In an attempt to get myself and others hyped about the 2016–17 NBA season, I brainstormed several different preview ideas. Many outlets are doing team previews, but this is a player’s game, damnit. Why not take my favorite and/or most interesting player from each team and write a l’il somethin’ somethin’? I decided to write them in order of my projected finish for that team.
In a vacuum, the New Orleans Pelicans have a decent roster. But two things preclude me from ranking them higher: Jrue Holiday‘s unfortunate situation, and Anthony Davis‘ inability to play more than 70 games so far in his four-year career. That said, for the 60 or so games he does suit up, watch out.
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How can anyone stop a healthy Unibrow? When he’s healthy, he might be the best player in the NBA. There, I said it. If I was the captain in a pick-up game and I could choose anyone in the entire NBA (and everyone was healthy, of course), you’d have to basically talk me OUT of picking him first.
In today’s NBA, there are probably only two players who play both ends of the floor at an elite level: Davis and LeBron James (hopefully I didn’t offend Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard and Draymond Green fans just now). Offensively, he might as well be Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett’s love-child (pause). On the other end, he’s an elite help-side defender and glass cleaner.
If the Pelicans training staff can somehow coax 70+ games out of him, the Pels are a dark horse in the West. Big “if”, though.
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29. Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
28. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
26. Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets
