The time has finally come! As we round the corner and head down the final stretch of a long offseason, we open the door on another season of NBA fun, excitement, and amazement. Who will win it all? Who earns the right to be called the league’s Most Valuable Player? Will the Golden State Warriors repeat? We have the answers to these questions and more in eDraft Sports’ official 2015-16 NBA Season Preview. Without further ado, let’s dive into this year’s preview!
Division Previews
In our division previews, we give a short prediction for each team and rank them in the order that we think they’ll finish the season.
Atlantic Division
Toronto Raptors
Preseason reports indicate that Kyle Lowry is back and better than ever. He’ll lead an underachieving Raptors squad back to the top of the east alongside DeMar DeRozan and newcomer DeMarre Carroll.
Boston Celtics
The young Celtics overachieved last season but will have high expectations this year. Isaiah Thomas leads the way to another playoff run that won’t end in a sweep.
New York Knicks
The Knicks made a lot of moves this offseason in an attempt to appease Carmelo Anthony. Will they work? This team is very much a mystery, but the talent is there to be good for third in this weak division.
Brooklyn Nets
Just like that, the Nets are in rebuild mode again. The departure of Deron Williams may lift the spirits of his ex-teammates, but leaves a gaping hole at point guard. This team is destined to bottom out as they try to grow the young players for the future.
Philadelphia 76ers
This rebuild is taking longer than those pyramids in Egypt did. Jahlil Okafor is a reason to be excited, though, but this team still hasn’t answered their point guard problems, and don’t seem to be going anywhere fast. Cheesesteak, anyone?
Central Division
Cleveland Cavaliers
No one really thought LeBron James would leave, but keeping him, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, AND J.R. Smith has to be a bit of a surprise. With everyone back in the fold, this team will make another title run.
Milwaukee Bucks
Watch out for the young Bucks this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo will continue to take huge strides (ha) forward in his game and they just might have enough distance shooting to push them past the first round this year. Oh, and they brought in Greg Monroe to help the middle too. Yeah, they’re pretty good.
Chicago Bulls
How will new head coach Fred Hoiberg handle the NBA? Early reports seem to be positive, but now he has to deal with Derrick Rose being injured again and a roster with a bit of an overcrowding problem at the forward spots. The playoffs seem likely again, but can we really be sure anymore?
Indiana Pacers
The biggest offseason move might have not been a move at all. Paul George is finally healthy again and while he may not like playing power forward, doing so brings more firepower onto the court with Monta Ellis in the mix.
Detroit Pistons
Bringing up the rear are the Pistons, who lost one of their centerpieces via free agency but still have Andre Drummond who should improve this year. The rest of the roster is a mystery, but they should be exciting at the very least under Stan Van Gundy again.
Southeast Division
Miami Heat
If Chris Bosh didn’t go down last season, the Heat would have made some real noise in the division and the conference. Now this team is fully loaded, had the steal of the draft in Justise Winslow, and is ready to go.
Washington Wizards
John Wall continues to improve and the Wiz Kids are a year more experienced. Even with Paul Pierce gone, Otto Porter seems ready to step up, and the team brought in several veterans to fill the void at small forward.
Atlanta Hawks
Everything seemed to come together perfectly for the Hawks last year, but the experiment hit a snag in the playoffs. Jeff Teague, Al Horford, and Paul Millsap still make up a solid core, but Kyle Korver’s injury and a weakened bench could spell trouble this season.
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte made a commitment to shooting this offseason and brought in exciting new pieces like Nicolas Batum and Frank Kaminsky. The real question is whether this team can become efficient enough on offense to win, and that has yet to be answered.
Orlando Magic
Orlando is going to be great next season, but this season still feels like a stretch. Tobias Harris and Victor Oladipo are as unheralded as budding superstars come, and the growth of Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton will determine how far this team goes in 2015.
Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors
How can the Warriors be stopped? This team brings back everyone from last year and even brought in a veteran in Jason Thompson to bolster the frontcourt defense. Oh, and there’s still MVP Stephen Curry and a few other guys that are alright too.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers hope to be the team that knocks the Warriors off of the summit. They brought in Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson, Josh Smith, and stole DeAndre Jordan to add depth to this already talented team.
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix is coming off a disappointing season where they not only missed the playoffs, but also were forced to trade two of their point guards. Yikes. This season has some optimism with Tyson Chandler in the mix, but whiffing on LaMarcus Aldridge stings.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings were quite the rollercoaster ride this offseason. As the dust settles, DeMarcus Cousins is still a stud, Rajon Rondo is the ultimate feast or famine move, and George Karl is still the head coach. How will this lab experiment turn out? My guess is a chemical meltdown.
Los Angeles Lakers
Coming off a disaster of a season in 2014-15, the Lakers doubled down to get back on track. Kobe Bryant is back, and Roy Hibbert headlines a nice crop of offseason free agents, but the real story here will be the development of D'Angelo Russell. He holds the keys to the Lamborghini that is the Lakers franchise now.
Southwest Division
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies felt snake bitten by Mike Conley’s injury in the playoffs that might have swung that Golden State series. However, they did not hang their heads and instead kept all their key players and brought in Matt Barnes to complement this team’s “Grit ‘n Grind” approach.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs had a whale of an offseason. First, re-signing Kawhi Leonard and then bringing in LaMarcus Aldridge and David West? Look out, west; there might be a familiar, yet new sheriff back in town (#metaphors).
Houston Rockets
Houston was right there with the Warriors for most of that Western Conference Finals series. However, James Harden couldn’t get them over the hump and the injury to Patrick Beverley may have been a big factor in that series. Now, he’s back and the team added Ty Lawson to fortify what was their weakest position.
New Orleans Pelicans
All hail Anthony Davis. Davis is on a rampage to prove to anyone that there is literally nothing he can’t do on a basketball floor, and it would be wise not to stand in his way. Alvin Gentry will get the most out of this team even though Tyreke Evans will start the season injured. A playoff return seems improbable.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks might have had one of the worst offseasons in the league. Not only did they lose their starting center, but also the one they had tabbed to replace him got cold feet at the last minute. Wesley Matthews helps ease that blow, but his health is still a concern. This team might make noise, but the odds are certainly against them.
Northwest Division
Oklahoma City Thunder
Hey, remember that Kevin Durant guy? Yeah, he’s back, and it looks like Russell Westbrook hasn’t come down from his MVP candidate cloud yet. This team is a force to be reckoned with yet again, and should be right back at the top of the conference standings.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz are quietly one of the better teams in the conference. Gordon Hayward took tremendous steps forward last year, but the real keys are Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert inside. Add in a healthy Dante Exum and a growing young core seems ready to burst onto the playoff scene.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Karl-Anthony Towns could be the next great center in the NBA. Around him is a young bunch that all need time to develop. If Ricky Rubio can stay healthy and Andrew Wiggins can get better, this team could play a role in the playoff proceedings, but it’s more likely that they are a year or two away.
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland had THE worst offseason in the NBA. Losing four starters and several key bench players is a gargantuan task to overcome, and the Blazers didn’t do enough to be playoff contenders again this year. However, they may have set themselves up nicely for the future.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are another big mystery for this season, mostly because so many of their players underperformed or are unknowns in the NBA. Can Emmanuel Mudiay run the show? Will the real Kenneth Faried please stand up? How healthy is Danilo Gallinari? We may not know yet, but all these questions will be answered this season.
Playoff Predictions
Eastern Conference
First Round
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers over (8) Chicago Bulls
(2) Miami Heat over (7) Boston Celtics
(3) Milwaukee Bucks over (6) Atlanta Hawks
(5) Washington Wizards over (4) Toronto Raptors
Semi-Finals
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers over (5) Washington Wizards
(2) Miami Heat over (3) Milwaukee Bucks
Finals
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers over (2) Miami Heat
Western Conference
First Round
(1) Golden State Warriors over (8) Utah Jazz
(2) Oklahoma City Thunder over (7) New Orleans Pelicans
(6) San Antonio Spurs over (3) Los Angeles Clippers
(4) Memphis Grizzlies over (5) Houston Rockets
Semi-Finals
(1) Golden State Warriors over (4) Memphis Grizzlies
(6) San Antonio Spurs over (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
Finals
(1) Golden State Warriors over (6) San Antonio Spurs
NBA Finals Preview
I have wavered on this pick for long enough to know that when in doubt, go with the best overall team. That is why the Warriors escaped the treacherous west once again in this hypothetical season that hasn’t happened yet. The Spurs could re-emerge as well, but their lack of point guard depth is a problem unless Tony Parker is healthy. Ultimately, the Warriors are extremely deep and are coming off an incredible season with shades of the 90s Bulls dynasty overshadowing them. Another run to the finals would not surprise me in the least.
On the other side of the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers are quite simply the best team in the conference. It’s not even that close, really. With a year of playing together under their belts and a hopefully healthy Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, this team will steamroll the east like we haven’t seen since…well…other LeBron James-led teams. We’ll see a finals rematch again for the second time in three seasons.
In the finals, I expect the stars to play to their potential yet again. The only difference this time is that Cleveland will have Kyrie and Kevin Love in the fold, which they did not for the entirety of that series. Ultimately, I think that Cleveland learns from the experience last year and that LeBron is dominant yet again, winning the NBA Finals MVP. How this will play out, no one knows yet, but I expect to see a thrilling NBA Finals that goes down to the wire. I’m going with:
Cavaliers in 7
Awards Predictions
Most Valuable Player: Anthony Davis
2014-15 had perhaps the most exciting NBA MVP race in the last decade. This season I expect it to be no different, with candidates like Stephen Curry, LeBron James, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook still in the mix. However, I’m going with someone who wasn’t on the radar last season mostly because he missed a portion of the season and perhaps people don’t quite realize how impressive he is yet. This year I think Anthony Davis takes the cake by singlehandedly leading his team to the playoffs once again.
Rookie of the Year: Jahlil Okafor
An impressive rookie class makes this a difficult pick, but we’ve seen this before in Philadelphia. Okafor is a talented, NBA-ready player who will put up numbers on a predominantly bad team. He immediately becomes the focal point of that offense as a post presence, and I think his readiness to contribute will earn him this honor over other impressive rookies like Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell who may have a higher ceiling, but aren’t quite there yet.
Most Improved Player: Otto Porter
My original pick for Most Improved Player would have been Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, but unfortunately he is probably lost for the season. That leaves the door wide open for Otto Porter in Washington, who steps into a larger role coming off a postseason where he was a key contributor for the Wizards. His offensive rapport with John Wall is improving and he has developed a jumper that can expand his versatility.
Defensive Player of the Year: Draymond Green
The annual candidates are well known for this award, and they should be the same this year. Last year, Draymond Green should have won DPOY, and this year I think he gets it. That is no slight to Kawhi Leonard, but Green’s defensive presence and versatility is unparalleled, even by Leonard. Other candidates are DeAndre Jordan and Tony Allen, but while they are all worthy choices, Green gets the nod here.
Sixth Man of the Year: Andre Iguodala
Iguodala was the Finals MVP last season, but make no mistake that his role is coming off the bench instead of starting for this team. Iggy is a great all-around defender and is versatile offensively. He provides balance and an elite-level offensive player with the second unit. That is why he was so effective last season and that is why he’ll win sixth man of the year this season.
Coach of the Year: Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd has only coached for two seasons, and in those two seasons he took previously underachieving teams to the playoffs and one of those teams to the second round. This season, he will take the Bucks to greater heights and continue developing his squad in a way only he can. He flew under the radar with Steve Kerr and Mike Budenholzer stealing the show last year, but this season it will be Kidd sweeping up the accolades.
We hope you enjoyed this season’s NBA Preview. Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments below and we hope you enjoy the season!