Wild predictions for next 12 months by Zach Lowe, interesting read.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24988629/zach-lowe-crazy-predictions-2018-19-nba-season1. Giannis Antetokounmpo wins MVP and makes an All-Defense team
2. Milwaukee finishes third in the East, ahead of Philly
3. Kevin Durant signs with the Knicks
4. Kristaps Porzingis plays in 20 or fewer games
5. Four teams win 60 games
6. Kemba Walker re-signs in Charlotte
7. Khris Middleton gets almost $30 million per year
8. Nikola Jokic makes his first All-Star team
9. Denver declines its team option on Paul Millsap and re-signs him for less
10. Al Horford does his version of the same thing
11. Marc Gasol opts out and leaves Memphis
12. Denver hosts a first-round playoff series
13. Anthony Davis wins Defensive Player of the Year
14. New York trades Courtney Lee
15. Sacramento does not receive a first-round pick for renting its space
16. Boston receives two of three possible extra first-round picks
17. Portland and Washington implode
18. The Lakers to hold their cards into the summer
19. Terry Rozier wins Sixth Man of the Year (and stays the season)
20. Boston does not trade Rozier during the season
21. Trading Marcus Morris seems like a fait accompli
22. Malcolm Brogdon turns down the Josh Richardson extension
23. Spencer Dinwiddie turns down an extension
24. Kawhi Leonard (maybe) signs with the (maybe) Clippers
25. Cleveland trades Kevin Love and Kyle Korver
26. George Hill and JR Smith are guaranteed only $4.87 million combined in 2019-20, but will earn $33.7 million this season. Why not peddle those deals in exchange for dead contracts that run longer than those attached to Hill and Smith -- plus a first-round pick?
27. Orlando trades Nikola Vucevic but keeps Aaron Gordon
28. The never-ending decline in offensive rebounding continues
29. The Clippers trade two of Lou Williams, Tobias Harris, Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley
30. Utah re-signs Ricky Rubio
31. Golden State becomes the first team with two 50/40/90 players
32. Phoenix trades for Tyus Jones
33. Willy Hernangomez supplants Frank Kaminsky as Charlotte's backup center
34. The eight East playoff teams are - Boston, Toronto, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Indiana, Miami, Washington, Detroit
35. The eight West playoff teams if Minnesota trades Butler - Golden State, Houston, Oklahoma City, Utah, Denver, Lakers, New Orleans, Portland
36. The eight West playoff teams if Minnesota keeps Butler/everyone doesn't murder each other - Golden State, Houston, Oklahoma City, Utah, Denver, Lakers, New Orleans, Minnesota
37. And the winner is ... Golden State over Boston in 6