"He's already shown flashes of his insane ceiling in his previous two seasons. He's such a difficult matchup with the ball in his hands, and on defense, he changes the entire calculus of opposing teams' schemes with his length."
"From Wembanyama's looming superstardom (he's 7ft 5in now?!) to 18-year-old Cooper Flagg's rookie spark, this season feels like a generational crossroads. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's encore, Paolo Banchero's breakout and Nikola Jokic's quiet dominance all converge. The old heads still matter, but the league now truly belongs to its twentysomethings: audacious, unpredictable and already rewriting the hierarchy."
"The revamped Atlanta Hawks, whose summer trade for Kristaps Porzingis sent shockwaves across the league. The question isn't if the unicorn big man will vibe with Trae Young, an unselfish point guard famous for scoring threes in bunches; the question is, when will Porzingis fall injured and how much time will he ultimately miss?"
"Two earthquakes: Kevin Durant to Houston, and the East losing Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton to season-long achilles rehabs. KD supercharges a massive, physical Rockets core, while Boston and Indiana's injuries fling the East wide open for New York, Cleveland and (my sleeper finals pick) Orlando."
Victor Wembanyama projecting a fully healthy season could unlock his extraordinary offensive and defensive impact, complicating opposing schemes with his length. Emerging twentysomethings like Cooper Flagg, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Paolo Banchero and Nikola Jokic are redefining league hierarchies while veteran influence persists. Atlanta's trade for Kristaps Porzingis raises immediate lineup potential but also injury risk. Off-court allegations surrounding the Clippers' handling of Kawhi Leonard create organizational uncertainty. Kevin Durant joining Houston transforms the Rockets' physical core. Season-ending Achilles rehabs for Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton significantly open the Eastern Conference for teams like New York, Cleveland and Orlando.
#victor-wembanyama #generational-young-stars #key-injuries #trades--roster-moves #salary-cap-allegations
Read at www.theguardian.com
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