggets pretty well mastering their roles.
The Nuggets just look settled, and continuity has proven to be crucial for this side.
The main (and largely only) concern for Denver this season was the impact of the loss of sixth man Bruce Brown and how they didn’t (nor could afford) to replace him after his $20 million-a-season free agency move to Indiana, and from a broader perspective, their bench as a whole.
But with Reggie Jackson looking like his old self again and the likes of Peyton Watson and Christian Braun stepping into bigger roles with aplomb, the Nuggets’ second-unit has gotten a spread of contributions across the board, with their bench posting the third-best net rating in the league. For now at least, Brown’s exit hasn’t hurt them.
Mike Malone would be very pleased with how his team has come out in a strong start to its title defence.
Zion takes charge as Pelicans prevail! | 00:39
PAUL’S SELFLESS APPROACH TO ‘DIFFERENT’ BENCH ROLE
Through 1,365 career games across 19 seasons, Chris Paul has been a starter.
But on Monday that changed for the veteran guard when he came off the bench for the first time in his Hall of Fame-caliber career against Houston after Draymond Green returned from injury for his first game of the season.
Paul essentially replaces former Warriors sixth man Jordan Poole in the rotation after the off-season trade that sent the latter to the Washington Wizards.
Though Golden State will miss Poole’s scoring punch off the bench, in Paul it gets a more established floor general and overall leader to run the second-unit and essentially act as an on-court coach.
Plus, whenever the Warriors suffer injuries to any of their key stars, Paul will be there to come into the starting lineup and take on a bigger load.
So could it be the move that tips Steve Kerr’s team back into genuine title contention in what could be its last run with this current core? It seemingly has some ground to make up on the likes of Denver, Phoenix and the Lakers.
Paul still played a prolific role against the Rockets and remains a valuable piece at age 38, logging eight points, five rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes from the bench and finishing the game on the court (though you sense that could be a fluid situation).
CP3 came off the bench. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
There’d been some question marks as to how Paul would handle a potential demotion to the bench, but speaking post-match, his team-first mentality shone through.
“It was different. I mean, Klay (Thompson) told me (I’d started), 1,365 straight games ” Paul said.
“It’s definitely different, but at the end of the day, it’s basketball. So, for me, the warmup is different, a lot of it was, but once you get out there and play in the game, now it’s hooping. It’s cool to be on a team like this where it’s just free-flowing. Everybody playing and sharing the ball.”
Paul added that he was willing to make the necessary sacrifices for the greater good of the team.
“It’s whatever I got to do to help this team win. If that means (not starting), if that means not finishing some games or whatnot,” Paul said.
“If you get a chance to play long enough in this career, there’s things that are going to change and be different. I’m here.”
TEMPERING EXPECTATIONS FOR WEMBY AND ‘EXPERIMENT’ MODE SPURS
And breathe.
Yes, the NBA world must take a collective deep breath with regards to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
For all the hype and excitement that’s surrounded the French phenom and what the addition of the prodigal No. 1 pick means for the Spurs, perhaps expectations went too far … at least in the short term.
There was a view that Wembanyama could effectively lift the Spurs from being a 22-win team last season – the worst return in the West and second-worst record in the entire league – to push closer to the 30-win mark this campaign.
Given the immense potential of the 19-year old under the tutelage of legendary coach Gregg Popovich, you could envision a scenario where Wembanyama literally was the difference of 10 or so extra wins.
After all, we’ve seen franchise-changing rookies immediately turn things around their team’s fortunes and even instantly catapult them into the playoffs. That happened with Carmelo Anthony, Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell, all of whom Wembanyama arguably has more raw talent than at that stage of their careers.
It’s still possible San Antonio makes a significant jump, but watching the team early this season and its overall inexperience and how raw Wembanyama is stands out.
There will be some growing pains. (Photo by DAVID SWANSON / AFP)Source: AFP
Both the second-youngest and second least-experienced team in the league, it was crystal clear during the Spurs’ blowout loss to the more seasoned LA Clippers.
On the Wembanyama side of things, through three games he’s averaged 14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, two blocks and 1.8 steals with a 52.7 true shooting percentage, which are great pure numbers from a rookie.
He’s shown flashes at either end of the floor – though particularly on defence – including coming up big in crunch time in San Antonio’s overtime win over Houston.
But as to be expected, there’s also been teething issues at both ends of the floor as the 7-foot-4 giant adapts to the NBA system and effectively leading a defensive scheme.
While Wembanyama is still figuring things out, so are his teammates – both from an individual and team standpoint.
The Spurs are still searching for their identity and which players are going to be best suited to which roles.
Leading scorer Devin Vassell, who’s only just been put into a leading role on an NBA team with the green light for the first time, is still only 23 years old. Zach Collins and Keldon Johnson, who’d be considered two of the key elder statesmen in the rotation, are just 25, while sixth man Tre Jones is 23.
Jeremy Sochan is just 20 and being trialled as a pseudo point guard – a move Popovich admitted is the team’s “official 2023/24 experiment.”
It very much exemplifies what this season is for San Antonio – a trial and error learning phase for the roster and coaching staff. Wins aren’t necessarily the priority – even if things click at some stage and the team goes on a run. Plus, maybe the franchise doesn’t want to genuinely compete yet?
Regardless, you can almost guarantee there’s going to be plenty more bumps along the journey with such a young squad still finding it way.
Luka magic ruins Wemby’s first game | 02:08
WHY MAXEY BREAKOUT BIDES SIXERS MORE TIME WITH HARDEN… FOR NOW
An unhappy James Harden threatened to derail Philadelphia’s season and send Joel Embiid out the door along with the franchise’s championship aspirations.
For the time being though, even without Harden on the floor the 76ers are doing more than just staying afloat and a lot of that comes back to the continued emergence of Tyrese Maxey.
The young guard, who averaged 20.3 points last season with the Sixers, looks primed to take yet another step with Harden off the floor and it comes at the perfect time for Philly.
The Sixers have been patient in not giving into Harden’s trade demands, wanting to only make a move if it allows the team to keep Embiid and remain a title contender in the process.
A string of losses to start the season would have tested that patience. But the 76ers, well supported by Maxey, have opened the season with wins over the Blazers and Raptors along with a tight loss to the Bucks.
Maxey is averaging 32.5 points, 7.5 assists and five rebounds while shooting 58.8 per cent from downtown, much to the satisfaction of new coach Nick Nurse.
Tyrese Maxey shoots the ball. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“He’s shooting the ball well and deep, creating space,” Nurse said.
“He’s creating some contact finishing at the rim. He’s getting his chances to get assists but he’s also taking care of the ball… so he did a good job.
“You’ve heard me say this: this is the golden opportunity for him. It seemed like he had 30 points every time we played him when I was coaching against them. So it’s nice to see him continue that with me around.”
Maxey’s emergence also helps Philadelphia better manage Embiid’s workload until Harden is fit to return, with the Sixers star set to be back at practice on Wednesday [AEDT].
The former MVP was in attendance on the bench for the team’s win over Portland and while he still maintains his relationship with club officials can’t be repaired at least there isn’t any real level of urgency for the Sixers to act immediately.
That is what having an in-form Maxey does for you.
It’s the question to be posed watching Victor Wembanyama do things on an NBA court this pre-season we haven’t seen before.
Standing 7-feet-4 tall with an estimated 8-foot wingspan to boast unprecedented defensive range, we’ve literally never seen a player like Wembanyama in a once-in-a-generation type talent.
It’s why the San Antonio Spurs’ No. 1 draft pick is the most hyped rookie in recent memory, perhaps dating back to — and arguably including — LeBron James.
Heck, the conversation goes back to last year with the decisive tanking race for Pick 1 given the recipient was set to land a franchise-changing superstar.
Well, the Spurs hit the jackpot.
Frankly, there’s more questions (in a good way) than answers right now surrounding the French phenom in one of the most exciting and anticipated storylines to follow this NBA season.
How many first-ever tricks/moves will we see Wembanyama pull off? Is he capable of making an All-NBA team or All-Star team? Can he carry the Spurs to the playoffs? And from a wider lens (though not to put too much pressure on the kid), are we baring witness to an all-time great?
How often is there such legitimate talking points about a player who’s never played a game? It’s uncharted territory.
The 19-year old has drawn comparisons to some of the game’s greats including a blend of Kevin Durant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Dirk Nowitzki. But in reality, he’s his own unique beast.
As mentioned, his defensive impact is off the charts.
He can rebound and dwarfs everyone else on the court.
He can handle the ball.
He can run the floor.
He has range and a fadeaway jumper.
He’s smart.
He can control the game on both ends.
… what can’t he do?
San Antonio is going wild for Wemby. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)Source: AFP
“I feel like I’m watching a different sport. I’m watching somebody who plays at a different level on a different plane of existence. He is in the matrix,” ESPN journalist Ramona Shelburne said on NBA Today.
“We saw that when he played the G-League Ignite, but to do this against NBA players and NBA competition, it’s blowing my mind every time I watch him.
“Even just the easy plays — the vision, the agility, the athleticism, his handle.”
It reminds you of a NBA 2K My Career fantasy player with both farfetched physical abilities and maxed out statistics — a player you could only (previously) dream of.
Just look at some of Wembanyama’s ridiculous plays in his final pre-season game against the Golden State Warriors.
One passage saw him guard Andrew Wiggins from the three-point line, block the Warrior’s star’s drive attempt — one of five swats he had in the game — then knock down a triple at the other end — one of seven attempts beyond the arc.
In another sequence, Wenbanyama blocked Klay Thompson’s three-point attempt, then ran the floor and dunked the ball.
Victor Wembanyama is a freak. (Photo by Loren Elliott / AFP)Source: AFP
The stunned Chase Centre crowd couldn’t help but be in awe by what the prodigal big man was doing to their team.
Though only the pre-season, it became clear that opposition players are going to need to adjust to having Wembanyama on the defensive end, and given his size, any shot attempt might be vulnerable of being rejected into the stands.
There was even vision that emerged of Dallas — the first team that faces the Spurs in the regular season — preparing to play Wembanyama at practice by using artificial long paddles to mimic his giant wingspan.
Indeed, good luck to rival players both guarding him and being guarded by him given the sheer volume of the court he takes up and how his cartoonish long strides make it easy for him to transport around it.
“The defence is probably the most exciting thing right now. I don’t know if him being out of position at times is intentional or not, but it’s his ability to do two things once,” former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick said on The Old Man and the Three podcast.
“One of my dear friends, who shall remain nameless, he works in the Spurs front office. He texted me in late September about a week before training camp and said: ‘Bro … ‘Wemby’ does one or two things every day I’ve never seen before’.
“He specially brought up the defence … he’s going to do things (offensively) that’s awesome, but what gets me most excited is the defence.”
Wembanyama is also in the perfect situation playing under legendary coach Greg Poppovich in San Antonio — a team that lacks other big-name stars to see him overnight take over as the team’s cornerstone.
Wembanyama is ready to soar. (Photo by Loren Elliott / AFP)Source: AFP
The Spurs had been preparing for this for some time by clearing out their roster for draft picks in hopes of landing a superstar.
The franchise has had success with this in the past by drafting other star bigs with the first pick in David Robinson (1987) and Tim Duncan (1997), who led the team to multiple championships.
Fair to say they got one in the same mould they can build around and then some.
“The beginning of his career is being entrusted with coach ‘Pop’. He’s going to get the chance to really learn how to play the game and think about it. Also gain great life skills on how to be a mature adult and a man and great teammate,’ broadcaster Ros Gold-Onwude said on NBA Today.
“‘Wemby is going to begin (his career) getting the right tools and fundamentals to match this worldly and generational talent. I think that’ll bode well.”
To no great surprise, Wembanyama is the hot favourite for Rookie of the Year, followed by OKC’s Chet Holmgren and Portland’s Scoot Henderson. And truthfully, it’s probably only injury that could see the latter two or anyone else take it out.
Wembanyama might end up averaging something like 19 points, nine rebounds, one three-pointer and 2.5 blocks in what’d itself be epic numbers from a rookie … and his impact goes well beyond any box score.
Wemby’s SCARY showing torches Heat | 00:28
“I’m watching him and I’m starting to get a little weary. This dude may be so good right out of the hatch that this team might be able to get up to 35-36 wins and start pestering some of the Play-In teams,” ESPN journalist Zach Lowe said on The Lowe Post.
“If this defence is anything like what he’s going to do in the regular season, he’s going to walk in the door as a top 12-15 defender in the world — and that might be wildly underselling it.
“Offensively I kind of expected him to be a little more ragged and inefficient than he’s been … he looks ahead of schedule on offence.”
It might sound hyperbolic — and while it might not necessarily happen this season — Wembanyama has the tools to change the league.
It’s rare for a centre — traditionally the biggest and slowest player on the court — to have so many other tricks and a well-rounded game like Wembanyama.
He comes into the NBA during an era with not many other superstar centres — a position that is in some ways being phased out, or is at least evolving.
Beyond Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, there aren’t really any other genuine franchise-leading bigs.
Wembanyama isn’t a conventional centre though, which is what makes his upside scary good with limitless potential.
Think Anthony Davis, but bigger and hopefully more durable.
There will be high expectations for Wembanyama. (Photo by Loren Elliott / AFP)Source: AFP
Granted, there are going to be growing pains and teething issues.
We saw this during the NBA Summer League when Wembanyama struggled at times with his shot selection and was at times too passive and in the wrong spots defensively.
Such issues will resurface while the raw big man transitions into and adapts to the league while coming up against seasoned professionals on a near daily basis.
You can near guarantee there’s going to be efficiency issues with such a fresh talent thrust into such a prolific role.
Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins was impressed by the amount of size Wembanyama put on after Summer League, suggesting it shows the youngster is committed to being the best player he can.
“Outside that he’s not normal, I look at him and he looks more balanced and stronger (than in Summer League). He spent his entire off-season in San Antonio with the Spurs working out,” Perkins told ESPN.
“Offensively, he’s a 7-foot-4 version of Kevin Durant, he can do it all. The way he’s moving out there and the way he can anchor a defence out there to cover ground and protect the basket.
“We already knew the skillset was there, but now we’re seeing the dedication and hat he put into his body — 10-12 pounds of muscle.
“The sky is the limit for this young man … we haven’t seem anything like him, the closest thing is Giannis, but he’s not 7-foot-4.
“Yes, the Spurs got lucky getting him, but he also got lucky with the opportunity being blessed to play for Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs.”
Victor Wembanyama is something special. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Plus with the huge hype comes massive expectations and then the scrutiny and potential blowback if, and likely when, he doesn’t meet them. Some will only check box scores and judge him on that.
Given his massive frame, expect San Antonio to carefully manage his minutes and general workload across the season, with the risk of injury objectively higher.
Expectations do therefore need to be tempered with what he can produce this season, but again, he’ll do unprecedented things in front of sold-out crowds and create a buzz like we haven’t seen.
Just over the pre-season, there’s been a feeling of: We knew he was going to be good, but this good?!
Get used to the nickname ‘Wemby’ being thrown around in NBA circles — both in the coming season and many years to follow.
The Bucks pulled the trigger on one of the biggest trades in recent seasons, landing point guard Damian Lillard to partner Giannis Antetokounmpo as they aim to head back to the NBA Finals.
Meanwhile, can Australia’s very own Josh Giddey and his emerging Oklahoma City Thunder squad progress to the playoffs after falling agonisingly short last season?
Here at foxsports.com.au, we’ve run our eye over all 30 teams. Read on for our bumper NBA season preview!
Analysis: It was only three seasons ago that the Hawks made the Eastern Conference Finals, but in the two campaigns since, they’ve been bundled out in the first round. It’s clear what this team wants to do, considering they possess a stack of shooters, including Trae Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic and the emerging Saddiq Bey. They also added Patty Mills and Wesley Matthews in the offseason as well as drafting shooting guard Kobe Bufkin. The back-court of Young and Dejounte Murray, who signed a 4-year, $120 million extension, is one of the best in the league. They compliment each other well and showed that in the first round of the playoffs, when taking two games off the Celtics. Quin Snyder took over as coach towards the end of last season and is an upgrade on Nate McMillan, who was fired heading into the All-Star break. Snyder has had a full offseason with the Hawks which is important, and that, coupled with the addition of two savvy veterans, should see Atlanta improve on last season and make some noise in the East.
Prediction: 6th in the East
BOSTON CELTICS
Gained: PF Kristaps Porzingis, PG Jrue Holiday, G Oshae Brissett
Lost: SG Marcus Smart, F Grant Williams, F Robert Williams, PG Malcolm Brogdon
Analysis: The Celtics have made the conference finals in three of the last four seasons but keep finding a way to fall short. Favoured by many to win it all in 2022-2023, it was a disappointing playoff campaign last season, taking six games to beat the Hawks, seven to progress over the 76ers in the conference semis before losing in seven against the Heat. Something needs to give in order to get over the hump, so GM Brad Stevens decided to make a number of huge moves this offseason, including orchestrating a bumper trade to acquire Porzingis. Unfortunately, that mean tough-nosed fan favourite Marcus Smart had to go. The Celtics also picked up Jrue Holiday in the Damien Lillard-to-Milwaukee three-team trade. In addition, star forward Jaylen Brown ensured his future in Boston by signing the richest NBA deal ever. Throw in MVP candidate Jayson Tatum and the Celtics boasts one of the most potent offenses in the NBA and are as well as they’ve ever been placed to win their first title in 15 years.
Prediction: 1st
BROOKLYN NETS
Gained: PG Dennis Smith Jr, G Lonnie Walker, F Noah Clowney (draft), G Dariq Whitehead (draft)
Lost: F Yuta Watanabe
Analysis: The question on the lips of many is ‘will Ben Simmons ever get back to his best?’ The Aussie star has barely been sighted over the past two seasons (just 42 games) and has become an NBA whipping boy. However, there have been good signs in the offseason/preseason that Simmons is ready to perform like we know he can. Simply put, he’s going to have to for this Nets team to have any chance of winning at least one playoff series. Defensively, Simmons makes this team much better, and that aspect is going to have to be a strength for a Nets side who lack a superstar. Mikal Bridges emerged last season after being traded from Phoenix as a part of the Kevin Durant deal. Of course, the Nets boast several draft picks from the Durant and Kyrie Irving (Dallas) trades, so perhaps the front office could use those in future deals to improve their team immediately. However, until that happens, the Nets are just a middle-of-the-road team.
Prediction: 12th
Ben Simmons.Source: Getty Images
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Gained: Brandon Miller (1st round draft pick)
Lost: G Dennis Smith Jr, Kelly Oubre Jr, Kai Jones
Analysis: The Hornets were never in the hunt last season, finishing with one of the worst records in the league (27-55). They are likely to be significant improvers this time around, even though it likely won’t end in a playoff berth. Charlotte drafted Alabama guard/forward Brandon Miller with the second overall pick, and he’s a player who should boost this team right away as he was the most-ready-made prospect in the entire draft. LaMelo Ball is a star, who inked a massive five-year extension, but his absence through injury for most of last season was noticeable. The Hornets really could have used Miles Bridges, but his future on the team is uncertain. Bridges, who didn’t play at all last season, was suspended 30 games by the league after being charged with domestic violence. He was due back this season but has since violated a protection order. There are some good, young pieces on this roster (Ball, Miller), and underrated players who are more than capable (PJ Washington, Mark Williams) and will improve from last season, I just don’t think there are a team primed to challenge in the East just yet.
Prediction: 13th
CHICAGO BULLS
Gained: G Jevon Carter, F Torrey Craig
Lost: G Pat Beverley, F Derrick Jones Jr.
Analysis: It’s fair to say the 2022-23 Bulls were a big disappointment. The 40-42 record indicates a mediocre team, which is what they were, despite boasting Zach Lavine, Demar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. With so much money tied up in those three players, there isn’t much wiggle room for the Bulls to improve their roster and barring the pick-up of some needed point guard depth in Jevon Carter, they didn’t really get a whole lot better in the offseason. Sadly, Lonzo Ball will again miss yet another season with his troublesome left knee. He would have been a huge help. High draft pick Patrick Williams hasn’t kicked on like the franchise would have expected, and if anything, regressed last season. At this stage, the Bulls are a middling team and with Lavine, DeRozan and Vucevic not getting any younger, I don’t envisage them scaring anyone in the East.
Prediction: 9th
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Gained: G Max Strus, F Georges Niang, G Emoni Bates (draft)
Lost: F Cedi Osman
Analysis: Donovan Mitchell was excellent in his first season with the Cavs, averaging over 28 points a game, building a strong back-court with the talented PG Darius Garland who should only improve again in what is his fifth year in the league. Evan Mobley impressed in his second season, showing off plenty of versatility. After winning 51 games in the regular season, was an anticlimactic end for the Cavs, losing to the Knicks 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs. They were able to get better in the offseason as they didn’t lose any key players but were able to add a couple of sharpshooters in Max Strus and Georges Niang. The Cavs are one of the better teams in the East, but until they can win at least a series in the postseason, they aren’t yet a serious threat for the title.
Prediction: 3rd
Donovan MitchellSource: Getty Images
DETROIT PISTONS
Gained: F Joe Harris, G Monte Morris, G Ausar Thompson (draft)
Lost: G Cory Joseph
Analysis: The Pistons have a new coach in the well-regarded Monty Williams and plenty of young pieces who should enjoy long NBA careers. The return of Cade Cunningham is key. He was very good as a rookie and improved in his second season but only played 12 games before a stress fracture ended his season, although there was seldom a shot he didn’t like which affected his shooting percentage. Jaden Ivey is Cunningham’s running mate in the back court and he made huge strides last season. Jalen Duren is Detroit’s centre of the future while rookie Ausar Thompson will have an immediate impact defensively. It won’t be hard to win more games than they did last season (17) but it won’t be for at least a couple of years until we see the Pistons be in a position to challenge for a championship.
Prediction: 14th
INDIANA PACERS
Gained: G Bruce Brown, F Opi Toppin, G Ben Sheppard (draft), F Jarace Walker
Lost: G Chris Duarte
Analysis: There were plenty of decent signs from this Pacers team last year, despite missing the postseason with a 35-47 record. Tyrese Haliburton was one of the league’s best point guards and was rewarded with a new contract. The Pacers added the tenacious Bruce Brown from the championship winning Nuggets and playing around him will only improve this team’s effort. Bennedict Mathurin looks set for a very good career in this league after showing out as a 6th man in his rookie season. Expect to see him in the starting line up in the near future. The Pacers should improve on last season’s record.
Prediction: 11th
MIAMI HEAT
Gained: C Thomas Bryant, F Jaime Jaquez (draft)
Lost: G Gabe Vincent, G Victor Oladipo, F Max Strus
Analysis: It was a remarkable run from the Heat last season, progressing to the NBA Finals from the Play-In Tournament. The catalyst for that run was the play of Jimmy Butler, who had one of the all-time finals series. There was a time during the offseason where it appeared Damian Lillard would end up at the Heat, but it was the Bucks who swooped in, which caught the ire of a few Miami players, notably Butler. However, they have to let bygones be bygones and focus on the team they have. Tyler Herro’s return from a wrist injury is a big boost but the losses of Gabe Vincent and Max Strus will be felt as both players were strong contributers last season. With that said, the Butler-led Heat will again be competitive with Herro and Bam Adebayo to feature prominently. After last season, you just can’t count this team out.
Prediction: 7th
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Gained: PG Damian Lillard, G Malik Beasley, C Robin Lopez
Lost: PG Jrue Holiday, G Grayson Allen
Analysis: After being bundled out in the first round last year (the sixth ever No.1 seed to lose to an 8 seed), superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo made no secret that the Bucks had to make improvements soon or he might be out of there. The front office were obviously listening as the Bucks pulled off one of biggest trades in recent memory when acquiring Portland point guard Damian Lillard. Unfortunately, they had to part ways with fan favourite Jrue Holiday but it was clear it was a move Milwaukee had to make to get back into the NBA Finals. It’s the first time both Lillard and Antetokounmpo have played with another star player and the veteran point guard’s best chance of winning a championship after toiling away in Portland in recent seasons. Giannis may have only just signed a new three-year extension worth $186m (USD), but the clock is ticking on this new partnership. The Bucks have to win now as the franchise have committed so much money to both Antetokounmpo and Lillard to the tune of over $122m (USD) a year between the two of them. In fact, Antetokounmpo and Lillard are the two highest earners in the NBA annually ($62m, $60.8m respectively). The Bucks’ first round exit last season resulted in coach Mike Budenholzer’s firing. He’s been replaced with former Toronto assistant and rookie head coach Adrian Griffin.
Prediction: 2nd
Milwaukee’s trade for Damian Lillard sent shockwaves through the NBA.Source: AFP
NEW YORK KNICKS
Gained: G Donte DiVincenzo
Lost: G Derrick Rose, F Obi Toppin
Analysis: The Knicks won just their second playoff series in 10 years when defeating the Cavs 4-1. It was one of their better seasons in recent memory and they’ll hope to build off that. The Jalen Brunson acquisition was a terrific move with the point guard taking his game to a new level in New York after getting out from under Luka Doncic’s shadow in Denver. Immanuel Quickley also had a career-best season, resulting in a runner-up finish in the sixth man of the year race. There are no out-and-out superstars on their roster, but they have a very good core of Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett and are a well-coached team. They will be thereabouts again.
Prediction: 5th
ORLANDO MAGIC
Gained: G Anthony Black (draft), F Jett Howard (draft)
Lost: F Bol Bol
Analysis: There’s plenty to like about this team and the way they finished off last season, and if it wasn’t for such a sluggish start, the Magic would have likely made the Play-In Tournament. Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero was immense from day dot for the Magic, averaging nearly 21 points and seven rebounds a game. He leads a young team that just got younger in the offseason, adding Anthony Black (6th overall) and Jett Howard (11th overall) in the draft. Orlando just inked an extension with handy guard Cole Anthony who is plenty versatile and will be a sixth-man of the year contender this season. Are the Magic a serious threat? Far from it, but they should provide plenty of entertainment as they continue navigating through a rebuild.
Prediction: 10th
Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic may surprise some people this season.Source: AFP
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Gained: G Pat Beverley, F Kelly Oubre
Lost: F Georges Niang, G Shake Milton
Analysis: We will start with the elephant in the room. What in the world is going on with James Harden? At this stage, it doesn’t appear he’ll be on the floor for the 76ers’ opening game against the Bucks on Friday (AEDT). What happened? Well the relationship between Harden and GM Daryl Morey has disintegrated badly with the star guard publicly calling out Morey numerous times this offseason in addition to requesting a trade (which hasn’t been granted). Harden opted into his contract and picked up his $35.6 million (USD) option but then wanted to be traded. In Harden’s eyes, he should have been offered a long term deal and wasn’t so Morey can’t be trusted. New coach Nick Nurse will have to go on without Harden, who led the league in assists last season. Joel Embiid was able to win his first MVP this season, and while he will still be one of the best players in basketball with or without Harden, he may not be as effective as last season without Harden running point. The 76ers have picked up a couple of good role players in Beverley and Oubre Jr, the latter who will instantly improve the team’s three-point shooting.
Prediction: 4th
Has James Harden played his last game for the 76ers?Source: AFP
TORONTO RAPTORS
Gained: G Dennis Schroder, G Gradey Dick (draft)
Lost: G Fred VanVleet
Analysis: It’s a new dawn for the Toronto Raptors, who fired Nick Nurse after an underwhelming 10th placed finish last season and replaced him with rookie NBA head coach Darko Rajakovic. All-Star forward Pascal Siakam is the star of the show, but he’ll need help from the likes of Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby with Fred VanVleet leaving in free agency. It was somewhat of a sophomore slump for Barnes last season but expect him to bounce back. He’s a stat sheet filler who is improving his shooting range so if the Raptors are to play well, he’ll need to be better. Rookie Gradey Dick is a three-point threat which is desperately needed, especially in VanVleet’s absence. They are a long way from getting back to a championship, but their best form would be good enough to progress to the playoffs and perhaps win a series.
Prediction: 8th
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Gained: G Jordan Poole, G Tyus Jones, G Landry Shamet, F Bilal Coulibaly (draft)
Lost: G Brad Beal, G Monte Morris, F Kristaps Porzingis
Analysis: The Wizards said farewell to Brad Beal and Kristaps Porzingis in the offseason, their two best players. Beal is a huge loss as he was the heart-and-soul of this team, but it was a necessary change to trade him onto a contender as they weren’t getting anywhere with him as the team’s first scoring option. Instead, they’ll rely on walking bucket Jordan Poole and the newly extended Kyle Kuzma. Poole has his shortcomings, but he proved when given the chance to start at the Warriors, that he could post big numbers. Bilal Couliabaly is a promising high draft pick who should find himself playing quite a bit in his rookie year. They might prove to be a plucky team at times, but make no mistake, the Wizards will be finishing near the bottom of the standings in the East.
Prediction: 15th
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Dallas Mavericks
Gained: F Grant Williams, G Seth Curry, G Dante Exum, C Richaun Holmes, C Dereck Lively II (draft)
Lost: F Reggie Bullock
Analysis: The Mavs suffered a late-season collapse, missing the playoffs despite heading into the All-Star break with a 31-26 record. That collapse coincided with the arrival of Kyrie Irving in late February. Whether Irving and Luka Doncic can coexist is the big question. They went 5-11 when playing together last season, but with the benefit of a full offseason under their belt together, expect that record to prove to be an outlier. Dallas added several handy role players which will help defensively, including Grant Williams from the Celtics. Aussie Dante Exum is back in the NBA with Dallas and he too will had plenty of starch defensively. Tipping the Mavericks to hit back from a disappointing 2022-2023 and progress to the postseason.
Prediction: 7th in the West
Can Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic coexist in Dallas?Source: AFP
Denver Nuggets
Gained: G Justin Holiday
Lost: G Bruce Brown, F Jeff Green
Analysis: Last season’s champs did it with the ears pricked in the end as the nonchalant, harness racing-loving Nikola Jokic proved he was the best player in the NBA with his first title. Guard Jamal Murray made a big leap last season, earning a place on the All-NBA team while Michael Porter Jr. hit big shots time and time again. The departure of Bruce Brown is hard to replace, but there a couple of younger players like Christian Braun and Peyton Watson who can play a similar role. The Nuggets didn’t get much better, but they won’t need to to go back-to-back as was the ease they cruised to a championship last season. At this early stage, the West is between the Nuggets and Suns with a bit of a gap to the rest of the teams.
Prediction: 2nd
Golden State Warriors
Gained: G Chris Paul, G Cory Joseph, Brandin Podziemski (draft)
Lost: G Jordan Poole, G Donte DiVicenzo
Analysis: Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green may be in the twilight of their careers, but as long as that core is on the floor, Golden State can never be counted out. Jordan Poole was traded to the Wizards, with veteran PG Chris Paul joining the Warriors. It’s hard to envisage what Golden State will look like with Paul joining the fray, but there’s no doubt he adds another level head and basketball smarts to a team that aren’t lacking in those areas. The key is Steph Curry and whether he can continue to play at such a high level. The Warriors adding a savvy vet in Cory Joseph while Jonathan Kuminga improved vastly last season and has been near outstanding in preseason action. Rookie guard Brandin Podziemski is another who has been balling out for the Warriors this preseason. They’ll shock some people and make a deep run.
Prediction: 5th
Houston Rockets
Gained: G Amen Thompson (draft), G Cam Whitmore (draft), F Dillon Brooks, G Fred VanVleet, C Jock Landale, F Jeff Green
Lost: G Kevin Porter Jr, F KJ Martin
Analysis: Were willing to make a splash in free agency, giving rich deals to Fred VanVleet and the polarising Dillon Brooks. From an outsiders perspective, it may look like Houston paid overs for these two players, but for a young team yearning for experience, they are good acquisitions. VanVleet will be good for 20 points a night, while Brooks’ defensive prowess can’t be overstated, despite his shortcomings. Houston traded last season’s point guard Kevin Porter Jr. because of serious legal issues, so VanVleet will be required to earn every cent of his $128.5m (USD) contract. The Rockets drafted Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore in the first round to add to a young core of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr and the very impressive big man Alperen Sengun. There will be more growing pains for this group this campaign, but they should eclipse last season’s 22 win total.
Prediction:13th
LA Clippers
Gained: G Kobe Brown (draft), Kenyon Martin Jr
Lost: G Eric Gordon
Analysis: This shapes up as a huge season for the Clippers. In what has been indicative of the past few seasons, they were bundled out after a 4-1 first round series loss to the Suns with Paul George missing the entire series. When Kawhi Leonard and George joined the team in July 2019, many thought the Clippers would soon be winning championships or at the very least, contesting the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case with injuries playing a big factor as Leonard and George have only played together in 142 of a possible 308 games, going an impressive 96-46. That stat alone should give Clippers fans hope that if these two superstars can stay on the court, it bodes well for their title chances. However, from what we’ve seen recently, it is a big if.
Prediction: 3rd
LA Lakers
Gained: C Jaxson Hayes, F Taurean Prince, F Christian Wood, G Gabe Vincent
Lost: G Malik Beasley, G Dennis Schroder
Analysis: The Lakers have probably one of the more well-rounded rosters heading into a new season than they have in years past. Depth has been the concern in those recent seasons, but the Lakers were able to add some handy pieces such as Christian Wood and Gabe Vincent, which will potentially be low risk, high reward signings. Both are very handy players, Wood especially on his day. With that said, the burning question is whether 38-year-old LeBron James shows any sign of slowing down. It doesn’t appear he is just yet and with running mate Anthony Davis at the peak of his powers, the Lakers look well placed to make another deep run with these added parts to the roster expected to be key.
Predicition: 6th
LeBron James is gearing up for season 21.Source: AFP
Memphis Grizzlies
Gained:
Lost:
Analysis: The Western Conference will be extremely competitive this season, and despite winning 50 games in 2022-2023 to finish second, the Grizzlies are a team who may find themselves sliding down the standings. Star point guard Ja Morant will miss the first 25 games and centre Steven Adams is out for the entire season with a knee injury. The conference is so strong and a slow start without Morant might be too tough to overcome later in the season. Adding Marcus Smart via trade was a shrewd move after gun defender Dillon Brooks left for Houston in free agency. The Grizzlies are a tight-knit bunch who are well-coached, but their lack of top-tier talent outside of Morant may hurt them in a season a number of teams in the conference are expected to ascend.
Prediction: 10th
Minnesota Timberwolves
Gained: G Shake Milton
Lost: F Tauren Prince
Analysis: Intriguing team are the Wolves. On paper, they have one of the more talented starting fives in the league, but for one reason or another, they can never seem to gel as a unit. Anthony Edwards as a bona fide superstar and has earned every cent of the bumper new $260 million (USD) deal he signed in the offseason. For mine, he’s Minnesota’s most important player, however what will also be critical to the Timberwolves’ success will be how the frontcourt pairing of Karl Anthony-Towns and Rudy Gobert will work. Minnesota sold the farm for Gobert before last season but his form was mixed at best. He didn’t see much time on the floor with KAT though with the latter only appearing in 29 games last season. One thing that this team doesn’t lack though is confidence. Point guard Mike Conley isn’t short of belief in this group, stating at Minnesota’s media day, “I think that last year our team, if we were healthy, we were a team that could have been the Denver Nuggets of last year”. Huge call, but it’s hard to disagree that if these talented group of players can find a way to put it altogether, the Timberwolves can make some noise this season.
Prediction:8th
Timberwolves star Anthony EdwardsSource: Getty Images
New Orleans Pelicans
Gained: G Jordan Hawkins (draft)
Lost: C Jaxson Hayes
Analysis: After a terrific first couple of months, the Pelicans dropped off to finish 9th in the West last season and were eliminated during the Play-In Tournament after a loss to the Thunder. At the moment, they are simply a middling team who don’t have the firepower to challenge for a title. Australia’s own Dyson Daniels, Herbert Jones and sharpshooter Trey Murphy III are three players set to make a big leap this season and improve on their strong end to 2022-2023, but outside of them, a lot of guys have hit their ceiling. There’s talent on this roster, notably Zion Williamson, but he just can’t stay healthy. If the Pelicans were to make into the playoffs, it wouldn’t be a shock, but there’s as good a chance they miss out completely. The concern is that they didn’t really improve in the offseason other than adding rookie Jordan Hawkins in the draft whereas other teams around them in the standings in the West, did.
Prediction: 11th
Oklahoma City Thunder
Gained: F Davis Bertans, G Cason Wallace (draft)
Lost: F Dario Saric, C Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
Analysis: Every Aussie’s first or second favourite team made huge strides last season. The Thunder were one game away from progressing to a seven-game playoff series, but were defeated by Minnesota in the Play-In Tournament. Conventional wisdom suggests they’ll improve on that result with last year’s number two overall pick Chet Holmgren to now feature in the line-up. It’s essentially Holmgren’s rookie year after missing all of last season with a foot injury. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proved he is one of the most prolific scores in the league last season and the Thunder will go as far as he takes them, while Josh Giddey took a huge leap in his development Giddey was able to score more effectively last season, and many experts expect him to enjoy a breakout campaign in 2023-2024. A starting five of Giddey, SGA, last season’s outstanding rookie Jalen Williams, Holmgren and Lu Dort will make some noise in the West, and if they can keep those four core players together, success appears imminent at some stage over the next four to five seasons.
Prediction:9th
Phoenix Suns
Gained: G Brad Beal, C Jusuf Nurkic, G Grayson Allen
Lost: G Chris Paul, G Landry Shamet
Analysis: The Suns arguably possess the most potent trio of scorers in the league with Brad Beal joining Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in Phoenix. The Suns gave away quite a bit to land Beal, including giving away Chris Paul and a number of draft pick swaps. Phoenix will be hoping Beal can be that piece that can help them get back to the NBA Finals after failing to progress pass the second round in the last two seasons. In addition, Durant has had the benefit of a full offseason with the Suns after arriving halfway through 2022-2023 campaign. They loom as the biggest threat to Denver in the West, and betting markets reflect that with the Suns and Nuggets $3.75 joint favourites to win the conference. While centre Deandre Ayton is a loss, former Trail Blazer Jusuf Nurkic is no slouch, and will certainly be an offensive threat down low that opponents can’t take lightly. The additions of bench players Grayson Allen, Bol Bol and Chimezie Metu ensures the Suns’ depth won’t be an issue.
Prediction:1st
The NBA’s newest superstar trio: Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.Source: Getty Images
Portland Trail Blazers
Gained: G Scoot Henderson (draft), F Kris Murray (draft)
Lost: G Damian Lillard
Analysis: The end of an era in Portland. Star guard Damian Lillard, after 11 seasons of tremendous service, was traded in the offseason to Milwaukee. It was a move both teams had to make, as the Trail Blazers weren’t able to build a strong enough team around Lillard to contest. However, as sad as it is to see a player like Lillard go, Portland fans are ready for the Scoot Henderson show. Henderson fell to the Trail Blazers at pick number 3 in the 2023 NBA Draft, and will probably be the main option offensively. Anfernee Simons is a future All-Star who improved last season while Jerami Grant, who inked a rich five-year extension, can score from anywhere on the court while former number 1 pick Deandre Ayton will command plenty of respect from opponents. Depth is the concern for the Trail Blazers, but even though they are in the midst of a rebuild, they will have their moments this season.
Prediction: 14th
Sacramento Kings
Gained: G Chris Duarter, C Nerlens Noel, G Sasha Vezenkov (Euroleague)
Lost: C Richaun Holmes
Analysis: The question is, can they back up last season’s somewhat surprising third-placed finish in the West? They had the talent, but they were able to put it altogether and break a lengthy playoff drought. They wound up being bundled out by the Warriors in the first round, but that’s nothing to scoff at. The West is always a tough conference, so it’s hard to be confident they’ll nab a top four seed, but one thing is for sure – the Kings haven’t got worse. Sacramento have added Sasha Vezenkov from the Euroleague, and he’s shown in the preseason that he’ll be a player that has to be closely guarded on the perimeter from opposition defenses. Superstar point guard De’Aaron Fox is just hitting his prime so expect him to build on last season’s career best campaign, which resulted in a maiden All-Star appearance.
Prediction:4th
San Antonio Spurs
Gained: F Victor Wembanyama (draft), F Cedi Osman, G Reggie Bullock
Analysis: It’s safe to say they’ll be one of the most-watched teams this season, particularly early on because of the addition of one Victor Wembanyama. The 224cm, 19-year-old is the most hyped prospect since LeBron James and for good reason. His rare size blends with an unique skillset blends which creates a type of player that hasn’t been seen before in the NBA. While Wembanyama will undoubtedly make this team better, it’s still a very young roster in San Antonio. Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell are nice pieces who are improving but growing pains are to be expected again from the Spurs. Plenty will disagree, but this team will struggle to finish better than the bottom two in the West even with their shiny new toy.
Predicition:15th
Victor WembanyamaSource: AFP
Utah Jazz
Gained: F John Collins, F Taylor Hendricks (draft), G Keyonte George (draft), Brice Sensabaugh (draft)
Lost: C Juan Toscano-Anderson
Analysis: The acquisition of John Collins from Atlanta in a trade will help this burgeoning roster. Collins joins a frontcourt consisting of the up-and-coming centre Walker Kessler and All-Star Lauri Markkanen. In the back-court, Jordan Clarkson is a sharpshooter who can go on a tear with the drop of a hat, while Collin Sexton has flashed glimpses. Consistency is the issue with him, but if he can figure that out, he has a tonne of upside. There’s plenty to be excited about for Jazz fans, including three first round draft picks. But while they might not go deep into the playoffs, it wouldn’t shock to see them nab a lower seed and contest a Play-In match.
