It has been a busy couple of months around the NBA and considering the number of transactions we have seen, it’s pretty obvious that the only time a league year ends is once a new one begins. From the draft and major free agent signings, to coaching changes and everything in between, there has been plenty to talk about this offseason and a lot to look forward. The season is already right around the corner, so here is a look at the five biggest things we are looking forward to this NBA season.
The LaMarcus Aldridge Era In San Antonio
The five-time champion Spurs landed the biggest free agent on the market when they signed LaMarcus Aldridge but they weren’t done there in their offseason reload. San Antonio managed to sign David West to the veteran minimum after bringing back Tim Duncan, Danny Green and Manu Ginobili. Suddenly, San Antonio is the favorite to win it all and they’re even ahead of the Golden State Warriors, who are the defending champs.
The Spurs did lose some depth guys in backup point guard Cory Joseph, backup big man Aron Baynes and backup shooting guard Marco Belineli. However, this team tends to reload pretty quickly. Their frontcourt is arguably the best in the business and as long as Tony Parker can stay healthy, this team will be hard to stop.
Cleveland’s Championship Pursuit
The Cavaliers convinced Kevin Love to return as well as LeBron James a couple of other members from their core. Then they also added free agent point guard Mo Williams as they reload for another NBA title run. The city of Cleveland is absolutely desperate for a championship and they should be back in the mix after coming so close last season. The Cavaliers will welcome back Love, Irving and Anderson Varejao after all three missed last year’s NBA Finals and that trio alone might be the difference between them falling short and them earning a ring.
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The Reloaded Miami Heat
The loss of LeBron was obviously going to be an issue for Miami last season but it certainly didn’t help when a medical problem forced Chris Bosh from the Heat lineup as well. Bosh is back at full strength and the Heat reloaded this offseason by signing Goran Dragic to a long-term deal, bringing back Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng, drafting what many consider a Rookie of the Year candidate in Justise Winslow, then adding a couple of key free agents in Amar’e Stoudamire and Gerald Green. James is gone and Wade is fading, but the Heat have a solid starting lineup and quality depth. Suddenly, they look like they have the potential to be a true contender in the Eastern Conference.
Pat Riley deserves a ton of credit for his offseason reload and it will be very interesting to see how the Heat perform this season with the very real potential for a postseason clash with LeBron’s Cavaliers.
DeAndre Jordan Goes To Dallas…Not
Jordan’s free agent saga will go down in NBA history as one of the most ridiculous offseason situations of all-time. More importantly, it has the potential to devastate the Dallas Mavericks roster for the next couple of seasons after Tyson Chandler left for the Phoenix Suns, leaving the Mavs frontcourt very bare. The Mavericks have tried to fill the hole with guys like Zaza Pachulia and Sam Dalembert, but both are massive downgrades at the position. Jordan’s memorable flip-flop changed the landscape of the 2015-16 season because it not only drops the Mavericks out of contention but also keeps the Clippers in the conversation for a championship. The NBA schedule hasn’t been announced yet but you can circle Jordan’s first game in Dallas as one of the most highly anticipated games to look forward to this season. There will be boos and there will be hatred, but at the end of the day, the Clippers will be the better team.
