The Los Angeles Lakers will repeat as NBA champions, according to a survey conducted by NBA general managers.
This prediction was one of the many findings from the NBA.com’s annual survey of the 30 locations before the start of the new season. The survey included 33 questions, from which player would choose to start a franchise to the best player in each position and who will win the MVP award this season.
But one of the most unequal answers in the entire survey was the first question: who will win the title this season?
81% of those surveyed said the Lakers would repeat in 2021 and that the only other team to receive more votes was rival LA Clippers, which won 11% of the vote. The only other teams selected were the Brooklyn Nets and the Miami Heat.
Milwaukee Bucks striker Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had just signed a five-year supermax overtime to stay with the Bucks, was chosen to win a third consecutive award for the most valuable player in the league, which was not done. since Larry Bird did it in 1984-86.
However, league executives predict it will be an open race, as Antetokounmpo received only 32% of the vote, while five other players: Dallas Mavericks goalkeeper Luka Doncic (21%), Lakers strikers Anthony Davis and LeBron James (18%), Nets striker Kevin Durant (7%) and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (4%) – also received votes.
Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo and Doncic are also favorites among general managers when asked which player would choose to start a franchise. Both players received 43% of the vote, while Davis received 7%. To show how much respect Doncic has gained in the last year, Antetokounmpo was the overall winner last year with 86%.
The league’s general managers voted for the best player in each position: Golden State Warriors goalkeeper Stephen Curry (30%), Houston Rockets guard James Harden (68%), James (57%) as a striker, Antetokounmpo (46%) in power forward and Jokic (50%) in the center.
They also determined that the Lakers (37%) had the best offseason, and Chris Paul passed the Phoenix Suns (44%) as the best move, and striker Gordon Hayward signed with the Charlotte Hornets (54%). ) as the largest. surprising.
In addition, the GMs favored Hornet goalkeeper LaMelo Ball (39%) to win the rookie of the year and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra (46%) to be named the league’s best coach. The most promising young core of players was the New Orleans Pelicans (41%).