Ten Things I Think
1. I think the Celtics matchup really, really well with the Warriors. Clearly Golden State is the favorite to win the NBA Championship this season, but I genuinely believe that Boston will give Steph Curry and company a run for their money. At his disposal, Brad Stevens has multiple interchangeable playmakers and an endless supply of versatile defensive wings. That last element is crucial in a matchup with Golden State. The ability to switch seamlessly between Curry and Durant and Thompson is pivotal. With Hayward, Tatum, and Brown in the fold, the Celtics possess the bodies to continually throw a variety of looks at the Warriors without losing too much firepower on the offensive end. I am not saying the Celtics will dethrone the Warriors this season, but they have the ingredients to make it very close.
2. I think Saquon Barkley has the chance to be the best running back of all time. He is faster than LaDainian Tomlinson, more elusive than Barry Sanders, and more of a receiving threat than Adrian Peterson. Many seem to think the Giants made a mistake in passing on a quarterback, but given Saquon’s explosiveness and knack for the big play it will not be long before that narrative is muzzled for good.
3. I think having Isaiah Thomas come off the bench will be huge for the Nuggets this season. Perhaps one of the more underrated transactions of the offseason was Tim Connelly and the Nuggets brass getting IT on the cheap – his contract is for the league minimum. I get it, Thomas is 5’9”, but he is just one year removed from being a legitimate MVP candidate in Boston. If IT can rekindle some of his 2016-2017 self, the Nuggets could find themselves hosting a first-round playoff series.
4. I think Adam Thielen is criminally underrated. The Vikings wide out is leading the NFL in receptions and receiving yards, with 58 and 712 respectively. Thielen isn’t the fastest nor the flashiest, but his precision running routes and his pillow soft hands allow him to thrive even with defense backs blanketing him.
5. I think Anthony Davis will be a Los Angeles Laker by opening night 2019. Either before the trading deadline this season or next offseason, the NBA’s best young star will be looking to buy some real estate on Sunset Boulevard. It just makes too much sense. The Lakers are desperately on the prowl for another star, AD just signed with the Rich Paul (LeBron’s agent), and I find it likely that the Pelicans get off to a slow start this year, thus frustrating Davis and increasing the chances that he wants out. LeBron and AD in the same front court? Not even the Warriors would have an answer for that.
6. I think we will never see another shooter quite like Steph Curry. The dude is an annual member of the 50-40-90 club and that is with nearly sixty percent of his shot attempts coming from long distance. One would think that heaving such a high volume of three pointers would decrease his overall shooting percentage, but he is so proficient that it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. Ray Allen was lights out, Reggie Miller was smooth as silk, but we have never seen a shooter on Steph Curry’s level.
7. I think Justin Herbert is more advanced at this stage of his career than Marcus Mariota was. Both quarterbacks ran the spread at Oregon and dominated the collegiate game on the ground as well as through the air. Mariota was drafted second overall in 2015 and it appears as though Herbert has a real shot to be the first overall selection come next spring’s NFL Draft. If Herbert can continue to progress and develop his game from within the pocket, I could see him being mentioned in the same vein as a Jared Goff or a Carson Wentz.
8. I think the Raiders will cut Derek Carr after this season. Carr isn’t so much a liability, but given that Oakland would have to eat just over $7 million to escape his contract, and Jon Gruden’s unrelenting will to transform the roster in his image, this move seems inevitable. I believe Derek Carr is a starting quarterback in the NFL, but I also believe that he is severely overrated.
9. I think Kyler Murray should win the Heisman. Tua has been great, so has Dwayne Haskins, but nobody in the sport is doing what the Oklahoma quarterback has been able to do. Through a half dozen games, Murray has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards, rushed for 377 yards, and accounted for 26 total touchdowns. With seven games remaining those numbers will only inflate further. It’s very possible, if not likely, that the Sooners will have back to back Heisman trophy winners.
10. I think I wouldn’t touch Manny Machado with a ten foot pole this offseason. The talented shortstop will be commanding north of $30 million per year in free agency. He is uniquely talented, but would I prefer Manny Machado on my team or Didi Gregorius plus an additional $20 million to bolster my roster? You better believe I would prefer the latter. This is not to say that Machado is not a gifted ball player, he is, but for the price (and for some of his theatrics) I just wouldn’t be all that interested.
