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is transition from a slow, lumbering behemoth into something speedy and slick will quite frankly be exciting. I think Ja Morant is what people think Trae Young is. Speaking of which, I’m ready to die on my hill of “I still don’t think that Trae is that good of a basketball player.” Pull up.</p><h2 id="5753">Brandon</h2><p id="a1f7">You actually dragged our rankings <i>down</i> on the Hawks and Grizz. I have Atlanta top three, and I’d have Memphis in there too if they could magically punt Valanciunas off the team and start Brandon Clarke with Jaren Jackson. Grizzlies are NBA Draft Nerd Central. It’ll be ugly at times, but I want all the Ja, Clarke, JJJ, DeAnthony Melton, and John Konchar I can handle. I’m just going to pretend Grayson Allen is the reason Memphis is ranked seven spots too low.</p><p id="aed9">Speaking of seven spots too low, that’s where your basketball IQ just dropped after calling Ja the realized version of Trae. I’ll turn this car around RIGHT now: Trae Young is the Hardenized version of Steph. Yeah, I said it. He’s a top-5 League Pass MVP. Trae can pull from anywhere on the court, and he’s already a better passer than Steph ever dreamed of being. Morant is a nice, fun player who needs to learn how to shoot, like, from anywhere. Trae Young is an All-Star lock and a threat to make All-NBA, and I’m just happy to be along for the ride.</p><h2 id="b78f">Serge</h2><p id="bd62">I just… I don’t see it. Like, yeah, he’s fun and a good passer, but I just.. I don’t know. It’s not my brand of basketball. Call me old fashioned and save me a seat next to Pop. So many players benefit from lack of defense and added space. It’s ludicrous. I’ve bought my tickets on the “eliminate the corner three” bus and we’re leaving the terminal. Join me.</p><p id="99bb">You know, I tried… I really tried to watch Utah. I can’t do it. I think I may have over seeded them.</p><h2 id="6a86">Brandon</h2><p id="842e">I think so. Utah was supposed to be fun last year, and they were supposed to be fun again, and I think maybe it’s just time to admit Rudy Gobert teams are what the French call… ennuyeux. Remember all that offense? So far it’s just defense and chill. I ended up with Utah just barely in the bottom half of my rankings, and I’d move them down, not up.</p><p id="1849">Portland is always a solidly top 10 or 12 LP team, especially at home, if for no other reason than Dame. It’s just always a show. We take Dame for granted.</p><h2 id="765d">Serge</h2><p id="d1bd">It will be fun to watch Damian Lillard try to rein in both Whiteside and Hezonja any given night. I just want to be a fly on the wall in that locker room to watch him try. Portland fans will talk themselves into Whiteside that one good game and then realize by game three of him slipping every screen that it was all a mirage. At least Lillard and McCollum are still one of the most exciting back courts in the league.</p><div id="1b20" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/worst-best-player-rankings-2019-nba-season-stars-superstars-second-bananas-basketball-c1c06e631a50"> <div> <div> <h2>Which NBA Team Has the Worst Best Player in 2019?</h2> <div><h3>Ranking the best stars on every NBA team — and why it actually matters</h3></div> <div><p></p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*JEMp0g2qPHJtBm7LbwkW8w.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h1 id="f610">TIER III — CALIFORNIA LOVE</h1><h2 id="6144">9. Sacramento Kings (24) 8. Golden State Warriors (12) 7. Los Angeles Clippers (18) 6. Los Angeles Lakers (3)</h2><h2 id="36dc">Brandon</h2><p id="e166">RIP Warriors. We made these rankings at the start of the season, and without Steph, the Warriors would rank approximately 20 spots lower… and that might be kind. I was really looking forward to supernova Steph and actually had them at #2 until I remembered how little I wanted to watch anyone else on this roster. And now… here we are. Depressing.</p><p id="fc9a">Assuming Steph doesn’t play again this season, how many other teams would you rank behind the Warriors?</p><h2 id="cfd4">Serge</h2><p id="f2e1">Let’s put it this way, Warriors vs Spurs was on last weekend and I just couldn’t do it to myself. I guess if you’re really into D’Angelo Russell. Speaking of, you should start scouting him.</p><p id="9fe1">The Kings were supposed to be more fun. The only feeling I get watching them right now is “Man, the 76ers could really use Richaun Holmes at back-up center.” I think they’ll pull it together though. They’re young and exciting and Buddy Hield got the bag.</p><h2 id="e31f">Brandon</h2><p id="f619">How dare you speak ill of Kyle O’Quinn like that.</p><p id="653c">The Kings will be fine, at least fun-wise. I never really believed they were a playoff contender, not last year or this year. Sacramento will be fun again when Marvin Bagley gets back and helps unlock De’Aaron Fox. Hey Sacto: more Fox and Bagley, less Barnes and Dedmon. The Kings are bottom five in pace again somehow. What are we doing? This isn’t hard.</p><h2 id="c74f">Serge</h2><p id="d934">Alright, let’s get into it. The battle of LA, who you got? Lakers Twitter has been maddening in the past few months, even more so than usual, kind of forgetting that they really don’t have more than five actual basketball players on that roster.</p><p id="821e">I watched Mavs vs Lakers and Rick Carlisle was basically trolling Anthony Davis by rolling out Kristaps and Boban on the same unit. If you’re not going to play Davis at the five, that’ll happen, and his own insistence not to do it might be this team’s downfall. Over/under 40 games until Jason Kidd takes over from Vogel?</p><h2 id="b8fa">Brandon</h2><p id="392b">You mean we’re still pretending Vogel is coaching this team? LeBron does what he does. I’ll be honest: I’m watching the Lakers out of morbid curiosity and respect for the dying greatness that is late-career Karl Malone, I mean LeBron.</p><p id="781b">I’ll watch the Clippers over the Lakers any day, and seven times in June. Kawhi and PG are more machine-like than fun, but Patrick Beverley is a blessing, and we get to watch Lou Will and Harrell destroy benches night after night when they think they finally get a break. This team is already incredible, and they haven’t even had PG yet. Are we ready to stop pretending this season is wide open?</p><h2 id="4a5c">Serge</h2><p id="5d10">The Clippers honestly terrify me on a number of levels. If they wish, they also have enough to go get Kevin Love if they structure a deal around Harrell and toss someone else in. Frankly, it’s not fair at this point.</p><p id="2689">My favorite part is that Lakers fans have somehow convinced themselves this is a dead even race between two teams. Like that time some of them told me Kyle Kuzma was going to be better than Pascal Siakam.</p><div id="b523" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/2019-nba-preview-new-faces-new-places-basketball-porzingis-ingram-conley-russell-richardson-sga-rubio-fe77a0ab6a90"> <div> <div> <h2>NBA Season Preview: New Faces in New Places</h2> <div><h3>How will Brandon Ingram, D’Angelo Russell, Kristaps Porzingis, Josh Richardson, and others look like in new jerseys?</h3></div> <div><p></p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*2hL1LSlLi2s

Options

4yH-1UMFk0A.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h1 id="19ea">TIER II — YOU CAN’T GO WRONG</h1><h2 id="f501">5. Philadelphia 76ers (2) 4. Milwaukee Bucks (1) 3. New Orleans Pelicans (10) 2. Denver Nuggets (5)</h2><h2 id="b1e1">Serge</h2><p id="cd43">The Church of Joel Embiid is now in session. What’s great about all these teams is that they’re each this high for a different reason. With the Sixers, it’s because they have two possibly generational talents on the roster, and I’m still 100% confident if Ben Simmons gave a shit for 82 games on the defensive end he’d be DPOY with no contest. The Bucks have Giannis, and the added wrinkle of will he or won’t he stay. Every time they waver, Twitter might have a conniption.</p><h2 id="ff58">Brandon</h2><p id="0923">You have the Sixers and Bucks a few spots above me, but I think I’m probably just starting to take Giannis and Embiid for granted. That and we just know we’re going to be watching both those teams deep into May or further. The Sixers are a lot more fun to watch on defense than offense though, for now. Hopefully that gets a little better as the season goes on (or, ya know, anytime Joel goes off the court).</p><p id="7316">But anyway, yeah, this time next year, Giannis will be on another roster. The meltdown is coming. You don’t just swap out Brogdon and Mirotic for Wes Matthews and RoLo.</p><h2 id="a6f6">Serge</h2><p id="2a90">The Pelicans are frankly going to be extremely fun and extremely annoying for some teams, while still being extremely bad (plus Zion). And the Nuggets have such a well run and fluid offense, it’s hard to look away. Here’s my question, how much better do the Nuggets get if you do a straight Gary Harris for Marcus Smart swap? Because I say, a lot!</p><h2 id="f292">Brandon</h2><p id="96d7">A fascinating trade scenario I thought way too much about, considering it’ll never happen. My honest answer? I think both teams get worse. Gary Harris is SO good with Jokic, and Smart would be dead weight on that offense, and I don’t think his defense moves the needle enough there. Then again, Denver is broken right now so they might have to try <i>some</i>thing. I still want Smart to just become the Celtics center this season.</p><p id="a9bf">Wait, I thought you don’t like Boston… why are we talking about the Celtics again? Let’s talk about my #1 League Pass team, with or without Zion: the Pelicans.</p><h2 id="b41b">Serge</h2><p id="6d6f">They’re fast, they’re fun, Brandon Ingram seems to care a lot more. I don’t know what it says about LeBron’s style of management that these kids seem to like being alive again, but it can’t be that good, can it? There’s a lot to like about this team from the perspective of growth and the fact that you can see how this turns into competitor two years down the road if everyone stays the course.</p><h2 id="1c42">Brandon</h2><p id="891d">I’m all in on the Pelicans, both now and into the future. Ingram is making the leap. Lonzo is fun again. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was one of my favorite draft sleepers. Jaxson Hayes is a blast. Jrue Holiday is like a superstar role player, and I swear that’s a compliment. Josh Hart and Kenrich Williams do all the little things. Nicolo Melli has never missed a shot. Jahlil Okafor is back from the dead.</p><p id="687c">And then, in a mere month or two when the gods of basketball smile upon us, the League Pass MVP joins all that and cranks everything to 11. And it’s going to be awesome. Get well soon, Zion.</p><div id="5937" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/one-most-improved-player-candidate-every-nba-team-2019-2020-basketball-awards-mip-tatum-kuzma-918885e2a8b2"> <div> <div> <h2>One Most Improved Player Candidate from Every NBA Team</h2> <div><h3>What young NBA players are ready to take a big step forward?</h3></div> <div><p></p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*6Biit__qx6pQ2tufHWvBRA.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h1 id="e95e">TIER I — THE NEW LEAGUE PASS CHAMPIONS</h1><h2 id="1182">1. Dallas Mavericks (4)</h2><h2 id="548d">Serge</h2><p id="6d81">Ah, yes, the Miscellaneous Eastern European Whites. My sweet, sweet children, led to the promised land by none other than Luka Doncic. Do you think he’s NBA ready now??</p><p id="d618">These Mavs will not be playing a lot of defense, but boy will their offense be fun. I think the Mavs have been irrelevant long enough for people to forget that Rick Carlisle is the second best coach in the league, and it’s not particularly close.</p><h2 id="1b3c">Brandon</h2><p id="2077">I’m not gonna lie, it felt wrong to me when I tallied everything up and we came out with the Dallas Mavericks at #1, but then the season started and it all made sense. The Mavs just know how to build a basketball team. I have no idea who’s the third best player on this team, but it doesn’t matter.</p><p id="bd6b">Delon Wright is perfect next to Luka. Seth Curry is the dreamy spot-up shooter. Boban mashes. DFS is your run-of-the-mill 3-and-D wing. Maxi Kleber is an ideal stretch big. None of these guys are big names, but they’re all perfectly aligned to have their narrow skill sets maximized, and when it’s all whirring in Dallas, it’s absolutely beautiful.</p><h2 id="6952">Serge</h2><p id="b6f6">What I’ve seen from them so far is exciting. They’re opening up the floor and letting Luka cook. Once him and KP get that pick and roll down to a science, I’m not sure what you do to stop that. I guess just outscore them on the other end?</p><h2 id="1d04">Brandon</h2><p id="c304">I think that’s the goal. Dallas is already the #1 rated offense in the league, and Doncic is already knocking on the door of the top 10 players in the entire NBA. He is 20. TWENTY. We get to watch Luka Magic for a long, long time.</p><h2 id="c689">Serge</h2><p id="6a17">I also shed a single, solitary tear every time Delon Wright is on my TV. I miss him and he was the one Raptor I was sad to see go when we went and got Marc Gasol. But hey, we got Marc Gasol. And Marc got that ring.</p><h2 id="88aa">Brandon</h2><p id="d79f">Congratulations Luka and Kristaps: You’re the 2019 NBA League Pass champions.</p><p id="a39a">…At least until Zion gets back. ■</p><p id="65fd"><a href="undefined">serge</a> <i>is a writer & designer from the home of NBA Champions Toronto Raptors. He writes about sports & culture. Sign up for his <a href="https://basketballyt.substack.com/">illustrated basketball newsletter: </a></i><a href="https://basketballyt.substack.com/">Basketball, You Thought!<i></i></a><i> here. Follow Serge <a href="https://twitter.com/Sergetacular">on Twitter here</a>.</i></p><p id="c041"><i>Follow Brandon on Medium or <a href="https://twitter.com/wheatonbrando">@wheatonbrando</a> for more sports, television, humor, and culture. Visit the rest of Brandon’s <a href="https://readmedium.com/brandon-anderson-writing-archives-6b3ee1a29301#.6cteu050v">writing archives here</a>.</i></p><figure id="3b76"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*YnbtD8IipCsqVjNwkjtY8w.png"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="2ba5"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*d318hSQDEA-NP2sgKkTINw.png"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="0963"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*jwbMPAfFsxT_PGFz7US69Q.png"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></article></body>

The 2019 NBA League Pass Watchability Rankings, Part II

Serge and Brandon rank the league’s most watchable teams, from the Wolves and Raptors to the Pelicans and Mavs…

THE NBA IS BACK, AND IT’S BEEN QUITE THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS. Scoring is up more than ever, everyone’s bombing from deep, the Warriors are dead, and the Suns are good. Life comes at you fast. We’ve already had multiple drug suspensions, Kyrie drama, overtime games, buzzer beaters, and more. Basketball is BACK.

Unfortunately, the only way to watch it all is with a pricey NBA League Pass subscription that only actually works about five times a season… unless of course you have Google or NBA Reddit streams. Either way, you need to know which teams to watch, and serge and I got you with our annual League Pass watchability rankings.

We already zoomed past the Hornets and Spurs of the world, saved the youth of the Knicks and Cavs for another year, and passed over the Rockets and Celtics as faux League Pass teams. Nah… those teams are all in the bottom half of the league watchability rankings.

Today we get to the good stuff, the top 15 most watchable teams in the NBA. So let’s review our breakdown from Part I and hit the top 15…

The 2019–20 NBA League Pass Rankings, Part I

Serge and Brandon rank the league’s most watchable teams from 30 to 15…

TIER IX — PLEASE DON’T MAKE US WATCH

30t. Charlotte Hornets (Last season: 21) 30t. Washington Wizards (15)

TIER VIII — SO MANY HORRIBLE EAST TEAMS

28. Cleveland Cavaliers (30) 27. Detroit Pistons (27) 26. New York Knicks (29)

TIER VII — MAYBE IF THE RIGHT GUYS ARE PLAYING

25. Orlando Magic (28) 24. San Antonio Spurs (25) 23. Chicago Bulls (23) 22. Phoenix Suns (14) 21. Oklahoma City Thunder (11)

TIER VI — GOOD BASKETBALL ISN’T ALWAYS FUN

20. Indiana Pacers (17) 19. Miami Heat (26) 18. Brooklyn Nets (22) 17. Boston Celtics (8) 16. Houston Rockets (16)

Basketball, you thought!

Serge’s bi-weekly look at the world of basketball with the occasional peek behind the curtain…

TIER V — OUR TEAMS

15. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last season: 15) 14. Toronto Raptors (7)

Brandon

Amazing. The defending NBA champions and the next NBA champions both in one little section. #blessed

Serge

I am well known for not ranking the Raptors particularly high out of benevolence, plus we actually don’t get them on League Pass in Canada since they’re always on TV. I usually have the Raptors on the big screen while my laptop plays all the LP goodness.

That said, how can you not look at any of the retro stuff we produce and not think it looks like hot sex? If someone sent me a photo of that 95 court I’d consider it a sext. That and the Pascal Siakam progression curve over the past four years.

The real question: is this the year Andrew Wiggins delivers on his promise? I’m yet to go into my boss’s office and ask him for a raise based on my hypothetical future improvement, but watching Wiggins inspires me to do so every day.

Brandon

Whose “I promise” was more overrated, Wiggins’ or LeBron’s? I’m kidding, I don’t like Bron as a basketball player but he’s been immense off the court, and the school he opened in Ohio is awesome and should be a bigger story. But hey, now that we’re in Cleveland, at least this is one of the four games Wiggins will try in this year.

Honestly, I don’t want or need to talk about Wiggins anymore. I’m done. We have future seven-time MVP Karl-Anthony Towns and that makes everything else okay. KAT is special and I get to watch him 82 times and that’s enough. Would the Wolves rank five spots higher if Wiggins were “eliminated” by Ghost and Tommy (sorry, watching too much Power lately)? Will KAT leave in five years to play on a 30–52 team with DLo and Booker? Maybe, but none of that matters right now.

That’s basically where I assume Raptors fans are at. Does Lowry get traded? Is Gasol washed? Is Giannis coming? Was Kawhi ever staying? It doesn’t matter. None of it matters. Flags fly forever.

Serge

I mean, we still have to put up with dumb revisionist exercises on Twitter for the rest of eternity. What if Durant wasn’t hurt? I don’t know, Kyle, what if basketball was played in space? Well, Pascal Siakam would still be an amazing player.

I think this year is about us having a fun hangover where you just wake up and go for brunch to down like six mimosas before noon. It doesn’t really matter how much we’ll compete in April, this team is still fun to watch. That’s what matters.

NBA Predictions, Tiers, and 2019-20 Season Preview

Let’s rank all 30 teams in nine tiers and pick an MVP and a champion!

TIER IV — OKAY NOW IT’S GETTING FUN

13. Portland Trail Blazers (13) 12. Utah Jazz (6) 11. Memphis Grizzlies (20) 10. Atlanta Hawks (19)

Serge

I will watch a lot of Grizzlies this year because I really liked Ja Morant in college and I think he has an incredible feel for the game, and watching Memphis transition from a slow, lumbering behemoth into something speedy and slick will quite frankly be exciting. I think Ja Morant is what people think Trae Young is. Speaking of which, I’m ready to die on my hill of “I still don’t think that Trae is that good of a basketball player.” Pull up.

Brandon

You actually dragged our rankings down on the Hawks and Grizz. I have Atlanta top three, and I’d have Memphis in there too if they could magically punt Valanciunas off the team and start Brandon Clarke with Jaren Jackson. Grizzlies are NBA Draft Nerd Central. It’ll be ugly at times, but I want all the Ja, Clarke, JJJ, DeAnthony Melton, and John Konchar I can handle. I’m just going to pretend Grayson Allen is the reason Memphis is ranked seven spots too low.

Speaking of seven spots too low, that’s where your basketball IQ just dropped after calling Ja the realized version of Trae. I’ll turn this car around RIGHT now: Trae Young is the Hardenized version of Steph. Yeah, I said it. He’s a top-5 League Pass MVP. Trae can pull from anywhere on the court, and he’s already a better passer than Steph ever dreamed of being. Morant is a nice, fun player who needs to learn how to shoot, like, from anywhere. Trae Young is an All-Star lock and a threat to make All-NBA, and I’m just happy to be along for the ride.

Serge

I just… I don’t see it. Like, yeah, he’s fun and a good passer, but I just.. I don’t know. It’s not my brand of basketball. Call me old fashioned and save me a seat next to Pop. So many players benefit from lack of defense and added space. It’s ludicrous. I’ve bought my tickets on the “eliminate the corner three” bus and we’re leaving the terminal. Join me.

You know, I tried… I really tried to watch Utah. I can’t do it. I think I may have over seeded them.

Brandon

I think so. Utah was supposed to be fun last year, and they were supposed to be fun again, and I think maybe it’s just time to admit Rudy Gobert teams are what the French call… ennuyeux. Remember all that offense? So far it’s just defense and chill. I ended up with Utah just barely in the bottom half of my rankings, and I’d move them down, not up.

Portland is always a solidly top 10 or 12 LP team, especially at home, if for no other reason than Dame. It’s just always a show. We take Dame for granted.

Serge

It will be fun to watch Damian Lillard try to rein in both Whiteside and Hezonja any given night. I just want to be a fly on the wall in that locker room to watch him try. Portland fans will talk themselves into Whiteside that one good game and then realize by game three of him slipping every screen that it was all a mirage. At least Lillard and McCollum are still one of the most exciting back courts in the league.

Which NBA Team Has the Worst Best Player in 2019?

Ranking the best stars on every NBA team — and why it actually matters

TIER III — CALIFORNIA LOVE

9. Sacramento Kings (24) 8. Golden State Warriors (12) 7. Los Angeles Clippers (18) 6. Los Angeles Lakers (3)

Brandon

RIP Warriors. We made these rankings at the start of the season, and without Steph, the Warriors would rank approximately 20 spots lower… and that might be kind. I was really looking forward to supernova Steph and actually had them at #2 until I remembered how little I wanted to watch anyone else on this roster. And now… here we are. Depressing.

Assuming Steph doesn’t play again this season, how many other teams would you rank behind the Warriors?

Serge

Let’s put it this way, Warriors vs Spurs was on last weekend and I just couldn’t do it to myself. I guess if you’re really into D’Angelo Russell. Speaking of, you should start scouting him.

The Kings were supposed to be more fun. The only feeling I get watching them right now is “Man, the 76ers could really use Richaun Holmes at back-up center.” I think they’ll pull it together though. They’re young and exciting and Buddy Hield got the bag.

Brandon

How dare you speak ill of Kyle O’Quinn like that.

The Kings will be fine, at least fun-wise. I never really believed they were a playoff contender, not last year or this year. Sacramento will be fun again when Marvin Bagley gets back and helps unlock De’Aaron Fox. Hey Sacto: more Fox and Bagley, less Barnes and Dedmon. The Kings are bottom five in pace again somehow. What are we doing? This isn’t hard.

Serge

Alright, let’s get into it. The battle of LA, who you got? Lakers Twitter has been maddening in the past few months, even more so than usual, kind of forgetting that they really don’t have more than five actual basketball players on that roster.

I watched Mavs vs Lakers and Rick Carlisle was basically trolling Anthony Davis by rolling out Kristaps and Boban on the same unit. If you’re not going to play Davis at the five, that’ll happen, and his own insistence not to do it might be this team’s downfall. Over/under 40 games until Jason Kidd takes over from Vogel?

Brandon

You mean we’re still pretending Vogel is coaching this team? LeBron does what he does. I’ll be honest: I’m watching the Lakers out of morbid curiosity and respect for the dying greatness that is late-career Karl Malone, I mean LeBron.

I’ll watch the Clippers over the Lakers any day, and seven times in June. Kawhi and PG are more machine-like than fun, but Patrick Beverley is a blessing, and we get to watch Lou Will and Harrell destroy benches night after night when they think they finally get a break. This team is already incredible, and they haven’t even had PG yet. Are we ready to stop pretending this season is wide open?

Serge

The Clippers honestly terrify me on a number of levels. If they wish, they also have enough to go get Kevin Love if they structure a deal around Harrell and toss someone else in. Frankly, it’s not fair at this point.

My favorite part is that Lakers fans have somehow convinced themselves this is a dead even race between two teams. Like that time some of them told me Kyle Kuzma was going to be better than Pascal Siakam.

NBA Season Preview: New Faces in New Places

How will Brandon Ingram, D’Angelo Russell, Kristaps Porzingis, Josh Richardson, and others look like in new jerseys?

TIER II — YOU CAN’T GO WRONG

5. Philadelphia 76ers (2) 4. Milwaukee Bucks (1) 3. New Orleans Pelicans (10) 2. Denver Nuggets (5)

Serge

The Church of Joel Embiid is now in session. What’s great about all these teams is that they’re each this high for a different reason. With the Sixers, it’s because they have two possibly generational talents on the roster, and I’m still 100% confident if Ben Simmons gave a shit for 82 games on the defensive end he’d be DPOY with no contest. The Bucks have Giannis, and the added wrinkle of will he or won’t he stay. Every time they waver, Twitter might have a conniption.

Brandon

You have the Sixers and Bucks a few spots above me, but I think I’m probably just starting to take Giannis and Embiid for granted. That and we just know we’re going to be watching both those teams deep into May or further. The Sixers are a lot more fun to watch on defense than offense though, for now. Hopefully that gets a little better as the season goes on (or, ya know, anytime Joel goes off the court).

But anyway, yeah, this time next year, Giannis will be on another roster. The meltdown is coming. You don’t just swap out Brogdon and Mirotic for Wes Matthews and RoLo.

Serge

The Pelicans are frankly going to be extremely fun and extremely annoying for some teams, while still being extremely bad (plus Zion). And the Nuggets have such a well run and fluid offense, it’s hard to look away. Here’s my question, how much better do the Nuggets get if you do a straight Gary Harris for Marcus Smart swap? Because I say, a lot!

Brandon

A fascinating trade scenario I thought way too much about, considering it’ll never happen. My honest answer? I think both teams get worse. Gary Harris is SO good with Jokic, and Smart would be dead weight on that offense, and I don’t think his defense moves the needle enough there. Then again, Denver is broken right now so they might have to try something. I still want Smart to just become the Celtics center this season.

Wait, I thought you don’t like Boston… why are we talking about the Celtics again? Let’s talk about my #1 League Pass team, with or without Zion: the Pelicans.

Serge

They’re fast, they’re fun, Brandon Ingram seems to care a lot more. I don’t know what it says about LeBron’s style of management that these kids seem to like being alive again, but it can’t be that good, can it? There’s a lot to like about this team from the perspective of growth and the fact that you can see how this turns into competitor two years down the road if everyone stays the course.

Brandon

I’m all in on the Pelicans, both now and into the future. Ingram is making the leap. Lonzo is fun again. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was one of my favorite draft sleepers. Jaxson Hayes is a blast. Jrue Holiday is like a superstar role player, and I swear that’s a compliment. Josh Hart and Kenrich Williams do all the little things. Nicolo Melli has never missed a shot. Jahlil Okafor is back from the dead.

And then, in a mere month or two when the gods of basketball smile upon us, the League Pass MVP joins all that and cranks everything to 11. And it’s going to be awesome. Get well soon, Zion.

One Most Improved Player Candidate from Every NBA Team

What young NBA players are ready to take a big step forward?

TIER I — THE NEW LEAGUE PASS CHAMPIONS

1. Dallas Mavericks (4)

Serge

Ah, yes, the Miscellaneous Eastern European Whites. My sweet, sweet children, led to the promised land by none other than Luka Doncic. Do you think he’s NBA ready now??

These Mavs will not be playing a lot of defense, but boy will their offense be fun. I think the Mavs have been irrelevant long enough for people to forget that Rick Carlisle is the second best coach in the league, and it’s not particularly close.

Brandon

I’m not gonna lie, it felt wrong to me when I tallied everything up and we came out with the Dallas Mavericks at #1, but then the season started and it all made sense. The Mavs just know how to build a basketball team. I have no idea who’s the third best player on this team, but it doesn’t matter.

Delon Wright is perfect next to Luka. Seth Curry is the dreamy spot-up shooter. Boban mashes. DFS is your run-of-the-mill 3-and-D wing. Maxi Kleber is an ideal stretch big. None of these guys are big names, but they’re all perfectly aligned to have their narrow skill sets maximized, and when it’s all whirring in Dallas, it’s absolutely beautiful.

Serge

What I’ve seen from them so far is exciting. They’re opening up the floor and letting Luka cook. Once him and KP get that pick and roll down to a science, I’m not sure what you do to stop that. I guess just outscore them on the other end?

Brandon

I think that’s the goal. Dallas is already the #1 rated offense in the league, and Doncic is already knocking on the door of the top 10 players in the entire NBA. He is 20. TWENTY. We get to watch Luka Magic for a long, long time.

Serge

I also shed a single, solitary tear every time Delon Wright is on my TV. I miss him and he was the one Raptor I was sad to see go when we went and got Marc Gasol. But hey, we got Marc Gasol. And Marc got that ring.

Brandon

Congratulations Luka and Kristaps: You’re the 2019 NBA League Pass champions.

…At least until Zion gets back. ■

serge is a writer & designer from the home of NBA Champions Toronto Raptors. He writes about sports & culture. Sign up for his illustrated basketball newsletter: Basketball, You Thought! here. Follow Serge on Twitter here.

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