Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum hyping up Celtics fans vs the Milwaukee Bucks (Photo Courtesy Sports Illustrated)
The 2023 NBA (National Basketball Association) offseason was one of the most interesting off-season basketball fans have seen, with teams hiring new coaches, making new trades, and changes in teams. Those changes were made with the new NBA CBA rules that are now in effect. These changes mostly go toward team salary cap, luxury tax, contract extensions, a new in-season tournament, game challenges, and load management.
However, it is now time to play basketball as the season officially starts today with the Los Angeles Lakers facing the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets at 7:30 p.m., followed by the Phoenix Suns taking on the Golden State Warriors at 10:00 p.m.
The thing that fans will debate before and during the season is what team will finish the strongest in their conference, and who will go on to win the NBA Finals in June of 2024. Here are five teams who can compete for a championship.
5 Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers had a great second half in the 2022-2023 season by making great trades at the trade deadline by trading Russell Westbrook in a three-team trade with the Utah Jazz, and Minnesota Timberwolves for D’Angelo Russell, Jared Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, and a 2027 first-round draft pick. This trade helped the Lakers reach the conference finals but were swept in four games by the Denver Nuggets.
The Lakers continued to make winning moves and contract decisions in the offseason by resigning key players from the 2022-2023 roster including Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and D’Angelo Russell. The Lakers also extended their current roster of players such as Jared Vanderbilt, and Anthony Davis, and signed Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Jaxson Hayes, Christian Wood, and Cam Reddish in free agency. The Lakers also drafted Jalen Hood-Schifino in the first round and Max Lewis in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. The Lakers have the potential to do great things this year and will be a fun team to watch.
4 Golden State Warriors
For a decade, the Golden State Warriors have been the face of the NBA led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thomson, and Draymond Green. However, this upcoming season looks like it could be the last dance for this trio. This is due to the Warriors management failing to reach a contract extension with Klay Thompson, who will become a free agent for the second time in his career in the summer of 2024.
However, the Warriors made great acquirements to their lineup in the offseason by acquiring Chris Paul in the offseason via trade but had to give up Jordan Poole. Paul will be coming off the bench, which will be a major change for him, as he looks to win a championship that he has long waited for going into his 19th season in the NBA. The Warriors were also able to resign forward Draymond Green for a four-year contract during the summer. The Warriors have a chance to make a deep run in the playoffs, however, in the 2024 off-season there will be many questions about the roster being older and cap issues.
3 Phoenix Suns
During the 2022-2023 season, the Phoenix Suns traded their future first-round picks and players to the Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant during the NBA trade deadline. This offseason, the Suns traded their future second-round picks in pick swaps to the Washington Wizards for shooting guard Bradley Beal and also traded away Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
The Suns are in win mode to compete for an NBA championship. The Suns in 2021 made it to the NBA Finals but lost in six games to the Milwaukee Bucks. In 2022, they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round in seven games, and last season lost to the Denver Nuggets in the second round in six games. Devin Booker who was on those teams during the Suns collapse is the only player left from those three playoff teams. The Suns have talent, but can they overcome their playoff failures?
2 Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks every year will be a contender to win an NBA championship. However, this season is quite different because they are putting the entire league on notice that they want to win. After the Bucks lost to the Miami Heat in five games in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Bucks management decided it was time to move on from Mike Budenholzer, who had been their head coach for five seasons, and approved Adrian Griffin to be the team's next head coach.
During the entire summer, the main story was on former Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard on where he will play next season. The Miami Heat were the favorites to land Lillard who himself requested the Heat as his number one destination. However, NBA commissioner Adam Silver had issues with Lillard and his camp on how his demands were creating headlines. Fans and league executives for months thought Lillard would stay with the Blazers due to the trade talks not getting toward the end zone.
However, it was the Bucks who offered the deal to the Blazers via a three-team trade swap and were able to acquire Lillard. This trade helped the Bucks show Giannis Antetokounmpo that they are here to win. Antetokounmpo yesterday signed a three-year contract extension to stay with the Bucks. The Bucks are no question title favorites and could make a deep run when the playoffs take place.
1 Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics for over a decade have had their share of playoff defeats to LeBron James, the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and Golden State Warriors. This year, the Celtics are my favorites to succeed because they did their homework by getting the missing pieces that fans have wanted for years. The Celtics were able to extend Jaylen Brown by making him the highest-paid NBA player in league history. They traded for Jrue Holiday knowing they have not had a good point guard since Kyrie Irving and were able to trade for center Kristaps Porzingis. They even created more pieces for their bench, as well as fixing their coaching staff towards shooting and defensive coaches. The Celtics look to rebound from last year's disappointing conference finals loss and, look to win their first championship since 2008.
What are your rankings and what team do you have holding the Larry O’Brien trophy in June of 2024?
Have an opposing viewpoint to this opinion? Let us know. All views are welcome. Send your thoughts to our Editorial Staff – Editor Dylan Hicks