With the NBA season almost upon us, we’re having our staff make some predictions — some bold, some not so much. We started with awards predictions and now it’s time for a little optimism from the crew because that’s what the preseason is all about.
Every team that’s trying to make the playoffs (meaning, maybe 23 of them) believes this year they’ll get to the postseason, while others are hoping to see some strong development from young players. We’re here to boost those optimistic hopes of some fan bases with some predictions on players and teams that will be pleasant surprises in 2017-18.
What team will surprise and make the playoffs this season?
Brad Rowland: Utah Jazz
The Western Conference is full of intriguing teams, and the Utah Jazz don’t necessarily fall into that category for everyone. The loss of Gordon Hayward will, quite obviously, lower the ceiling of the Jazz and going from George Hill to Ricky Rubio isn’t a no-brainer either. With that said, Utah’s defense will be tantalizing as long as Rudy Gobert is in the middle of it and Quin Snyder has been something of a wizard. There isn’t much upside here but it will be enough to secure a playoff spot and provide a grueling task for one of the top seeds in April.
Jamie Cooper: Denver Nuggets
I don’t know how much of a surprise this really is, but seeing as how so much of the conversation about Western Conference upstarts revolves around the Timberwolves and Pelicans, the unassuming Nuggets deserve a little love here. After all, they were just one win shy of a postseason berth last year. Plus, they have a lot of talented players.
Nikola Jokic is a burgeoning superstar, and they quietly added Paul Millsap in free agency, which instantly makes them one of the most versatile front-court duos in the league. And they have plenty of young talent surrounding them in Jamal Murray, Juan Hernangomez, and Gary Harris. Denver is a great sleeper team to make the playoffs this year.
Konata Edwards: Orlando Magic
The bottom of the Eastern Conference is horrible, so whatever squad makes the 8th seed in the East shouldn’t really be considered a surprise. However, the Magic haven’t managed to make the postseason (or even been close) since Dwight Howard left in 2012, so seeing Orlando back in the playoffs seems to qualify as a surprise. With the amount of defensive talent on the floor for Orlando between Elfrid Payton, Jonathan Isaac, Bismack Biyombo and others in Frank Vogel’s system should allow the Magic to give other teams fits on offense most nights, and in the East, playing strong defense might be the difference in being a playoff team.
Bill DiFilippo: Philadelphia 76ers
With how gnarly the Western Conference is going to be this season, the “surprise playoff” team kind of has to come out of the East. That team will be Philadelphia, as its young core of Markelle Fultz, Dario Saric, Ben Simmons, and the recently-paid Joel Embiid will show why there’s so much optimism around the franchise. While they won’t finish with a top-4 seed, Philadelphia is going to be the 7-seed that scares the crap out of Boston or Cleveland in the first round. Sure, the future in Philly is really bright, but for the first time in a long time, there should be optimism around the Sixers right now.
Tony Xypteras: Philadelphia 76ers
Would it be considered a surprise if the Philadelphia 76ers make the playoffs this season? That’s both an honest question and my answer. The 76ers are making the playoffs. The Eastern Conference is bad, and while a million things could go wrong for the 76ers this season (mostly due to health concerns0, I like their chances as much as anyone else at the bottom of the east. They’ve got the talent and, maybe most importantly with so much tank potential elsewhere, they want to make the playoffs.
Robby Kalland: Memphis Grizzlies
It’s weird to think anyone would be surprised by a team that’s made the postseason seven straight seasons getting there for an eighth straight, but in the midst of the arms race in the West, it feels like many have shuffled Memphis out. My logic here is simple, so long as Marc Gasol and Mike Conley are healthy, this team has proven to be a playoff squad. The Grit N Grind era might have reached its end with the departures of Tony Allen and Zach Randolph, but for the past few years, the Gasol-Conley tandem is what’s carried Memphis. I understand questions about depth and perimeter shooting, but this is still a strong defensive team and Conley has emerged quietly as a really, really good offensive point guard.
What player (non-rookie) will surprise fans and be an impact player?
(Editor’s Note: Some of the staff bent the rules with the 30-year-old non-draftee Milos Teodosic so he shows up here and in the rookie section.)
Brad Rowland: D’Angelo Russell
I still believe. Russell’s move from Los Angeles to Brooklyn removes him from the spotlight almost entirely and, at the end of the day, that might be a good thing. Still, there was a reason that Russell was the No. 2 overall pick and he has displayed enough flashes to provide optimism for the future. The situation isn’t ideal with Brooklyn’s other guard being Jeremy Lin but head coach Kenny Atkinson has worked wonders with players like Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder at the same position. Russell has more talent than anyone Atkinson worked alongside in Atlanta and we’ll see a step forward from the former Ohio State guard.
Jamie Cooper: Milos Teodosic
I’m going to cheat a little bit on this one because he’s technically a rookie, but the 30-year-old Serbian point guard Milos Teodosic is going to be an absolute delight, and not just to Clippers fans. Widely regarded around the world as one of the best players not in the NBA, Teodosic’s flair for passing and pulling off all-around spectacular plays will fit perfectly in the new Lob City era and will earn him regular spots on the highlight reels.
Konata Edwards: Milos Teodosic
It’s not easy being the point guard who has to follow Chris Paul, however with Teodosic’s passing skills are a viral phenomenon of sorts. Just look at the early preseason returns on his passing already, a bunch of no looks and passes that make it easy for guys like Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to get easy buckets. Teodosic might end up being what many thought Ricky Rubio would be when he entered the league, just much older. Clippers games were must watch with Chris Paul and his antics, they may even be more so if the Clippers get to a free-flowing style.
Bill DiFilippo: Skal Labissiere
The most surprising statistic about the 2016-17 Sacramento Kings was that, outside of DeMarcus Cousins (traded) and Rudy Gay (season ended due to an injury), their best player by PER was Labissiere. A former five-star recruit who was taken late in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft by Phoenix, Labissiere was a revelation in Sacramento, averaging nearly nine points and five rebounds in 18.5 minutes a game. With an expanded role this season and a point guard in De’Aaron Fox who is fantastic at setting up his big men, look for Labissiere to turn himself into one of the league’s premier young centers.
Tony Xypteras: Omri Casspi
Omri Casspi has been one of the more underappreciated NBA players over the last several years, and for good reason. Playing effective basketball in Sacramento for a 30-win team isn’t going to do anything for your mainstream reputation, but there is a reason why the Warriors targeted Casspi as soon as free agency started this summer. He’s a good player that fits the Warriors’ system perfectly. This is the year he breaks out and people complain about the Warriors’ embarrassment of riches even more.
Robby Kalland: Clint Capela
When the Rockets signed Chris Paul, all of the talk was about how he’ll fit alongside James Harden and what that backcourt duo will look like. While that’s very important, the player that will benefit the most from the addition of Paul is the Rockets’ young center Clint Capela. Capela can absolutely throw down and look for him to post some DeAndre Jordan-type highlight finishes on the other end of Paul alley-oops. The Rockets will need production from the rest of the squad around their star backcourt, and I look for Capela to breakout in a big way thanks to his new pick-and-roll partner.
What rookie will surprise fans and be an impact player?
Brad Rowland: John Collins
Lonzo Ball, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz and Dennis Smith Jr. should be the consensus top-four when it comes to preseason ROY hype. After that, you have players like Jayson Tatum who will be under the microscope because of their situation but, in Atlanta, the Hawks may have unearthed a gem. Collins fell outside of the lottery in June but, in Las Vegas, he was one of the more electric players in Summer League. Early indications from the preseason are that Mike Budenholzer may be getting over his aversion to rookies and, if Collins plays 20 minutes per game, he might lead all rookies in rebounding while producing highly efficient numbers. The Hawks aren’t going to be a must-watch League Pass team … unless Collins is in the game.
Jamie Cooper: Kyle Kuzma
As the 27th pick in last summer’s NBA Draft, there weren’t a whole lot of expectations for the 22-year-old rookie out of Utah. But since Summer League in Las Vegas, Kuzma has quickly established himself as perhaps the biggest steal of the draft. He’s a quintessential stretch-four for the modern NBA, and Luke Walton is already hinting that he might earn the starting spot over Julius Randle. Lonzo Ball has rightfully garnered the lion’s share of the hype, but Lakers fans will be pleasantly surprised once they get to see Kuzma in action.
Konata Edwards: Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell showed out in Summer league, showing what he could do on defense and surprised people with his production on offense. If Mitchell has 3-point range on the jumper, he’ll not only surprise fans but he could also be a dark horse candidate for Rookie of The Year.
Bill DiFilippo: Milos Teodosic
So Teodosic is only a rookie in that he’s never been in the NBA before, but the 30-year-old native of Serbia is a superstar. He’s a two-time FIBA Europe Player of the Year, was the EuroLeague MVP in 2010, and has made the All-EuroLeague first or second team six times since 2010. Despite never playing a game in the NBA, there may not be a more thrilling passer in the league, as Teodosic mixes spectacular court vision with a fearlessness and willingness to throw the ball into any window of space, no matter how small. Seeing as how he is on a team with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, this is a good thing. I am only half kidding when I say that I will call on Doc Rivers to be fired if Teodosic doesn’t lead the league in assists.
Tony Xypteras: Kyle Kuzma
Am I just jumping on the bandwagon by selecting Kyle Kuzma here? Kuzma was a monster for the Lakers in the Vegas summer league, and he picked up right where he left off once training camp opened and preseason began. Playing alongside Lonzo, he’ll have plenty of eyeballs on him and if the Lakers let him loose he might steal some of that Rookie of the Year shine from the much-hyped point guard. For a guy that was selected 27th overall in the draft, that would certainly be a surprise.
Robby Kalland: John Collins
The Hawks are going to be really bad, but John Collins could be really fun. I’m not sure how good Collins will be in his rookie year as an overall basketball player, but I do know that the young man can get buckets and we learned at Summer League that his main objective is to dunk on anyone near the rim. If the Hawks allow Collins to play 25 minutes per game — a big if with Mike Budenholzer as coach — look for him to be at or near the top of the rookie scoring and rebounding lists and also be featured on plenty of highlight reels for his thunderous dunks.
