The Nets are supposed to be one of the favourites to win the NBA championship in the upcoming season. However, they are facing the prospect of missing one of their stars for a huge chunk of their campaign if things don’t go according to plan.
Meanwhile, the Bulls and Heat — who are two of the biggest winners in free agency — have paraded their reloaded rosters while the Warriors have been blessing basketball fans with some notable preseason NBA 2021 highlights.
With the league’s diamond season just around the corner, allow SBOTOP to keep you up-to-date with the latest around the Association.
Kyrie Irving’s vaccination saga presents major challenge
At this point, the Nets might be planning to prepare for a life without Kyrie Irving at least for half of the season.
Due to the strict COVID-19 protocols in New York, if Kyrie Irving remains unvaccinated, he won’t be allowed to participate in home games and practices for the Nets.
Brooklyn re-affirmed their stance that they won’t go the unconventional route to accommodate Kyrie Irving. However, they will continue to try and provide support for the 29-year-old point guard as much as possible.
An unvaccinated Irving could pose challenges early in the regular season when the Nets have a six-game homestand during the second week of the season. Brooklyn also have a similar stretch in November and December to where they are at home for 20 out of 26 days.
Whether Kyrie Irving will be present or not, the NBA 2021 odds still have the Nets installed as a title contender with Kevin Durant and James Harden leading the way.
72-per cent of the participants in the annual NBA GM survey are picking the Nets to win it all while only 17-per cent and 10-per cent only believe in the Lakers’ and Bucks’ chances.
However, the whole Nets nation would of course prefer to have all of their Big 3 healthy and available all season as they vie for the championship.
Warriors, Bulls, Heat finding their groove
The Warriors, Bulls, and Heat have caught everyone’s eye so far this preseason as they were able to show off their on-court chemistry.
Golden State are undefeated in their last two preseason games against Portland and Denver, thanks to the contributions by their role players.
Jordan Poole and Otto Porter Jr. led the way for the Warriors and they’ve fit in seamlessly alongside Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins – which is good news for a team who’s yearning to get back into the postseason.
In the Eastern Conference, the Bulls and the Heat have been excellent as well as they were sparked by their new acquisitions.
Despite his modest statline, Kyle Lowry appeared to be the missing piece for the Heat while Tyler Herro was able to show off the fruits of his offseason work by playing with a purpose.
With a revamped lineup, the Heat are ready to silence their critics – especially those who thought that their Finals run in 2020 was a fluke.
As for the Bulls, the quartet of Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, Nikola Vucevic, and DeMar DeRozan is going to be a huge problem for opposing defences in the upcoming season.
Chicago fans got a glimpse of what they can expect from them during their 131-95 demolition against the Cavaliers yesterday. LaVine led the way with 25 points while DeRozan and Vucevic also scored in double digits in limited minutes.
The Bulls are a group that has a ton of upside, which is why we previously cited them as one of the teams that can spring a surprise in the upcoming season.
Deandre Ayton and Suns reach an impasse
The extension talks between Deandre Ayton and the Suns have stalled since they have yet to meet halfway.
According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski, Ayton wants to sign a maximum rookie contract extension but the Suns are reluctant to give it to him as of the moment.
Ayton, a vital piece to the Suns’ 2021 Finals run, is eligible for a lucrative deal that can reach up to $207-M in the next five years – which is in similar territory to his 2018 NBA draft classmates in Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Michael Porter Jr.
The 23-year-old center has worked exceptionally well with Devin Booker and Chris Paul, and the Suns should remain a top contender in the Western Conference for this upcoming season.
If the two parties don’t reach an agreement come October 18, Ayton is going to be a restricted free agent next year where other teams have a chance to acquire his services.
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