The 2023-2024 season kicks off tonight with a repeat of last year’s Western Conference Finals as Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets host the Los Angeles Lakers, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis seeking revenge for that humiliating 4-0 sweep.
With big trades, a new tournament and plenty of emerging superstars, the regular season is shaping up to be one of the best in years.
Can Denver do it all again? Or will a new pretender emerge from the pack?
And what should we expect from Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French rookie hailed as the most exciting prospect in basketball history?
It’s time for our 2023-2024 NBA season preview.
The Western Conference is looking loaded once again this year.
At the top of the pile stand the Nuggets, who breezed past the Timberwolves, Warriors, Lakers and Heat on their way to their first ever title in June, dropping just five playoff matches.
Their starting five of Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr, Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is by far the best in the West, but their bench has weakened significantly with the off-season departures of key reserves Bruce Brown and Jeff Green.
They’ll face serious competition from the new-look Phoenix Suns, who have acquired shooter Bradley Beal to form a new Big Three alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
Under their aggressive new ownership, the Suns traded away Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, two cornerstones of their run to the 2021 Finals, and also fired coach Monty Williams. If his replacement Frank Vogel can work his defensive magic, Phoenix could be a powerhouse come playoff time.
What about the evergreen LeBron James? Somehow, the King is still going strong as he approaches his 21st year in the league, and his partnership with Anthony Davis remains fearsome – when they’re healthy.
His Lakers have quietly had a fantastic summer, signing Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince and Christian Wood in free agency, while last year’s breakout star Austin Reaves was excellent playing for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup.
Of course, you can never count out LeBron’s old rival Steph Curry, and the Golden State Warriors have made some intriguing moves over the off-season to put themselves in contention for a fifth championship in ten years.
The Dubs swapped out young gun Jordan Poole for the veteran presence of Chris Paul – once seen as the team’s arch-nemesis – and will be hoping third-year wings Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody can make leaps to complement the veteran core of Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.
As for the rest, keep an eye out for the Minnesota Timberwolves, with the dangerous Anthony Edwards lining up alongside the giant frontcourt of Karl Anthony-Towns and Rudy Gobert, while the Dallas Mavericks will be hoping to integrate Kyrie Irving alongside Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic after a disastrous 2022-23 season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder should be brilliant to watch, with All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a potential dark horse for MVP, while the New Orleans Pelicans will have Zion Williamson looking to bounce back from a serious hamstring injury.
The Eastern Conference might have only provided three of the last ten NBA champions, but two teams in particular look set to challenge for the title this time around.
The biggest trade of the off-season saw Damian Lillard leave the Portland Trail Blazers for Milwaukee, where he will form a mouth-watering duo with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks offense will surely be unstoppable, especially if Khris Middleton returns to his 2021 Finals-winning form. But will their defense hold up without star defensive guard Jrue Holiday?
Speaking of Holiday, the two-time All-Star ended up being traded to the Boston Celtics, who just missed out on a place in the Finals last season.
Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics also acquired Latvian giant Kristaps Porzingis over the summer, leaving them with the most impressive starting unit in the East. Like the Nuggets, however, their squad looks thin with the departure of Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart.
As always, despite another unbelievable run to the NBA Finals last season, no one is talking about the Miami Heat as serious contenders.
In Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, they’ve got two of the best playoff performers of all time, although losing Gabe Vincent and Max Strus will surely come back to bite them.
Also in the mix are the Philadelphia 76ers, who have faced an uncertain summer after yet another James Harden saga.
The 2018 MVP called the Sixers’ president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a ‘liar’ after failing to land another max contract, and is pushing for a move to the Los Angeles Clippers to join Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook.
That will leave Philadelphia heavily reliant on the development of young guard Tyrese Maxey and the continued brilliance of reigning MVP Joel Embiid.
As for the rest, the Cleveland Cavaliers had a good off-season, adding Max Strus and Georges Niang to their core of Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, while the New York Knicks picked up a third former Villanova star in Donte DiVincenzo, who should fit in nicely next to Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle.
But it’s a stretch to see either of those teams, let alone the Atlanta Hawks with Trae Young or Tyrese Haliburton’s Indiana Pacers, making it past the second round of the playoffs.
What about the new boys?
French wonderkid Victor Wembanyama will make his NBA debut on Wednesday as the San Antonio Spurs take on the Dallas Mavericks.
He’s been called a once-in-a-lifetime player, combining a point guard’s handle with a shooter’s touch while standing at an incredible 7-foot-4.
The 19-year-old, who was described by LeBron James as an ‘alien,’ was reportedly delighted when the Spurs won the draft lottery, granting them the right to select him with the first pick.
The Spurs have a storied history of developing centers, with David Robinson and Tim Duncan both winning MVPs and multiple championships under Gregg Popovich. And the franchise also has a French connection: Tony Parker was voted Finals MVP in 2007, one of four titles he won during his time in Texas.
While some pundits have wondered whether Wembanyama will be able to adapt to the physicality of the NBA, he has already shown he is capable of success as a professional, having been voted MVP of the French league last season.
And he’ll be operating in a relatively low-pressure environment, as the inexperienced Spurs are not expected to be in contention for the playoffs.
Remarkably, though, Wembanyama is not the only ‘unicorn’ making his debut this season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren has a similar profile, standing at 7-foot-1 with a reputation as an excellent three-point shooter and shot-blocker.
He was the second pick in the 2022 draft but missed the entire season due to a Lisfranc injury in his foot.
If he gets hot from three-point range and defends well for an up-and-coming Thunder team, he could well end up pipping Wembanyama to the Rookie of the Year award.
Introducing the NBA’s brand new in-season tournament.
The 82-game regular season has faced some criticism in recent years. There are too many games that don’t matter. Players are rested too often.
Some teams – yes, I’m looking at you, Miami – don’t really bother in the regular season before turning up in style in the playoffs. It’s not a great draw for the fans, if we’re being honest.
But that’s all changing this season.
The NBA has introduced a new tournament which will see some regular season games in November counting double as group stage fixtures.
There will be three groups of five teams in each conference, with six group winners and two lucky losers qualifying for the quarterfinals.
The competition will culminate in a Final Four in Las Vegas in early December, and one team will go on to lift the (unimaginatively named) NBA Cup for the first time.
It remains to be seen whether the players get motivated enough to perform at playoff intensity, but a $500,000 prize for each player on the winning team should help.
I know it would help me!
Season predictions
Here are my predictions for the major awards this season.
(Disclaimer: this should definitely not be taken as gambling advice.)
Champions: Denver Nuggets
NBA Cup Champions: Boston Celtics
MVP: Nikola Jokic
Defensive Player of the Year: Jrue Holiday
Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama
