This year's crop features a starting lineup that's heading into the season having never played together, as Brandon Ingram makes his in-game debut with the Dinos. The 28-year-old adds another element to the Raptors' starters, who were already still trying to fully gel. The other four in the presumed starting group, Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl, have only played 374 minutes together ever. The foursome posted a 10.8 NET rating in 234 minutes in 2024, before putting up a -11.2 NET in 140 minutes last season. With a shiny new toy and everyone healthy, Monday offers a sneak peek at this unit with expectations on it.
The Miami Heat have continued with their plan to build a youth movement, and it was announced last night that forward Nikola Jovic was going to receive a four-year, $62.4 million contract extension that is fully guaranteed. The biggest knock on Jovic during his time with the Heat has been his health. He has missed over half the games he's been eligible for since being drafted in 2022.