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5. the Lakers saga
Whether they are a contender, a lottery team or an absolute unknown, i Los Angeles Lakers they are perpetually destined to attract the spotlight. Even more so since he is on their roster LeBron Jameswho last offseason helped write the new, tasty chapters of an infinite saga. It all started with the choice oftrainer. Exonerated Darwin Ham and having received the refusal of Dan Hurley, two-time NCAA champion with UConn, the yellow and purple have turned to a name that has already been talked about for some time: that of JJ Redick. After fifteen years spent collecting three-pointers in the NBA, especially with the Magic and Clippers jerseys, the former Duke guard has emerged as one of the most appreciated analysts on the market, and his podcast, “The Old Man and the Three”, started when JJ was still on the court, quickly became a reference point for athletes, enthusiasts and colleagues. Redick’s media rise culminated with a new podcast, called “Mind The Game” and conducted for a few months together with LeBron James. This explains the wave of skepticism that followed his appointment as head coach. While excellent knowledge of the game and environment may work in his favor, making his debut as a head coach under a such strong media pressure It will certainly not be an easy task for Mike Krzyzewski’s old protégé. The second round of the draft arrived to further heat up the atmosphere. In a largely predictable and expected move, the Lakers spent the fifty-fifth call to select LeBron James Jrwhich as can easily be understood is son of such a father. The controversies and accusations of nepotismquite an end in themselves when it comes to a private company and a late draft pick, have become harsher during the Summer Leaguetournament in which Bronny didn’t shine particularly. Whether or not he becomes an effective member of the rotation, the scion of the house James will offer the Lakers and Adam Silver’s league the opportunity to write an unprecedented page of history; sooner rather than later, father and son they will find themselves at each other’s side on a parquet NBA. More than Bronny’s role, yellow and purple fans should be concerned about the fact that the roster is almost unchanged compared to the one eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the last playoffs. The main transfer targets have disappeared one after the other, and the only significant innovation is represented by the other rookie, the interesting guard Dalton Knecht. Pending any operations during the current season, the Lakers’ hopes for this 2024-25 season are always pinned on James father, who will pass away in December 40 candles but it still seems to have a lot of fuel in the tank, come on Anthony Daviswhich appeared in great shape at the Olympics, and on a supporting cast inevitably called to take a step forward, in order to avoid changing shirts in the space of a few months.
6. At a dead end
A real risk for the Lakers is to remain stuck in that limbo of teams without credible title ambitions, but who have invested too much to think about a reconstruction. The clearest example can be found in the city itself. Five years after the double market coup with which they brought Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to Los Angeles, the Clippers they still find themselves polishing one completely empty board. The constant injuries, especially those of Leonard, prematurely ended one playoff run after another, and in the summer George left slamming the door, without the franchise being able to derive any compensation from his farewell. Kawhi stayedas has been confirmed James Hardenbut will these two big names, perhaps far from their best days, and the additions of Derrick Jones, Nic Batum, Mo Bamba and Kris Dunn, be enough to set the Clippers’ new home, the futuristic Intuit Dome, ablaze? THE Phoenix Suns they don’t have to inaugurate a new arena, but they will have to pay over 150 million dollars on the account of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal alone. The composition of the new “Big Three” entailed a sacrifice, in terms of salary flexibility and depth, which was difficult to balance, to obtain a truly competitive team. The main summer additions, Tyus Jones and Monte Morris, should fill the gaps in the playmaking phase, but will they be enough to keep up with the fierce competition and go beyond the heavy 4-0 suffered in the first round of the last playoffs? For the new coach, Mike Budenholzerit will certainly not be an easy challenge.
They also seem to have ended up in a dead end Chicago and Atlanta. The Bulls greeted and thanked DeMar DeRozan, but to aim for re-foundation they also need to get rid of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevicwhich they have desperately tried to place elsewhere without success. Dejounte Murray left, he Hawks by Quin Snyder find themselves with a roster made up partly of young people in progress, like the 2024 first round draft pick Zaccharie Risacherand partly by a series of veterans, Trae Young above all, ideal for competing immediately, but not for going beyond the first round of the playoffs. In the West, they have the same problem Utah Jazz; the most futuristic prospects, among which Walker Kessler, Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks and the rookie Cody Williams stand out, must have space and time to grow, but at the moment they find themselves pawing behind more experienced teammates, and who perhaps still have little to offer. In the roster of coach Will Hardy in fact they remain Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, John Collins e Lauri Markkanenwho extended his contract in the summer and therefore cannot be exchanged during the season. Who now seems to have radded the top of the parable are the Miami Heatat least in the current version. The group capable of playing in two NBA Finals in the last five seasons is losing one piece after another. The last piece that could fall is Jimmy Butlerwho after leading the exciting ride of 2023 appeared increasingly worn out and nervous. To try to achieve the goal that has been overlooked several times, namely the NBA title, a reshuffling of the cards seems essential, perhaps replacing Butler with a younger star to work alongside a Bam Adebayo ready to enter his prime. Easier said than done…
They deserve a discussion in their own right Cleveland Cavaliers; for a couple of years now they seem undecided whether to focus on the present, and therefore on Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen, or on the future, therefore building the team around Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. It is however true that the modest results obtained so far are also the result of some injuries in key moments, but any doubts will necessarily have to be dispelled in this 2024-25, for Cleveland as for all the other teams mentioned so far.
