Hoops Rumors Polls

I remember attending the Long Beach Summer Pro League back in 2006, and one of the scheduled matchups pitted the Grizzlies – featuring Hakim Warrick and then-rookie Kyle Lowry – against newly drafted Jordan Farmar and the Lakers. Though it’s difficult to recall most of the remaining players who suited up for that particular game, I do remember seeing 19-year-old Andrew Bynum matched up against Andreas Glyniadakis at the center position. Though he finished with 12 points, Bynum seemingly had his hands full that afternoon, committing six fouls in 20 minutes and appearing a bit out of rhythm.

Two of the biggest question marks surrounding Bynum as he entered the league was how he’d fare having to fill the void at center after the departure of Shaquille O’Neal, and how he’d handle developing in a city that had been accustomed to competing for championships. During his sophomore season that year, he averaged 7.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 1.3 BPG. In 2007/08, Bynum posted 13.1/10.2/2.1, and despite being limited to 35 games, continued to show promise as a potential franchise cornerstone. HIs scoring averages would increase to 14.3 and 15.0 respectively over the next two seasons, and just a little over four years after that forgettable performance in Long Beach, Bynum would be celebrating his second consecutive NBA title as the team’s starting center.

Though he struggled with injuries during his seven-year stint in Los Angeles, he statistically peaked in his final year with the Lakers, appearing in 60 games and scoring 18.7 PPG on 55.8% shooting, grabbing 11.8 RPG, blocking nearly 2 shots per night, and would consequently earn his first All-Star berth. Unfortunately, Bynum wouldn’t be able to follow up in 2012/13, as injuries kept him from playing a single game for the 76ers. Cleveland appeared to present another chance at returning to prominence, though it appears that things don’t seem to progressing as well as he would like.

Earlier today, we heard that Bynum’s continued battle to stay healthy has mentally taken it’s toll, and he says he can’t enjoy playing the game knowing that he’s unable to completely do what he used to (Keith Pompey of Philly.com):

“It’s tough to enjoy the game because of how I am physically. I’m certain that I will work through the pain…My health is my concern…My knees are my knees. They’re not going to get better. They are what they are. And that’s really it.”

For some, the period of NBA prime arguably lasts between ages 26-33. While it’s hard to believe that he’s already considering retirement at 26, if you consider what he’s already accomplished in the league at this point, do you think Bynum will ultimately retire early?

The Philadelphia 76ers surprised NBA fans when they started out 3-0 after many analysts suggested they had the potential to be the worst team in the league. Marc Stein of ESPN ranked the Sixers dead last in his preseason power rankings, but that didn’t stop Michael Carter-Williams and company from taking down the Heat and the Bulls.

Each one of the preseason predictions crafted by the Hoops Rumors writing team featured the Bulls and/or Heat playing in the Eastern Conference Finals, so Philly’s hot start has a lot of analysts reevaluating their outlooks. ESPN’s Eric Goldwein admits that although the Sixers are a long way from contending for a playoff spot, they don’t appear to be the league’s worst team.

The question that arises then: If Philadelphia isn’t the worst team in the NBA, who is? The Phoenix Suns were projected by Stein to finish at the bottom of the West, but they’ve quietly started out undefeated at 2-0. The Utah Jazz sit winless in the cellar of the Northwest Division, but their losses came from allowing a buzzer beater versus the Suns, playing a 3-0 Rockets team, and facing a Thunder squad that figures to fight for a Western Conference title. With Rajon Rondo missing extended time, many fans expect Boston to tank this season, but strong early season play by Jeff Green and Brandon Bass suggest there’s still a glimmer of hope in Beantown.

Which team do you see losing the most games in the NBA this season?

Several NBA stars have won back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards over the last three decades, but no player has won the award three times in a row since Larry Bird completed the feat in 1985/86. That’s not to say there weren’t times when a player could, or perhaps should, have won three consecutive MVPs — Michael Jordan immediately comes to mind. However, “voter fatigue” often works against repeat winners, as voters look for a fresh new face rather than choosing the same player year after year.

If voter fatigue is working against LeBron James, we haven’t seen it yet. Over the last five years, LeBron has won four MVP awards, with only Derrick Rose‘s excellent 2010/11 season preventing a clean sweep. Coming off back-to-back MVP and championship seasons, James still clearly looks like the NBA’s best player, and that’s why he was the ’13/14 MVP choice for four Hoops Rumors writers, myself included.

That still leaves four of us that didn’t choose LeBron though. Kevin Durant, whose Thunder will start the season without Russell Westbrook, was a popular MVP pick, and Chris Paul received a vote as well. It’s not hard to envision a scenario in which Durant leads the league in scoring and excels without Westbrook, building a strong case for himself. Similarly, if Paul leads the Clippers to more regular-season wins than Durant’s Thunder or LeBron’s Heat, his MVP narrative could gain momentum.

Of course, it’s possible that a dark horse candidate emerges as well. A healthy Rose should re-enter the picture, and I could imagine making a case for Carmelo Anthony if he repeats as the league’s scoring champ and helps the Knicks land home court for the first round of the playoffs. The same could be said of Stephen Curry and James Harden, if they were to challenge for the scoring title and lead their respective teams to a top-four seed in the West.

What do you think? Will LeBron become the first player since Bird to three-peat as NBA MVP, or will the award go to someone else this season?

We had our say on the 2013/14 NBA season this morning, unveiling our predictions for the coming year. If our opinions are any indication, it’ll be a wide open race for the title this season. Only two of our eight writers are picking a Heat three-peat, with just as many envisioning Derrick Rose capping his comeback with a championship for the Bulls. The Spurs, Thunder, Nets, and — thanks to me — the Pacers received one vote apiece. I hesitated a little after yesterday’s news that Danny Granger will miss the first three weeks, but I’m confident he’ll return to health and that the team’s new-look bench, led by Luis Scola, will be enough to lift the Pacers over the top.

We collectively picked six different contenders, but that might not cover the entire list of teams with legitimate hopes. Among us we’ve named what appear to be the four strongest Eastern Conference teams, but the Rockets, Clippers, Grizzlies and Warriors all seem primed to make runs out of the West. So, I’ve added those clubs as options, too, along with an “other” choice if you think a dark horse will emerge from the pack. Let us know who you think will win, and follow my lead by explaining your choice in the comments.