The NBA season has kicked off. I’m going to be honest I started before the Wednesday games tipped off and wanted to get it done before they started but ya know school and work get in the way. So let’s like pretend none of the games started, between you and me alright. Anyway, I thought of the idea of looking at each team and picking a story and player to watch for all season. So without further ado….

Atlanta Hawks

Storyline – Quin Snyder’s first full season with the team. Snyder was hired late last year when the locker room turned on former head coach Nate McMillan. Snyder was able to coach up that Utah Jazz not that long ago to the top of the Western Conference and I still believe in him as a great head coach. Trae Young is an offensive superstar and has the capabilities of averaging something crazy like 30 and 10 but will that translate to winning. If Snyder can get the Hawks to buy in they could definitely be a top-six team in the East.

Player – With John Collins gone there is a hole at the power forward position. I’m looking at Jalen Johnson to take that spot. The 21-year-old averaged just about 14 minutes last year and is guaranteed an uptick in minutes and opportunities. In limited playing time last season, he has a pretty long highlight tape of dunks. He is a cheaper and younger version of John Collins in that fashion and is a perfect lob threat for Trae. Hopefully, his all-around offensive game will start to come together this season.

Boston Celtics

Storyline – For some teams, these options will be easy. The new roster construct is something I have discussed in previous posts due to the Celtics being a top team in this league and making one of the biggest moves during the off-season. Can Joe Mazzulla find players on the bench to play bigger minutes during the dog days of the regular season when they’re needed? They sacrificed their depth for Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis so will it move the needle for them and win them a title.

Player – I can choose Porzingis or Holiday or one of the J’s but I’m going to choose Payton Pritchard here. Last season Pritchard wanted to be traded but he just inked a new extension and is going to be the lead guy for the Celtics bench unit. He averaged only 13 minutes in the 48 games he played last year but now he has a much bigger role and for a title favorite he will be depended on heavily. Can he make the most of it?

Brooklyn Nets

Storyline – I am really looking forward to this team playing defense. They roster a defensive player of the year candidate in Nic Claxton, we all know what Mikal Bridges brings to the table, and they have tons of three and d players. Dorian Finney-Smith, Ben Simmons (if at the top of his game), Cam Johnson, and Dennis Smith Jr. are all great defenders. If they throw a line-up with Ben running the point surrounded by Bridges, Cam, DFS, and Clax, that whole lineup is basically switchable 1-5. It’s going to be a battle to score on this team and I’m looking forward to it.

Player – Who else but Ben Simmons. I mean by all indications he is most certainly so back. The preseason numbers aren’t jaw-dropping but he has played like something that resembles the Ben Simmons of old. He was pushing the ball with urgency and tallying up rebounds and assists like he used to. If the defense and consistency can come back this could be a great story in the NBA. (Although I doubt Sixers fans would agree.)

Charlotte Hornets

Storyline – Where will this team finish? A lot of people have this team at the bottom of all their rankings but a full season of LaMelo Ball could bring them to Play-In contention. The last time LaMelo was healthy he had this team fighting for a playoff spot not too long and with almost the same roster. Steve Clifford is a great coach and with a healthy roster I can see this team being competitive but like that type of competitive but like competitive.

Player – The rookie Brandon Miller is an easy target to choose for the player I want to watch. Seeing how he pairs with LaMelo is going to be key for the future of this organization. A lot of people wrote him off after an ugly summer league performance and being picked in-between two shoe-in hall of famers (I’m joking but hopefully I’m right). Miller has a great point guard that loves to set others up and Miller has the talent to lead this team in three-point shooting. Kai Jones is also an intriguing talent to watch but he’s gone for some odd reason.

Chicago Bulls

Storyline – How long into the season will the Bulls wait to make moves? I don’t believe in the way this team is built to be able to compete in the playoffs, which is the mindset they have going into this season. Demar Derozan, Zach Lavine, and Nikola Vucecic will be in trade rumors all year long. Who gets dealt and for what is what most fans will be waiting for. It is truly a shame what happened to Lonzo Ball because they played so well in that short span of him being healthy.

Player – Coby White is a player of intrigue on this team because if the offense is too stagnant with Alex Caruso in the starting lineup then they may have to turn Lavine they don’t have much shooting unless Patrick Williams starts letting them fly and making them. Coby shot 37% on about 5 attempts a game, if he can get that percentage up he could force his way into the lead guard role.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Storyline – Is this young squad ready to compete in the top 3 of the Eastern Conference? Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen is a fantastic young core going into the future but how much longer will it take for the team to be a true contender is the question. Last season they lost to the New York Knicks in the first round when many had them to win the series. It was a letdown that Mitchell is familiar with going back to his Utah Jazz days. The roster lacks shooting and they went out and added Max Strus and Georges Niang who are knockdown shooters but defense is a rough spot for those two. If Garland and Mobley can continue to take big leaps in their development then the answer to this question will be a lot easier.

Player – Evan Mobley was top three in DPOY voting and has a chance to win it this season. He is already great on the defensive end but his offensive game is something that is still growing. If he can become a 18-20 ppg player in this season or the next season he will be a dominant player in this league. He’s only 22 and has one half of the game figured out, once he gets his offense down it’ll be a scary sight for the rest of the league. With Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren making their debuts people are forgetting Mobley as one of the leagues unicorns.

Dallas Mavericks

Storyline – A full offseason for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving will be very interesting. They played well together in their short time together before the team shut it down and went the tank method. But this roster is rough outside of those two. The team had five double-digit scorers last season and lost two of them in Spencer Dinwiddie and Christian Wood. They replaced them with Grant Williams and Richaun Holmes who are definitely downgrades offensively. Who will step up to help the two all-stars?

Player – Josh Green will. See how I segued and answered my own question, cool huh? Alright anyway Green and Jaden Hardy got my eyes on them. Two young players who played well in spurts at the end of last season. They both had 20-plus point games in the preseason and will be called upon when Kyrie and Luka are subbed out. Seth Curry and Dante Exum are the only guards of note on this roster so I hope the two young guys get some decent run this season.

Denver Nuggets

Storyline – Repeat season loading? The Nuggets are fully charged for another run at the mountaintop. They lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Green but Christian Braun and Peyton Watson seem to be primed to replace the minutes and stats those two provided. Braun played 19 minutes and Watson played 11 minutes in game one for them. Brown had a massive impact on the championship run but Braun is capable of taking that role. Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the rest of the starting lineup looked fantastic and midseason form already.

Player – I want to see Murray stay healthy throughout the whole regular season and see him make the All Star Game. He has yet to get the recognition as a top guard in this league outside of his playoff performances. If he keeps top level play all season he is a no doubt All Star this season.

Detroit Pistons

Storyline – Monty Williams’s impact on this roster will be very fun to watch. He helped the young Suns get ready to compete even before they got Chris Paul during that undefeated bubble run. He was fired prematurely and will have something to prove in molding this roster to get on track to the bigger picture. Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson are exciting young players who can learn a lot from Williams. They have young big men and most likely will nab a top draft pick, adding to a great young core.

Player – I mentioned Cade quickly above but in the 12 regular season games he averaged 20 6 and 6. He has the potential to be a lead guy in this league and could’ve had a big sophomore season if it hadn’t been cut short. He has a bunch of teammates on the same timeline as him and they will gel together. Working on building chemistry with Thompson the other lottery pick will be huge for this team. I’m rooting for MotorCade to be in All-Star form soon and hopefully this year we see that.

Golden State Warriors

Storyline – The obvious story is how Chris Paul integrates into the Warriors system. Night one they lost but almost everyone shot poorly so unfortunately we can’t figure it out after one game, it ain’t that easy. CP3 did have nine assists but went 0/6 from downtown. Once Draymond Green comes back we will really be able to see what it’s like with CP on this team. Dray is usually Steph Curry’s set up man but nobody dishes like Paul and having two players like that could be dangerous for the rest of the league.

Player – Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody have another season to show what they are worth for trade pieces or if they are worth keeping for the future of the Warriors. Kuminga is steps ahead of Moody because he was given playoff minutes last season but found himself getting played off the floor. Inexperience is something they can’t help but they are going to gain that experience eventually and when that happens will they be ready to help out the old guys.

Houston Rockets

Storyline – Are the Rockets trying to compete? They have a bunch of young studs with Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, and Jabari Smith Jr. but they signed vets like Dillion Brooks, Reggie Bullock, and most notably Fred VanVleet. Ime Udoka has been to an NBA Finals and is a reason why the Celtics turned it around that year. The worry about this team was they didn’t have enough veterans but signing VanVleet and Brooks along with Udoka is going to play a big factor for the young guys. What part of the team will show though, either the vets helping them win or the young guys still developing their game.

Player – I love this young core a lot. I am picking the whole group I mentioned above. Sengun is like the first evolution of Jokic and is 21. Jalen is an explosive offensive player with an insane burst and can shoot all over. Once again he’s just 21. The new members include Amen and Cam who are 20 and 19 respectively. Cam is probably the biggest steal in the draft and Amen is one of those players that’ll make an impact with his athleticism right off the bat. Jabari is the one the team will look to build around with a huge breakout year in coming. He showed out in the summer league and preseason. Clearly, he has developed so much in his all-around game. His turnaround jumper may be lethal this season. This team going to be a lot of fun.

Indiana Pacers

Storyline – Another fun young competitive team with Indiana here. They can fight for a play-in spot and maybe get some much-needed playoff experience. Adding Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin will be huge for the development of Tyrese Haliburton. Will they deal Buddy Hield and what will they get for him is something to watch for. They drafted Jarace Walker who may be another great pick like Bennedict Mathurin. It is a young team but with Haliburton and Rick Carlisle at the helm, there is a strong chance they can make this rebuild move a lot faster.

Player – Mathurin surprised a lot of people in his rookie year, averaging 16.7 points. With Hield projected to go to the bench Tyrese needs a running mate at the guard spot offensively. Myles Turner scored 18 ppg but I want to see Mathurin and Haliburton continue to grow together as a 1-2 punch. Tyrese’s season was cut short last season but he has one of the brightest minds when it comes to setting teammates up. I think they’ll be a nasty combo for defenses this year.

Los Angeles Clippers

Storyline – The story could be about the injuries like it is every year. This season though we have the James Harden trade as the big story for this Clippers team. Will James even fit with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George is a serious question. Will James be motivated to play basketball with one team for more than one year is another serious question. Will James be playing by himself once traded because George and Kawhi are hurt is a funny question. Harden does take pressure off the two wing players which is something they looked for in Russell Westbrook. Giving up Terrance Mann is tough but this championship window is close to shut they might have to do it.

Player – Russ joined the team late last year but he came with something extra. He had good showings in the playoff games against Phoenix, scoring 30 twice and 28 once. If he can follow that up and continue to be productive for this team then the Clippers won’t have to worry all that much about getting Harden. I just don’t know how likely that is though.

Los Angeles Lakers

Storyline – Can they repeat their playoff success but beat the Nuggets this time around? The quick answer is nope. We just saw them get dominated by the champions so we know that ain’t happening. Let’s switch gears to another story. LeBron’s minutes in game one was something worth watching. Reports have come out that he will be playing 28-30 minutes a night which has been the first sign of cautiousness for him to keep playing at the highest level at his age. The Lakers were abysmal in the minutes without him and subbing him off killed some of the momentum but Darvin Ham kept to it. If games are close during the season I wonder if they will keep him in if it is clear they need him in there.

Player – Austin Reaves came out of nowhere last season and earned himself a contract extension but can he not be a one-year wonder although that is a little harsh. Can he live up to the contract and starting spot that he has been given is a better way to phrase it, sorry about that. He had a rough first game but it is just the first game. With LeBron clearly going down in minutes then someone has to step up and Anthony Davis probably won’t do it. Reaves will be the lead playmaker most nights because D’Angelo Russell just ain’t it.

Memphis Grizzlies

Storyline – How will the team fare with no Ja Morant at the beginning of the season but more importantly how will the team fare with no Steven Adams for the whole season. Outside of Adams, they don’t have a true center so filling that role is going to be very tough. Xavier Tillman Sr. and Brandon Clarke who is also recovering from an injury are both 6’8″ which leaves them with a disadvantage at the season. Jaren Jackson Jr. is much better at lining up at the power forward position and helping out by blocking shots as a help defender. He is a great defender no matter where he lines up but he doesn’t rebound or set screens like Adams does. Look for the Grizzlies to make a trade for a center to fill the void if they want to be a contender this year.

Player – Desmond Bane and Tripp are two players I’m going to watch for obvious reasons as they are the best players until Ja comes back but Bane has a big opportunity to solidify himself as a main guy and All-Star in Ja’s absence. He has yet to get a bunch of credibility and people will be watching to see what he’s got to lead this team. With Ja away Bane and Jaren got to lead this team off and on the court. Jaren’s offensive game needs to be much more consistent too. He averaged 18 ppg in 63 games played let’s see if the big three can all reach the 20-point mark.

Miami Heat

Storyline – How will Tyler Herro entering the lineup affect this team’s ability to continue the magic in the playoffs? After Herro left in the first-round series with the Milwaukee Bucks, Jimmy Butler, and the Heat shifted into another gear. Butler was given primary ball handler responsibilities and everything ran through him with others helping out when called upon. Herro isn’t just a helper he is another primary ball handler and takes up possessions from Butler. Herro is a great scorer but can sometimes be very streaky. I wonder if that’ll affect them at all and their future success.

Player – I spoke about Herro earlier but I’ll throw in Nikola Jovic and Jamie Jaquez Jr. as players to watch. These two were the young centerpieces of the Damian Lillard trade package that was supposed to be worth it for the Trail Blazers to make that deal. So let’s see how they perform throughout this season and if they can be the random Heat players that make playoff impacts.

Milwaukee Bucks

Storyline – Well the story is like the Celtics one, we’ve spoken about it a bunch but the Dame trade is everything for the Bucks this season. Seeing if the pairing of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dame works immediately for them is make-or-break for the Bucks. I believe that it will but seeing is believing. Dame hasn’t been on a team like this before and with it comes expectations and pressure that he hasn’t had yet.

Player – We will all be watching Dame and Giannis no matter what but I’m interested to see if Brook Lopez can continue to play at an elite defensive level while providing consistent three-point shooting on a nightly basis and going into the playoffs. Brook is getting old and I never expected him to be the defensive anchor he is today. It truly is remarkable his journey in the NBA. Playing with Dame should make it easier on him on offense but he’ll have to help out more since Dame ain’t the defensive player Jrue is.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Storyline – Can the frontcourt of Karl Anthony-Towns and Rudy Gobert work together? Can they also not get in the way of Anthony Edwards’s ascent into superstardom? Edwards is primed and ready but I can’t help but feel like the trade the team made for Gobert will stunt him. I’m not saying he’ll be bad because of it but the team may not win as many games as Ant would like with the way the roster is constructed. One of those two needs to be dealt with quickly if the season doesn’t go the way they planned.

Player – I spoke about him already but it’s hard not to want to watch Edwards ball out this year. Steve Kerr loved him during FIBA play and he made it his team which is something you love to see from a young guy. He’s immensely talented and you can tell the dude wants to win at the highest level. Being a Grizzlies fan I dislike the Timberwolves but it is impossible to dislike Ant. He makes highlight plays and puts up points. I’m hoping he is ready for that rocket strap.

New Orleans Pelicans

Storyline – The storyline is what it always is, Zion Williamson’s health. You can throw in Brandon Ingram too. I feel like he is out often as well. But Zion has played less than 30 games in two of his three seasons. What sucks is that when he plays he looks the part of the super-hyped-up number one pick. He’s a guaranteed All-Star if he can stay healthy for it. This Pelicans team has talent all over the place but without its best player, it makes it hard for it to be anything more than a play-in team.

Player – Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III are two underrated wing players who had big years last season. The only spot on this starting lineup that isn’t solidified is the small forward spot where Herb is right now due to Murphy’s injury. The battle between these two for the starting spot will be fun to watch. Last year it was Trey but with him missing some time early maybe Herb can make an argument on why it should be him.

New York Knicks

Storyline – How much longer will the Knicks continue throwing Julius Randle out there? Last season it should’ve been Jalen Brunson representing the Knicks at the All-Star game and not Randle. This is a decent to formidable team that ousted the Cavs in the first round during the playoffs. That’s kind of all they are at the moment though. Brunson is a needle move but I just feel like Randle holds them back a bit. Could just be me, but I don’t know.

Player – Brunson and Randle were mentioned earlier but someone I’m watching is RJ Barrett. He shot poorly from three last season and needs to improve from there. He has been a good player but leaves a bit to be desired. He had a good FIBA showing this summer, averaging 24 points per game. I feel as though with Randle he may not be able to reach his full potential. He’s a player the Knicks have dangled in trade talks for Joel Embiid so who knows what happens with him.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Storyline – Are they ready to live up to the hype yet? The Thunder have pulled off one of the quickest and best rebuild efforts and field an exciting, competitive roster this season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been labeled a top-ten player by multiple preseason player rankings. They are everyone’s playoff darling this season. Chet Holmgren is going to be in an exciting rookie of the year race with Wemby. There is a lot to love with this team but they are still very young and have been put on a pedestal over some proven teams.

Player – I mean this whole team will be under my watchful eye. From the starting lineup to Aleksej Pokusevski who I haven’t forgotten about. I think Jalen Williams is a very intriguing player because Shai and Chet have everyone’s attention and Josh Giddey has turned heads with his perfect all-around game. But JDub had a great rookie year and made it a closer rookie of the year race than anyone thought he would. He showed the ability to be a potential All-Star for this team. I’m looking forward to seeing any more improvements from him.

Orlando Magic

Storyline – Oh man do I love this team. I want to see this team fight for a play-in spot. Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Markelle Fultz, Wendell Carter Jr., Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Isaac, Cole Anthony, Anthony Black, shall I keep going??? The Magic have been stuck in irrelevancy for a long time. Ever since Dwight Howard left they have made the playoffs twice which has been 11 seasons if you were wondering. They have been stuck there for the most part due to poor drafting. Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon are the best draftees that produced for the team. They have drafted two franchise cornerstones in Banchero and Wagner and they may be seeing playoff basketball in Orlando in no time. Oh yeah, shut up Patrick Beverley.

Player – So like the whole team. Just like Houston, they have such a fun young team that I’ll be paying attention to all of them. I’d love to see Banchero or Wagner make some noise for All-Star consideration. Fultz is one of my favorite stories in the whole league. He has really found himself in Orlando and it’s so fun to see. Black is one of my favorite rookies. Isaac is a defensive monster who is still so young. He’s just got to stay healthy. Go Magic, I have their win total too so, yeah I’m heavily invested.

Philadelphia 76ers

Storyline – Will they or won’t they trade James Harden, and if so where and for what? It’s truly a shame a player like Joel Embiid had to go through the Ben Simmons downfall to now being a victim of Harden’s antics. I’ve kind of soured on this team and I don’t know if it is due to Harden being this way or the fact that Embiid hasn’t been able to power them through the other Eastern Conference teams. It’d be cool to see the Sixers get a good return for Harden that can help Embiid more. Patrick Beverley and Tobias Harris ain’t getting the job done.

Player – Tyrese Maxey has improved every year he has been in the NBA and with Harden doing what he’s doing he will have even more room for improvement. Maxey is the clear second go-to guy on this team. The Sixers will lean on him to be the lead ball handler with no Harden while they figure out a trade. He may just win the Most Improved award this year but after scoring 20 ppg last season he could get up to that 23 ppg range.

Phoenix Suns

Storyline – The Suns look a lot different from last season. Moving Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton was one of the biggest off-season moves a team has made. They got Brad Beal and lost a good amount of rotational pieces. The trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Beal is going to be insane offensively but outside of those three, you’re leaning on an aging Eric Gordon, an oft-injured Jusuf Nurkic, and some decent role players. The defense of this team and scoring outside of the big 3 will be something to follow all season

Player – Bradley Beal has been on some good Washington Wizard teams but this is the most high-profile situation of his career now. Can he deliver and help this team reach the NBA Finals. KD and Book have been there but Beal hasn’t. He’s one of those guys who can get the “good stats bad team” label. Likely seeing the third-best defender of most teams he’ll have the opportunity to shine. This is something new for Beal let’s see if he’s got what it takes to contend.

Portland Trail Blazers

Storyline – Ah my beloved Blazers. I’ll be watching everything for this team. It’s a young rebuilding team so seeing who fits where and how is big for the growth of this team. Letting Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe get lots of runs is the main objective. If Scoot can find his footing early this team has a chance to be a little scrappy against some teams. It’s not that horrible of a roster but it’s going to take a lot of growing pains.

Player – Henderson and Sharpe are who this team is going to build around for the future but Deandre Ayton might have a lot to offer. After being cast aside by the Suns, Ayton has shown real excitement about getting a refresh on his career. He’s still young and could be the best player on this team this season. I want to see if he’s going to take charge of this team like his draft selection says he should. A former number one overall pick, Ayton has a lot of potential as a cornerstone big man.

Sacramento Kings

Storyline – Is this team going to be a playoff contender year after year? They took a huge step that the Kings hadn’t seen in years. People and pundits or whatever that means believe they’ll regress which is completely understandable. The team was one of the healthiest all year last season and some could see their performance as a fluke. De’Aaron Fox has taken a leap though and Domantas Sabonis had a hand injury that was a bit limiting in the Warriors series. I believe they’re ready to be playoff contenders but can they prove me right?

Player – Keegan Murray is going to be key to this team’s success and future. When you look at the roster you’d see they’re missing a star wing player. They have Harrison Barnes who has played very well and has gone under the radar for most of his career. Barnes could be moved and Murray can fill those shoes. He was very impressive in his first playoff series as a rookie. I see big things for him and the Kings are definitely hoping he can be that guy.

San Antonio Spurs

Storyline – Victor Wembanyama. He’s the NBA’s storyline. He’s everything this year. How quickly will it take for him to adapt to the NBA? How long will it take for him to start showing those insane projections we all have for him. That’s all anyone cares about regarding this team. Wemby has looked great in preseason let’s hope he’s everything he’s supposed to be.

Player – So for the storyline part I said Wemby so for the player portion I’m going to say everyone else. Seeing how the rest of the starting lineup play with Wemby is just as crucial as how Wemby plays with them. Do they help him and set him up as best as possible. Having Wemby will give all these players national attention which they haven’t had yet in their young careers. There’s a lot of pressure that comes with playing along a generational talent that’s being covered heavily. Scrutiny will come to them with any mess ups. Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, and Zach Collins no pressure guys enjoy the Alien on your team.

Toronto Raptors

Storyline – This one is kind of like the Chicago story where it is a bit of a waiting game to see if they make any moves. Last season the Raptors were being discussed as huge sellers with Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby being thrown in a bunch of trade talks. I think this team is better than people have given them credit for but they are still aren’t going to make any noise come playoff time. They have some pieces to trade to get better but also have some pieces to trade to get younger.

Player – Scottie Barnes is this team’s future piece. Siakam is the current best player but eventually, Barnes will take that mantle. He is a great defensive body and you can use him as your primary ball-handler. If the Siakam or Anunoby deals get done this team can quickly become the Scottie Barnes Show. He’s just 22 but this could be an even bigger breakout year for him if the team clears things up for him to take center stage.

Utah Jazz

Storyline – Utah was somewhat competitive last year so it’d be cool to see them be competitive again this year for a brief while. I’m very interested to see how the John Collins acquisition works for them. It was a very under the radar move and they didn’t give up much. Collins costs a lot and hopefully, he doesn’t mess up what Lauri Markkanen has discovered in Utah. There are a lot of fun young teams I just want to see play and this happens to another one of them.

Player – Lauri is just my cup of tea. His season last year was remarkable and fully deserved his MIP award. He was a first-time All-Star last year and hopefully, he makes it a second-time All-Star. 25 ppg might be tough to top in back-to-back years, especially with the addition of Collins. Utah is Lauri’s team for the foreseeable future and they have a bunch of draft picks that they can slot in around him and Walker Kessler. The future in Utah looks quite nice.

Washington Wizards

Storyline – The Wizards have finally moved on from irrelevancy and traded Bradley Beal. It is a new era in Washington and Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma are the faces of it. They have an interesting roster build now with Tyus Jones, Daniel Gafford, Deni Avdija, and Bilal Coulibaly. A team that has to figure stuff out and how each player fits. Poole should erupt on this team and he definitely will. Not a lot of defense will be played in Washington but the offense will be explosive.

Player – All eyes will be on Poole but I love me some Tyus Jones. He has been one of the best backups in the league for Minnesota and most recently Memphis. Now he is a starter for a team with no competition at the position. He’ll be tasked with feeding Poole and Kuzma. As a starter with the Grizzlies, he went 38-22 and averaged 13 points and 7 assists. The Grizzlies team is obviously a lot better but he can handle operating an offense.

Boom chakalaka we made it to the end! I think I’ll try and check in every week or two and see how the storylines and players are doing.