Who will be the surprise team of 2018-19?
Schmahl: The Charlotte Hornets. I was tempted to say Denver or Dallas, but the West
having 10-12 good teams makes it tough to forecast a large jump in the standings. Meanwhile, Kemba Walker is 28 and entering a contract year – expect a huge season from one of the league’s most underrated point guards.
Partnering him with the versatile Nic Batum quietly constructs one of the East’s best backcourts. Charlotte also has a few advanced stats favorites (Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller, Frank Kaminsky) and a young, athletic bench. Gregg Popovich disciple James Borego will take over head coaching duties while trying to instill a Spur-like unselfishness and work ethic within the organization.
Borego was likely the main attraction for Tony Parker, who will make $10 million the next two seasons to be a locker room voice. He has absolutely nothing left in the tank but should be a great mentor for an inexperienced group. The over on 35.5 wins Vegas has for them, even at -120, is one of the safest NBA-related bets you can make right now. If nothing else, a similar roster won 36 games last year and lost Dwight Howard, which should serve as at least an extra three wins.
Osborne: Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets were a win away from the postseason last season and I could easily seem them becoming a top 5 team in the Western Conference. The Nuggets have a roster with so much offensive firepower and then you factor in the potential of Michael Porter Jr. (if he plays this season) it’s not hard to see them passing by teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans.
Doole: The Dallas Mavericks. With all the Luka Doncic hype it’s hard to say whether this would be a surprise or not, but the Mavericks could push for the playoffs. There’s more to it than just Doncic, too. DeAndre Jordan might be slowing down, but he’s still comfortably the best center in Dallas since Tyson Chandler. He’ll protect the rim, rebound the ball and set bone-jarring screens for the team’s young guards.
He and Doncic should thrive in the pick-and-roll from day one. Say what you will about Luka, but he is a playmaking savant. With Jordan, he has a screener who will give him space to operate and an easy lob target at the rim. Dennis Smith Jr. will be better after a patchy rookie year and should thrive with less playmakingnresponsibility. Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes, when healthy, can be above-average shooters and defenders at the very least. And the team has a nice blend of youth and experience, with Dirk Nowitzki, J.J. Barea and Devin Harris still effective players and proven leaders.
Throw in the tutelage of Rick Carlisle, who has a history of leading teams to be greater than the sum of their parts, and the Mavericks could cause some problems for the West’s playoff fringe.
Butler: I think a lot of people will be surprised by how well the Wizards play this year. They snuck into the playoffs last season as an eight seed. John Wall and Bradley Beal have to prove that they can win together. Dwight Howard, in his first year with the squad, needs to prove that he can win period. If he can match his productivity with the Hornets last season, Howard has the ability to create open shots for Washington’s dynamic backcourt.
Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers provide a nice one-two punch off the bench as well. The Wizards won’t have home court advantage in the playoffs, but they will certainly be a first-round nightmare.