NBA Roundtable: Lakers or Sixers, the MIP and the next disgruntled star
In our NBA season preview Roundtable Part 2, we discuss the new-look Lakers, the Sixers and the power of star movement
The 2018-19 NBA season begins tonight with a double-header featuring the Boston Celtics taking on the Philadelphia 76ers followed by Oklahoma City Thunder getting the first crack at the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
As we prepare for the new campaign, here is our season preview NBA Roundtable part 2, where we discuss the Los Angeles Lakers, the Sixers and player movement.
Which rookie will have the better season, Luka Doncic, Collin Sexton or Deandre Ayton?
Colin Cann, Contributor: Deandre Ayton. That would depend on how you define better. Luka may be the most NBA ready prospect in the draft, and he may have a more positive impact on a better team. That same team is laced with veteran players expecting to get touches, though, so expecting big numbers from Doncic may be misguided.
What we will see from Doncic is solid, unselfish play. He will fill up the box score in the same way Draymond Green does, by filling in the gaps and doing a little bit of everything to help his team win, even if it doesn’t always show up in the stat sheet.
DeAndre Ayton will almost certainly have a much better season statistically as the second scoring option behind Devin Booker. He is too big and skilled to not make an impact right away, especially in a league going increasingly smaller. Having Ryan Anderson to stretch the floor for him will only make it easier for Ayton to go to work down low. A 20 and 10 season is not out of the question for the young big.
If the Cavaliers are insistent on competing this season, George Hill and Jordan Clarkson still stand between Collin Sexton and a bigger workload.
Evangelos Kotsifis, Contributor: Luka Doncic is an excellent player that will no doubt help the Dallas Mavericks transition to the after-Dirk era. He is 19 years old but already a seasoned veteran in Europe and shows a polished all- around game.
Unfortunately for him, this year he will have to compete for the Rookie of the year award with a real nature’s wonder in DeAndre Ayton.
The Bahamian national stands at 7-foot-1 and is an imposing figure at both ends of the floor. Fans had a chance to catch a glimpse of his abilities during the preseason, where he averaged 20.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. Those numbers are impressive, even coming from a smaller sample and casual than usual opponets.
Ayton is a modern center who can play away from the basket as he has demonstrated excellent shooting abilities and even a 3-point shot during his one year in Arizona University. The Phoenix Suns lacked an offensive presence inside the box and he is guaranteed to get a lot of touches. As the season goes, Deandre Ayton will only get better.
Jay Patel, Contributor: It’s going to be a heated rookie year with the talent in this class, but the answer here is Luka Doncic. The kid plays the game on a string, has the skillset of a seasoned vet, and is in the perfect situation both team wise and coaching wise. The only knock on him is his conditioning level but that will improve soon enough. Sexton and Ayton might be the flashier picks, but Doncic has the substance to be one of the all time greats. Learning from Dirk and being surrounded by a solid team in DSJ, Barnes, and Deandre Jordan, the sky is the limit for Doncic in his rookie season and beyond.
Quinn Allen, Contributor: I’m all aboard the Collin Sexton train this year. With LeBron now a Laker, Sexton has the chance to be Cleveland’s next franchise player, and I believe he will run with the opportunity. This young man has the ability to take over games. His superior athleticism and quickness are unbelievable and he’s an extremely hard worker. He gave us a glimpse into what he can do in the NBA Summer League, leading in scoring with 19.6 points per game. I have no doubts he will shine in his rookie season in the association.