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Last spring, only one team legitimately pushed the Warriors in the postseason, as the Rockets took a 3-2 lead on Golden State before losing the last two games of the series without star point guard Chris Paul. However, as Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area relays, Klay Thompson suggested on Media Day last week that it might be the Celtics, rather than the Rockets, who are the biggest threat to knock off the defending champions in 2018/19.

“I like the team out East in Boston,” Thompson told ESPN. “They’ve got a very nice young team. One through five — they’ve got a team that kind of mirrors ours, as far as their length, guys who can shoot and play defense, and an unselfish way about things. So I think that they are going to be a team to reckon with.”

Outside of the Warriors, who are viewed as the strong favorites to win their third consecutive title, the Celtics and Rockets have the best championship odds for the coming season, according to various bookmakers. Sports betting site Bovada.lv, for instance, has Boston at 5-to-1 to win the title, with Houston coming it at 8.5-to-1.

After those clubs, the Lakers (10-to-1), Raptors (14-to-1), and Sixers (16-to-1) are given the strongest title odds. The Lakers are an interesting wild card, given the presence of LeBron James, who hasn’t missed an NBA Finals since 2010. The two Atlantic clubs, meanwhile, are considered the biggest threats to Boston in the East. Toronto’s chances figure to hinge on Kawhi Leonard‘s performance and health, while Philadelphia will be counting on Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to continue improving — a Markelle Fultz breakout season would be an X-factor for the Sixers.

Based on Bovada’s lines, only one other team should even be in the conversation for the 2019 NBA championship — the site lists the Thunder at 30-to-1 to win the title, while no other clubs have better than 75-to-1 odds.

What do you think? Do you, like Thompson (and Bovada), view the Celtics as the biggest threat to stop the Warriors’ streak of championships? Do the Rockets once again have the best chance to pull off the upset? Or is there another team worth watching?

Vote below in our poll, then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!

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After no NBA teams made coaching changes during the 2017 offseason, the league seemingly made up for lost time this summer. Eight clubs have replaced their head coaches since the 2017/18 season ended, with a ninth (the Grizzlies) announcing that their interim coach (J.B. Bickerstaff) would get the permanent job.

In some cases, these coaching changes functioned as a game of musical chairs. Dwane Casey was fired by the Raptors but quickly caught on with the Pistons. Steve Clifford, having been dismissed by the Hornets, was hired by the Magic. David Fizdale joined the Knicks less than a year after being let go by the Grizzlies. And Mike Budenholzer was scooped up by the Bucks shortly after parting ways with the Hawks.

In other cases, teams opted for fresh blood in the head coaching ranks. New Hornets coach James Borrego and Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce are veteran assistants getting their first shot at a head coaching job. The same goes for new Suns coach Igor Kokoskov, the NBA’s first European-born head coach, and Nick Nurse of the Raptors, who got a promotion to replace the reigning Coach of the Year.

In today’s poll, we want to know which of these offseason hires you liked the best. Your choice doesn’t necessarily have to be the one that will improve his new team’s win-loss record most significantly in 2018/19, but rather the hiring that will pay the most dividends in the long run.

Here’s a recap of all eight coaching changes this offseason:

• Atlanta Hawks: Hired Lloyd Pierce to replace Mike Budenholzer.
• Charlotte Hornets: Hired James Borrego to replace Steve Clifford.
• Detroit Pistons: Hired Dwane Casey to replace Stan Van Gundy.
• Milwaukee Bucks: Hired Mike Budenholzer to replace Joe Prunty (interim).
• New York Knicks: Hired David Fizdale to replace Jeff Hornacek.
• Orlando Magic: Hired Steve Clifford to replace Frank Vogel.
• Phoenix Suns: Hired Igor Kokoskov to replace Jay Triano (interim).
• Toronto Raptors: Hired Nick Nurse to replace Dwane Casey.

What do you think? Which move did you like the best? Vote below in our poll and jump into the comment section to share your two cents.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

During the first couple days of NBA free agency this summer, two contract agreements dominated headlines — LeBron James deciding to join the Lakers and DeMarcus Cousins agreeing to terms with the Warriors.

James, who signed a maximum-salary contract, wasn’t necessarily a bargain, but his free agent decision was a franchise-altering move for the Lakers and a league-changing move for the NBA, which saw the balance of power shift further from the Eastern Conference to the West as one of its marquee franchises landed an all-time great. As for Cousins, he almost certainly won’t have the same on-court impact that James will in 2018/19, but his decision to accept a below-market deal to join the defending champions sent shockwaves across the league as well.

Given the magnitude of those two moves, it’s no surprise that the Lakers and Warriors received the highest grades in Kevin Pelton’s ESPN.com breakdown of the offseason moves by each Western team. In his Insider-only story, Pelton awards the Lakers and Warriors grades of A-minus. No other club received an A grade.

Still, Pelton did like a few other teams’ offseason roster changes. He awarded the Mavericks, who signed DeAndre Jordan and traded up for Luka Doncic, a B-plus. The Thunder, who re-signed Paul George and Jerami Grant before striking a deal for Dennis Schroder, got a B-plus grade from Pelton as well.

Pelton also had praise for the Nuggets, who re-signed Nikola Jokic and Will Barton while adding Isaiah Thomas at a bargain price. Denver received a B grade, as did the Pelicans, who managed to replace Cousins and Rajon Rondo with younger alternatives in Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton.

On the other end of the spectrum, Pelton didn’t love the offseason moves made by the Suns (D+), Rockets (D+), Spurs (D), and Kings (D).

What do you think? Which Western Conference team had the best offseason? Do you agree with Pelton that the choice comes down to the Lakers or Warriors, or was there another club whose summer moves you liked more?

Vote below in our poll, then jump into the comment section to explain your pick!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

We’ve spent the last month and a half evaluating the best and the worst of this year’s free agent deals, but there’s another series of big-money contracts going into effect this season that have been somewhat overlooked during that time.

Eight players signed contract extensions in 2017 that will begin in 2018/19, as our 2017 extension tracker shows. Those players are as follows:

• Russell Westbrook (Thunder): Five years, $206,794,070
• Joel Embiid (Sixers): Five years, $147,710,050
• Andrew Wiggins (Timberwolves): Five years, $147,710,050
• Gary Harris (Nuggets): Four years, $74,000,000
• T.J. Warren (Suns): Four years, $47,000,000
• Robert Covington (Sixers): Four years, $46,879,127
• Norman Powell (Raptors): Four years, $41,965,056
• Josh Richardson (Heat): Four years, $41,965,056

All of these extensions were completed in September, October, or November of 2017, meaning they’re less than a year old. Nonetheless, it’s fascinating to consider how differently many of them look now, as opposed to when they signed.

Powell, for instance, took a step backward last year for the Raptors, posting new career lows in PPG (5.5), FG% (.401), and 3PT% (.285), among other categories. Now, a signing that initially looked like a savvy move to lock up a promising young wing seems like it could become an albatross.

On the other hand, Richardson – who signed the same deal as Powell – improved his stock in 2017/18, starting 81 games for the Heat and averaging 12.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.9 APG with a .451/.378/.845 shooting line. Richardson looks like a key piece in Miami going forward, and the team looks smart for having extended him early.

The pair of Sixers extensions appear more team-friendly now than they did 10 months ago too. Embiid is coming off a monster season in which he was able to stay on the court for most of the year, and his deal includes some injury protection if the 76ers need it. As for Covington, his extension was technically worth $60MM because he was able to renegotiate a big raise on his 2017/18 salary. Now that the new years are taking effect though, the $46.9MM price tag for the next four seasons looks even more manageable.

What do you think? Which of the 2017 contract extensions taking effect this season do you think is the most team-friendly deal of the bunch?

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

On the other end of the spectrum, which of these extensions is the least favorable from a team’s perspective?

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

The Suns, who finished with a 21-61 mark, had the NBA’s worst record in 2017/18, finishing just behind the Grizzlies (22-60), Mavericks (24-58), and Hawks (24-58) in the final standings. Having added Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges in the draft, along with Trevor Ariza in free agency, Phoenix has higher hopes for the 2018/19 season, but the club is still projected to be one of the NBA’s worst.

Multiple oddsmakers, including the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook and betting site Bodog.eu, have the Suns’ over/under for wins next season set at 28.5, making them one of the few NBA teams expected to win fewer than 30 games. While that projection may seem pessimistic for a team seemingly on the rise, the competition in the Western Conference will be fierce — in addition to playing the eight playoff teams from last year, the Suns will also have to deal with the Nuggets, Lakers, Mavs, Grizzlies, and Clippers, all of whom have postseason aspirations for 2018/19.

One Western team that probably doesn’t have realistic playoff expectations for next season is the Kings, whose over/under on sports books is generally in the range of 25.5 wins. Sacramento finished ahead of Phoenix in the standings last season, but Marvin Bagley isn’t necessarily expected to make an immediate impact like Ayton is, and the Kings’ free agent additions, including Nemanja Bjelica and Yogi Ferrell, don’t have Ariza’s résumé.

Over in the Eastern Conference, it may not be quite as challenging to pick up wins on a night-to-night basis, but there are still a handful of teams viewed as bottom-feeders, including the Hawks. Atlanta traded away its most productive player from 2017/18 – Dennis Schroder – and rookie Trae Young is unlikely to match Schroder’s production. Other newcomers like Jeremy Lin and Alex Len also aren’t the sort of difference-makers who will increase Atlanta’s win total substantially — oddsmakers have the Hawks’ over/under at just 23.5 wins.

No other team in the East is viewed that unfavorably, but oddsmakers aren’t expecting much from the Bulls (over/under of approximately 28 wins) or the Knicks (29.5 wins), who will be without Kristaps Porzingis for the first part of the season. The Cavaliers, Magic, and Nets are also projected to miss the playoffs, albeit with win totals in the low-30s.

What do you think? Which team will finish the 2018/19 season with the NBA’s worst record? Vote below in our poll and then jump into the comment section to explain your pick.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

During the 2017/18 season, five of the league’s 15 All-NBA players were from the Eastern Conference. Two of those stars – LeBron James and DeMar DeRozan – headed to Western Conference teams this offseason, leaving only three All-NBA players in the East: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Victor Oladipo.

Anteokounmpo, Embiid, and Oladipo will head into the 2018/19 season as virtual locks for the Eastern All-Star team, assuming they stay healthy, especially given the relative lack of talent in the conference. However, they’re not the only stars left in the East.

Kawhi Leonard wasn’t an All-NBA player last year, but he earned a spot on the First Team in each of the previous two seasons. His health remains a major question mark, given his lost ’17/18 season, but if he’s back to full strength for the Raptors, he could be in line for a monster contract year. Having lost their leading scorer in the trade that sent Kawhi to Toronto, the Raptors figure to lean heavily on Leonard on both ends of the court.

Kyrie Irving didn’t miss as much of last season as Leonard did, but injury issues ended his year early as well. Irving earned a little MVP buzz during the first half of the season, and while the Celtics’ roster may be too deep for the star point guard to put up massive individual numbers, he’ll likely be the best player on what is expected to be the best team in the East.

Another Sixer, Ben Simmons, figures to give Embiid a run for his money for the title of best player on Philadelphia’s roster. Already an excellent finisher, play-maker, and passer, Simmons is capable of becoming one of the NBA’s most dangerous players if he can add a reliable jump shot. Both he and Embiid have future MVP potential, though Embiid looks closer to reaching those heights in 2018/19.

Elsewhere in the East, John Wall, Blake Griffin, Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward, Kyle Lowry, Bradley Beal, Kevin Love, and Goran Dragic are among the players that figure to vie for spots on the All-Star roster, but it would be a surprise if any of them is the most effective player in the conference in 2018/19.

What do you think? Who will be the East’s best player next season? Will Antetokounmpo take another step forward and claim that title? Will Leonard bounce back after his change of scenery and reclaim his spot as a First Team All-NBA player? Can Embiid stay healthy all year long and ascend to new heights?

Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

As we relayed earlier this evening, an ESPN panel was asked where they think some of the top-projected free agents of 2019 might end up next summer.

The panel believes that both Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler will end up with the Knicks, while Kawhi Leonard will sign with the Lakers and both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will remain with the Warriors in the bay area.

It would still take some doing for the Knicks to open up the cap space for a second max-salary player, but Irving and Butler have reportedly talked about teaming up, potentially in The Big Apple. Moreover, Irving is from the NYC area.

As for Leonard, he and the Lakers have been linked for a while now, with the 27-year-old star already reportedly stating his preference for Los Angeles. Additionally, the Lakers will easily have the cap room to sign Leonard after mostly signing players to one-year deals this summer.

Finally, both Durant and Thompson could be casualties of the Warriors’ luxury tax concerns, especially if the team doesn’t win it all this season and ownership sees the championship window closing, however unlikely that may be.

So, our question tonight is, which of ESPN’s five predictions is most likely to come to fruition? Irving to the Knicks, Butler to the Knicks, Leonard to the Lakers, Durant staying with the Warriors, or Thompson staying with the Warriors?

Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to make your case for your pick.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.