There is still quite some time left before basketball season starts once again, but the multitude of fans in love with the sport just cannot wait for the NBA season to kick-start anew. The lull between the summer league and preseason leaves a lot of fans hungry enough for basketball action that any piece of news regarding the sport is immediately consumed and dissected by the sport’s super fans.
Thankfully, there isn’t any shortage of information to speculate on ahead of the season. This piece will dissect some of the most interesting stories that have taken over the league over the past couple of weeks.
Many of these stories will affect how fans will make their picks ahead of the coming season. While we have to remember that anything can happen between now and opening day, these talking points can keep plenty talking and busy before tipoff.
These stories have actually kept many basketball heads at SBOBET talking for days on end!
LeBron’s Picks for NBA Champions
LeBron James is one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball, and every word he says about the sport is taken seriously. After all, his move to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency has completely transformed the league’s landscape and made the ever-competitive Western Conference all the more difficult.
With his move to the bright lights of Tinsel Town, many thought that the Los Angeles Lakers are going to be competing for the NBA title. The press didn’t hesitate to get his take on it and asked him which teams will be heavy contenders for the NBA title.
Of course, it wouldn’t have been weird for James to include the Lakers. After all, the Purple and Gold got a big boost to their NBA 2018 odds once James’ arrival was confirmed.
However, James didn’t even mention his Lakers as possible rivals for Golden State’s stake for the Larry O’Brien trophy. He mentioned the Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, and the Philadelphia 76ers as possible competition for the Dubs’ star-studded lineup.
The fact that he excluded the Lakers from the conversation is understandable. The young core has a lot of adjustments to do in order to make deep runs in the playoffs the way they did during the franchise’s peak years with Kobe and Shaq.
However, we also have to remember that James is in no rush to win a championship now. The Lakers will start to make real moves next summer, and that’s when the King will include his team in the championship conversation.
Rookie Watch 2018: Who is the Best Rook to Follow?
An NBA player’s first season is always a memorable one, and fans specifically follow the rookies that their respective teams have pinned their hopes on in the future. Last season alone, the league was enthralled with the performances of last season’s rookies.
Sure, the previous season had its share of impressive rookies, but the coming season also has a collection of impressive freshmen. The 2018 Draft Class is reported to be one of the most impressive pool of young talent coming into the league in recent memory. There are plenty of talented rooks that are worth watching, and each of them can attract basketball aficionados for different reasons.
Deandre Ayton is a high-quality big man that will attract the attention of the rest of the league while playing for the Phoenix Suns. He will be able to show his stuff against NBA competition while playing with scoring savant Devin Booker.
Cleveland also has something to look forward to despite James’ departure: Collin Sexton looked like a stud in the summer league, scoring nearly 20 points per game. His athleticism and attacking mentality will bring an attacking edge to a post-James Cavaliers squad that is seriously lacking inspiration in offence.
Trae Young is still far from being the Stephen Curry 2.0 projected by scouts, but he has shown that he has more than enough confidence to shoot and distribute the ball. The Hawks, badly in need of something to look forward to in their rebuild, will be anticipating the former Oklahoma Sooner’s hot streaks.
Finally, Luka Doncic will have a lot of eyes glued to him. The young point guard, who has dominated EuroBasket with Real Madrid, will surely be a part of many NBA 2018 highlights with his style of play. With the inclusion of DeAndre Jordan to the squad, the Mavericks should become a joy to watch in the coming season.
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