Well, it’s finally here. The NBA preseason is in full swing and the regular season is only less than two weeks away, which means it’s time to unleash takes that are the hottest of the hot (with an added hint of actuality). Last year I did a similar article where my takes may have been too hot, but the ones you are about to read may actually have some merit, and I’ll gladly explain why.
Kelly Oubre Jr. wins Most Improved Player
Let’s start off with a “softball” hot take first. Washington Wizards forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is primed for a breakout season. Paired next to All-Star point guard and possible MVP candidate John Wall, Oubre will have more than enough opportunities to prove himself. While Wall and Bradley Beal will do the majority of the ball-handling, Oubre will be able to take advantage of another season in which the Wizards once again have little depth – especially with Markieff Morris missing time to start the season. Wall, Beal, Otto Porter Jr. and Marcin Gortat are the only players sure to receive consistent minutes. The bench scoring will have to come from somewhere. Jodie Meeks, Mike Scott, Tomas Satoransky, Jason Smith and Ian Mahinmi will see minutes with the second unit – and maybe even Tim Frazier – but none of them have the potential combined with the natural ability that Oubre has.
Oubre is a left-handed hyper athlete. He can rise up with the best of them. Whether it be with his emphatic dunks or embarrassing rejections, Oubre has proven that he’s an athletic beast with the potential to be an elite defender. His shot is smooth, yet inconsistent, which is his largest area for improvement. His decision-making ability needs some work, but he’s still extremely young and has plenty of time to work out his issues. The reason he could become the league’s most improved player is a combination of the things that I just mentioned. He can shoot. He can defend. It’s not that he won’t have the opportunity to prove himself; he will receive more than enough minutes in a shallow Wizards depth chart. It has to do with consistency and decision making. His teammate Otto Porter Jr. will likely be in the MIP discussion as well, but Oubre is one of those guys who has the infamous potential to break out and positively abuse the extra minutes the Wizards will have to offer.
(Don’t sleep on Patrick Beverly and Jusuf Nurkic as candidates for Most Improved, either!)
Lonzo Ball will record 10 triple-doubles
Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball will try to continue the new NBA trend of regularly recording triple-doubles and it may not be too much of a stretch. Ball averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game as a freshman at UCLA, but that’s college. He recorded a triple-double in Summer League, but that’s summer ball. However, Ball is 6-foot-6 with underrated bounce and should be able to contend for rebounds with both guards and forwards; the question is if he wants to. Scoring 10 points is the easy part, and Lonzo Ball comes into the league with his brilliant passing ability being his biggest threat. Ball recorded 10 or more assists on seven different occasions at UCLA and now he’ll be surrounded by talent three times as good as his college teammates. Out of 82 total games, I don’t see any reason why Ball won’t be able to record 10 or more assists at least 20 times (but then again, this is why they are called “hot takes”). Lonzo Ball is a multi-threat guard who can beat his opponents in a plethora of ways. Beating them in the box score is sure to follow.
A rookie from the East will make the All-Star team
The new format for the NBA All-Star game didn’t kill this hot take just yet, so I’m still good to run with it. I think this take will come down to the reliance of two players, both of whom happen to play in Philadelphia. Malik Monk and Jayson Tatum may have a sliver of a chance, but Ben Simmons (who is technically a rookie) and Markelle Fultz are in position to make the All-Star team their first years in the league. With the Western conference siphoning a majority of the top talent away from the East, there won’t be too much competition for a game where players are mainly voted in based off of clout. Simmons and Fultz will command plenty of playing time along with bright green lights on offense.
There are 12 available spots for the East and the all-but-guaranteed spots will belong to LeBron James, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, John Wall and Giannis Antetokounmpo with Bradley Beal, Al Horford, Kemba Walker and Joel Embiid as others in position to grab a spot, too. As far as other potential All-Stars go, Isaiah Thomas (who will be out until January), Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside and Andre Drummond should all be in the mix. So about 13 players should be fighting for 12 spots with four others hoping to get their votes in, but as I said, this is a popularity contest. Half of the votes are decided by the fans, and no fanbase in the NBA is as excited for their team as the Philadelphia 76ers’. If Zaza Pachulia can garner over 1.5 million fan votes, so can Simmons and Fultz. The difference is the boys in Philly are actually good. Please stay healthy!
The Charlotte Hornets finish as a top-four team in the East
Following another disappointing season, the Charlotte Hornets finally have a chance to do something they haven’t done since their resurgence in 2004: Finish a season near the top of their conference. This season, the odds favor the Hornets more than they have in the last 15 years. Kemba Walker is 27 and in his prime, coming off the best season of his career and first ever All-Star selection. The team drafted rookies Malik Monk and Dwane Bacon, who are expected to come in and become immediate contributors. The trade for Dwight Howard still puzzles me, but they didn’t give up much besides Marco Belinelli (and Malik Monk should help make up for his shooting). Having Howard should help them clean up their 22nd-ranked rebounding average from last season, and it appears that Howard is ready to rebuild his game and image (but then again, who knows). They still have the same core players they’ve had for a few years now: Marvin Williams, Nic Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller. I expect Frank Kaminsky to improve even more than he did last season and if he can bump his three-point percentage up from the low 30s to the 37-38 range, he can become a threat just by being on the court.
The best case for the Hornets to swing their way into the top half of the conference is the depletion of talent that has devastated the East. Much like the “rookie making the All-Star game” take, I’m going to take advantage of a talentless East, and the Hornets will too. The Cavaliers and Celtics are the only two teams in the East who are virtually guaranteed to win at least 50 games. After that, the Wizards, Raptors and Bucks will follow and the Hornets should be right there with them. The Miami Heat could surprise fans again this season, and so could Philadelphia depending on health, but the Hornets have enough talent to win 45 or more games and that may be all they need. This is the most exciting Hornets season since 2004 and they have an opportunity to finally jump on their potential.
The Pelicans trade either DeMarcus Cousins or Anthony Davis
Boy, this one is a scorcher. Rumors with little-to-no substance have swirled throughout the summer that the New Orleans Pelicans might look to trade Cousins or Davis. It sounds ridiculous and probably is, but the Pelicans have one of the most flawed rosters in the NBA. They have expectations to make the playoffs and they would have the talent required if this was two years ago, but now the West is stacked. Not even 50 wins will guarantee a playoff position, and after Cousins and Davis, there isn’t much left. Jrue Holiday will carry most of the weight in the backcourt and he’ll have to do it while sharing minutes with Rajon Rondo. The Pelicans have few players who can effectively space the floor and provide a threat in a league dominated by shooting. If the season starts out rough and it becomes apparent the playoffs may be out of the question, then I wouldn’t put it past the Pelicans to try and trade one of their superstars for multiple picks. It sounds crazy – and it is – but this is why it’s a hot take.
