The NBA season has officially tipped off, with the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers facing off in a battle of two Western Conference heavyweights.
After that game, two other new-look contenders — the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors — go head-to-head.
All four teams feature here as foxsports.com.au looks at some of the key storylines to follow in the 2023-24 season.
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CAN THE LAKERS GO ONE BETTER THIS YEAR?
Things feel different in Los Angeles heading into this season. No longer burdened by the Russell Westbrook contract, this is a roster that actually feels nearly complete?
The core of last year’s squad is back, with the Lakers extending the contracts of Anthony Davis and Jarred Vaenderbilt while re-signing Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura.
Then there are the new additions of Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood and Taurean Prince. And of course, LeBron James returns for another season of defying ‘Father Time’.
As always, the health of James and Davis will determine just how far the Lakers can go but at full-strength they now have the kind of depth, versatility and shooting that has been lacking in past seasons.
“The best roster construction around LeBron historically has been shooting, 3-and-D guys and I think he [Prince] sort of fits the bill there. Gabe Vincent of course coming in… they’ve addressed some of that shooting,” former NBA player J.J. Redick said last month on his podcast.
“The roster actually makes sense. You’ve got guard depth, you’ve got Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell. You’ve got big wings. This was a top defence in the West post-All-Star break.
“Big wings — LeBron, Taureen Prince, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura and hopefully a healthy Anthony Davis anchoring this defence. I don’t want to be talked into the Lakers but I’ve been talked into the Lakers being really damn good.”
The Lakers were one of the biggest winners of the free agency period, in large part due to the fact they were able to retain Reaves on a four-year, $56 million deal.
It was a bargain for the much-improved guard, who is expected to take on even greater responsibility this season to ease the pressure and workload on James and Davis.
Reaves was lightning in a bottle for the Lakers during their Western Conference Finals series against Denver last season, averaging 21.3 points and 5.3 assists while shooting 56 per cent from deep.
The 25-year-old hardly looks like slowing down either, scoring 48 points and going 8-for-12 from downtown in three games during the preseason.
DO THE NUGGETS HAVE THE DEPTH TO GO BACK-TO-BACK?
The starting five are all back for the defending champions, with arguably the best player in basketball leading the way. But will that be enough as Denver looks to go back-to-back?
One of the biggest problems for the Nuggets in recent seasons has been keeping the offence afloat when reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokic sits.
However, Denver was largely able to turn one of its biggest weaknesses into a strength during the Finals with Aaron Gordon proving a valuable asset on both ends of the court while playing as the team’s back-up five.
Bruce Brown also regularly made shots and was a defensive stopper off the bench while rookie Christian Braun exceeded expectations, including a 15-point explosion in Game 4 on the road.
That sort of production may not always be realistic from Braun but the Nuggets will need every bit of the scrappy guard’s high-energy hustle plays on both ends this season.
The loss of Brown in free agency leaves Denver’s second unit with a significant hole and no clear contender to fill it.
The Nuggets did sign veteran forward Justin Holiday and brought back Reggie Jackson, although the 33-year-old guard was inconsistent at best last season.
If anything, Denver will be hoping draft picks Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson are seamless fits like Braun was.
They are also all older prospects and that is clearly a part of Denver’s plans, drafting rookies who are in a better position to produce right away. The Nuggets will need it too.
Meanwhile, there is also second-year forward Peyton Watson, who flashed his enormous potential on defence last year. His offensive game remains a work in progress though.
Zeke Nnaji is another name to keep an eye on, with the Nuggets betting on the 22-year-old to have a breakout year in his fourth season after extending him on a four-year, $32 million deal.
With Jeff Green also gone, the Nuggets are largely depending on a youth movement to keep the second unit going.
WHAT VERSION OF ZION WILL WE GET?
It seems pretty simple at this point. The Pelicans have a talented and deep enough squad to contend for a title if they can stay healthy — and that has proven a big if recently.
Of course, central to New Orleans’ hopes of improving on last season’s play-in tournament finish will be the form of superstar forward Zion Williamson.
With Williamson on the court last season the Pelicans looked every bit a genuine championship threat, kicking out to a 23-13 record before the second-time All-Star was sidelined.
It all went downhill from there for New Orleans but with Williamson healthy again, the Pelicans will have a good chance of finally making it past the play-in tournament.
Veteran guard CJ McCollum played through injury himself as he tried to keep the Pelicans afloat last season without Williamson while Brandon Ingram also missed time with a toe issue.
Add those two into the mix and there again won’t be as much pressure on Williamson to produce immediately, although the signs from the preseason are good.
Williamson had 10 points, four steals, two assists and a rebound in just the first quarter of a 104-92 win over the Orlando Magic.
There have rarely been any concerns about the 23-year-old’s ability on the court though.
Along with actually being available in the first place, Williamson has also dealt with off-court dramas while questions have been asked of his conditioning away from the court.
McCollum though said Williamsom has made some much-needed changes with a better understanding of what is expected of him heading into his fourth season in the league.
“I do feel like he has matured a lot. I feel like he has an understanding of what’s expected of him and exactly what he needs to do consistently in order to be available,” McCollum told The New York Post last week.
“I think he understands how good he can be when he’s doing the little things. Playing the game is the easiest thing for him. He’s a gamer, the lights are on, he likes to show off — and really just show how good he is at the sport.
“The hard part is the day-to-day stuff. I think he’s gotten a lot better at that, which will allow him to be a lot more successful — consistently — throughout an entire season.”
Wemby did ALL THIS in 90 seconds! | 00:44
IS THIS IT FOR THIS VERSION OF THE CLIPPERS?
Like the Pelicans, the Clippers have a talented enough roster to make some noise in the Western Conference.
Relying on Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to stay healthy though has been a consistent source of frustration and now Los Angeles finds itself in an awkward position heading into the 2023-24 season.
The superstar duo are eligible for four-year max contracts this offseason, although it would have to be at the right price given the concerns over their durability.
Leonard and George each have $48 million player options for the 2024-25 season but can also become unrestricted free agents next summer.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, both players are eligible for extensions up to four years and $220 million.
“I think this is potentially the most interesting team in the league because they have two guys that are massive stars that are extension eligible now and we’ve heard nothing about it,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on ‘NBA Today’ last month.
“Nothing imminent. No talks really that has been reported. And to me, the Clippers have to look around the league and the Western Conference and think to themselves, ‘In year five of this, have we grown a little bit stale? Has the rest of the Conference, if not passed us by, at least pulled up to us and maybe dipped by us’.
“… It’s hard to trust that Kawhi and Paul George will be healthy at the same time for any prolonged period… the pressure is on the Clippers and it’s a whole lot of uncertainty.”
Of course, only adding to the uncertainty is the team’s interest in trading for Sixers guard James Harden — a move that would further put the Clippers in win-now mode.
Add in the presence of former MVP Russell Westbrook and that is a lot of talent — but also a lot of strong personalities — for coach Ty Lue to juggle in his fourth season with the team.
Then there is also the fact the Clippers will be moving into a new arena next season, only further incentivising moves to keep the team competitive and in title contention.
It would be quite underwhelming otherwise for the Clippers to open the new Intuit Dome without their All-Star duo and instead be looking at the beginning of a long rebuild.
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH JAMES HARDEN?
Well, a few things are clear. He wants out of Philadelphia. He wants in at Los Angeles.
As for when he could return to the court though, answering that question is far more challenging at this point because even the most clued-in NBA insiders seem unsure.
At the moment, Harden still remains away from the team’s practice due to personal reasons and ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said on Monday there is the possibility he doesn’t show up for “quite some time”.
That is hardly ideal for Philadelphia, who has games against fellow title contenders Milwaukee, Phoenix and Boston in the opening fortnight of the season.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, both the Sixers and the Clippers — Harden’s preferred trade destination — are no closer to agreeing on a potential deal.
“That stalemate continues,” Wojnarowski said on the most recent episode of his podcast.
“He is away on an excused leave. The organisation is allowing for it… it [the trade] hasn’t happened. It is nowhere close, it is nowhere in range.
“Those talks are nowhere between Philly and the Clippers. There is a wide gulf between those two organisations. I think the Clippers believe they have made by far the best offer for James Harden, the only real serious offer.”
Multiple reports have suggested L.A.’s reluctance to include Terance Mann and more draft capital in a potential package is proving a sticking point.
That is consistent with what Wojnarowski said on Tuesday and at this stage, no rival teams are offering anything more that would incentivise the Clippers to change their mind.
“Daryl Morey wants more… I think the way the Clippers look at it is the market dictates the value,” Wojnarowski said.
“Each side certainly does what is best for them and for the Clippers that is not including Terance Mann or a second first-round pick in a deal.
“It does not include taking on perhaps salary in a trade for Harden and for Philly, they’ve said they want to do a deal that allows them to get the assets to go out and get another high-level player to replace James Harden and that’s hard to do.”
Of course, the bigger story here is what Harden’s possible departure could mean for Philadelphia more broadly — and specifically the future of superstar big man Joel Embiid.
Embiid raised eyebrows in the summer when he said in an interview with Maverick Carter that he wants to win a ring “whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else”.
The Sixers clearly know that they can’t trade Harden without getting significant draft capital in return that they can immediately flip into a top-tier player to keep them in title contention.
It is all about convincing Embiid he can win that ring in Philadelphia. Milwaukee did just that with Giannis Antetokounmpo by making a move for Damian Lillard.
It remains unclear at this stage though who Philadelphia could make a move for, having already missed the boat on Jrue Holiday.
Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Tuesday that the Knicks are monitoring the Harden situation closely and the associated impact it could have on Embiid’s future.
“Embiid says he likes the challenge. But he also admits it can be frustrating at times that the Sixers lack continuity,” Pompey wrote.
“That’s why there’s pressure on Sixers president of basketball operation Daryl Morey to make the right move. He and the Sixers staff can’t afford a poor trade or its potential domino effects, which could include Embiid asking out.
“… The Knicks are among the teams paying close attention, hoping the Sixers mess this up.”
The Sixers are exercising patience to make sure they don’t do just that. But will that patience eventually wear thin as the topic of Harden’s future is asked at every post-game press conference and media opportunity?
HOW WILL THE BIG TRADES WORK FOR MILWAUKEE/PHOENIX/GOLDEN STATE?
Three contenders. Three big trades.
Milwaukee, Phoenix and Golden State will all be going for glory this season and have taken significant swings in the summer to try to tip the championship race in their favour.
The Bucks, cognisant of the need to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy, made it clear the front office is committed to contending for a title after trading for Damian Lillard.
Lillard and Antetokounmpo had both grown comfortable to being the franchise of their respective franchises in the past and that meant having their hands on the ball — a lot.
Now the pair will need to work out how to play together and while Milwaukee won’t have many problems scoring points, the Bucks did sacrifice one of the league’s best defenders to land Lillard.
The veteran guard said at media day that he is looking forward to the opportunity to prove himself on the defensive end as Milwaukee adapts to life without Jrue Holiday.
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“At the very least, on that end of the floor, I’m going to compete,” Lillard said.
“The people that I play against will tell you, I ain’t a pushover, you know what I’m saying?
“I’ve also had a lot of responsibility on the offensive end for my entire career. I think playing with the kind of players I’ll be playing with here, it will also give me an opportunity to show myself much better on the defensive end of the floor.”
Moving on to Phoenix, there has been plenty of roster turnover in the past few years as the Suns search for a first-ever championship.
In fact, Devin Booker is the only player left from the Suns squad that fell short in the 2021 Finals after Deandre Ayton was traded as part of Milwaukee’s move for Lillard.
Now the Suns will be banking on the superstar trio of Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to end the franchise’s championship curse.
The concern when Phoenix made the trade for Beal in the first place was what it meant for its depth, although the Suns quickly went about dispelling those concerns with some shrewd free agency moves.
Eric Gordon, Grayson Allen and Yuta Watanabe are the more notable additions and are all much-needed shooting threats to help space out the offence.
Of course, Durant, Booker and Beal are all shot creators in their own right so the Suns shouldn’t have too many issues in that regard.
If there is one glaring question hanging over the team this season it is how Jusuf Nurkic fits in the frontcourt, although it was also clear the team needed to move on from Ayton regardless.
As for Golden State, the biggest challenge for the Warriors is finding a way to get the most out of their three star guards in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and new arrival Chris Paul.
There were suggestions in the summer Paul could be hesitant to come off the bench but the veteran guard seemed to put those to rest this preseason against the Kings.
Paul still played 30 minutes in the 116-115 win but was not part of the starting line-up, instead brought off the bench as he scored 13 points to go with nine assists and six rebounds.
Given his injury history and Golden State’s issues running the offence without Curry on the floor, staggering Paul’s minutes could be beneficial for both his game and that of the team.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the month Paul made it clear he would be happy to play a bench role if it was in the team’s best interests.
“I actually had an opportunity in ’08 to come off the bench for the Olympic team, you know what I mean?” Paul said at the time.
“And that went pretty well. I think anybody who knows me knows I’m all about winning. Whatever I can do to help our team win.”
Injuries, such as the one that sidelined Draymond Green to start the season, means Paul probably won’t be locked into either a bench or starting role.
Regardless of whether he starts or not though, it looks like the Warriors will lean on the veteran point guard to lead the second unit.
“I am told no matter what Chris’ role is, whether he is in the starting line-up or coming off the bench, his main job with this team is going to be being that floor general – that conductor – for the second unit and that goes beyond tonight,” Kendra Andrews said on ESPN.
“Of course, there is that gaping spot in the starting line-up because Draymond Green is out with that left ankle sprain but even after he comes back, is Chris Paul going to be starting? Is he going to be a sixth man? Again, either way they want him to be the head of that second unit.”
And this may be Golden State’s best chance to win, with Thompson and Steve Kerr entering the final year of their respective deals.
This is also an aging core group of players in general and the decision to move on from Poole in favour of Paul made it clear the time is now for the Warriors to make a move for another title.
WHAT HAPPENS AT DALLAS IF IT DOESN’T COME TOGETHER THIS YEAR?
When it comes to the next superstar who could be on the move, obviously Embiid is the one to watch in the short-term given what is developing in Philadelphia.
But there is also plenty of pressure on the Mavericks to take a significant step this season — or at least show some level of improvement so as to convince Luka Doncic this is a team he can win a title with.
Back in April earlier this year a report from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon claimed the Mavericks feared Doncic could consider asking for a trade as early as the summer of 2024.
“He’d like to be here the whole time,” Dallas owner Cuban told reporters at the time.
“But we’ve got to earn that.”
That at least shows some level of self-awareness from the Mavericks front office that they can’t simply settle for making the play-in tournament or even an early playoffs exit.
Even that would be an improvement on last season, where the Mavs finished with a 38-44 record and missed the playoffs entirely.
That came a year after Dallas made a stunning run to the Western Conference that the franchise was unable to back up, only further putting the spotlight on Doncic’s future.
The Mavericks made a big swing for Kyrie Irving to try lighten the load on Doncic but all that did was expose the team’s shortcomings on defence.
Dallas went about addressing that this summer, signing Grant Williams and drafting a young big in Dereck Lively II — although it may be a bit much to expect him to produce in a starting role right away. Seth Curry, of course, will also add consistent outside shooting.
Maxi Kleber is also healthy while there is hope the freshly extended Josh Green can take another leap after flashing his potential as a much-needed 3-and-D option last season.
Of course, more important than anything else was the fact Irving re-signed on a three-year, $126 million contract this summer.
With Irving bought in, the Mavericks have the superstar duo to build around in the coming seasons — but that is reliant on Doncic being bought in too.
That is no guarantee if Dallas takes another step backwards or doesn’t take enough of a step forward this season.
FIVE MORE STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
1. The Knicks as the top team to watch in trade talks
2. Is this it for this version of the Hawks, led by Trae Young?
3. If the Timberwolves don’t start up hot, could big changes be on the cards?
4. After an injury-interrupted year, is this the year LaMelo takes another step?
5. Is this judgement season for the Chicago Bulls?
