Top NBA Predictions and Hot Takes for Who Will Shine This Season
Want to know who’ll win MVP? Wondering which rookie will get their time to shine?Get expert predictions and bold hot takes that keep you ahead of the game.
M.J. Magby
10/20/20242 min read
As the new NBA season approaches, excitement is building among fans, analysts, and players alike. With a mix of seasoned veterans, emerging stars, and fresh talent entering the league, it’s the perfect time to delve into predictions for the upcoming season.
1. Detroit Will Make The Play-In Tournament.
• Starting from the bottom, we'll have one of the most improved teams heading into this season, the Detroit Pistons. The two main reasons I'm betting on Detroit's resurgence are a fully healthy Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson with another year of development. While I don't see them raising a championship banner any time soon, the future is starting to look bright for the first time in twenty years for Detroit.
2. New Faces in The All-Star Game
Spurs F/C Victor Wembanyama, Cavaliers PF Evan Mobley, and Pistons G Cade Cunningham will all be selected to make their first All-Star game appearance in their respective careers. Wemby who averaged 20.5 ppg, 10 rpg and 3.2 bpg before the All-Star break last season, seemed to be a lock to be an All-Star reserve, however the final reserve spot was awarded to then Minnesota Timberwolves F/C Karl-Anthony Towns.
With an offseason change in leadership (Kenny Atkinson was hired as head coach), Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley looks primed for a breakout season. The 3rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft experienced career highs in field goal percentage(58%), three point percentage(37٪), rebounds per game(9.4), and assists per game(3.2) last season.
Prior to him getting injured, Cade Cunningham looked like the star player the Pistons desperately needed him to be. Though his 2023-24 season was cut short in early April due to left knee tendinopathy, Cunningham showed signs of growth in his third professional campaign, averaging 22.7 points, 7.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds.
3. OKC WILL FINISH WITH THE BEST RECORD IN THE NBA
Despite being one of the youngest teams in the league, The Oklahoma City Thunder have proven time and time again that they are not only a force to be reckoned with, but among the NBA's elite teams. Led by MVP candidate PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder finished with the best record in the Western Conference last season with a record of 57-25.
4. NBA Awards
MVP - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
DPOY - Victor Wembanyama
ROY - Zach Edey
6MOTY - Jaime Jaquez Jr
CPOTY - Luka Doncić
COTY - Taylor Jenkins (MEM)
5. Bombing in Brooklyn
Just a few years ago, the Brooklyn Nets were considered one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA, with star-studded lineups featuring the likes of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Fast-forward to the current season, and the landscape looks drastically different. The possibility of the Nets finishing with the worst record in the NBA has become a startling reality. The two bright spots on the roster, sharpshooting SG Cam Thomas and defensive stalwart C Nic Claxton make up the nucleus of the team, but honestly, outside of those two, there isn't much to be optimistic about. They'll have "competition" at the bottom, such as the Washington Wizards who find themselves in a similar situation compared to Brooklyn, and the San Antonio Spurs, who need to surround Victor Wembanyama with more talent in order to have and sustain success.
6. NBA Finals Matchup
OKC Thunder (4) vs Boston Celtics (3)
7. One Last Hot Take
Amir Coffey will have a 50 point game. No one will see that one coming, will they?