While Utah isn’t a favorite in the West, Mike Conley sure puts it on the map. The former Grizzlies lifer will now take a stab outside the Grit’n’Grind, joining the Jazz’s elite defensive core. He’s still one of the better positional defenders in the NBA. He’s also a talented offensive guard, posting 21.1 points and 6.4 assists on .438/.364/.845 shooting splits during Memphis’ down 2018-19 season.
One of the NBA’s smartest players, Kyle Lowry is perpetually overrated. Now that his postseason narrative is out the window and Toronto has a title, more respect should come his direction. Last season Lowry remained a key part of the Raptors’ success, averaging 8.7 assists — the second most in the NBA. His passing, effective off-ball play and defense were important to making things function around Kawhi Leonard.
Age has caught up to Al Horford, who entered last season in the top-20 discussion. He’s a step slower than years past and might not pack the same punch on offense. But his basketball I.Q., general versatility and high skill level remain. He’ll fit seamlessly in Philadelphia’s jumbo-sized rotation, adding an elite pick-and-roll threat who can pass, punish mismatches and hit spot-up jumpers. He’s also a major plus on defense, even at 33 years old.
A strong postseason cemented Pascal Siakam‘s status as one of the top up-and-coming forwards in the NBA. He still has a few areas to iron out in his game, but Siakam’s open-court speed, face-up scoring and defensive versatility are all supremely valuable. He’s now the building block for Toronto moving forward. He averaged 16.9 points per game last season. Expect that number to shoot up.
Similar to Trae Young and Zion Williamson, Luka Doncic has the potential to move up in a meaningful way this season. He’s perhaps the most likely of the young stars to do so. He’s more polished than the average 20-year-old and was prolific last season, handedly winning Rookie of the Year. He’s a crafty 6-foot-8 playmaker who can score at every level, whiz passes all over the court and effectively man a star’s workload. He averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists as a rookie.