1. Los Angeles Lakers
With the way I talked about the Clippers, it would be fair to wonder why they do not occupy the No. 1 spot on this list. The sole reason they don’t is that I don’t feel safe betting against LeBron and AD this year.
Yes, the Los Angeles Lakers did go out and make a bunch of smart signings in free agency. Even after DeMarcus Cousins went down, they still managed to find a replacement almost immediately in Dwight Howard.
Yes, this year’s Lakers squad is a much better fit around LeBron than last year. Not only does James have superstar help in AD but down the roster, they have added more shooting and defense in guys like Danny Green and Avery Bradley.
And yes, they have Kyle Kuzma who – in his third season – can step up and be the third scorer this team needs.
Now, while all of that is certainly encouraging, at the end of the day, the success of the Lakers 2020 NBA season is going to be determined by LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
First, AD.
Davis is going to be playing with something to prove next season. After an ugly ending to his tenure in New Orleans, he’ll be looking to rebuild his image as well as re-establish himself as a top-5 player in the league.
AD has also come out and said that it is a goal of his to win defensive player of the year this season and while he may not be the prohibited favorite for the award going in, he is certainly capable of being right there in the conversation.
And finally, given the limited amount of team success he experienced with the Pelicans, Davis is – above all else – going to be looking to prove that he can be a key part of a championship roster!
Now, LeBron.
All aboard the “Revenge LeBron” hype train.
The King is coming off the first season since his second year in the league where he was not around to defend his crown in the playoffs.
Disappointing? Sure. But it has given James an extra couple of months to rest, recover and re-energize himself for another run at a title this upcoming season.
We won’t have seen LeBron this motivated to start a season since the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season which ended with a ring on his finger and another MVP trophy added to his collection.
Now, with AD in town and the fact that he won’t go all out in the regular season, LeBron likely won’t win his fifth MVP award (although I could be wrong) but he will absolutely be on a mission to prove that he is indeed, still the best player in basketball.
And come mid-April, when you combine “Revenge LeBron” with “Playoff LeBron”, you can see how one would find it tough to bet against the Lakers in a playoff series, especially when he has Anthony freakin’ Davis as his sidekick.
Which team do you think is the favorite to win it all next year? Comment below!