NBA 2024-25 season

[SamH]

Training camp is underway so thought I'd start a new NBA season thread.

What are your views about the new season? I don't see a huge amount of shift from last season - it should be the same teams competing this year in both conferences. The Knicks and T'wolves trade swapping Randle for Towns is interesting. I guess Minnesota feel they already have a quality big man in Gobert and needed to get stronger elsewhere, but giving up Towns is a pretty risky move, he's still young and is one of the best big men in the league. We'll see how it pans out but I think the Knicks may have got the slightly better end of that trade.

Other than that there isn't too much different - looking at the Celtics and Knicks in the East, maybe Philly but I think if you put your faith in Paul George you're going to end up disappointed. If he is healthy (big if) he hasn't really delivered much in the way of playoff success in his career. In the West I'm looking for OKC to build on last season's success, it would be great if they can push through the barrier and get to the finals, maybe even win - but they are still young. Aside from Minnesota I see Denver still knocking around, Dallas will again be a threat (but is this the year when Kyrie implodes again?) and obviously Phoenix who will likely under-achieve again but still get a lot of wins. And while I don't see the Lakers being a factor I am excited to see a bit of history and LeBron takes the court with his latest draft pick, his son!

[hayesboy]

The Knicks got Bridges and with the addition of Towns are looking a lot better. Particularly once Robinson is fit again at centre for them.
The Celtics I think will be even stronger after the dual Olympic snubs - they can say what they want publicaly but Brown and Tatum will not be happy. If Porzingis is fit for me they are favourites.
George is a good fit in Philly if fit but for me they are third in the east at best after the Celts and Knicks.

Denver got worse but Jokic is still awesome.
Warriors, Suns, Lakers will all do OK but nothing special.
Grizzlies are healthy and better for it.
I can see the Mavs being really good. Klay is a great fit.
I am not sure about the Wolves. I think they should have shipped Gobert personally.

[SamH]

Finally it gets going tonight, great. Any season predictions anyone? I always like to get my playoff qualifiers in and they are never very close to right!

West:
1. OKC
2. T'wolves
3. Mavs
4. Nuggets
5. Warriors
6. Suns
7. Peicans
8. Grizzlies
9. Rockets
10. Lakers

East:
1. Celtics
2. Knicks
3. 76ers
4. Heat
5. Pacers
6. Bucks
7. Magic
8. Cavs
9. Bulls
10. Hawks

Man there is some ugliness when you get down to the bottom half of the East!

[hayesboy]

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/basketball/articles/c79ng4p4dz2o

[SamH]

It would be good to see more British players not just scrape into the NBA but be proper players like Deng was and for a while, Amaechi was. But it's not easy to get to the NBA! Look at the Chinese - the sport is so popular there, millions and millions play and Yao Ming only helped that increase probably 10-fold, but since him China hasn't produced one player that's made the NBA (or at least not made any impact there or lasted). I think until basketball really picks up as a popular sport here, we're always going to struggle to get players to that level and the likes of Deng will be the exception rather than the rule. And I'm not sure basketball will ever pick up much more than where it's at now, going off my 30 years or so following it.

[tallerman]

OG was a starter last night wasn’t he Sam? I know he’s the best example of a Brit but we have Sochan too!

Nice to see Bronny get game time even with all the hate it’s remarkable. Main takeaway from opening night is how motivated Tatum seemed to be, obviously wasn’t happy with the treatment this summer, can’t see anything but a celtics repeat to be honest

[SamH]

Yes, but I suppose what I would really like to see is more players that grew up learning their trade here in the UK. OG moved to the US as a child and Sochan seems to identify as more Polish than British. They are still good examples but I look at Deng - he grew up here, he played for Brixton Topcats, that's a true UK to NBA story. Amaechi as well. Being born here but growing up in the US doesn't quite count in the same way for me, as it doesn't say anything about our development programmes here and ability to produce more future talent.

[docker]

Sochan is quite positive about his Basketball experience in the UK here: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/basketball/articles/c79ng4p4dz2o

..."I have so much love for England, it's where I grew up at the end of the day," he told BBC Sport at NBA's 3X London event.

"I can't lie, I put most of [my success] to it," added Sochan on his English upbringing.

"This is where I started playing basketball so I think if I didn't do that, I wouldn’t be where I am right now."

[tallerman]

Dunno about Deng being a Brit, lived here between 10-14 years old and that’s it, not taking away what he did for the game with his Deng Camps but I see Sochan, Tosan and even Freeland as true brits before Deng.

Sochan does a huge amount for the British game, does events all summer, even live streamed bbl games last season. Amaechi was born Boston I believe and moaned non stop about the British game but backed it up and put a small fortune into the British game. I partically remember his pay the fee campaign a few years back where he held clinics all weekend for teams who submitted but only 5 did. No surprises which clubs they were, spoiler alert, non of them were bbl teams.

I do think we’re decades away from regularly producing nba level talent though, Cam Hildreth is probably the next opportunity but if that was true he probably wouldn’t be doing his 4th year in college! Maybe next up will be a Reading Rockets player!

[hayesboy]

I think its certainly a credit to British Basketball and the specific clubs that it helped produce Sochan. He credits his start in basketball coming from his time loving here but neither his parents are Brits and he represents Poland.
Deng also started his basketball journey here before quickly moving to US high school and Duke. Credit to him for playing for GB but its clear where his heart is now.
OG and BG born here but spent most of their lives living abroad.

For me the best true brit we have had is Amaechi. Raised in the UK I was playing Jnr NBL at the same time as him. He was the best player in the country and nobody was surprised when he got the chance to go to the USA and went on to success in college and the NBA.

[hayesboy]

I also don't think we should judge the success of British Basketball on the amount of NBA players we generate. Lets start by getting more Brits playing in the Euroleague! LEts get our National Team able to compete at the Euros and World Cup (or at least enter and qualify for them!).

I am a massive NBA fan but that is not the style of basketball that we should be emulating. More relevant and realistic is closer to home.

[tallerman]

Let's stat by getting them starting the the super league! Look and see how many brits raised in Britain tonight, I'll be surprised if there's more than 1 for Leicester

[hayesboy]

Oct 23, 2024 14:43:21 GMT tallerman said:

Let's stat by getting them starting the the super league! Look and see how many brits raised in Britain tonight, I'll be surprised if there's more than 1 for Leicester

Very Good point

[tallerman]

Oct 23, 2024 14:43:21 GMT tallerman said:

Let's stat by getting them starting the the super league! Look and see how many brits raised in Britain tonight, I'll be surprised if there's more than 1 for Leicester

Correction, only 1 player in the starting 10 was born and raised in Britian. Shocking really

[dandayr]

Oct 23, 2024 12:51:40 GMT tallerman said:

Dunno about Deng being a Brit, lived here between 10-14 years old and that’s it, not taking away what he did for the game with his Deng Camps but I see Sochan, Tosan and even Freeland as true brits before Deng.

Sochan does a huge amount for the British game, does events all summer, even live streamed bbl games last season. Amaechi was born Boston I believe and moaned non stop about the British game but backed it up and put a small fortune into the British game. I partically remember his pay the fee campaign a few years back where he held clinics all weekend for teams who submitted but only 5 did. No surprises which clubs they were, spoiler alert, non of them were bbl teams.

I do think we’re decades away from regularly producing nba level talent though, Cam Hildreth is probably the next opportunity but if that was true he probably wouldn’t be doing his 4th year in college! Maybe next up will be a Reading Rockets player!

you miss a brit 10 years before Freeland - the late Robert Archibald. rip.
born in scotland to scottish parents and went to school in scotland and played scottish national league before heading to college in the states and then earning his 2 seasons in NBA before a successful european career and rounding it all off with his London Olympics appearance.

[tallerman]

Absolutely, my apologies, Arch is definitely up there

[SamH]

Early (very early!) season thoughts!

- OKC look damn good, this is what you wait through all the doldrum years for! Let's hope it continues in May.
- Wembanyama is to basketball what Italy is to pizza. My god he's going to be fun to watch for the next decade or so as is his matchups with Holmgren
- Me thinks the Nuggets and Bucks are done as far as being contenders
- How long before James Harden bleats and cries and demands to be traded again now the Clippers suck?
- Boston still look like the team to beat in the playoffs
- Bronny James has scored an NBA bucket! I hope he makes it properly in the league. He'll never be his dad but he could have a solid career, possibly. Not all sons are as good as their dad was - Tim Hardaway Jnr, Gary Payton Jnr, Patrick Ewing Jnr, Scottie Pippen Jnr....ugh, what is it with Americans always naming their kid the same as dad? Yuk.

[SamH]

Anyone else noticed the Cavs quietly tying the 2nd best start to a season ever, now at 15-0? Should be interesting as they go for 16 though, as they are playing the Celtics. I didn't see this coming at all, I thought they'd be good but not this kind of good!

[tedc]

I want the Heat and Pistons to do well but neither are very good right now. Tyler Herro is turning into a legit start though for Miami (where I live) and Cade Cunningham is very good too for Detroit (where I'm originally from).

[LTfan]

Inside the NBA has been saved by Disney, with all 4 hosts rumoured to be returning.
After TNT lose their NBA rights at the end of the season, Inside the NBA will continue to be produced by Warner Bros Discovery (who own TNT) but for ABC & ESPN (owned by Disney - who will share NBA rights with Amazon and NBCUniversal for the next 11 years after this season).

amp.theguardian.com/sport/2024/nov/17/inside-the-nba-espn-abc-tnt-settlement