So to be fair I haven't watched much pre-season basketball, but I did watch the draft (at least until Bol Bol was picked) and I saw what happened during free agency (lots of crazy stuff). So with that here are my picks for MVP, Rookie of the Year, and the playoffs in the East and West.
MVP - Giannis Antetokounmpo (repeat, dude is not even in his athletic prime and really hasn't learned to shoot. Most teams don't have someone who can even stay in front of him)
ROY- RJ Barrett. I just feel like Zion won't play that much this year because the Pelicans are being sooooo cautious, but you got the guy to play basketball and at some point he is going to play, but with the early knee injury I now doubt he plays any back-to-backs and just doesn't get the games in to make an impact. He may have better averages than RJ, but I think RJ is going to put up better numbers on a worse team. MPJ would be my second pick, but that team is loaded and I think he is just going to be limited minutes wise to start the season.
Let's start with the East because the team are a little easier to evaluate here.
1. 76ers - Added talent, competition got weaker, should be an easy walk to the conference championship baring injury.
2. Bucks - Lost Brogden, still have a lot left though including the MVP. They did get exposed by Toronto so they will have to fix that if they are going to the finals. If they find someone to fill the hole left by Brogden could move to first.
3. Celtics - 2 All-stars leave, one comes back. Will be interesting to see how Hayward plays without Kyrie and if Brown and Tatum improve. Also they got some good rookies again. Ton of talent, but kind of starting over.
4. Nets - They made the playoffs last year, and trade an All-star for an All-star. If KD comes back at all could be a tough out in the playoffs.
5. Toronto - probably. Lost a lot, OG is back, but they have a huge target on their back every night.
6. - 8 - All these teams have a wart of some sort so in no particular order
Orlando - If Fultz plays well they get better, if not probably still make the playoffs.
Chicago - They have talent, coaching is the question mark here.
Indiana - Depends on when Victor comes back and if he is healthy. If he is rushed back and still hurt this team doesn't make the playoffs.
9. Miami - About right for a Butler led team. Maybe they get to 8.
10. Hawks - Still a year away, but should be fun to watch.
11. Pistons - Made a push for the playoffs last year, but older and slower now. Blake starts out hurt too.
12. Knicks - idk, too many power forwards. Maybe they can make a trade. RJ probably isn't good enough to get this team to the playoffs by himself...yet.
13. Cavs - If Beilein coaches well they move up, if they play like they did in the preseason they are the worst team in the East. Why draft another point guard?
14. Wizards - Beal is good, probably gets traded, full tank mode with Wall out.
15. Hornets - Bad, maybe Jordan isn't a good talent evaluator. I mean he did say Steph isn't a HOFer...
The West is L-O-A-D-E-D, too bad all the games will be on too late to watch :(
Let's do this in Tiers
1-3 - LAC, LAL, Den. Top 3 teams, maybe in the league. Any could be number one. I could see the Lakers falling out of this group if the players don't mesh and Lebron plays less than 70 games or so and his defense is still objectively bad.
4-7 - Blazers, Jazz, Rockets, Warriors - Lots of returning players, but some exciting new players, the team that has the best of the new players will get a home playoff series or the best of their returning players.
8-12- Spurs, Mavs, Thunder, Pelicans, Kings - I would say one of the teams above drops out of the playoffs and the Spurs make it. After that these teams are likely fighting for one spot. If Zion doesn't play at least 60 games, that team is done. The Thunder are a long shot here, but they did get CP3, SGA and Danillo G. So there is some talent. Mavs it depends on K-Porzi and Luca and if they can stop anyone. Kings were close last year so if they get better they hold the other teams off and make it in and get swept in the first round, if they get worse this teams likely gets blown up again.
13. Suns - Still not very good, but they have Rubio and Saric now so at least some scoring and what looks like an NBA level starting 5.
14. T-wolves - A team going the wrong direction, in a stacked conference. Could be last if the chemistry blows up.
15. Memphis - Should be exciting to watch, but Morant and Jackson have a lot to learn.
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