By Alex Speir
As the NBA season dawns, there is a lot of talk about which players will be stars and which players will be busts. The 2017-2018 rookies have brought a lot of media attention and hype to the league. Perhaps the most talked about rookie in recent history, Lonzo Ball is making his debut this season. The Ball family has definitely made its name in the sports world. The family’s oldest son, Lonzo, will be the Los Angeles Lakers starting point guard. Native to Los Angeles, Lonzo is a sort of “hometown hero” for the Lakers. The Lakers have struggled in recent years and are in desperate need of a new spark. Lonzo Ball led the Lakers to an NBA Summer League title and seems to be fitting into the Lakers system well.
Other big-name rookies this season are Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers. Ben Simmons entered the league last season, but injuries prohibited him from making his rookie debut. The 76ers have also struggled recently, but seem to be making adjustments and adding players who will definitely benefit them this season. The acquisition of shooting guard JJ Redick should help liven a rather dead offense in the 76ers.
Another big offseason acquisition occurred in Houston. The Houston Rockets acquired Chris Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for seven players and a first-round pick in next year’s draft. Chris Paul, a nine-time all-star, will join James Harden in Houston’s attempt to win the Western Conference and ultimately, the NBA Finals. This year’s offseason has had a lot of activity and will cause the 2017-2018 season to be very interesting. Along with all of the offseason trades, the new rookie class is hoping to fuel a few teams to much more successful seasons.
The 2017-2018 NBA MVP is also being talked about a lot right now. Last year’s MVP, Russell Westbrook, is a likely candidate, but I believe that a few new names will be considered this season. Along with star players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo could be a candidate. Antetokounmpo had a stellar season last year and is likely to come back with an even stronger season this year. Also, Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl Anthony-Towns has had a great first two seasons in the league and could be another possible candidate for the MVP.
Though there is a lot of talk about who the MVP will be, I believe that player’s main focus should be on the NBA Finals trophy. The past two NBA MVPs—Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook—did not win the NBA Finals during those amazing seasons. The NBA’s popularity is now being centered more on individual players than good teams. MVPs are nice to have, but the championship would be so much nicer in my opinion.
