Next Season in the NBA

The next season of NBA basketball will hopefully be a much-welcomed return to normality after the last few months of Disneyland and the Bubble. As per usual in the NBA, there are a n
umber of threads and potential dramas to be aware and keep on top of, perhaps none so important and off-season player moves. 

NBA champion Anthony Davis looks likely to re-sign with the Lakers and mount a defence of their title but the main source of interest for the upcoming season is reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and whether or not he will choose to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks or move on to new pastures. The odds seem to point to him staying as a Buck but it is thought that the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat are the frontrunners to get the 2-time MVP if he does decide to leave. There has also been trade speculation concerning the 76ers and 2 of their star players, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, as teams are eager to trade of these players and formally put an end to “The Process” as the Houston Rockets seem ready to cut ties with star James Harden or even Russell Westbrook and view Simmons as a more realistic target to replace them. 

The oddsmakers in Las Vegas have announced their favourites to win it all next year too. The champion LA Lakers are viewed as narrow favourites to retain their crown but their neighbouring Clippers are right behind them as far as early contenders go, despite a cataclysmic post season finish for the Clippers they still retain undeniable talent and with a new player-friendly coach in Tyronn Lue maybe this is the year the Clippers will get it right and end years of torment by the Lakers. The Bucks, who had a similarly dreadful post season to the clippers, are next up but that again could all change if the MVP and DPOTY decides to take his talents elsewhere. The Heat, Raptors, Celtics & reborn again Nets are also considered to be viable contenders for the crown as they are stacked with large amounts of playoff experience and raw talent, especially in the case of the Nets who now have Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant back available and will no doubt be a dangerous team to look out for in the upcoming season. Outside of the 2 in Los Angeles, the Western conference seems to be lacking with the amount of teams that could realistically compete, the Rockets look dysfunctional and could have a very different roster when the season starts, Golden State are older and less healthier now but should still pose a problem for the league but other than that, it feels at least like if the NBA championship is to be won by a team in the West, then Los Angeles will be celebrating another championship going to the city.