The NBA will be starting before we know it, but before the season starts, we have to make sure you aren’t too excited for these teams to make a deep run. Today, I will take you through the squads I believe will disappoint this upcoming season and why.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers, with the NBA’s all time scoring leader an arguably the Greatest of All Time, are coming off a Western Conference Finals appearance. However, I don’t believe that they will repeat that success. The Lakers are very hot and cold. When they are hot, they look like a legit championship team. But when they are cold, they are hardly a play in squad. The problem is that AD is injury prone and that can kill any momentum they have. This makes me believe they are a fringe team, not a contender.
Los Angeles Clippers
For the past few years, the Clippers have looked like they want to be winners, but unfortunately for Los Angeles fans, the Clippers also have struggled to convince anyone that they could win it all. The big names of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George hardly play, and I really don’t believe that this season will be anything different for the team. If healthy, they could make some noise, but as of right now, I don’t see this team winning anything meaningful outside of a first-round series.
Philadelphia 76ers
On paper, the duo of Joel Embiid and James Harden should be dominating basketball. However, after some lackluster playoff moments, the band looks shaky. How long does everyone here want to stay? For Harden, it already looks like he wants out. For Embiid, the days could be numbered. For the rest of the roster, these outside distractions are creating a culture of dysfunction. Dysfunction does not mean a team is going to succeed.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans could be a playoff squad with a healthy Zion at the helm, but that’s the reason I can’t take this team seriously. This is the year where Zion has to prove he’s worth big money, or he may find himself not being an NBA superstar. Brandon Ingram continues to be a solid piece with potential, but has shown some struggles during the FIBA world cup. Jonas Valancianus could still be a very solid piece especially is Zion isn’t playing, but he isn’t as great of a talent. CJ McCollum is another solid piece, but I doubt this team does anything major this season.
Phoenix Suns
Don’t let yourself be fooled by the star studded starting lineup for the Suns. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are no jokes. However, the supporting cast is exceptionally weak. Having a good bench is key to winning the NBA finals, and the Suns just don’t have that. DeAndre Ayton still has room to grow if he wants to stay a solid player. This will be an interesting season, but cool off any expectations of the Finals for the Suns until proven otherwise.
Those are my picks for the teams I think could disappoint this upcoming NBA season. I’d love to hear some of your thoughts on this and I hope you tune in to the Shady Sports Network for more basketball and sports content.
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