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This NBA offseason has been the wildest in league history. From superstars being traded to form new superteams, to future Hall of Famers surprising everyone by signing with new franchises, to a bunch of All-Stars being swapped for one another, nobody has a damn clue about what to expect once the new season tips off in a few months — but it’s always fun to try and predict shit, right?
That’s why ESPN decided to talk with some front office executives about what they think about the league following the wild NBA offseason moves. From things like the best player in the world, to who will win next year’s NBA championship, ESPN got some insider thoughts about where the Association stands right now, so take a look at some of the replies below.
On who the best player in the NBA right now is:
- Kawhi Leonard – 12
- Giannis Antetokounmpo – 6
- James Harden – 2
Why Leonard, and not either of the past two MVP winners?
“Did you watch what just happened?” one Eastern Conference executive said with a laugh.
Another summed it up this way: “Because if he plays every game in the playoffs, he’s the best player in the world. And if you can be good enough the rest of the way to get there, then great.”
Maybe we’re all creatures of the moment, because Kawhi Leonard just had a dominant run in the NBA Playoffs by leading his Raptors to a title, or maybe he really is the best player in the league right now. Either way, it’s hard to separate him from Giannis and Harden, who are the two most recent league MVPs.
What might be most surprising is that LeBron James wasn’t in the top-3, which may just be because he’s coming off a terrible first season with the Lakers that saw him miss a ton of games due to injury. Or, it could go to show that execs really don’t think he’s as dominant as he was even just a few seasons ago.
On what move from the NBA offseason was liked the most:
- Clippers getting Leonard/Paul George – 10
- Jazz getting Bojan Bogdanovic/Mike Conley – 2
- Pelicans overall offseason – 2
- Josh Richardson/Al Horford to Philadelphia – 2
“They were a nice little team without him and Paul George,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “Getting them gets them into another stratosphere.”
“The Clippers are pretty impressive with how they finagled that,” a Western Conference assistant coach said. “The [number of] picks are kind of crazy [to give up], but to get Kawhi and Paul George, that’s what it cost. To contend, that’s what it was going to take. That’s what matters.”
It’s hard to argue that the Clippers made the biggest splash this offseason by landing both Leonard and Paul George. It instantly puts the team in the championship conversation, while also stealing some thunder away from that other L.A. team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
While the Clippers getting love for their moves was expected, how aren’t the Nets up there with the NBA offseason they just had? Getting both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant isn’t exactly chopped liver, but it seems like the NBA execs aren’t all that impressed — most likely because of Durant’s unknown status following his Achilles injury.
On which team will win the NBA championship next season:
- LA Clippers – 13
- Milwaukee Bucks – 2
- Philadelphia 76ers – 2
- Utah Jazz – 1
- Denver Nuggets – 1
- Houston Rockets – 1
“I’m going to say the Clippers right now,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “Certainly I’d understand why someone would say the Lakers, but I don’t trust the Lakers to get anything right.”
“If you can get to the end of the season with those two guys [Leonard and Paul George] on the court, with the guards they have and some solid vets coming off the bench, they do it,” an Eastern Conference executive said.
Once again, there’s just no love for LeBron and the Lakers. After finally acquiring a fellow superstar to pair alongside him in Anthony Davis, it doesn’t sounds as if execs around the league trust the front office quite yet, leading to zero votes for the Purple and Gold to win the title next year. It’s surprising, that’s for damn sure.
With the Clippers adding two superstars to a team that reached the playoffs last year, they’ve become the trendy pick to win it all, so we’ll just have to see how everything unfolds. Damn, why can’t the season just start tomorrow?
To see the full NBA offseason poll, head on over to ESPN.com, which gives more insight and analysis, as well as comments as to why some of the executives feel the way they do about the upcoming season.
(H/T ESPN)