Charlotte Hornets: The Rookie of the Year can still be so much better
LaMelo Ball won Rookie of the Year last year and rightfully so, but he’s just scratching the surface. The flashes are clearly there, as he somehow made Charlotte a fun NBA League Pass team – partially because it felt like he was going to send their announcer into cardiac arrest with every alley-oop lob.
The next step for LaMelo is refinement. His defensive lapses (and at times complete indifference) made him tough to keep on the court sometimes, but he improved a lot as the season went along and if he can build on that then year two should be even more exciting for Charlotte than year one.
San Antonio Spurs: Greater than the sum of their parts
Do the Spurs have a franchise player? No. Do they have a potential all-star? Doubtful. Should you watch them anyway and bet the over on their pre-season win total? Absolutely.
The Spurs don’t look good on paper, but they have so many guys who are excellent in their roles. It’s the classic Spurs identity of a roster full of unselfish, high-IQ players who move the ball and just know how to play the game. Add in arguably the greatest coach in NBA history and you have a recipe for a team that could surprise some people.