NBA Preseason 2020-21: 5 major questions looming over everyone's head before the season starts
The 2020-21 NBA season is set to begin after the shortest offseason in major sports history, 71 days. This is expected to be one of the most exciting seasons as players will be back in their arenas and most of the stars we didn't see last season are back and healthy. However, before the NBA season begins in all its glory, the teams have to get through the NBA preseason which gives the players a chance to be on an NBA court for the first time before opening night.
Concerning the 2020-21 NBA season, the league will get a glimpse of the effectiveness of their measures and determine the necessary steps for the coronavirus protocol.
5 major questions ahead of the 2020-21 NBA preseason
Most fans do not indulge in the NBA preseason. The victories are meaningless, hardly any fans are in the arenas and most of the superstars do not play. However, this preseason is a little different as we will see certain stars for the first time in over a year. The offseason was incredibly eventful and after numerous trades and signings, fans are excited to see how the new rosters look like.
In this article, we look at 5 questions looming over every NBA fan's head and what we can expect as the preseason begins on December 11th, 2020.
Q1. How do the Golden State Warriors look like without Klay Thompson?
After their long and successful dynasty came to an end due to injuries, the Golden State Warriors were set for a redemption season in 2020-21. However, their star guard, Klay Thompson tore his Achilles during the offseason. After numerous trades and drafts, the team looks ready to compete but we are yet to see how the Warriors look like without Thompson in the lineup. We may get a glimpse of the new-look team in the NBA preseason.
Q2. How do Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant look together after injuries?
The basketball world is eagerly waiting to see the partnership of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. The duo signed with the Nets in the 2019 offseason but haven't appeared in a single game together. Even though we haven't seen them play together, everyone is already picking the Brooklyn Nets to be title contenders. The NBA preseason could be everyone's chance to see how lethal the Brooklyn Nets actually look like.
Durant and Irving also haven't played in an NBA game in an incredibly long time, Kevin Durant is returning after almost 560 days and Irving hasn't played since February and played just 20 games last season. There is also intense speculation if Kevin Durant will return as his previous self after rupturing his Achilles. The NBA preseason is the first time we'll get to see Durant after his injury.
Q3. What is the situation like in Houston?
The Houston Rockets have had an unbelievably chaotic offseason. Their stars demanded to leave, they signed DeMarcus Cousins and Christian Wood and pulled off a John Wall-Russell Westbrook swap.
James Harden may finally play as a Rocket as most NBA Trade Rumors around him have gone cold. He is yet to make an appearance at the training camp and his whereabouts are still a mystery. As coach Stephen Silas recently pointed out, the absence of the team's best player has hurt the Houston Rockets in training.
The team bid farewell to Russell Westbrook and traded for John Wall, who is coming off an Achilles injury. Wall hasn't played since December 2018 and not many people are optimistic about his game.
Q4. How do the Philadelphia 76ers look like?
The Philadelphia 76ers had one of the most interesting offseasons in recent memory. They signed a new head coach, Doc Rivers, and hired a new president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey. In Morey's first moves as a 76ers executive, he traded for Seth Curry and Danny Green and signed Dwight Howard in NBA Free Agency.
The front office has now surrounded Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid with shooters and provided Embiid with a viable replacement off the bench, in Dwight Howard. The team looks incredible on paper and everyone is yet to see how the roster plays together under the leadership of Doc Rivers.
Q5. How much game time will the Miami Heat and LA Lakers players receive, especially Lebron James?
The LA Lakers and the Miami Heat will deal with the shortest-ever offseason. The teams will return to play after a break that lasted just 71 days. It is a huge question whether we will see their stars play in the NBA preseason or even the start of the regular season.
LeBron James is soon to be 36-years-old and we may not see him appear in a lot of the games this season as he pointed out,
"I'm cherry picking the whole first half of the season"
Also Read: Ranking the 5 weirdest injuries reported in NBA history