The Talk of Troy

TOT’s Channin Zhao lays out three major stories that will unfold in the upcoming NBA season.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives to the basket as Miami Heat guard Max Strus (31) attempts to defend during the first half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Wednesday, June 7 in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

NBA - Figure 1
Photo uscannenbergmedia.com
By Channin Zhao

October 06, 2023 at 6:49 am PDT

1. Impact of the in-season tournament

On July 8, the NBA announced it would now include a new in-season tournament during the 2023-2024 season. The in-season tournament will tip off on Friday, Nov. 3 and culminate with the Championship on Saturday, Dec. 9.

The tournament will consist of two stages: group play and the knockout rounds. During group play, all 30 teams will be divided into six groups of five with their conference based on win-loss records. Each team will play in four games against designated opponents within their group, two on the road and two at home, up to Nov. 28. Eight teams will advance to the knockout rounds: six teams from the best of their group, and two wild cards (the team with best records from each conference that finished second in its group). The Knockout Rounds will be single-elimination games throughout. Qualifying teams will compete for a prize pool and the new In-Season Tournament trophy, the NBA Cup.

What does that mean for the regular season? All games played in the cup, except for the championship, will count towards the regular season. For the players, there will not be a significant change of games in the season, but there will certainly be more incentives at the start of the season as there is another trophy to play for. For supporters, the frequency of games may not be as high, but there will be more excitement, not only at the end of the year but also mid-season. Will the NBA Cup ever have significant meaning? Or does this cup ruin the weight of a championship at the end of the season? We shall wait and see.

2. Does Victor Wembanyama pan out?

Victor Wembanyama is perhaps the most exciting debutant that the league is preparing for this upcoming season. He made his debut during the summer league, and is attracting a lot of traction with his stellar performances. Wembanyama stands at 7 foot 4, with a wing span of 8 feet, which brings him a significant advantage immediately. The Frenchman joined the San Antonio Spurs as the top draft pick from the Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 of the French Pro A League, which he led with averages of 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game.

Defensively, the 19-year-old could use his wingspan to his advantage and block shots easily. Offensively, he could score anywhere on the floor, from dominating the paint using his height or shooting beyond the arc, in which he has a 25% shot accuracy, not bad for a man of his height. Though exciting, questions were raised about his physicality, as the average weight for a center in the NBA is 251.3 pounds, yet he only stands at 209 pounds. At only 19, however, he could easily develop size, strength and skills over time. His future is limitless, and fans can’t wait to see his rookie season.

3. Last Dance for the Curry-Lebron era

Lebron James and Stephen Curry have dominated the NBA for almost 15 years, yet, as both stars begin closing in on 40, will this be the last time we see these two legends dominate the league in a season?

In year 20, James averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 0.9 steals in 35.5 minutes, with a usage rate of 32.2 percent and a true shooting percentage of 58.3 percent. These numbers, for a 38-year-old, are unheard of.

If Lebron is able to maintain these numbers for another season, he will have blown away every other 39-year-old in league history. Beating the all-time scoring record already, Lebron is now aiming to be the first 20-time All-Star.

At 35, Stephen Curry may also be approaching his career’s sunset. Last season, the superstar guard averaged 29.4 points per game, an average that ranks third in his career. With fellow “splash brother” Klay Thompson entering the final year of his contract, the Golden State Warriors also brought in superstar point guard Chris Paul. With a stacked squad full of stars all close to the end of their careers, this season could be a last dance for the modern generation.

Recommended