What the NBA Return Means for Every Team

The NBA has officially announced their long awaited return. The NBA will resume on July 30th. Each of the 22 teams chosen to participate in the return of the NBA will play 8 exhibition games to determine playoff seeding’s. This playoffs is very crucial for many teams as it can change the landscape of the league depending on what occurs in Orlando. This playoffs can also determine who the consensus best player in the league is. We will be analyzing the current situation of every NBA team participating in the NBA’s return. We will also evaluate the importance of the NBA’s return for each franchise.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks currently have the best record in the league with a record of 53-12. They are one of the favourites to win the NBA championship. The Bucks have a lot of expectations for the remainder of the season. If they don’t reach these expectations, it could potentially alter the direction of their franchise. Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is an upcoming free agent in the 2021 NBA Free Agency class. Giannis has stated that “if we’re underperforming in the NBA next year, deciding whether to sign becomes a lot more difficult.” This playoff run can have a huge effect on Giannis’s upcoming free agency decision. If they make the finals or win the championship, then it will be more than likely that he will resign. If the Bucks don’t reach the NBA finals, we may see Giannis playing elsewhere for the 2021-2022 season. Khris Middleton will be a player to watch out for with the NBA’s return. He is the clear cut second best player on the Bucks and needs to perform like one when it matters the most. Teams in the east have already been game planning against Giannis and are confident they can slow him down. If Middleton doesn’t step up and perform like the all-star caliber player he is, then that can weigh in as a factor for Giannis’s free agency decision.

Los Angeles Lakers

Lebron James is leading his team to one of the best records in the league. He is also a top MVP candidate at the age of 35. He shows no signs of slowing down but we don’t know when he will start declining. It could potentially be sooner than we think. The Lakers are in serious contention for this year’s championship and this championship would be huge for the city of Los Angeles as well as Lebron James legacy. Lebron James is undoubtedly one of the best to ever play the game of basketball. Some even debate he is the greatest of all time. The biggest flaw in his resume has been his finals record. Lebron has a record of 3-6 in the NBA finals. The Lakers winning the title would mean that Lebron has a 4-6 finals record and would strengthen his argument for the greatest of all time. If the Lakers won the finals and Lebron was named Finals MVP, he would be the first player in NBA history to win Finals MVP on 3 different teams. Winning the title would also mean a lot for the city of LA and the Lakers historic franchise. The Lakers are accounted to winning but haven’t won a championship since 2010. Winning the championship would break that drought, as well as add another championship to the Laker’s history. This would also tie the Celtics for the most championships by one franchise with both teams potentially having 17 championships to their name.

Toronto Raptors

The reigning champion Toronto Raptors are looking to defend their title in Orlando. The Raptors have the 3rd best record in the league and are poised for a deep playoff run. They have great depth, chemistry, defence and coaching. The Raptors still have good odds of repeating as champions, despite losing their Finals MVP player Kawhi Leonard in the 2019 NBA offseason. There has been doubt of the Raptors being true contenders due to them not having a superstar on the team. This playoffs will be very important for Raptors best player Pascal Siakam. Last season, he won most improved player but with Kawhi gone, he improved and stepped up as the Raptors leader. He made his first all-star game this year and is averaging almost 24 points per game. This playoffs can be a chance to prove that Pascal is a superstar player that can lead his team to the finals. It is also the perfect opportunity for the Raptors to show that they are a serious threat in the NBA.

LA Clippers

The Clippers have built an elite roster that some may argue is the best roster in the league. The Los Angeles Clippers franchise has been overshadowed by the Lakers since the team moved to Los Angeles in 1978. Los Angeles has always been the Lakers city. A championship would mean that the Clippers rise out of the Lakers shadow and add a championship to their scarce team history. The Clippers are hunting for their first championship in franchise history. Kawhi Leonard is also chasing another ring, attempting to enrich is legacy and lengthen his already impressive resume. He could potentially be the first player to win a Finals MVP on 3 different teams. Kawhi winning in Los Angeles would also solidify him as the best player in the league. He is already the best defensive player in the league and would potentially win back to back championships. Paul George has had a great career but a championship for him would strengthen his legacy. It would also make him more likely to end up in the basketball hall of fame.

Boston Celtics

Even with Kyrie Irving departing in the offseason, the Boston Celtics still are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. They also have an elite young core led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics are in a position to contend for the next decade. Because of this, they don’t have the same expectations to succeed in the postseason like many other teams do. They are one of the youngest teams in the league with their roster having an average age of 25.3. Even while being a young team, they still have some playoff experience already. This will be Tatum’s third consecutive playoff appearance, Marcus Smart’s sixth consecutive playoff appearance and Jaylen Brown’s fourth consecutive playoff appearance. The playoffs are a time where players can prove themselves. For Jayson Tatum, this may be the case. In his last 10 games before the season was postponed, Tatum was averaging 30.8 points per game. The playoffs can be where Tatum picks up where he left off and potentially establish himself as a superstar. The NBA return will also determine their placement in the 2020 NBA draft. The Celtics own the Grizzlies 2020 first round pick. If the Grizzlies fall out of their playoff spot, the Celtics will own another lottery pick and select another promising prospect to add to their already promising young core.

Denver Nuggets

Last season the Nuggets finished with a record of 54-28 and were the second seeded team in the Western Conference. Despite this regular season success, they were upset in the second round by the Portland Trailblazers. The Nuggets have proven that they are an elite team in the regular season, but they are very unproven in the playoffs. The 2020 NBA playoffs can be their chance to prove that they can contend for the title and be a serious threat in the Western Conference. The Nuggets are one of the best home teams in the league, due to the high altitude the opposing players face in Denver. The high altitude makes it a nightmare for the opposing team to play in. This gives the home team Denver Nuggets a great advantage. Now that the playoffs are taking place in Orlando, the Nuggets won’t have that same advantage they would previously have. Nuggets star player Nikola Jokic may look very different on the court when the NBA returns. A big issue for Jokic during his career has been his conditioning. He always starts the season out of shape and slowly plays into shape throughout the season. During this global pandemic, Jokic has taken the effort to get more into shape and has reportedly lost a lot of weight. Most people anticipate this weight loss will help his overall game. We will see how “Skinny Jokic” plays in Orlando and if the weight loss helps elevate his game to the next level.

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz will look very different when the NBA returns. Bojan Bogdanovic played a big role in the Jazz successful season. He was the team’s second leading scorer with an average of 20 points per game. He was also a great floor spacer for the team and was shooting almost 42% from 3 this season. Bojan will not be joining the team in Orlando, due to a wrist injury. This is a huge loss for Utah. The Jazz will most likely move Joe Ingles to the starting lineup, which would result in them losing depth off the bench. Donovan Mitchell and Bojan are the main scorers on the team. Without Bojan, Mitchell will have to take on more scoring responsibilities. We could potentially see Mitchell and the Jazz struggle without that scorer to take the pressure off of Donovan Mitchell. Another player that needs to step up for the Jazz is Mike Conley. Going into the 2019-2020 season, Mike Conley was expected to take the Jazz to the next level and be the all-star caliber player he was in Memphis. This season however, Mike Conley has been one of the most disappointing players in the entire NBA. He missed a significant amount of time this season (23 games) and struggled to stay consistent when he was on the court. Mike Conley’s role will be expanded and he will need to return to his all-star caliber self if the Jazz want to find success in the postseason.

Miami Heat

The Heat have been a very surprising team this season and have exceeded all expectations. The Miami heat were projected to win 43 games by ESPN and Bleacher Report this season. They are currently the 4th seed in the east and were on pace to win 52 games before the season got postponed. The Heat are one of the teams that have the potential to beat the Bucks in a 7 game series. They have elite defenders such as Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. They also have lots of good shooters such as Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro. The Bucks and Heat have faced off against each other twice this season. The Heat have won in each of their meetings. They have already found regular season success against the Bucks so watch out for how the Heat matchup against Milwaukee in a potential playoff series. The Heat are also attempting to pursue the top free agents in the 2021 free agency class. This postseason could be vital in the Heat proving that they are an ideal free agent destination for the upcoming free agents. The Heats core is also filled with young players such as Bam Adebayo, Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro who have no playoff experience. This post season will be the first chance for those players to get their first taste of playoff action. Hopefully they make many more playoff appearances in their careers.

Houston Rockets

At the 2020 NBA trade deadline, the Rockets opted into going with a small ball lineup that prioritized a ludicrous amount of floor spacing. This strategy has been controversial amongst NBA fans. It’s a high risk high reward strategy. Their window to win is right now. They have the oldest roster in the NBA and their star players James Harden and Russell Westbrook aren’t getting any younger. If the Rockets get into a good offensive rhythm and their shots are going in, then they can be a dark horse team to watch out for. James Harden and Westbrook might be poised for a deep playoff run. They both have never won a championship in their career and know that this year is an amazing opportunity for them to win their first ring together. They are two of the most driven players in the league and their motivation will most likely be ignited. There has been some photos leaked of James Harden post NBA lockdown. It appears as though he lost a remarkable amount of weight and has stayed in great shape during the pandemic. The post season being postponed may heavily affect James Harden’s playoff performance in a positive way. James Harden is one of, if not the best regular season player in the NBA. Usually when the playoffs come around, Harden starts to slow down due to fatigue. Now that he is in more shape and rested, we may see James Harden putting up his regular season statistics during the playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder

After losing Paul George and Russell Westbrook in the offseason, the Thunder have still found a way to be one of the best teams in the league. They have been one of the most surprising teams and Chris Paul has been one of the best stories of the NBA season. Once the Thunder acquired Chris Paul, many people were saying how he was extremely overpaid, declining and that the Thunder should trade him away and start a rebuild. These people were proved wrong and the Thunder have been one of the most competitive teams this season after being projected to win 33 games by ESPN. The Thunder could be a very dangerous teams once the playoffs occur. They have been the best team in the fourth quarter this season. They have the best record while in close games with a record of 29-13. The NBA returning may also be a good time for Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari to earn more value on the open market. Danilo is an upcoming free agent and may gain lots of interest from opposing teams this offseason. Danilo will most likely be the biggest name in unrestricted free agency and due to his playstyle, he can be a great fit on many NBA teams.

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are one of the biggest sleeper teams in the whole NBA. They don’t get talked about enough and are quietly the 5th seeded team in the Eastern Conference. Domantas Sabonis took a big leap in his game and became a first time all-star this season. Malcolm Brogdon looked like a most improved player candidate before he got injured. They also have great supporting players like T.J Warren and Myles Turner. The biggest question mark on this team has been surrounding the 2018 most improved player winner Victor Oladipo. Oladipo was the Pacers clear-cut best player last season before he suffered a ruptured quad tendon injury on January 23rd 2019. The Pacers played the majority of the season without Victor Oladipo and had a record of 32-20 without him. When Oladipo has been playing for the Pacers this season, they have had a record of 7-6. Oladipo has struggled on the court this season, shooting a career low 30% from 3 and 39% from the field. We can cut Oladipo some slack this season for his poor performance as it is very difficult to not play professional basketball for a year and then come back and try to immediately fit into a team’s system. Hopefully this resting period can help Oladipo get back to his all-star form and he can help the Pacers team. Oladipo also has a lot to prove. He is an upcoming free agent in the 2021 NBA free agency class and he declined a 4 year extension with the Pacers worth $80 million dollars. This NBA season resume is the perfect opportunity for Oladipo to show the Pacers he’s worth more than they offered him.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers had high expectations going into the season. Many people seen them as the second best team in the Eastern Conference and the team most likely to upset the Bucks. The 76ers are currently the 6th seeded team in the Eastern Conference and have been one of the most disappointing teams this season. On paper, the 76ers have one of the strongest rosters in the east. There have been many factors to them underperforming, the main one being their lack of shooting. In today’s NBA, shooting is more important than it’s ever been, but the 76ers are one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA. Another issue with them has been team chemistry. 76ers player Tobias Harris even admitted to their chemistry issues in an interview with First Take. He stated that “I’ll just say, and I’ll keep it real, we haven’t had the best chemistry throughout the whole year.” The 76ers also struggled with injuries this season and had players such as Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons missing significant time this season. Philadelphia still has the potential to upset a team with a better record. They have a chance if they can score consistently, stay healthy and build more team chemistry. The NBA returning could also be vital in determining the future of the Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid duo. Many have voiced their doubts about the duo’s fit together and have been suggesting that Philadelphia breaks up the duo in the offseason. If Embiid and Simmons disappoint in the postseason, Philadelphia could potentially explore splitting the duo up.

Dallas Mavericks

It’s no surprise that Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are chasing greatness. In his second season Luka has already been putting up historic numbers and has potential to be an all-time great. He is averaging 29 points and 9 assists at the age of 20. He is also leading the Dallas Mavericks to the playoffs, as well as leading a historic offense with the highest offensive rating in NBA history. Luka is looking to go down as one of the best players in NBA history. He will need to perform well in the playoffs if he wants to join elite company. When Michael Jordan was 22, he averaged 43.7 points per game in the first round of the playoffs and scored 63 points in a playoff game. When Lebron James was 22 he led his team to the NBA finals. There have also been many players such as Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who have led their teams to championships at a young age. This will be Luka’s first playoffs and he needs to prove that he can be just as good, or even better than he is in the regular season. He needs this playoff experience in his career and he needs to play at another level if he wants to lead the Mavericks to a deep playoff run.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies are the first team we will be discussing that are not clinched into the 2020 NBA playoffs. The Grizzlies are another team that have exceeded all expectations. Going into the season no one expected this young team to already be in a playoff spot. There are many teams fighting for the last playoff spot in the west, which the Grizzlies currently hold. The Grizzlies are fighting to defend their playoff spot they worked hard all year to achieve. This is one of the youngest teams in the NBA. Making the playoffs would give their young players great playoff experience. It is almost guaranteed that if the Grizzlies made the playoffs that they would be defeated in the first round, but making the playoffs would be an achievement in itself. It will be interesting to see the rookie Ja Morant and how he performs in the return of the NBA and if he picks up where he left off. Unlike a lot of teams in the 8 game pre-playoff games, every game will count for Memphis and they are playing towards a goal.

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets roster will look a lot different than it did in the regular season. Some fans hoped that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant could potentially return when the NBA is resumed but it has been confirmed that they will not be travelling with the team to Orlando. Spencer Dinwiddie and DeAndre Jordan also confirmed they have Covid-19 and will not be joining the Nets in Orlando. Other players such as Wilson Chandler and Nicolas Claxton have confirmed they will not be suiting up in Orlando. The Nets roster will be the most depleted when the NBA returns with the majority of their players being absent. The Nets have virtually no expectations for the remainder of the 2019-2020 NBA season. However, with Kyrie and Durant coming back next season, the Nets have high expectations for the 2020-2021 season. The Nets will have championship aspirations for next season and are looking to pair Durant and Kyrie with that third star player. Players like Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen will have lots more opportunity when the NBA returns and could potentially raise their trade value. If the Nets want their third star, they will most likely have to trade LeVert and Allen. Joe Harris is another player who will benefit from the Nets roster losing so much depth. Joe Harris is a UFA at the end of the season and he could potentially raise his value for when he reaches the open market.

Orlando Magic

It would take a miracle for the Wizards to take the Magic’s playoff spot. This makes it pretty safe to say we will see the Magic in the 2020 playoffs. The only thing the Magic are playing towards is higher seeding since they are basically locked into a playoff spot. As of right now, the Magic would face up against the Bucks in the first round of the playoffs. In this potential matchup the Bucks would beat the Magic with ease, especially if they are missing their best defender Jonathan Isaac. Even if the Magic have Isaac for that series, the Bucks will most likely plow right through them. The Magic could easily surpass the weakened Nets in the standings to give them a more favourable first round matchup. Even if they pass the Nets they will still be the underdogs in their series. There are lots of players on the Magic to have your radar on when the NBA returns. The young players on the team like Markelle Fultz and Mo Bamba will work on their development. They will also get more experience and more opportunity. Another player to look out for is Aaron Gordon. This season he has been in trade rumours so this could either be his chance to prove they should keep him, or a chance to raise his trade value. Evan Fournier is another player who can raise his value. He will most likely opt out of his $17 million dollar player option and enter the open market.

Portland Trailblazers

The Trailblazers were the lone team that voted against the current NBA return plan, despite them being selected to attend in the seeding games, potentially giving them playoff hope. The Trailblazers would need to go on an impressive run to even have a chance at making the playoffs. The Blazers biggest struggle this season has been battling injuries. They have been without Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic for the entire season. They are anticipated to be returning to the team when the NBA resumes. The Blazers have been one of the most disappointing teams this season. Last season they made the Western Conference finals and now they are outside of the playoffs. This is their chance for redemption and to save their season. Lillard previously stated that he won’t play meaningless games, so this is his chance to carry his team back into the playoffs. He has been having a career year averaging 28.9 points and 7.8 assists. Damian Lillard and the Trailblazers have made the playoffs for the past 6 seasons, so the NBA has granted them a chance to return back to the playoffs.

New Orleans Pelicans

It’s no secret that the NBA is trying their best to get Zion Williamson into the 2020 playoffs. The NBA wants a Zion VS Lebron matchup in the first round. Their dream is to have a Michael Jordan VS 1986 Boston Celtics moment. Zion brings in ratings and revenue for the NBA which was lost during the pandemic. Zion is one of the most marketable players in the NBA at the age of 19. He was recently selected to be a cover athlete for the videogame NBA 2K21. He was chosen despite only playing 19 games in the NBA so far. We haven’t seen much of Zion in his career yet. When he was playing, he was leading the Pelicans towards an 8th seed push. We only seen a glimpse of his talent and pure dominance, so with the NBA returning he will showcase his talent and dominance to a wider audience as all eyes will be on him. There was a recent post on social media that has started to go viral. It shows Zion Williamson in great shape post quarantine, showing he’s ready for the NBA to return. A big concern for Zion early on in his career has been his weight, but it’s reported that Zion has lost 25 pounds of fat and put on 10 pounds of muscle. This more in shape version of Zion makes him an even bigger threat for opposing teams.

Sacramento Kings

Last season the Sacramento Kings were one of the biggest surprises and one of the most fun teams to watch. This season they have faced more struggles but they still have a small chance to make the playoffs. The Kings had lots of momentum before the season was postponed. The Kings were 13-7 in their final 20 games. We will have to see if they pick up where they left off and gain momentum back. The biggest question for the Kings team surrounds Marvin Bagley. Bagley was the 2nd overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. His career hasn’t been off to the best start. In his career so far he has been suffering with injuries. He only played 13 games this season. He is only 21 years old and has a lot of potential but most NBA fans have already forgotten about him. His career has been overshadowed by players like Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Jaren Jackson Jr and Deandre Ayton who were all selected in the same draft as Bagley. It hasn’t been confirmed if Marvin will be suiting up with the Kings in Orlando. If he does play in Orlando it’ll be the perfect opportunity to prove himself and contribute to a team looking to make a playoff push.

San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are historically one of the winningest franchises in NBA history. They have won 5 championships in the team’s history. They are also currently on a playoff streak of 22 consecutive playoff appearances. This is tied for the most consecutive playoff appearances in NBA history. The San Antonio Spurs have a lot of ground to make up if they want a chance to continue their streak. They are the 12th seed in the west and it’s likely their streak will be broken, but they still have a chance. The NBA return is going to be very unpredictable, but don’t expect the Spurs to make the playoffs. Especially since they will be missing LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge has a shoulder injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season. This is a huge loss for the Spurs. He is debatably the team’s best player and would’ve been a key player in the Spurs playoff push. With Aldridge out, this means more playing time and opportunity for Jakob Poeltl. Poeltl hasn’t had the best statistically year, but he is only 24 years old and still has potential to be a great rim protector. This will also be a great opportunity for Dejounte Murray. Murray is having a career year and would be the Spurs franchise player if they went into a rebuild. Dejounte has shown great flashes of scoring potential and this could be his chance to showcase it more.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns would most likely need to win all of their games if they wanted a chance at snagging the 8th seed in the Western Conference. They have struggled with injuries this season but they are anticipated to be fully healthy in Orlando. There is still some hope that the Suns sneak into the playoffs. The Suns lead the league in assists and have had their most competitive season in years. Statistically they have one of the best starting lineups in the NBA. The issue is they haven’t been on the court together for a long span this season. This pandemic has allowed the team to get back to 100% health. Another player to watch out for on the Suns is Deandre Ayton. Ayton missed a significant amount of time this season due to a suspension. When he was on the court, he was one of the most underrated centers in basketball. He shown massive improvements with his post scoring as well as great improvement on the defensive side of the ball. Don’t forget that Deandre Ayton was a first overall pick just 2 years ago. He might take his game to another level in Orlando and put more people on notice.

Washington Wizards

The Wizards have the worst record out of all the teams invited to Orlando. They also have a slim chance of making the playoffs. The Wizards will also not have Davis Bertans in Orlando. He was the first player to opt out of the NBA restart. Bertans is fully healthy but doesn’t want to risk an injury that will jeopardize his value in his upcoming free agency. Bertans had an amazing season in Washington and his value is at an all-time high. He doesn’t want to risk losing value on the open market because it could cost him. Evan Fournier took to Twitter to throw shade at Bertans decision to sit out. Bertans responded and the two went back and forth on Twitter. A big question for the Wizards will be surrounding around Bradley Beal. It has been reported that he is unsure if he will be joining the Wizards in Orlando. Bradley Beal’s future in Washington has been in question. He is the most mentioned player in trade rumours and could potentially be traded during the offseason. The Wizards have talent on their team and have a high chance of being a playoff team next season if they keep Bradley Beal and when John Wall returns. If Beal is traded, this time in Orlando can be great to evaluate which players they want to be in their rebuild moving forward.