The NBA is a league that has seen some wild predictions in its time, and the 2023-2023 season will be no different. Here are 10 of the craziest predictions for the upcoming season.
The oldest MVP NBA is a prediction that has been made for the 2023-2023 NBA season. It is predicted that LeBron James will be the oldest MVP ever at age 37.
After the offseason, summer camp, and the draft, we can begin to forecast how the season will unfold. This summer, the NBA did not disappoint, with big moves like as Russell Westbrook and Kyle Lowry. Teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences are vying to dethrone the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks.
For a number of clubs, the window is open, and some players are looking to rebound from last season. With that in mind, here are the top ten most surprising NBA predictions for the upcoming season.
CJ McCollum is acquired by the Mavericks, completing the Big Three.
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Last year, it was expected that the Mavericks would deal Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavericks, on the other hand, took a chance and reached the playoffs. The team’s offensive woes in the playoffs led to the hiring of Jason Kidd as a new coach. With Kidd in the picture, he’ll follow in the footsteps of other first-year head coaches with star power in transforming the Mavericks into a top-five Western Conference club.
The club will make a trade at the deadline now that the Mavericks are in the fold and ready to compete. The club will acquire CJ McCollum to replace Tim Hardaway Jr., forming a big three of Porzingis, McCollum, and MVP-favorite Luka Doncic.
9. At the Trade Deadline, The Celtics Acquire Damian Lillard
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Damian Lillard says he never requested a trade, but the narrative doesn’t match up. There’s a strong possibility that Lillard may leave Portland this season. This offseason, the Trail Blazers failed to make any significant additions, which must be disappointing. Lillard will eventually have had enough when the club is clinging to a playoff berth.
The Boston Celtics may be able to propose a package centered around All-Star Jaylen Brown. While no one wants Brown to go, Boston’s ability to have salary room next year has been eliminated because to Marcus Smart’s contract. Brown is also a promising young player in the league. In the Eastern Conference, though, a pairing of Lillard and Jayson Tatum might be devastating.
The Pelicans have made the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year.
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Is anybody aware of how long it took LeBron James to reach the NBA playoffs when he first arrived in the league? The Cavaliers reached the playoffs in his third season and advanced to the second round. His supporting cast was eerily comparable to that of Zion Williamson. Williamson will emerge as the league’s next face in his third season, leading this uninspiring roster to a playoff berth.
Brandon Ingram is a previous All-Star, while Jonas Valanciunas has had a couple of successful seasons. If Williamson is the next chosen one, he will give us a sneak peek at his ceiling this year.
7. The Charlotte Hornets finish among the top six teams in the Eastern Conference.
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The Hornets qualified for the play-in tournament as the No. 10 seed in the East. If LaMelo Ball remains healthy, he will not only win Most Improved Player of the Year, but he will also play in his first All-Star game. This team’s health is crucial, as they also need Gordon Hayward and newcomer Kelly Oubre Jr. to participate.
The Hornets have a genuine franchise player to be thrilled about for the first time since Kemba Walker. The roof of the ball is taller. By guaranteeing Charlotte a playoff berth, he will catapult the club from the bottom of the standings into the national limelight.
6. The Nets are seeded third.
Everyone is predicting the Nets to be the NBA’s best club. You’d be insane not to believe that with a team that includes Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Blake Griffin. This week, we’ll make the bold prediction that the Nets will finish third in the Eastern Conference, behind the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks.
Is it unreasonable to believe Durant, Irving, and Harden will all be injured this season? It shouldn’t, since all three were out for a substantial amount of time last year. The Nets will fall if that occurs and the other teams remain healthy. After all, Philadelphia was last year’s No. 1 seed.
5. The Timberwolves acquire Ben Simmons.
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The three-time All-future Star’s in Philly has sparked a lot of speculation. Simmons has been linked to a trade after a poor postseason performance, with the Trail Blazers being a strong contender.
Would you rather have D’Angelo Russell or Ben Simmons if you were the 76ers? While Simmons contributes on defense, Russell is a proven scorer, which the club needs to complement Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris. Minnesota, on the other hand, can build a nucleus around Simmons and Karl-Anthony Towns and be competitive with two established All-Stars on the roster.
4. Bradley Beal is a Washington native who has never left the city.
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Last year, it seemed that the Heat were going to deal for Bradley Beal. It was the most logical thing in the world. The Wizards, on the other hand, never let Beal go and have kept him this summer. The club thinks that the components acquired in the Russell Westbrook deal are sufficient to contend in the East.
Outside of competition, we never hear Beal mention his desire to leave. He enjoys his time in Washington, or so it seems. Beal has a lot of money to earn this summer, and he intends to do so with the Wizards. Even if the Wizards miss the playoffs, Beal will remain in Washington for the rest of his career.
3. LeBron James becomes the league’s oldest MVP.
In December, LeBron James will be 37 years old. LeBron James was on the verge of winning the MVP award last season after guiding the Lakers to an early No. 1 seed. Then he got injured, lost a lot of time, and dropped out of the race. This year, LeBron will remain healthy and prove to the NBA that he belongs among the best players in the game.
At 35 years old, Karl Malone is the league’s oldest MVP. LeBron would shatter this record by two years, which is a significant amount of time in NBA years beyond the age of 30. This would be his sixth overall MVP award and his first since 2013.
2. The Lakers are eliminated from the playoffs in the second round.
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The Lakers will enjoy a fantastic regular season, but the playoffs will be a disaster. In the West, the struggle to reach the top will be too great. The West has approximately five to six teams with championship-caliber quality that may contend for the title. The club may face a combination of the Nuggets, Clippers, Suns, or Mavericks in the second round.
Since his days with Kevin Durant, Westbrook hasn’t made it to the Conference Finals. Since then, he’s been circling the first and second rounds. His curse will continue to follow him throughout the summer, and it will wreak havoc on the Lakers.
1. The NBA Championship will be won by the Utah Jazz.
Remember when the Utah Jazz were the NBA’s best team? When the team fell in the second round to the Clippers, we completely forgot about it. This season, the Jazz will convert their failures into victories. Last season, the Jazz were one of the league’s top defensive teams, led by three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
In 2023, the Lakers showed us that defense can win championships. The Jazz follow a similar blueprint, provided Donovan Mitchell improves his game. The Jazz should be taken seriously now that Mike Conley Jr. is back in the fold. To win a championship, you need health, talent, and a little luck. This year, the Jazz will be the only team to have all three components.
