In Part 1 of our take on ESPN’s NBA Forecast we predicted 6th Man of the Year, Most Improved Player and Rookie of the Year for the NBA at large and for the Detroit Pistons as a team for the 2018/19 season.
This time around we’re predicting a few more awards including what should be a very interesting MVP race. Will Lebron lead his merry band of misfits to the playoffs? Will being on a contending in the East finally propel Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kahwi Leonard? Who will be the primer defender (could Kahwi win both)? Who will those awards go to for the Pistons this year? Read on...
1. Who do you predict will be the NBA Defensive Player of the Year? Who will be that for the Pistons?
Jamie Delaney: I have this weird hunch that Andre Drummond’s going to take a defensive leap this year and finish in the top three of voting but think it’s all Joel Embiid this year. For the Piston’s it’s definitely Drummond, I have a feeling it will be a big year for him defensively.
Steve Hinson: Rudy Gobert - The best defensive player for the best defensive team.
Reggie Bullock - He’s the best defensive starter and that’ll be apparent next year.
Ryan Pravato: Clint Capela.
Andre Drummond for Detroit. I wouldn’t put any amount of money on it -- but maybe there’s a big jump here for Andre. A new coaching staff and strategy might help move things along in the right direction, optimistically yet realistically speaking.
Jordan Bellant: Rudy Gobert, leading what it probably the league’s best defensive team. Andre Drummond needs to continue developing as a low post presence on defense. I think Casey can help and I expect him to anchor a league average defense.
Lazarus Jackson: I predict it’ll be Draymond Green, because he, IIRC, needs another defensive player of the year award to qualify for the full max contract and subsequent raises, and Green has all but said he wants the Brinks truck for his next deal. For the Pistons, if the DPoY ISN’T Andre Drummond, either something has gone very right and Stanley Johnson is playing at a slightly-below-all-star level, or something has gone very, very wrong.
David Fernandez: Draymond Green - to me, he’s the best defensive player in the game, period. For Detroit, I’ll go with Dre, he made major improvements on the defensive side of the ball last year, and will continue to improve in that area. Dre is going to make a serious case for All-NBA next year.
2. Who do you predict will be the NBA MVP? Who will be that for the Pistons?
Jamie Delaney: Not to sound too safe with this answer but got to be LeBron James. Now that Harden and Westbrook have finished their runs, we need to start appreciating Bron before it’s too late. For the Pistons it will be Reggie Jackson. Reggie needs to approach this season as basically a contract year and will ball out accordingly.
Steve Hinson: . Russell Westbrook - Dumping Carmelo Anthony will be a boost for both his numbers and the team’s record.
Blake Griffin - He’ll be the team’s centerpiece and put up the loftiest numbers. Just...stay healthy.
Ryan Pravato: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Again, Drummond will be this guy. Is it obvious I’m hoping to drum up all the positive vibes I can for the team this season?
Jordan Bellant: Anthony Davis could have a really special year. Same goes for Blake Griffin. If he gives us 70 games, 25-5-5 while shooting 50/35/75, that probably means good things for the Pistons this season.
Lazarus Jackson: The NBA MVP will not be one of the Warriors (voter fatigue), Russell Westbrook (averaged a triple-double in back-to-back years and no one batted an eye at the second one), or James Harden (voter fatigue). I think it’ll be whoever has the best storyline out of LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis.
For the Pistons, their MVP hopefully will be Blake Griffin, and that will be because he played 70 games for the first time since 2013.
David Fernandez: Anthony Davis. The man’s a monster, he averaged 28 points, 11 boards and 2.3 assists last season, and will continue to boast gaudy counting stats this year. That and the Pelicans are going to pick up where they left off last season, ballin’.
I’m going to have to go with Andre Drummond yet again. He’s the Pistons best player, and before Blake Griffin came to town, it wasn’t close. You know the pitch, best rebounder in the game, improved offensive skills (passing, maybe even a mid range jumper), all of that coupled with his ability to stay on the floor since those pesky free-throw concerns are a thing of the past.
3. Who do you predict will be the NBA Coach of the Year? How about the NBA Executive of the Year?
Jamie Delaney: If LeBron doesn’t win MVP I could see Luke Walton catching that glo up, otherwise, Quin Snyder deserves it before he blows up Gotham. Exec of the Year goes to Masai Ujiri who reminds us all that Kwahi Leonard is still very good at basketball.
Ryan Pravato: Mike Budenholzer (Bucks) or Quin Snyder for Coach of the Year. NBA Executive of the Year? Danny Ainge.
Steve Hinson: Brad Stevens hasn’t won a Coach of the Year award yet, so that’ll get fixed this season. But the Raptors finally get to a Finals behind Kwahi Leonard to get Masai Ujiri some hardware too.
Jordan Bellant: Greg Popovich wins another and probably his last this season. As for Executive, I’ll go Sam Presti.
Lazarus Jackson: NBA Coach of the Year is usually the “Exceeded Expectations” award, so I will go with Terry Stotts, who is a very solid coach whose team some are predicting won’t even make the playoffs in a crowded West. NBA Executive of the Year is usually the “Single Best Offseason” award, so I will go with Rob Pelinka, who happened to be GM when LeBron wanted to come to Los Angeles (ok, fine, Pelinka deserves credit for creating an environment where it’s worth LeBron’s time to do so, but c’mon).
David Fernandez: Brad Stevens -The Celtics are the best team in the Eastern Conference, and will easily have the best record too. Let the West cannabalize each other, sit back and pick apart the East; the Celtics will do this with ease.
If the Lakers make it to the playoffs, and I’m betting they will, it will be due to LBJ. Who signed LBJ? Rob Pelinka. That’s your Exec of the year.
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So there’s what we think about all that, what are your predictions? Any surprises? Please copy/paste and join in below!
1. Who do you predict will be the NBA Defensive Player of the Year? Who will be that for the Pistons?
2. Who do you predict will be the NBA MVP? Who will be that for the Pistons?
2. Who do you predict will be the NBA Coach of the Year? How about the NBA Executive of the Year?