Fred VanVleet brings new life into the Rockets-Spurs rivalry.
Ah, it feels good to be back. Really good. We know that every offseason eventually comes to an end, but every time we’re actually living through one, we convince ourselves that NBA basketball will never return. But NBA basketball has returned! It’s time to party!
Each season has its own unique storylines. The big ones this year include a super-prospect in San Antonio, a terrifying tandem in Milwaukee, a terrifying trio in Phoenix, and (time is a flat circle) LeBron James’ continued rivalry with aging. But we’re not going to talk about any of that today, instead focusing on some of the less-discussed storylines for the true basketball enthusiasts out there. Yes, we include ourselves in that group. Let’s get into it.
Taking a Pao-leap
Paolo Banchero might just be an All-Star this year.
Fine, that title might be a bit of a stretch. But coming off his Kia Rookie of the Year campaign, Paolo Banchero is rocketing towards All-Star status, and we don’t think it’s crazy to predict that he might brush up against the “star” label as soon as this year.
Banchero was in the 10th percentile of all forwards on two-point shots, and only shot 30% from deep in his rookie year. So why do we believe he’s ready to fully pop in Orlando? In part, because he shot that inefficiently from the field and still managed to score 20 points per game, and in part because of how he was getting his buckets. Only 46% of his makes were assisted, putting him in the top 10 among all forwards.
A rookie showing that type of creation ability is rare – extremely rare. And Banchero doesn’t just create for himself, either, as his assist rate of 17.1% was 10th-best among qualified players 6-foot-10 and taller.
Beyond the statistics though, the eye test – in other words, how comfortable a player looks, how they adjust to NBA speed, and how they respond to different defensive strategies – can give us a good signal for how they will develop, too.
Paolo Banchero passed those tests with flying colors. Seldom did he look overmatched physically (a 6-foot-8, 250-pound frame helps with that) and it was very easy to forget that he was a rookie throughout last season, even when his shot wasn’t falling.
The NBA doesn’t often give the Most Improved Player award to a second-year player, but there’s a reason why Banchero’s name is popping up in MIP discussions. He’s really good.
DPOY, squared
Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr. are teaming up to cause headaches for opposing offenses.
Pretend we’re saying this next sentence in Beyonce’s voice. What’s better than one Defensive Player of the Year? Two.
The thought of driving and running into reigning Kia DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr. was already intimidating enough for opposing players, who shot nearly 9% worse at the rim when he was on the floor last season, according to Cleaning The Glass.
But apparently, that wasn’t enough for Memphis. The Grizzlies went and traded for 2022 DPOY Marcus Smart, one of the most intelligent, versatile and crafty defensive guards in the league. Smart will look for his fourth All-Defense nod as he teams up with the best defender he’s played with in his career (which is saying something, because he’s played with some pretty good defenders.)
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better inside-out defensive combo in the NBA than JJJ and Smart. The rest of the team more than holds their own, too; Memphis already had the third-best DRTG in the league last year, and that was without Smart on the roster. Grit & Grind doesn’t seem it will ever die.
A new beginning on each coast
Jordan Poole has the chance to go his own way in Washington and lead the Wizards.
One of the hardest decisions to make in sports is the decision to part ways with a franchise player. Probably. We don’t own a team or anything. It just seems really hard. But that’s what both Portland and Washington did this summer. And while teams in “post-franchise player trade” mode are often in a bit of disarray, that’s not really the case for either Portland or Washington.
Portland is prioritizing development without diving into a full-blown “youth movement”. That balance between experience and upside might pay dividends for the development of the young players that Portland does have – most notably rookie Scoot Henderson and second-year wing Shaedon Sharpe, who scored 20+ points in eight of his final 10 games last season.
That duo being surrounded with legitimate NBA experience – guys like Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton – will help them progress at a much quicker rate than if they were playing with a roster full of unproven guys. When each of them does eventually reach their ceiling … watch out.
Washington, meanwhile, is trying to gain a reputation as a place where players go to fully unlock their games. It worked with Kyle Kuzma, whose two seasons in D.C. have been the best of his career; he was good enough last year (21.2 pts, 7.2 reb, 3.7 ast) to earn himself a four-year, $90 million contract from Washington.
Now, the team is hoping for similar outcomes with Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones, two players who will be granted the biggest roles of their careers in D.C.
Poole proved himself to be a high-level shot creator and scorer during his stint in Golden State (20.4 ppg last season) but he was also playing alongside two of the greatest shooters in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. In D.C., Poole won’t have a problem with looks. He’ll be expected to lead Washington in scoring and given a neon green flashing light to shoot from anywhere.
And Jones? He’ll get his first chance to be a real starting point guard after spending years as a top-tier backup in Minnesota and Memphis. An elite protector of the ball (0.7 career turnovers per game) and – as of the past two seasons – a pretty accurate 3-point shooter, Jones will take up a distributor role with the Wizards.
Rivalry renewed
Victor Wembanyama will add fresh heat to the Spurs-Rockets rivalry in Texas.
The weather is cooling off, so here’s a recipe on how to heat up a rivalry this season to help you stay warm around the TV.
- Make sure one team drafts the greatest basketball prospect in two decades.
- See to it that the other team spends over $200 million in free agency during a single summer and drafts its own scarily talented rookie.
- That’s it, really.
Houston vs. San Antonio will be bitter regardless of who is on the rosters. With that being said, guys like Victor Wembanyama and Amen Thompson being on the rosters does make it more fun. And it’s not just the rookies who will make these clashes a blast. San Antonio paid Devin Vassell and Tre Jones this offseason, two players they really think will be part of the “& Co.” part of Victor & Co.
Houston, meanwhile, tried to pay everyone this offseason (they offered us a contract, but we were crazy busy) and ended up reshaping its entire roster. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks lead the recharged Rockets in a rivalry that we are very confident will heat up in a hurry, regardless of how new so many of the players are to Texas.
Don’t forget about us
Max Strus (left) has brought shooting and toughness to Cleveland as the Cavs look to establish themselves at the top of the East.
The top of the Eastern Conference looks daunting. Very daunting. Boston picked up Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, while Milwaukee made the move of the offseason by trading for Damian Lillard.
Cleveland didn’t make a move like that. They didn’t trade for an All-Star level player or sign anyone to a max contract. They did, however, sign Max to a contract.
Anyone? Anyone? Tough crowd.
Anyway, Cleveland made a few shrewd moves to further fill out a roster that they believe can hold its own among the Eastern Conference powers – most notably signing Max Strus to a four-year, $63 million deal.
Cleveland set out to find more shooting and stability at small forward, and Strus checked both of those boxes. He’s made 278 3s over the past two seasons, which would be second on the Cavs in that span, behind just Donovan Mitchell. He’ll take over a starting small forward position that was more of a committee for Cleveland last year; Caris Levert, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens all started games.
Strus wasn’t the only shooter Cleveland added, though. Georges Niang joined the Cavs on a three-year, $21 million deal that went pretty under the radar but could be a difference-maker. Sneakily one of the best 3-point shooters in the entire league (over 40% the last three seasons) Niang was one of Philadelphia’s best defenders in the playoffs last season, too. The Minivan will provide some floor-stretching in the Cavs frontcourt behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
After a disappointingly early exit in the playoffs last season, Cleveland wants to prove they have the horses for a deeper run this season. We’re excited to see if they do.
