All Hornets NBA Season Preview
The All Hornets crew dishes out a few predictions before the season starts. Feel free to bookmark this tab and come back in April to comment on how wrong we were. Check it out!
Who is your pick for NBA MVP?
Ian Black: Joel Embiid. This is probably a four horse race between familiar faces in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Embiid. Luka is the odds on favorite, but I like Embiid to bring home the hardware this season. The margin between him and Jokic was razor-thin last year, and Embiid has a more complete 76ers squad this season which could help push the narrative his direction if the Sixers top the East this season.
James Plowright: Joel Embiid. The Sixers looks set for a strong year and I’m not sure there’s anyone who wants MVP more than Embiid. Oh and let’s not forget he was incredible last year. With Harden fully integrated he’s set up for success.
Eric Barnes: Luka Doncic. Dominant stats + top 4 finish in west = MVP.
Matt Alquiza: Giannis Antetokounmpo. It's Giannis' world and we're just living in it at this point. As you'll see in later predictions, I believe the 2022-23 season will be the year of the Bucks, and the engine that makes them go will walk away with the third MVP award of his still young career. Giannis is the most dominant force in basketball (maybe all sports?) at the moment, and he'll remind folks why every night this season.
Who is your pick for Rookie of the Year?
Ian: Paolo Banchero. Bennedict Mathurin is going to have significant opportunity to thrive, and Keegan Murray is going to have a chance to put up some efficient numbers on a better team than most good rookies get to play for, but Paolo Banchero has to be the pick. The award usually goes to the rookie with the best counting stats, which I expect to be Banchero. He will have ample scoring and playmaking opportunities on an Orlando squad that could improve in the win column.
James: Jaden Ivey. I think he’s in a great situation next to Cade, he’s going to have some “Wow” plays which will catch the attention of the voting national media.
Eric: Paolo Banchero. Talent meets opportunity. The number one overall pick will be a stat sheet stuffer.
Matt: Keegan Murray. Murray will be playing a big role on a team that I'm projecting to make the playoffs. He'll have the opportunity to put up efficient numbers playing alongside De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, and voters will like the fact that he's playing on a winning team.
Who is your pick for Defensive Player of the Year?
Ian: Bam Adebayo. Adebayo may have won the award last year if he had played more games. The 25-year old center is an ultra-versatile defensive piece who can switch assignments at any time during a possession and play lock-down defense. The Heat will need him to be great this year, and if he answers the call, the award should be his.
James: Herb Jones - He’s already one of the best and versatile defensive players in the league.Jones will have a lot of defensive responsibility covering up for McCollum and Zion.
Eric: Ben Simmons. Simmons will give the Nets the help they have needed on that end of the floor for the last couple of years. If Nets find themselves toward the top half of the eastern conference I think Ben’s defensive prowess could be a big reason why.
Matt: Herb Jones. Defensive Player of the Year is more of a narrative award than it should be, and that's why I'm going with Jones. He gained notoriety for his defensive prowess last season, and he'll only become more of a well-known name in 2023. The Pelicans project as a playoff team in the West and Jones' defense is a major reason why.
Who is your pick for Coach of the Year?
Ian: J.B. Bickerstaff. I find myself between him and Willie Green of the New Orleans Pelicans, but I lean Bickerstaff because I expect them to win more games. If Bickerstaff can indeed take the next step with the exciting Mobley/Garland/Mitchell/Allen foursome, he will be worthy of the praise.
James: Nick Nurse. The Raptors are well placed to build on a successful year, Nurse is highly regarded around the league and voters won’t need much of a reason to vote for him
Eric: Willie Green. I expect the Pelicans to take a huge step forward this year when considering the talent they have accumulated along with the return of Zion. This leap I project them to take also bodes well for Willie’s candidacy as coach of the year. Think Monty Williams the year the Suns exploded. Pelicans are primed for a big year and I think that will pay dividends for Willie Green.
Matt: Mike Brown. As I said earlier, I'm expecting a surprisingly solid year from Sacramento, and the veteran coaching acumen of Mike Brown will be at the center of the Kings turnaround. Brown has won this award before, he's spent multiple years on the bench underneath Steve Kerr, and he has the talent to lead Sacramento to their first playoff birth since 2007.
Who is your pick for 6th Man of the Year?
Ian: Jordan Poole. This feels like Poole’s award to lose given his scoring prowess off the bench for the defending champs. Assuming he stays on the bench with a healthy Klay Thompson, Poole will lead the second unit nightly. If I were to throw a second contender in the hat, it would be Norman Powell with the Clippers.
James: Afnernee Simons. Simons was born to be a 6th Man of the Year candidate, high volume spark plus scorer.
Eric: Christian Wood. As a versatile big man that play next to Luka he could be in line for a huge year as the 6th guy off the bench for the Mavericks. Will likely end up earning more playing time than starter Javale McGee.
Matt: Christian Wood. Wood has starter talent, and is probably the third most talented player on the Mavericks roster as it stands. Wood is going to put up numbers off the bench and this is an award that rewards scoring in bunches.
Which newly acquired player will make the biggest impact on their new team?
Ian: Rudy Gobert. While I think the Timberwolves massively overpaid for the defensive stalwart in the trade with Utah, there is no doubt in my mind the team will look massively different because of his presence this season. He is a perennial defensive player of the year candidate who will afford the team’s offensive minded players the luxury of covering for their deficiencies on a nightly basis.
James: Donovan Mitchell. The Cavs needed a go to offensive player and Mitchell is just that. I’m also a believer in the Cavs defensive system. They'll get more out of Mitchell on the defensive end than the Jazz were ever able to.
Eric: Rudy Gobert. He will take pressure of KAT so he could be more comfortable as a an elite stretch 4 instead of constantly shouldering the burden of attempting to be the defensive anchor. The presence of Gobert will allow KAT to play a more freely. I expect a huge year for KAT because of the arrival of Rudy Gobert.
Matt: Donovan Mitchell. I think the turmoil in Utah has clouded people from remembering that Donovan Mitchell is a capital-D Dawg. Mitchell is an elite three-level scorer who can carry an offense on his shoulders. Pairing him with a guard like Darius Garland who can also create offense is going to give opposing defenses headaches. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley can make up for some of his defensive deficiencies as well.
Who will represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals?
Ian: The 76ers. Philly has the deepest team they’ve had in some time, as they were able to add De’Anthony Melton, PJ Tucker, and Danuel House to an already talented team. With the Simmons mess fully behind them, the team has a chance to take over the conference behind the power of Embiid and Harden.
James: The 76ers. I’m going all in with my Embiid MVP bet along with Philly having a strong regular season.
Eric: The Bucks. Milwaukee will bounce back this year and power past a Celtics team that has turmoil at the top of their organization. It is sure to be a distraction throughout the year.
Matt: The Bucks. If Khris Middleton didn't get hurt, we may be talking about the Bucks chasing a three-peat. Giannis is the best player in the league, Middleton and Jrue Holiday are a perfect backcourt pairing, and Mike Budenholzer is one of the best coaches in the league. It's Milwaukee's year.
Who will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals?
Ian: The Clippers. I think the Nuggets will have the best regular season record in the West. When it comes to the playoffs though, I think a healthy Clippers team will find themselves in the Finals if they are able to build enough cohesion during the regular season. A Kawhi Leonard and Paul George led team is not who I would want to see come April.
James: The Warriors. I think they’ve got potential to be even better than last year with a healthy Klay/Wiseman and expected development from Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga.
Eric: The Warriors. The west runs through Golden State and has for years outside of the couple of years where their main guys were injured.
Matt: The Nuggets. A bit of a bold choice, but Nikola Jokic is too good to not make a deep playoff run. The pieces surrounding him in 2023 are better than the Washington General-esque roster that he dragged to the playoffs last year. If Jamaal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. can stay healthy, Denver has as much, if not more offensive firepower than anyone in the league.
Who will win the NBA Finals?
Ian: The Philadelphia 76ers. The prophecy of “The Process” will be fulfilled in 2022-23. Joel Embiid will win MVP, Harden will find his footing, and the supporting cast has a ferocity and versatility to them. Look out world, Philly is coming!
James: The Golden State Warriors. This team is so talented, so deep, they will be focusing on postseason success and I think if they stay healthy have they best chance.
Eric: The Golden State Warriors. When healthy no one in the NBA has proven they can beat them in a 7 game series. Their younger guys are a year older and now have championship pedigree. Oh and they have this guy named Steph Curry, word on the street is he’s pretty good.
Matt: The Milwaukee Bucks. Nobody is stopping Giannis at the peak of his powers. The Bucks will rise above an improved Eastern Conference and knock off the Nuggets in six games in the NBA Finals.
