Top 10 NBA Stories for 2020-21 season

Top 10 NBA Stories going into 2020-2021 Season

This NBA season will be one the more intriguing in quite some time, I can’t remember there ever being so many questions swirling around the league’s top players prior to a season.

1.) Bubble-less games

Once sports returned following the Covid-19 shutdowns across the country, the NBA bubble was the gold standard in how to run a sports league during a global pandemic. Now, with a bubble not being possible, we will see how the NBA handles a season while their teams must travel. The National Football League and College football have been a disaster to say the least, with games being canceled and some cases teams playing short-handed. The NBA will have to deal with the same issues that other leagues have struggled to handle. Let’s just hopes all NBA fans across the world are not short changed due to positive coronavirus results.

2.) Will the Lakers Repeat?

All signs point to the Lakers repeating as champions. If you ranked the teams that had the best off-season, the Lakers have to be at the top of the list. This Lakers team on paper is much better than last season’s team. Despite all the off-season acquisitions, the game is not played on paper and there are several factors that could prevent the Lakers from hoisting the trophy yet again. One of the main concerns is that in a couple weeks, Lebron James will be 36 years old. What he was able do at 35 years old is nothing short of remarkable but father time can sneak up on you fast and we all sit back and wonder can he continue to defy the odds. There are many obstacles that can get in Lakers way but whether James can continue to be elite is the only thing that matters.

3.) How will the James Harden Saga end?

The season hasn’t started yet and things are getting ugly in Houston. A few days into training camp and James Harden has been a no-show. He is clearly been trying to force his way out of Houston, by showing up to strip clubs opposed to practice. New head coach Stephen Silas’ story keeps changing everyday and no-one is willing to admit that Harden is forcing their hand. If were ranking teams that had the worse off-season, the Rockets are at the top of the list. It began with Mike D’Antoni not even parlaying to continue being the head coach, only to be an assistant coach in Brooklyn. When General Manager Daryl Morey decided to leave as well, the Rockets were the first team to clean house unwillingly. It’s clear Rocket’s owner Tilman Fertitta has no clue what he’s doing and he better get some help. After the coach and general manger bailed, the super stars wanted out, not liking the direction the team was heading toward. Russell Westbrook got his wish by being traded to the Wizards and Rockets refuse to grant Harden his wish just yet. Buckle up, Rockets fans it’s going to be a long season.

4.) How will Kevin Durant & the Nets look this season?

Before Kevin Durant’s injury two post season’s ago, he was solidifying himself as the best player in the NBA. Before he tore his achillies, he had injured his calf during a playoff series against the Rockets, he looked like a player that had mastered the game of basketball and was getting ready to climb over a few players on the all-time great list. Will Kevin Durant be Kevin Durant? That is the question that basketball people everywhere are wondering. It’s better for the NBA and fans if Kevin Durant is playing at an elite level. As far as the Nets, that question is answered by the status of Durant. Let’s all hope Durant again reaches elite status.

5.) Will Giannis Antetokounmpo be traded before the end of Season?

Everyone is wondering whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will sign an extension with the Milwaukee Bucks. The bigger question should be will the Bucks trade him to prevent losing him for nothing after this season. I believe there is a good chance that Antetokounmpo will be traded this season, especially if the Bucks struggle at any point in the season. The only way the Bucks will keep him will be to at least reach the NBA Finals, but he may still leave if their unable to hoist the trophy. This situation in Milwaukee seems like a 50/50 on whether the Greek Freak will be there next year.

6.) Will Zion Williamson stay injury-free?

Last year we were able to see glimpses of what Zion Williamson could be and everyone can agree we want to see more. Ever since high school and at Duke, one thing was for certain with Zion he is fun to watch. But another thing that was also true is that he is can be injury prone. A lot of it will be determined by whether he has committed to getting in the proper shape. If Zion is committed were in for a treat.

7.) What type of team will the Warriors be without Klay Thompson?

This was supposed to be the season that the Warriors came back and brought back the best style of basketball that NBA fans had ever seen. That idea was spoiled when news came out of Los Angeles that Klay Thompson had torn his Achilles during a workout. Now one can wonder if we’ll ever see style of basketball that greatest shooting backcourt brought us over the last eight seasons or so. Now we can only hope that the Steph Curry and the new cast of characters can bring some resemblance of the Warriors that all basketball fans grew to love.

8.) Will Luka Doncic win MVP?

This season is setting up to be the year that Luka Doncic becomes the league MVP. With the loss of Kristaps Porzingis for the first part of the season due to knee injury and Seth Curry via trade, more will be asked of Doncic and he will deliver. With his performance in the playoff series against the Clippers, Doncic put himself on the list of NBA’s top ten players. There aren’t many top players that have ever had the kind of playoff success that he had against the Clippers in the playoffs. Don’t be surprised when the MVP trophy makes its way to Dallas.

9.) Are the Suns and Devin Booker Legit?

The Phoenix Suns performance in the bubble was a shocker to everyone, as no one expected them to go undefeated. With the arrival of Chris Paul, no one will be surprised by the Suns, they are no longer a push over. Now we will see if Devin Booker is in fact an elite player that everyone suspected and not just a player who had the green light on a terrible team. It will be interesting to see if the Suns can build on what they have accomplished at the end of last season.

10.) Will this be the start of the Ball Family Takeover.

Lavar Ball said that his three sons would make the NBA and he made it happen. Sure, LiAngelo Ball has to make the team after signing a one year non-guaranteed contract with the Detroit Pistons. The elder Ball always said that his kids would play on the same team, it’s more likely than ever at this moment. The first step would have to be for the younger Ball brother, LaMelo ,to impress with the Charlotte Hornets and become the face of the franchise. If Michael Jordan finally gets a legitimate star in the younger Ball brother, I can see him signing Gelo and Lonzo to keep his star player happy. LiAngelo has an opportunity to work his way into the NBA now and Lonzo is toward the latter part of his rookie deal, Lavar Ball may be right. Now let’s all just root for LaMelo Ball to win rookie of the year.