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It has been a jam-packed month as the season of basketball is officially up and running.
On the back of the NBA Draft and the Las Vegas Summer League series, all eyes will turn to the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup being held across the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.
The NBA offseason has also been nothing short of mind blowing over the last few weeks, with blockbuster trades being executed league wide.
With the 2023-24 campaign around the corner, I thought I would give my early predictions for how next year’s NBA awards could play out.
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
A consistent top 5 player in the competition over the last few years, Giannis Antetokounmpo is my pick to dominate once again in 2024.
Leading the 58-win Bucks last year with averages of 31 points, 12 boards and 6 assists saw only a third-place finish for the Greek Freak in MVP voting.
While they had an outstanding championship run in 2021, the 2023 Playoffs were one to forget for Milwaukee, knocked out by the 8th seeded Miami Heat in round one.
Despite that, Giannis remains a menace on the glass and a penetrating force with the ability to score in the paint unlike any other.
I think redemption is on the cards for the 2-time MVP to launch the Bucks back to championship glory behind a ferocious 2024 campaign.
2023 was nothing short of a brilliant season for Cleveland, making the playoffs for the first time without LeBron James since he was drafted two decades ago.
Ranking first in defensive rating and points allowed last year, the best defensive team was fronted by young Evan Mobley.
1.7 blocks a game is nothing short of outstanding for a 22-year-old, and I believe he will only improve as his career progresses.
Finishing 3rd in DPOY voting last year, I think Mobley is set for yet another defensive leap next season and will snatch the top prize.
Veteran Chris Paul now finds himself on the Golden State roster in one of the biggest moves of the offseason.
The 38-year-old is seeking his first championship ring in his 19th season, and now has the opportunity to thrive in a new role behind superstar Steph Curry.
With Curry and Klay Thompson to man the starting backcourt for the Warriors, the future Hall of Famer will come off the bench for a dominant 2024 campaign.
A leader at Phoenix averaging 14 and 9 assists a game, Paul should prosper in a bench role and is my pick for Sixth Man.
(Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
I do not think it comes as any major surprise for Wemby to be my 2024 Rookie of the Year.
The best NBA prospect since LeBron is almost certain to have an unreal first year in the league, after showing glimpses of dominance in preseason matchups.
With the likes of Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller also highlighting the incoming draftees and potentials to scoop up ROTY, Wembenyama’s shot creating as a seven-footer should put him a level above the rest.
Being an absolute unicorn in the world of basketball, Wemby is my 2024 Rookie of the Year.
It was a slow start for the Lakers in 2023, as some early injuries and struggles positioned them with just two wins from the first 12 games of the season.
With Head Coach Darvin Ham at the helm for his first full season, the pressure was mounting on a squad led by LeBron James himself.
However it was an injury prone Anthony Davis returning that saw the Lakers form a playoff run no one would have expected in October.
Key signings of Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, and others to fill out the bench along with last season’s building momentum should set up LA for success.
A big 2024 is on the cards for Darvin Ham and his Lakers, and I think he should carry them beyond their 43-win season last year.
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
A year of mediocrity was the fate of the 2023 Toronto Raptors.
A 41-41 record, a play-In elimination and the firing of Nick Nurse remains not the biggest takeaway from last year.
In an 82-game season, Scottie Barnes was the leading scorer for Toronto on only five separate occasions, while point guard Fred VanVleet did so for a quarter of their games.
As the Houston Rockets signed VanVleet this offseason, Scottie is poised to take a leap in his third year as a more predominant scoring threat for Toronto alongside Pascal Siakam.
A mobile 6-foot-8 forward with strong defensive tendencies, I think Barnes will improve vastly and become a potential All-Star.
Last season ended in historic fashion, as the mighty Denver Nuggets hoisted the Larry O’Brien Championship trophy for the first time in their franchise’s long history.
And in my mind, they’ll do it again.
Behind two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets were a top five offensive team last year with a deep roster that established themselves as the team to beat in the regular season.
While some of that depth has been traded away, a starting lineup containing Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr remains a force to be reckoned with.
They are a team that can challenge any superstar rosters in the Eastern Conference and continue to dominate the Western Conference.
My 2024 champs? The Denver Nuggets.
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