Kai Stiansen, Junior
The defending NBA champions, The Milwaukee Bucks, are looking to win the title again this year. They have a top 5 player in the league: Giannis Antetokounmpo. They also have all-star guard Khris Middleton, and role players Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, and Dante Divencienzo. The Bucks added George Hill, Grayson Allen, and Tremont Waters in the off-season. These additions should help the Bucks become even better than their team last year that won the championship.
The Suns were the runner up to the Bucks in the NBA championship game last year. They brought in star point guard Chris Paul and emerging star Devin Booker, who led the Suns to their best season in years. This year, Devin Booker is looking to take the next step and become a super star. The Suns have a bunch of young talent on their roster, such as players like Cam Johnson, Cameron Payne, and Mikal Bridges. The Suns did not do that much in the off-season in terms of bringing in new players, but they still have all of the players from last year's 2nd place team.
The Lakers are the favorites to win the championship after their off-season. The Lakers brought in star point guard Russel Westbrook in free agency. They also brought in Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, and Malik Monk. Rondo and Howard have both had championships in their careers, so they can help the Lakers try to win this year. The Lakers also have Lebron James, who some believe is the best player in the league. They also have Anthony Davis who is objectively the best power forward in the NBA. The Lakers might have the most talent in the entire NBA, which gives them a good chance to win the championship title.
If the Lakers don't have the most talent in the league, then the Brooklyn Nets do. They are stacked from top to bottom. The Nets are led by Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. Those three players are all top ten in the league. The Nets also have great role players like Blake Griffin, Lamarcus Aldridge, Jevon Carter, and Patty Mills. The Nets are competing with the Bucks and 76ers for the best team in the Eastern Conference, but with all the talent the Nets have, they have a really good chance to win.
The 76ers definitely had the most drama in the off-season. After Philly's disappointing loss to the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, star point guard Ben Simmons requested a trade. Simmons did not perform well at all in the playoffs, so no teams were offering fair value to the 76ers for Simmons. So now Simmons is still on the roster and has said he is not mentally ready to play. The 76ers brought in a few free agents: George Niang and Andre Drummond. They have all of the pieces from last year's team that was first in the Eastern Conference going into the playoffs. Joel Embiid is looking to build off of his near MVP season and lead the 76ers to a championship.
Overall the top teams in the league made moves in the off-season to secure their place at the top of the league. The Bucks, Suns, Lakers, Nets, and 76ers are looking to rule the NBA and continue their dominance from last year.
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