We’ve rang in a new decade, and in the NBA world, new superstars are forming that are going to carry this league through this decade and beyond. 2020 has a chance to be the best and biggest year the NBA has ever had, and this postseason is set up to be epic. What should you be looking for?
Zion Williamsons’ Debut
We’ve still yet to see Zion in an actual NBA game but from all the reporting, a debut is near for the 6’8, 280 pound rookie mammoth. It’s certainly a negative that we’ve yet to see him, considering the NBA built their early-season NBA TV schedule around the New Orleans Pelicans and instead of seeing Zion, we’ve watched the Pelicans lose to a bunch of teams they are less talented than. From what we saw in preseason, Zion looked like this slasher from another world, almost freelancing on offense while still putting up big numbers. A core of Zion and a fast-rising Brandon Ingram (25.2 PPG) is one the Pelicans can build around over the course of the ’20s.
Where does Andre Iguodala land?
Andre Iguodala, like Zion Williamson, hasn’t played a game this year, but for entirely different reasons. Since being traded from Golden State to Memphis in July, The Grizzlies and Andre have had an agreement that he can stay away from the team while they try and find him a trade partner. Iguodala has been heavily linked to both of the LA teams and will make a difference wherever he lands. It’d be quite interesting if he were to land in Dallas or Denver, both teams that have assets to give up while the Lakers and Clippers are dependent on Iguodala demanding he only go to LA. He’s a wild card and can make the difference to a championship winning team.
Trade Deadline-Buyout Market
The two stars that have been heavily linked in trades is Andre Drummond and Kevin Love, yet their situations are different. Kevin Love is owed 91 million dollars AFTER this season, which makes teams wary of trading for a power forward in his 30’s, and which would also debilitate their cap flexibility in the Summer of 2021, where superstars galore will be available via Free Agency. Andre Drummond has a player option for 28 million after this season, which he might want to pick up unless he really wants to get out of Detroit. Centers are a dying breed, especially ones who can’t space the floor, and I don’t think he gets a contact from a team close to that annual salary. If I had to make a guess, Drummond gets moved before Love, but I have my doubts either go anywhere.
As Far as the buyout market goes, you just never know who will get bought out and will enter free agency, but with the parity in the league going on, any solid rotation player can help contenders and give an edge over another team. Keep an eye on the Lakers and Sixers, two rosters that are very good, but a solid addition can push them over the top.
How many PPG does James Harden end up with?
What James Harden is doing right now is honestly ridiculous and comical at this point. Over the last month, he’s shooting 52% from the field, 38.3 PPG, 5.7 rebounds, 7.9 assists, while making 6 3’s a game at a 38% clip. His 38.4 PPG would be he highest PPG average since Wilt Chamberlain and theres a possibility Harden can push it to 40 PPG before the regular season ends. He’s been absurd and while his free throws per game have gone down each month, his scoring averages are sitting tight while his efficiency is continuing to improve. We’re watching the peak of a historic scorer.
MVP Race
I haven’t even talked about Luka Doncic, a player that has the potential to be the player of the ’20s, and he’s right in the middle of the MVP Conversation, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a top-4 seed in the Western Conference while almost averaging a triple-double. I just got done talking about James Harden and all of his shenanigans. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who we will talk about more later, is leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the best record in the league while posting 30 points and 13 rebounds a game, all in 31 minutes per contest. You can make the argument for either LeBron James or Anthony Davis to round out the top 4, with both players leading the Lakers to the top seed in the Western Conference. This is all the makings of an MVP race where no matter who wins, the group of players I mentioned will feel snubbed that they didn’t.
Playoff Seeding
We’re all looking forward a potential matchup between the Clippers and Lakers in the Western Conference Playoffs, and most expect it to be in the West Finals. However, it’s a realistic chance that it could be a second round matchup rather than the Finals, especially since the Clippers are insistent on resting Kawhi Leonard as much as possible during the regular season. That’d make teams like Denver and Houston very interesting, as they wouldn’t have to go through the LA gauntlet to reach the NBA Finals. In the East, with 6 teams (Milwaukee, Toronto, Boston, Miami, Indiana, Philadelphia) all legit contenders, matchups are everything. We saw it last year, we’re going to see it again.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Yes, he’s a free agent in 2021, a whole year from now. Depending on how this season turns out, it’s going to drastically influence his decision on whether or not he wants to stay in Milwaukee. If Milwaukee wins a championship this year, then it’s almost a 100% guarantee he stays. If they were to get knocked out before they reach the NBA Finals or even an NBA Finals loss, the endless chatter about where he can land is only going to get louder. If Giannis then declines the 5 year, 252 Million Dollar contract extension he can accept in the summer, Milwaukee is then going to be put in the impossible position of whether to look at trade offers or risk losing him for nothing.
NBA Stars Returning
While we expect Steph Curry to return to the court before the 2019-20 season ends, it won’t matter much since the Warriors are trying to tank into a top draft pick. So we’ll throw Curry in with Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and John Wall as all top players who should be on the court when the 2020-21 season begins. When these players are healthy, it makes for a better NBA product, and it also means the Warriors will be back at full strength, adding another team contending in the Western Conference.
A Different NBA Schedule?
While it’s still preliminary, the NBA Board of Governors plan on proposing a change to the NBA schedule starting in 2020-21. The proposed plan includes a Mid-Season tournament in which players get a $1 Million dollar payout and a 78 game schedule instead of 82. While the changes would add a new wrinkle into a schedule that’s been set in stone for so long, it’s hard to imagine players, who are already taking precautions making sure they’re healthy for the postseason, taking a mid-season tournament serious enough that doesn’t count the same as winning a NBA Championship. Either way, It’s a topic that’s going to be talked all the way until owners vote in April.
2020 Hall of Fame
Kobe. Duncan. Garnett. It’s must watch television.
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