NBA’s 20 most intriguing storylines: Victor Wembanyama has arrived; Dame Time in Milwaukee; 76ers’ soap opera

The 2023-24 NBA season pointers off per week from lately, and, as standard, there are many juicy storylines to practice between now and April. Below I’ve indexed the 20 groups and/or gamers that I’m most intrigued to trace all over the common season. 

Perhaps you can understand one omission that you may believe evident: Ja Morant and the Grizzlies. It’s a giant tale, undoubtedly. Morant being out for the primary 25 video games (suspension) places Memphis in a decent spot in a deep Western Conference the place each and every sport counts. I’m curious to look how a lot Marcus Smart is helping. But to be fair, in my opinion, I simply do not in finding the Grizzlies all that attention-grabbing even with Morant at the court docket. Without him, they are now not any place close to the highest of my League Pass record. 

With that in thoughts, listed below are the 20 storylines I’ll be most carefully following this season. You’ll understand they aren’t numbered. That’s via design. This record is in no specific order. 

How just right will Victor Wembanyama be as a rookie? We know he’s going to supply nightly examples of freakish talents, however would possibly he in reality be an All-Star straight away? Might be be in the operating for Defensive Player of the Year this season? Will the Spurs even play him sufficient to place him in the operating for such accolades? It might be interesting to observe this play out, however it doesn’t matter what, Wemby makes the Spurs must-see TV. 

Dame Time in Milwaukee

Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo are a fit made in basketball heaven. Good good fortune preventing this pick-and-roll tandem. Milwaukee’s half-court offense might be juiced significantly via Liillard, however will the defensive decline that incorporates the lack of Jrue Holiday offset Lillard’s scoring/spacing have an effect on? We shall see. 

Major adjustments for a Boston staff that has now not been ready to recover from the championship hump. Marcus Smart and Robert Williams are out, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are in. The Celtics are going to deploy supreme-spacing lineups that — with Holiday on the level of assault, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown switching all over the place the court docket and Porzingis and Al Horford protective the paint — might be subsequent to unattainable to attain on.  

Denver’s name protection

The Nuggets hardly make nationwide news and that did not trade this summer season even once they received the name. If you polled 100 folks, I doubt the Nuggets would pop out as the foremost favourite to win all of it once more. No large strikes. The Celtics, Bucks and Suns all made blockbusters. All Denver did was once lose Bruce Brown. 

I can have an interest if the Nuggets come to a decision to turn out some degree this common season and simply cross scorched earth, just like the Warriors did in 2015-16 after they received 73 video games after their first name was once seemed with, let’s say, just a little of nationwide scrutiny. The collective perspective towards’s a name I might classify extra as apathy than scrutiny, however nonetheless, if the Nuggets really feel reasonably neglected, they would not be fallacious. 

OKC continues to be a transfer or two clear of rivalry, however this can be a staff this is, in the end, in a position to win at the moment. Shai Gilegous-Alexander is a reputable MVP candidate. Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey are superior. Chet Holmgren is OKC’s model of Wembanyama, a supremely professional seven-footer with long term DPOY chops. 

If Sam Presti so wants, he can get started cashing in among the zillion draft alternatives that he has spent years stockpiling to construct this staff out additional across the cut-off date. Watch out for the Thunder. They’re going to play arduous each and every unmarried night time. They put most power on you on each ends. They may just realistically be this 12 months’s Kings, a perimeter play-in staff to a top-four seed in a single day. 

Just like their Crypto.com Arena housemate Clippers, the Lakers have one objective for the common season: Get to the playoffs with the well being in their two superstars intact. The Lakers have just right continuity after bringing again Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, and so they rounded out their rotation with Gabe Vincent, who will also be the ultimate playoff level guard if D’Angelo Russell proves too defensively problematic. 

But once more, none of this issues if LeBron James and/or Anthony Davis is harm, and even lower than 100%, come playoff time. The Lakers will manner the common season as a gradual burn, hoping to completely ignite at simply the proper time, however they are able to’t sleepwalk both. The West is simply too deep. Nobody desires to have to head in the course of the play-in if they are able to in any respect keep away from it. Rob Pelinka has put in combination a deep, flexible choice of guys who will have to be ready live on no less than quick stretches with out LeBron or AD. But the ones two do not need to leave out lengthy stretches, and on no account each on the similar time. 

Super-team Suns

Phoenix is development its name hopes via the super-team blueprint: Three superstars — although if you do not need to name Bradley Beal famous person, I perceive — on the expense of intensity. No extra Chris Paul orchestrating offense, however offense would possibly not be, or should not be, an issue. Pinning the big-man duties of a top-tier name contender on Jusuf Nurkic, then again, feels shaky. Let’s see if Phoenix defends, if they are able to make sufficient 3-pointers to stick in the mathematics sport, and if, most importantly, they are able to keep wholesome. 

Warriors being written off?

Don’t make this error. The Warriors nonetheless arguably have the most efficient beginning lineup in the league; the numbers have supported this for the previous few years. Chris Paul goes to make a big-time distinction organizing the second one unit whilst additionally serving as a top-of-the-floor conductor for the off-ball motion of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in non-Draymond mins. Jonathan Kuminga is a swing participant. He may just in point of fact pop. Golden State is small, as at all times, however this staff continues to be a reputable name risk. 

Sixers soap opera

Until James Harden is traded, that is going be an ongoing drama drip in Philadelphia. Will Harden play? If he does, will he play arduous? It’s arduous to look the Sixers final in rivalry for a name with no matter they will get again for Harden, who is not price just about what he thinks he’s. Then once more, for my cash, it is similarly arduous to look them competing with Harden, who crapped out when it counted final season. What a multitude. 

Knicks make a industry?

Reports are out that New York is “monitoring” the Karl-Anthony Towns state of affairs in Minnesota, no matter that implies. They had been most likely saving their chips for a Giannis Antetokounmpo play, however that turns out like a useless finish no less than in the meanwhile with Lillard becoming a member of forces in Milwaukee. You will almost definitely listen Joel Embiid’s title hooked up to the Knicks greater than as soon as if this Sixers debacle turns into absurd. The Knicks are in a just right position. They’re a just right staff. They have the belongings to make the leap to an excellent one. It isn’t a question of will they make a giant transfer; it is just a question of when. 

Clippers’ final stand?

When the Clippers traded Shai Gilegous-Alexander, who has grow to be a famous person, together with FIVE(!) long term first-round alternatives and two extra possible choose swaps to pair Paul George with Kawhi Leonard again in 2019, they did so with the expectancy that it could internet the franchise its first championship. Instead, they’ve but to even succeed in the NBA Finals. Leonard and George can each grow to be unfastened brokers subsequent summer season. I might wager at the Clippers re-signing those guys, however the chance no doubt exists that this a last-stand state of affairs. 

Miami regression?

It might be arduous for the Heat to head backwards from the play-in, which is the place they began the postseason final 12 months, however they are able to surely regress from the place they completed the postseason, which was once 3 wins from claiming a championship. The Heat struck out on Lillard. They misplaced Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. Is Tyler Herro coming again wholesome sufficient to stay this staff in rivalry? Most do not consider so. But the Heat have lengthy been in the trade of constructing “experts” glance silly. 

Dallas’ dynamic duo

The Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving final season with the goal of vaulting themselves into the name dialog. Instead they fell into the lottery. Irving comes again this season on a three-year, $126 million deal, however the Mavericks did not in point of fact have a call once they traded for him and lacked the cap house to exchange him. Dallas made cast signings in Grant Williams and Seth Curry, and first-round choose Derrick Lively may just assist if he will get up to the mark rather briefly. But in the tip, that is all about Luka Doncic and Irving and whether or not their offense is sufficient to conquer a large number of Dallas flaws. 

Young is arguably probably the most 10 most productive and, on any given night time, unhealthy offensive gamers in the league, however the honeymoon of Atlanta’s 2021 conference-finals run is over. Atlanta has been a play-in staff the final two seasons and there is a actual query brewing as as to whether Young, as a defensive legal responsibility and an erratic, and admittedly hyped up, 3-point shooter, will also be the most efficient participant on a major staff, versus one who simply possesses a puncher’s-chance on any given night time. 

Ant’s famous person ascension

Ant, in fact, could be Anthony Edwards, the budding famous person of the Minnesota Timberwolves who’s coming off a summer season — with the disappointing U.S. World Cup staff — in which he flashed the promise of being probably the most league’s long term pillars. But is he just right sufficient, at this level, to make this Minnesota factor paintings? The Rudy Gobert spacing drawback is not going away. Karl-Anthony Towns would possibly finally end up traded. But there may be additionally the likelihood that the Wolves take off. If that occurs, it’s going to be as a result of Edwards takes a giant step towards famous person standing. 

The 2d Zion will get harm, the Pelicans grow to be an afterthought. But till that occurs, New Orleans might be probably the most most intriguing groups in the league. They had been 17-12 with him in the lineup final season and appeared like an actual risk. This staff is able to win on an important degree if Zion can by hook or by crook keep at the court docket constantly. 

Color me doubtful, however Simmons did glance beautiful just right in the preseason and he’ll be again the place he is comfy, on the level, moderately than making an attempt to determine his position operating round randomly off ball making an attempt more difficult not to be a hinderance than to in reality be a pressure. I’ve were given a sneaky just right feeling about Simmons appearing out this season, and that is coming from any individual who by no means believed that he was once, even on the peak of his distinctive powers, all he was once cracked as much as be. 

Kings affirmation

Nobody is announcing final season was once a fluke for the Kings, who completed because the West’s No. 3 seed and took the Warriors to seven video games in the primary around. But it must be validated. The Kings loved disproportionate well being final season, and the protection nonetheless figures to be a subject. Last 12 months was once space cash. This season the Kings have actual expectancies. That’s a special beast, and the Western Conference, as we all know, is loaded. 

Don’t sleep on Cleveland

The Cavs responded one in every of their greatest problems with a reputable floor-spacing shooter who can play the small-forward spot in Max Strus, who may be a more-than-capable staff defender. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are an electrical duo, and they are uniquely supported as a small backcourt with the 2 bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. I feel the Cavs, after bowing out early in final 12 months’s playoffs, may just finally end up a top-three seed in the event that they keep wholesome. 

Scoot technology starts in Portland

Don’t be shocked if the Blazers are a greater staff than most be expecting them to be. They will in the long run finally end up tanking, because the Jazz did final 12 months, however this is not a complete formative years motion in Portland. Jerami Grant. Deandre Ayton. Malcolm Brogdon. Robert Williams III. Matisse Thybulle. These are just right, to excellent, NBA gamers who’re going to be paired with 3 explosive younger skills in Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe and, in fact, the principle appeal, Scoot Henderson. 

Henderson has appeared like the true deal each and every minute he is been on an NBA court docket, from Summer League to the preseason. His taking pictures must grow to be extra dependable, however off the catch it already seems just right from 3 and his pull-up sport is natural. For the chance he’ll get each and every night time, I might argue Henderson is the most efficient price wager for Rookie of the Year. The Blazers made the proper name via now not buying and selling him simply to stay bonking their heads in opposition to the glass ceiling of a Lillard-led staff.