The NBA is back! Many teams have been shaken up this year by trade and free agency, and a new rookie class is ready to make an immediate impact on a number of competing teams.
The 2024 NBA Draft: The Atlanta Hawks won the lottery despite a 3% chance and selected Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall pick. This pick was surrounded by controversy, because many NBA scouts believed that Alexandre Sarr was the most talented player in this draft class. At 19 years old and 7’0″ tall, with an ability to stretch the floor and shotblock at a high level, it seems obvious that the Frenchman would draw interest from NBA teams and even comparisons to last year’s first overall pick, Victor Wembenyama. But, he told the Hawks that he did not want to play for them, igniting the Hawks to ride with Risacher. Risacher is also French and he is trying to make a name in the NBA as a three point sniper. Risacher sports a 6’9″ body that can be extremely efficient off of the catch and shoot or creating off the dribble. Next, Sarr followed Risacher at number two overall to the Washington Wizards. Then, Reed Sheppard and Stephon Castle got picked up by the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. Sheppard is a 6’3” guard from the University of Kentucky, known for his defense, speed, shooting, handles and passing. Castle is an athletic, physical defender from the University of Connecticut. Both these players will make immediate impacts on their teams and are likely to be the frontrunners for the Rookie of the Year (ROTY) award, mainly because of their contributions to winning basketball. As well, the Portland Trail Blazers got another ROTY finalist in Donovan Clingan at number seven overall. Clingan may be more league-ready than many other prospects and will have a fundamental role on a team full of young players.
The Boston Celtics look to remain dominant after their title run, especially after their two best players Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were slighted this offseason. Tatum was benched throughout the entirety of the Olympics, and after winning the Finals, it seems disrespectful that he could not receive minutes. But truthfully, the US Men’s Basketball coach, Steve Kerr, was justified for not playing Tatum. Tatum’s lack of ability to shoot three pointers (he shot 28.3% for three during his NBA playoff run and 0% on four attempts during the Olympics) contributed to his lack of playing time. As well, there was no room for Tatum to play when some of the best players of this generation were getting his minutes. Kevin Durant and Lebron James filled Jayson Tatum’s role and more, while glue guys Derrick White, Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards played more productive roles on the team. On the other hand, Jaylen Brown was not even invited to the Olympic team after winning the Finals MVP over Tatum. The Celtics will look hungry again in the 2024-25 season, with Tatum and Brown trying to prove their prevalence. “I think the Celtics are going to win the Finals because Baylor Scheierman is my favorite player,” said senior Zach Segall.
What teams are legitimate contenders to win the NBA Finals this year? The Celtics, Knicks, Bucks and the 76ers will likely be the top contenders in the Eastern conference. In the west, the Thunder, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Suns will likely be the most dominant teams during the regular season. However, the Mavericks and Pelicans have the upside to be competitive with the best in the West, as prefaced by Luka Doncic and the Mavericks’ surprising trip to the Finals last year. The Mavericks and Pelicans both had impressive offseasons: the Mavs signed a 4x NBA champion and 5x NBA All-Star, Klay Thomson. He should be a big help to the Mavs, who lost athletic wing Derrick Jones Jr to free agency and traded away guard Tim Hardaway Jr. They also picked up under the radar players Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie. The Pelicans traded for All-Star guard Dejounte Murray from the Hawks, and they aim to keep their face of the franchise Zion Williamson healthy. Murray should help lift this team to another level, especially considering that Brandon Ingram will have a stronger performance in the wake of his last year on his contract.
What teams are focusing on getting an early draft pick in the 2025 draft featuring the highly touted prospect from Duke, Cooper Flagg? The first team that comes to mind in this category is the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets traded their best player in Mikal Bridges to the Knicks, signed Killian Hayes and will likely let Ben Simmons get playing time; this team is well on their way to the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes for first pick in next year’s draft. The best case scenario for this team is to watch Jalen Wilson and Nic Claxton develop, while monitoring Cam Thomas’s consistency as a scorer. Additionally, the Wizards, Trail Blazers and Hornets should continue to be bottom-feeders for the rest of the league.
Zaccharie Risacher shakes hands with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted number one overall to the Atlanta Hawks.