The NBA season is around the corner, which means one thing.
It's GM Survey time.
Every year, NBA.com's John Schuhmann sends a series of questions to the NBA's general managers to get their pulse on the league. This year, Schuhmann sent 33 different questions, ranging from which team they think will win the title this season to which player they would want to take a shot with the game on the line.
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Lakerland in full bloom
To no surprise, the Lakers are well represented in the GM Survey.
Not only do the majority (81 percent) of the league's general managers think they will win the title this season, the Lakers came out on top (37 percent) in which team made the best moves this offseason, the result of them acquiring Dennis Schröder in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder and signing Wesley Matthews, Montrezl Harrell and Marc Gasol in free agency.
Additionally, LeBron James finished first (61 percent) in most versatile player in the NBA, first (46 percent) in best passer, second (29 percent) in which player forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments, third (18 percent) in who will win MVP and received votes for the league's best point guard (11 percent), small forward (57 percent) and power forward (25 percent).
Anthony Davis, meanwhile, finished second (21 percent) in who is the best defensive player in the NBA, third (18 percent) alongside James in who will win MVP, third (7 percent) in which player they'd most want to start a franchise around and received votes for the league's best power forward (21 percent) and centre (43 percent).
The young guns
The No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Anthony Edwards didn't receive the most votes for who will win Rookie of the Year. LaMelo Ball, who the Charlotte Hornets drafted with the No. 3 pick, did (39 percent), followed by No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman (29 percent) and No. 8 overall pick Obi Toppin (18 percent).
However, Wiseman received the most votes (36 percent) for which rookie will be the best player in five years, with Ball coming in second (25 percent) and Edwards coming in third (14 percent).
As for which rookie was the biggest steal: Tyrese Haliburton, who fell to the Sacramento Kings at No. 12.
3...2...1...
Last season, Stephen Curry was the player the league's general managers wanted taking a shot with the game on the line.
This season, it's Damian Lillard.
Lillard received 32 percent of the vote, putting him ahead of Curry (25 percent), Kevin Durant (18 percent), Luka Doncic (11 percent) and Chris Paul (7 percent). Devin Booker and Jamal Murray also received votes.
Lillard has made a number of game-winners in his NBA career, perhaps his most memorable coming in 2019 when he knocked the Thunder out of the playoffs with the longest game-winning buzzer-beater in postseason history.
#5 | TOP 20 CLUTCH PLAYS - 2010s
— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2019
⌚️ DAME TIME ⌚️@Dame_Lillard CALLS SERIES with the DEEP, STEPBACK #TissotBuzzerBeater to give him 50 POINTS in April 2019! #ThisIsYourTime pic.twitter.com/17ERYMBk5C
Don't forget about the coaches
He's never won Coach of The Year, but Erik Spoelstra has the full respect of the league's general managers.
Spoelstra received the most (46 percent) votes for best head coach in the NBA, as well as the most votes for best manager/motivator of people (32 percent) and which coach makes the best in-game adjustments (26 percent).
Last season's Coach of the Year, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse finished second (18 percent) in who is the best head coach and third (15 percent) in which coach makes the best in-game adjustments.
The Brooklyn Nets were big winners in the coaches section, with Steve Nash finishing first (28 percent) in which new coach will make the biggest impact on his new team and Mike D'Antoni finishing first (18 percent) in who is the best assistant coach in the NBA.
Quick-hitters
Also worth mentioning...
- Giannis Antetokounmpo finished first (32 percent) in who will win MVP, first (46 percent) in best defensive player and first (68 percent) in best international player
- Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic were tied (43 percent) for which player the general managers would most want to start a franchise with
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michael Porter Jr. were tied (15 percent) for which player is most likely to have a breakout season
- Stephen Curry (30 percent), James Harden (68 percent), LeBron James (57 percent), Antetokounmpo (46 percent) and Nikola Jokic (50 percent) were voted the best players at their position
- Serge Ibaka to the LA Clippers received the most votes (15 percent) for most underrated player acquisition
- Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets received the most votes (54 percent) for most surprising move
- The New Orleans Pelicans received the most votes (41 percent) for which team has the most promising young core
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs.
