It's been an action-packed NBA off-season, including a historic draft class, a FIBA World Cup, and a whole lot of All-Star player movement, leaving the league in a much different place than it was when the Denver Nuggets hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy in June.
Will Denver maintain their spot on the mountaintop, or will they be toppled by one of the newly formed superteams, like the Lillard-Antetokounmpo Bucks, or the Durant-Booker-Beal Suns?
Sporting News caught up with Josh Lloyd - fantasy basketball expert and host of the Locked On Fantasy podcast - to preview the upcoming NBA season.
Will there be a new MVP winner?
The NBA's MVP race has been a three-man event over the past three seasons, with big men Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all competing for the trophy.
Nikola Jokic's 2023 NBA Playoff run was SPECIAL 🏆
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2023
Watch his @nuggets receive their rings tomorrow night at 7pm/et on TNT... and then start their title defense!#KiaTipOff23 pic.twitter.com/oZn5ZSKIWl
Responsible for the last five MVP awards, this triumvirate has shared the trophy amongst themselves, but will this year be the year that a new contender breaks through?
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Josh Lloyd has a few contenders but believes the reigning Finals MVP is in the driving seat to claim his third regular season MVP award.
"I think the number one guy at the moment has to be Nikola Jokic," Lloyd said.
"Last season, obviously, he came second behind [Joel] Embiid, I thought he should have won it.
"Through the playoffs as they steamrolled everyone, he wins the Finals MVP, you just heard it, 'Man, I can't believe how ridiculous it is that he didn't win the MVP.'
"Well, last season, it was like, 'Oh, Embiid hasn't won one. Maybe we give him that benefit of the doubt if it's a borderline decision.'
"In this season, it's going to be 'Well, Jokic got shafted last season. He gets the benefit of the doubt.' He was the best player in the league. He was the best player in the world. He took them to a title, so he'll get that benefit."
Can any rookie catch Wembenyama?
In what was an incredibly talented NBA Draft class, one man stood out above the rest, Frenchman Victor Wembanyama being called the best prospect since LeBron James.
Wembanyama has quickly lived up to the hype, producing highlight play after highlight play during the NBA preseason, leading many to claim he already has the Rookie of the Year award locked up.
WEMBANYAMA IS RIDICULOUS 😳 pic.twitter.com/JWu93vw5Oe
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 22, 2023
Are there any rookies who can steal the honour from the Spurs' new sensation, or should the NBA award it to him now?
"The obvious boom is Wembanyama, right? Whatever you think he's going to be, he's going to be better," Lloyd said.
"I've got no real qualms about that. I've been saying that for years through the draft, whatever. You don't need to overthink any of this stuff.
"He's going to do multiple things this season that we have never seen happen on an NBA court. He's already done two or three of them in the preseason. He is going to be better than you expect."
Does Ben Simmons have All-Star potential?
One of the most exciting storylines during the NBA preseason - especially for Australian and Brooklyn fans - is the reemergence of Ben Simmons, who looks to be trending back to his old self after two injury-plagued season.
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Headed into the 2023/24 season, Simmons will be the starting point guard for the Brooklyn Nets, and will feature prominently in their performance this season - good or bad.
Ben Simmons led the preseason in assists 👀
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 22, 2023
The revenge tour is going to be special🔥
(🎥 @IQfor3) pic.twitter.com/lL5f8jCUP1
Considering this, has Simmons got any chance at returning to the NB All-Star game? Lloyd doesn't think so.
"Simmons has looked better through the preseason. He still doesn't look like the old All-NBA All-Star Ben Simmons," Lloyd said.
"He's not quite there, but he looks 100% better than he did last season... I would say it is an infinitesimally small chance that Simmons is an All-Star."
