The Top 4 Storylines for the 2022-23 NBA Season
The highly anticipated 2022-23 NBA season tips off in just one week. Opening night sees the Philadelphia 76ers matching up against the Boston Celtics and the much-discussed Los Angeles Lakers clashing with the defending champion Golden State Warriors. This season is no different to any previous, in that there’s certainly no shortage of sumptuous storylines for us to sink our teeth into. Fans can never truly know how the season will materialise, but we can speculate and rank – the top four potential storylines for this season.
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The Victor Sweepstakes: Will teams tank for eye-watering draft talent?
Much of the talk in and around the NBA over the past two weeks has been centred around the sensational draft prospects we expect to see next year. Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French centre is projected to go number one overall and is already being touted by some as the best prospect of the 21st century – yes, even better than LeBron James.
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1578139463913725953?s=20&t=2pJnT0YtMWRrheWf1vhhLQ
Teams look set to ‘tank for Victor’ this season, but he isn’t the only big talent that was on display last week. Scoot Henderson went toe-to-toe with Wembanyama, in an exhibition between Metropolitans and G League Ignite. Henderson showcased his mercurial talent with a 28-point explosion and the win. Commissioner Adam Silver has however warned teams that they should “all still compete very hard next season,” when speaking to reporters at a preseason game, potentially hinting at penalties for blatant tanking. Whether teams do tank or not, it will surely be fascinating to see how things shake out down the stretch.
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Clean bill of health: Several marquee players set to return from injury.
“What if ‘X’ was healthy?”, “We would’ve been champions if ‘Y’ didn’t go down!”. Injuries are always such a massive talking point in sports, and they have been prevalent, especially over the last couple of seasons in the NBA. Stars, in particular, have been seemingly more susceptible to these setbacks last year as a multitude of All-Star calibre talent went down.
LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson and Jamal Murray were all sidelined for extended periods in 2021, just to name a few. But it seems the offseason came at a perfect time for so many of these superstars, as they all look set to return come the first month of the season. We can never rule anything out in sports, but we’ll surely be in for some fireworks if they all stay healthy.
Other players expected to return for the new NBA season: Anthony Davis, Michael Porter Jr., James Wiseman, Ben Simmons and John Wall.
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Can the Celtics replicate their success without Ime Udoka?
In the 2021 season, not only did the Celtics boast the number one defensive rating according to StatMuse, but they had the best record in the eastern conference over the second half of the season en route to a scintillating playoff run. With the addition of Malcolm Brogdon in the offseason(a near 17 PPG scorer), and the second year of the Ime Udoka regime on the horizon, it’s understandable analysts and fans alike had them as favourites going into 2022.
Despite it all looking up for the C’s, a spanner was thrown in the works in the form of Ime Udoka being suspended for the entire 2022 NBA season over his intimate relationship with a coworker. To make matters worse, All-Defensive Centre Robert Williams III looks set to miss significant time at the start of the season with another knee injury.
Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said the team made the appropriate decision to suspend coach Ime Udoka for an entire season.
He added that nobody else in the organization is facing penalty or reprimand.https://t.co/IDTjNkvI78
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) September 23, 2022
Boston however will, in all likelihood, still be a dominant regular season team with the wealth of top-end talent on the roster. It remains to be seen if interim head coach Joe Mazzulla will have what it takes come playoff time, but the Celtics look certain to be a talking point all year.
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The Draymond Issue: GSW and their quest to repeat.
We’ve all seen that video at this point. While there’s been no word on the punishment the Warriors’ veteran and four-time champion Draymond Green will face for punching Jordan Poole, there is speculation that it will not involve a suspension. The situation has brought more eyes on the Warriors and particularly on their salary situation.
Poole is eligible for a huge extension this season while Green’s contract is set to expire at the end of it (albeit with a player option). How the Warriors manage the real possibility that they may only be able to extend one of the stars, is something to keep an eye on.
The Warriors were already the most expensive team in basketball last season and keeping their main core together long term will likely be impossible. Much to the chagrin of their rivals, the Warriors remain major contenders to repeat. Their best players from the title run all return and Klay Thompson with a year under his belt post-injury could be back to all star level. Putting money on GSW to make it to the finals is always a smart bet and this NBA season is no different.
