Denver are primed to follow Milwaukee’s path to NBA championship glory with a two-time MVP taking them all the way.
The 2022-23 NBA season is upon us and there are nine teams with a legitimate shot at the Larry O’Brien Trophy – five in the Eastern Conference and probably only four in the West, as the rosters currently stand.
Golden State can’t be counted out to defend their crown but the Warriors have peripheral problems, highlighted by Draymond Green’s punching incident at training last week, that could make it hard for them to repeat.
Denver, Phoenix and the LA Clippers are also legitimate contenders in the Western Conference while Milwaukee and Philadelphia appears the best bets in the East, followed by Miami, Boston and the highly combustible Brooklyn Nets, who could finish anywhere from first to 21st with the ongoing drama surrounding their star-studded slow-motion car crash.
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When it comes to the MVP race, this should be the year that Philadelphia centre Joel Embiid gets his massive hands on the trophy after finishing runner-up the past two seasons.
Nikola Jokic. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Denver rival Nikola Jokic will find it hard to win three straight MVPs as voters traditionally tend to look for new options even if he can maintain his phenomenal output, which last season featured 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists and a steal and a block per game.
Like Giannis Antetekounmpo and the Bucks a couple of years ago, the path is laid out for Jokic to cash in after two years of individual honours with his two most talented teammates, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter jnr, back in the line-up after long-term injuries.
At the other end of the scale, there will be all sorts of tanking shenanigans going on with a potentially generational prospect in French phenom Victor Wembanyama and elite playmaker Scoot Henderson up for grabs in next year’s draft.
Team by team, division by division, conference by conference, here’s how all 30 teams are shaping up for the season ahead which tips off on Wednesday with Philadelphia travelling to Boston at 10.30am AEDT followed by Golden State hosting the Lakers at 1pm.
Philadelphia 76ers
Last season: 51-31
Reasons to be excited: They brought in PJ Tucker to take the frontcourt load off Joel Embiid and James Harden has lost a few kilos to be in shape for the first time in a few years, plus they no longer have the Ben Simmons sideshow as a distraction.
Causes for concern: Harden’s hunger, on the basketball court that is, can come and go, plus his resume in the post-season leaves a lot to be desired even if he only needs to be a complementary player alongside Embiid rather than the go-to guy.
Prediction: 2nd in the East, the conference finals beckon but it’s hard to have too much faith in them to go further.
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics
Last season: 51-31
Reasons to be excited: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are elite two-way stars and the acquisition of Malcolm Brogdon gives them a reliable point guard so Marcus Smart does not overplay his hand.
Causes for concern: The one-year suspension to coach Ime Udoka means the runners-up from last season go into the new campaign with little-known 34-year-old Joe Mazzulla in his first coaching assignment.
Prediction: 3rd in the East but playoff fodder as Udoka drama drags on before he’s ultimately fired.
New York Knicks
Last season: 37-45
Reasons to be excited: RJ Barrett is ready to step into a starring role after three seasons in the big time while Jalen Brunson’s signing gives them a potent scorer so they’re not relying on the hot-and-cold Julius Randle.
Causes for concern: It’s the Knicks. And the Tom Thibodeau coaching history suggests his methods become less effective and they’ve already had the first-year bump followed by the second-season regression.
Prediction: 9th in the East, Thibs canned after they don’t progress from the play-in.
Toronto Raptors
Last season: 48-34
Reasons to be excited: Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes will only get better, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet are in their prime and Otto Porter jnr’s signing gives them another all-rounder on the wing.
Causes for concern: They lack height which will be a humungous problem in an Eastern Conference playoff picture that includes Embiid and Giannis.
Prediction: 4th in the East, higher if they can pull off a mid-season trade for a quality centre.
Brooklyn Nets
Last season: 44-38
Reasons to be excited: The talent on the roster is impressive with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons backed up by quality role players like Patty Mills, Joe Harris, Seth Curry, Royce O’Neale and Nic Claxton.
Causes for concern: KD tried to get the coach and general manager fired in the off-season but then returned to the fold when Brooklyn couldn’t engineer a worthwhile trade, Kyrie could flip out at the drop of a hat and Simmons, while it’s great to see him back on the court after all his dramas, looks like he hasn’t been working on a jump-shot during his year on the sidelines.
Prediction: 7th in the East with KD and Kyrie traded before season’s end to build a team around Simmons with shooters.
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Chicago Bulls
Last season: 46-36
Reasons to be excited: DeMar DeRozan is a walking bucket who is coming off a career-best year, Zach LaVine is an established All-Star and young prospect Patrick Williams is available after injury wrecked his 2021-22 season.
Causes for concern: It’s all about the same in ChiTown and Lonzo Ball’s chronic knee problems rob them of a quality defender and knockdown shooter.
Prediction: 10th in the East, they’ll take a step backwards and Nikola Vucevic will be traded before the deadline.
Milwaukee Bucks
Last season: 51-31
Reasons to be excited: When Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are on court, they are arguably the toughest team to beat in the NBA but Middleton’s untimely knee injury in last year’s playoffs virtually ended their title defence.
Causes for concern: Only if one of their Big Three get injured that they don’t have another star to step up, apologies to Joe Ingles, who will return to the NBA floor as a Buck this season once his ACL tear is fully healed.
Prediction: 1st in the East, they will make the Eastern Conference finals and will probably be too strong for whichever opponent they face.
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Indiana Pacers
Last season: 25-57
Reasons to be excited: Well, they have Tyrese Haliburton after last season’s trade with Sacramento and Chris Duarte has the makings of an elite shooter. Everyone else on this roster should be renting because they’re all trade chips.
Causes for concern: Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are their two main trade chips and they could be dealt for Russell Westbrook at the Lakers, who would be shut down because the Pacers are all about tanking to be in the race for blue-chip prospects Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson.
Prediction: 15th in the East, they’ll be doing everything in their power to finish in the bottom four to boost their NBA Draft lottery chances.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Last season: 44-38
Reasons to be excited: Donovan Mitchell is now a Cavalier and they didn’t give up much to get him to now have a legit Big Four also featuring Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland.
Causes for concern: They’re still pretty young so any hopes of a top-two finish in the East are probably a year too soon.
Prediction: Sixth, rising up the charts nicely to become a potential LeBron James swansong destination.
Detroit Pistons
Last season: 23-59
Reasons to be excited: Last year’s No.1 selection Cade Cunningham proved once he overcame his injuries that he has the potential to be the foundation piece for this franchise to build around and they have paired him with another high-upside playmaker in Jaden Ivey, taken fifth in the 2022 draft.
Causes for concern: There’s not much else on this roster that screams big improvers with the addition of Jazz veteran Bojan Bogdanovica curious choice given that they are unlikely to make the playoffs so finishing lower to get another high draft pick would be a better long-term play.
Prediction: 12th in the East, they could lose a lot of games late in the season if the finals aren’t a reality.
Trae Young. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Atlanta Hawks
Last season: 43-39
Reasons to be excited: They traded for Dejounte Murray so they now have another ball handler in the backcourt to help prolific scorer Trae Young and a perimeter defender who can make up for their franchise player’s many deficiencies in that area.
Causes for concern: John Collins has been on the trading block for eons and their depth is skinny unless De’Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu or Bogdan Bogdanovic can produce consistently.
Prediction: 8th in East, coach Nate McMillan won’t be coach next year.
Orlando Magic
Last season: 22-60
Reasons to be excited: They drafted the No.1 pick in Paolo Banchero so his arrival, coupled with the continued improvement of Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter jnr, Jalen Suggs and whatever they can get from Markelle Fultz gives the Magic the outline of a young nucleus after years of false starts.
Causes for concern: There are no veteran stars on this team so there will be plenty of growing pains but the future is at least looking better if coach Jamahl Mosley can convert this potential into wins.
Prediction: 14th in the East, this should be the last year they’re in the cellar for a while.
Miami Heat
Last season: 53-29
Reasons to be excited: Jimmy Butler is still a force to be reckoned with, Bam Adebayo is an elite centre and Tyler Herro is a problem for any outside defender.
Causes for concern: They seem to have hit a plateau the past couple of seasons and with Kyle Lowry showing signs of age, Duncan Robinson not living up to his big contract and Herro also taking up plenty of cap space, Erik Spoelstra will have to delve deep into his bag of tricks to make this very good team a great one.
Prediction: 4th in the East, it’s time to shake things up a little with a trade or two.
Jimmy Butler (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Washington Wizards
Last season: 35-47
Reasons to be excited: Bradley Beal’s five-year $US251 million deal has a no-trade clause so he’s likely staying around for the long haul and he’s an elite shooter who could take deep into the playoffs with another star or two on the roster.
Causes for concern: Kristaps Porzingis is the only other former All-Star on this roster and he is, surprise, surprise, battling another injury with his ankle the latest ailment for someone who will be chewing up $33m-plus in cap space.
Prediction: 11th in the East, as Bon Jovi kinda said, this team is more than halfway meh, woah, they’re livin’ on a meh.
Charlotte Hornets
Last season: 43-39
Reasons to be excited: LaMelo Ball is a highlights reel generator and he will probably average 20-plus points and double-figure assists in his third season.
Causes for concern: Miles Bridges could be out of the league and in jail for a long time after being charged with serious domestic violence offences and without many other reliable options on the roster, Charlotte will probably lose as many as 15-20 more games this season. LaMelo is also set to miss the start of the season with an ankle injury – an early sign of tanking ahead, perhaps.
Prediction: 13th in the East, Gordon Hayward to be traded mid-season and the Hornets to dive into the tank.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Last season: 46-36
Reasons to be excited: Rudy Gobert’s arrival gives them a defensive anchor that allows Karl-Anthony Towns to worry about putting the biscuit in the bucket while athletic wing Anthony Edwards should continue his meteoric rise.
Causes for concern: The point guard spot is a worry with D’Angelo Russell often getting in the way when the ball should be going to KAT or Edwards.
Prediction: 8th in the West, unless Edwards makes the leap to become an All-NBA level talent, the other stars are too one-dimensional.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Last season: 24-58
Reasons to be excited: Josh Giddey will continue to develop into an elite floor general, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seems happy with the slow and steady timeline and there is zero expectation on this squad.
Causes for concern: No.2 pick Chet Holmgren will miss the season due to foot surgery, which will only help their lottery odds so that’s not so concerning.
Prediction: 13th in the West, that could sink lower if they continue their recent trend of shutting down anyone who contributes to winning in the final months of the season.
Denver Nuggets
Last season: 48-34
Reasons to be excited: Nikola Jokic is a unique focal point of their offence from centre and he managed to drag a spare parts outfit to a 48-34 record last season but now he’s got Jamal Murray and Michael Porter jnr back from lengthy injuries absences.
Causes for concern: They could do with another three and D player to free up Murray on offence and hide Porter on defence.
Prediction: 1st, they are primed to go deep into the playoffs and possibly all the way to a first title in franchise history if Murray and Porter stay on the floor.
Utah Jazz
Last season: 49-33
Reasons to be excited: Danny Ainge knows what he’s doing. The former Celtics executive shed Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic from the roster in the off-season to build an impressive array of draft picks and the Jazz could be in for an even better rebuild than his Boston renovation after the infamous Nets trade nearly a decade ago.
Causes for concern: They might win too many games if Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson are on the roster too long so expect them to be traded before the calendar year is out.
Prediction: 15th in the West, worst in the league.
Portland TrailBlazers
Last season: 27-55
Reasons to be excited: Damian Lillard is over his abdominal injury and has decent talent alongside him in Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart and Jusuf Nurkic.
Causes for concern: It’s a similar script to one which has left the Blazers short in the playoffs for several years and if Chauncey Billups can’t get this group firing by mid-season, they could start trading away their veterans for picks and to get into the Wembanyama sweepstakes.
Prediction: 11th in the West, they need to choose their own adventure soon to avoid being stuck in the middle again.
Sacramento Kings
Last season: 30-52
Reasons to be excited: Their roster doesn’t totally stink for once and should at least make the play-in stage with Domantis Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox and rookie prospect Keegan Murray to potentially break the longest playoff drought in any of the big four US sports leagues.
Causes for concern: It’s the Kangs, y’all. New coach Mike Brown should not feel secure with this front office.
Prediction: 10th in the West, they’re still a player away from being a playoff contender.
Golden State Warriors
Last season: 53-29 (champions)
Reasons to be excited: Their stars are back, Steph Curry’s outside shooting game is ageing like a fine wine, Andrew Wiggins is living up to his huge potential and Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are elite at what they do.
Causes for concern: The lingering issue of contract extensions for Wiggins, Poole and Green has already led to one almighty blow-up with Draymond punching Poole in training. He’s a flammable commodity, as we saw in the Kevin Durant exit, and as crucial as he is as Golden State’s defensive beast, if he feels disrespected, he could throw his toys out of his cot and disrupt their title defence.
Some pundits have said the skirmish was no big deal as these incidents happen from time to time but Steve Kerr described it as “the biggest crisis that we’ve had since I’ve been coach here”.
Prediction: 2nd in the West, they’ll be there when the whips are cracking.
Phoenix Suns
Last season: 64-18
Reasons to be excited: They were the best team in the regular season last year and apart from veteran forward Jae Crowder, they’ll return for what will probably be Chris Paul’s last legitimate chance to lead a team to NBA glory.
Causes for concern: Paul showed visible signs of ageing in last year’s playoffs as the Suns flamed out, centre Deandre Ayton wants out because Phoenix didn’t want to pony up for a max extension and disgraced owner Robert Sarver’s exit will be a background issue which will hopefully be resolved soon.
Prediction: 4th in the West, it’s going to be hard for coach Monty Williams to keep this team focused.
LA Lakers
Last season: 33-49
Reasons to be excited: LeBron James is defying the ravages of time and Anthony “day to day” Davis is an elite force when he’s working in tandem with his fellow superstar.
Causes for concern: There’s the Russell Westbrook trade debacle which is yet to be sorted, a lack of any other impactful talent on the roster and a rookie coach in Darvin Ham being expected to clean up this mess.
Prediction: 9th in the West, LeBron breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record will be the highlight of another under-achieving Lakers season.
Lakers star LeBron James drives to the hoop against Brooklyn Nets in their 2021 Christmas Day game in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
LA Clippers
Last season: 42-40
Reasons to be excited: Kawhi Leonard is back after his ACL tear, Paul George is fit again after elbow dramas last season and John Wall will suit up for the Clippers after a wasted year in Houston. It’s a talented veteran roster which could challenge for the title if everything goes their way.
Causes for concern: Their three main stars have missed a lot of matches over the past few years so banking on them to get through the majority of the season is not a safe bet.
Prediction: 3rd in the West, Kawhi is still elite, the roster is talented but there’s too many variables in this squad.
New Orleans Pelicans
Last season: 36-46 (first-round exit)
Reasons to be excited: Zion Williamson is healthy again, not just over his injuries but in chiselled shape for the first time in his brief NBA career which spells trouble for opponents trying to stop him in the paint. Then there’s Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum waiting to fire away from distance if defences target Zion.
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Causes for concern: Zion hasn’t shown in his three seasons that he can stay on the floor for long stretches and apart from McCollum and centre Jonas Valunciunas, this is still a youthful roster.
Prediction: 6th in the West, a playoff team if they all stay on the floor.
Houston Rockets
Last season: 20-62
Reasons to be excited: High-draft picks Jalen Green and Jabari Smith give Houston two of their future starting five and centre Alperen Sengun has shown glimpses of potential.
Causes for concern: The rest of the roster is questionable talent which could turn into rotation pieces or journeymen who would love to be traded to a contender.
Prediction: 13th in the West, improving but the Rockets will want to delay lift-off.
Memphis Grizzlies
Last season: 56-26
Reasons to be excited: Ja Morant is the closest the NBA has seen to prime Derrick Rose since his MVP season in Chicago when he kept charging to the hoop with all sorts of acrobatic finishes.
Causes for concern: They have a strong recent history of powering on despite injuries to their main players but Jaren Jackson jnr’s foot injury means he will be out until December and probably on a minutes restriction so the Grizz could be a little skinny up front.
Prediction: 5th in the West, the Jackson absence is a concern but this team cannot be underestimated.
Dallas Mavericks
Last season: 52-30 (Western Conference finals)
Reasons to be excited: Luka Doncic is MVP favourite and after leading the Mavericks to a boilover win against Phoenix to make the Western Conference decider, the Mavericks should be building towards a possible return to the finals.
Causes for concern: Jalen Brunson’s departure to New York robs Dallas of a reliable secondary option so their chances now depend probably too greatly on Spencer Dinwiddie, Tim Hardaway jnr and Christian Wood.
Prediction: 7th in the West, there’s not enough of a support cast around Luka Doncic.
Luka Doncic. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
San Antonio Spurs
Last season: 34-48
Reasons to be excited: Um, if you love fundamentals and players trying to establish themselves in the pros, then San Antonio is a team to watch.
Causes for concern: Their roster is razor thin, arguably the weakest in the league, after they dealt Dejounte Murray to Atlanta to get in early in the tanking sweepstakes.
Prediction: 14th in the West, when the Spurs hit the tank button, they don’t do it in half measures. Just ask Tim Duncan.
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