October, America’s best sports month. College football has entered conference play and after week 7, the upset season is ripe and upon us. The NFL is in full swing and contenders are emerging from the pack, baseball is in the league championship series, with both Houston and Los Angeles going full speed ahead to what would be an absolutely thrilling world series matchup. It is also the beginning of the NHL and NBA seasons, and this NBA season looks to be one that will be more interesting than the previous couple of lulls in which we just wait for the finals. The NBA followed up a horrendous and boring postseason with the most active and important offseason since Lebron went home to Cleveland in July of 2014.

The Timberwolves began it at the draft by convincing the Bulls to agree to what, on paper, maybe the most lopsided trade in NBA history. The Wolves getting Jimmy Butler, a veteran, great scorer and solid defender, who has made himself a top 15 to 20 player in the game adds veteran leadership to a young team, leadership, and skill that should finally get Minnesota back to the postseason for the first time since 2004. The Wolves had maybe the best offseason of any team, gaining not only Butler but other solid veterans such as Taj Gibson and Jamal Crawford, along with resigning the underrated off the bench scoring threat of Shabazz Muhammad.

The Wolves aren’t at the level of the Warriors, but they are now a legit top 5 western conference team which can win a playoff series. The other teams that look to compete with the Wolves for best offseason are the Thunder, Celtics, and Cavaliers. The Thunder bench to me is too thin to win the west, but if that starting lineup gels, they might be a sleeper to come out of the deepest western conference that we have ever seen. Westbrook average a triple-double last year in part because he was the only one on the court who could do anything, and it showed against top teams and in the playoffs against the Rockets.

The masterful trade that GM Sam Presti made for Paul George gave Russ someone a scoring mate, and the later addition of Carmelo Anthony was the cherry on top of what is a new big three in the heart of Oklahoma. The biggest problem for them will be chemistry, it’s not going to be easy for Billy Donovan to get three ego driven ball hogs to share efficiently, but if he does, and the bench plays average when they are on the court, this team could actually challenge Golden State.

The Celtics had a similar offseason, grab two-star players but lose some of your benches. Heyward was the biggest free agency move, as it gives Boston a second legitimate scorer and defender, and the chemistry and trust between him and his former coach at Butler and now Celtics coach Brad Stevens cannot be ignored. Kyrie should be a slight improvement over Isiah Thomas because Kyrie has the experience of helping to win a championship, as well as his high powered scoring abilities. The defense of Irving is a concern, and that plus a bench that has good wings, but nobody to replace Horford and Morris inside, even in today’s positionless NBA could be an Achilles heel against Lebron and Cleveland.

Speaking of Cleveland, the team who didn’t have the best offseason at first, but who ended up making their team at the level to beat the Warriors again. An offseason that began with the random firing of their GM, the failures to trade for Paul George and Jimmy Butler, as well as the saga of wondering whether Lebron will leave for Lonzo Ball and the Lakers next summer. The final straw was the Kyrie Irving drama, in which Irving asked for a trade and complained about Lebron stealing his spotlight. The Cavaliers trading him to Boston saved a horrible offseason, and that plus moves for Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade, have miraculously turned them into a team that now beat a Kevin Durant led Warriors team.

Getting rid of Irving gets rid of locker room problems and awful chemistry that could lead the team to miss the finals and Lebron to for sure leave. That isn’t going to happen now. The Cavs got back another all-star in Isaiah Thomas, a man who scores just as much as Kyrie, understands his role in Cleveland, and is clutch in the 4th quarter, at times single-handedly winning Boston games. IT can pick up the slack if Lebron is having a meltdown in the fourth. The trade also led to Cleveland getting Jae Crowder, one of the most underrated defenders in the league and someone they need to improve a defense that Golden State torched in last years finals. Love at center makes the team more versatile, and Thompson is still there to come off the bench to be an inside presence. Lebron and Dwyane Wade have the chemistry all ready, and as long as J.R. Smith handles his role well, this team has no controversy in sight until next offseason and now one of the deepest benches in basketball after it was an Achilles heel last season.

The Warriors are still going to win the west. Yes, the Thunder and Wolves improved, the Rockets and Spurs are still really good, but as long as Durant, Green, Curry, and Thompson are on the same team, you're probably not going to beat them. Durant taking a pay cut allowed them to keep Iguodala and the rest of that bench, as well as adding another three-point sharpshooter in Nick Young. You can’t stop them from shooting threes, and their in the paint offense and defense is underrated. They won’t beat their own 73 wins record, but I definitely see 65 wins for this team. The playoffs will be more entertaining than last year, how can they not be, but in the end, it’s going to be Cavaliers vs Warriors part four. It will be a back and fourth series decided by close games.

The Cavs could have pushed it to seven last year, they were only a few seconds from winning game 3 and nearly came back to win game 5, but they weren’t deep enough. This year they are, they are better defensively, and Lebron realizes his legacy is on the line again. Isaiah Thomas should thrive there once he gets back in January, and by June the little man will be hosted by Lebron in one of the king's hands while he hoists his finals MVP trophy in the other. Cavaliers in a seven-game nail bitter, rivalry knotted up at two all.

Western Conference:

1. Golden State Warriors (65-17)- The best starting lineup in NBA history can’t be stopped, period. This team still has its depth from last season, and they might be even better if Steve Kerr is on the sideline the whole 82 games. Curry and Durant are the best one-two duo we may have ever seen in this league
2. San Antonio Spurs (60-22)- Kawhi’s health depends a lot if this team ends up here. His one of the best two-way players in the league and a top 3 MVP candidate. But if his injury problems occur again, you might have to drop this team a couple spots, especially after seeing that LaMarcus Aldridge can’t lead this team being it’s number one guy. If all goes well, they could challenge the Warriors in the conference finals and possibly win it all, as they still have a well-rounded lineup and a deep bench led by the fiery Patty Mills.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (56-26)- This team is a sleeper. They have all the scoring they need in reigning MVP Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony. Steven Adams is an underrated center, and Andre Robertson is a top rated defender on the perimeter. If Billy Donovan gets the team chemistry down, figures out who of his three superstars gets the ball in crunch time, and the Patrick Patterson led bench play well, this team could leapfrog the Spurs and be the best team out west to challenge Golden State
4. Houston Rockets (54-28)- I’m not as big of a fan of the Chris Paul trade as some. Yes Harden and CP3 will be a formidable guard tandem, but the Rockets last year already had good guard depth and chemistry. Now you’ve lost depth by giving away Patrick Beverly and Lou Williams to the Clippers, and you have to deal with getting two guys who want the ball all the time to split it. I would have rather seen this team to try to improve its paint game by attempting to trade for Porzingis, who would be a great weapon in this offense, a third option, one right under the hoop in the drive and kick offense the Rockets run. This team will shoot the three well still, Harden will have another MVP season, but they rely on the outside shot too much to make a run at the west.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves (50-32)- The team now has veteran leadership in Butler and Gibson that has played under Tom Thibodeau before, and it should help the Wolves out instantly. Towns might be the best center in the game already, and Wiggins is the scorer he was meant to be. Bringing Dieng off the bench this year will be huge in terms of inside depth, Crawford and Muhammed should be solid off the bench in the backcourt. Teague is going to fit in well with Thibodeau with a good balance of scoring and timely passing. The three-point game won’t be that much improved, Butler isn't’ that good from beyond the arc, and the defense will still struggle some, but the improvements to that side of the ball that Butler and Gibson bring should guide the Wolves to a playoff spot in the middle of the west
6. Los Angeles Clippers (45-37)- The Clippers are definitely not contenders, but I like what they did in the backcourt to replace Chris Paul. Lou Williams is a good three-point shooter, and Beverly should provide a nice balance of scoring and defense to go along with one of the league’s best frontcourts in Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The addition of the Nuggets top scorer last season, Danilo Gallinari, might become the Clippers top scorer this season. This team is heading for a first round exit, but considering where this team looked a couple of months ago, the franchise will take it in the post CP3 era.
7. Denver Nuggets (44-38)- Paul Millsap means this team is going back to the playoffs. He’s a do it all player. He scores, rebounds, and plays defense at a high level that will go along well with rising star big man Nikola Jokic. I’m not sold on the backcourt, but Jamal Murray and Gary Harris three-point shot, as well as a rising point guard in Emmanuel Mudiay, this team will take its first step in being a rising power in the west.
8. Portland Trail Blazers (42-40)- Lillard and McCollum is a top 5 scoring duo in the backcourt in this league. Both averaged over 20 points per game last season, and both are deadly from beyond the arch. The problem is they still don’t have enough around them to move up to the middle of the west in terms of being a 5 seed. Harkless and Turner aren’t bad, and I like rookie Zach Collins down low, but this team’s not so good core around their two all-star guards leads to them just sneaking into the playoffs again
9. Utah Jazz (40-42)- Heyward is a bigger loss than is being advertised. He was clearly this team’s number one scorer and the face of the franchise before heading east to Boston. Gobert is a double-double machine, plays great defense, but he isn’t a number one guy who can take you into the playoffs. Ricky Rubio is too inconsistent shooting and defensive wise, he isn’t going to fully replace George Hill. Joe Johnson is too old, and Derrick Favors isn’t a great scorer. Utah misses the playoffs.
10. Memphis Grizzlies (39-43)- The Grizzlies could make the playoffs, but looking at this roster I see them as a near miss. Mike Conley is an efficient shooting point guard who will put up points and give up the rock beautifully when he has too. Marc Gasol is still a good center, but I see him on the decline. Besides those two, I don’t see much else on this roster. Chandler Parsons is washed up, he scored less than 10 ppg last year, defensive star Tony Allen and big man Zach Randolph are gone, and the lack of depth on the roster leads to them missing the playoffs in a deep west.
11. New Orleans Pelicans (36-46)- the league's best frontcourt of Davis and Cousins gets its prime ruined by one of the worst backcourts. Rondo is out for a few months, Tony Allen only helps on defense, and Jrue Holiday isn’t someone you can consistently rely on.
12. Dallas Mavericks (34-48)- Nowitzki is too old to lead this team, and there doesn't seem to be a leader to take over this team in big D. Harrison Barnes and Nerlens Noel are on the rise, but they aren’t at the level yet where they can take a team to the playoffs if ever. Dirk’s continued decline goes along with the direction of the team, although rookie Dennis Smith is gonna be really good.
13. Los Angeles Lakers (30-52)- Lonzo Ball is going to be exciting. He has excellent court vision, almost like a Rondo but a much better scorer and potentially a more coachable attitude. Brandon Ingram should be his go-to guy, and Brook Lopez provides a decent presence down low as this team prepares to try and lure Paul George and Lebron James next offseason.
14. Phoenix Suns (26-56)- Devin Booker is a lights out, all-star shooter, and one of the most underrated players in the league. I have confidence that rookie Josh Jackson could be an all-star. He has the scoring, the defensive talent, and an all-around ability to make a difference in the desert. This team, however, will be bad, don’t get me wrong. They will likely trade Bledsoe before the deadline, and the long rebuild continues in Arizona.
15. Sacramento Kings (24-58)- The post boogie Cousins rebuild is upon us and the tanking begins now. Randolph is injury prone and on the decline, and George Hill can’t guide this team slightly out of the cellar. Cauley-Stein could still be an excellent defensive player, Hield is a dead-eye from the three-point line like I thought he would be. But this team doesn’t have a star to keep them out of the cellar like Cousins could, and now without him, that’s exactly where they will fall.

Eastern Conference:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (58-24)- I like this team’s depth, and they are going to be really, really good once they get Isiah Thomas back and going alongside Lebron midseason. Lebron is still Lebron, the best player on the planet physically and statistically in his scoring ability, rebounding, court vision, defense, and overall athleticism. Tyronne Lue should be able to handle this deep bench, and it will guide the Cavs to the conference’s top spot. I will be interested to see if Love returns to more of how he was in Minnesota during the first couple months when he should be the team’s second scoring option.
2. Milwaukee Bucks (52-30)- The Bucks feel ready to take a jump along with the NBA's biggest rising star, the Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis might be the best all-around player since Lebron. He can score 20-30 points a game, grab 10 boards, dish out over 5 assists and on defense, he steals and blocks shots as well as anybody in the league. If Giannis stays in Milwaukee beyond these next couple of years will be determined if coach Jason Kidd continues to thrive in the southeastern corner of Wisconsin and whether the rising core around Giannis continues to evolve. Jabari Parker is a dynamic scorer when healthy, defending rookie of the year Malcolm Brogdon provides great defensive play on the perimeter and consistent shooting, and Greg Monroe is a quality player down low off the bench. Middleton in the lineup, as well as John Henson and rising center Thon Maker, this team could be dangerous and could surprise by making the eastern conference finals.
3. Washington Wizards (49-33)- The core is back, with one of the league's best backcourt triplets in all-around point guard John Wall, sharpshooter Bradley Beal, and an underrated Otto Porter Jr. They will get the team to the playoffs and will determine how far they go in them. Marcin Gortat and Markieff Morris aren’t a great down low tandem, but they have enough to do what the Wizards need out of them. Kelly Oubre and the bench is average, and the shooting isn’t consistent enough for me to put them higher in the east
4. Boston Celtics (47-35)- Kyrie Irving’s scoring and experience along with Hayward’s great all-around play should make this team better than last year, but they lost too much depth I think to pull past Cleveland. Avery Bradley’s defense and three-point scoring is going to be a big loss, and they lack any depth outside of their starters, Morris and Horford, inside. Jayson Tatum could be an exciting player off the bench, and Marcus Smart could be a sixth man of the year candidate. The roster is looking more like Golden State’s in terms of personnel, a bunch of wings who can catch fire outside, but the loss of Gordon Hayward is going to hurt them enough, as they now lack a number two scorer alongside Kyrie. The Celtics got the one seed last year like this, but the top 4 in the east is getting better, and the Celtics without Hayward aren't
5. Toronto Raptors (46-36)- They are in this spot because the duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan is just too good (until the playoffs). Lowry is the high percentage outside shooter and passer to DeRozan’s mid-range and driving ability that draws fouls and sends him to the line, where he is automatic. Jonas Valanciunas is still an underrated presence down low, he’s a double-double machine to go along with shot blocker Serge Ibaka. However losing four of their most important players, Patrick Patterson, Cory Joseph, Terrence Ross and DeMarre Carroll will hurt them depth-wise, and it’s why they’ve dropped a couple spots in the east.
6. Philadelphia 76ers (44-38)- IF this team stays healthy they will make the playoffs in the weak eastern conference. Joel Embiid has shown that he has what it takes to be an all NBA player at center. The hype behind both Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz is real. Simmons is a do it all point guard who’s 6’9 height already has some thinking about Magic Johnson again, and Fultz, who showed himself to be an all around great and consistent scorer with excellent awareness, vision, and perimeter defensive skills at Washington. Reddick provides a three-point shot and veteran experience, and this team is deep with Saric and Okafor coming off the bench, as well as an underrated Robert Covington. If they stay healthy, they will find themselves in this spot
7. Miami Heat (43-39)- They make the playoffs because this is the east. Hassan Whiteside is an excellent center and has improved his offensive skills to go along nicely with his lockdown interior defense. Goran Dragic is still a solid player at point guard, and Dion Waiters is a good scorer. Winslow and Olynyk give them some depth off the bench, but don’t expect Spoelstra's guys to go anywhere.
8. Charlotte Hornets (41-41)- Kemba Walker’s scoring and passing ability has this team as a for sure playoff team. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a good buddy for Walker to have, but their inside game is led by a declining Dwight Howard, and therefore I don’t think they get higher than a six.
9. Detroit Pistons (38-44)- A playoff team a year ago, Detroit didn’t improve or get worse. Avery Bradley should provide the Pistons with a reliable shooter and good defense. Andre Drummond is a tank and one of the league’s best centers, and Reggie Jackson is a good all-around point guard. The Pistons just don’t have enough depth everywhere else to make it back to the postseason.
10. Orlando Magic (33-49)- The fact that this team is only two spots from a playoff spot shows how bad the eastern conference is. Vucevic is a double double a night guy, and Aaron Gordon could be a good role player, but the lack of a for sure budding star and depth should haunt this team
11. Indiana Pacers (30-52)- The rebuild begins with the Paul George trade and Larry Bird resigning from the front office. They have a couple of pieces to build around with a good scorer in Victor Oladipo and physical center Myles Turner, but they need to find a superstar in the draft to get back to the playoffs.
12. New York Knicks (28-54)- You have to question how long Porzingis stays in the city that never sleeps, but firing Jackson and trading Carmelo where the first big steps in another long rebuilding process that should have started a couple of years ago
13. Brooklyn Nets (26-56)- They aren’t super awful, just awful now. Lin and Russell aren’t a bad guard duo, but the rest of this roster is awful. They will only be saved from the cellar by the horrendousness of Atlanta and Chicago.
14. Atlanta Hawks (21-61)- The rapid fall of the Hawks is one of the NBA’s saddest stories. They’ve gone from being top of the east in the regular season three seasons ago to one of the worst NBA teams. Dennis Schroeder is a good all-around point guard, but the rest of this roster has no talent.
15. Chicago Bulls (17-65)- The awful trade they accepted from Minnesota to give up Jimmy Butler and letting Wade and Rondo walk begins another long rebuild. Zach LaVine will score a lot, but he plays awful defense. It will be interesting to see how Nikola Mirotic and rookie Lauri Markkanen develop, but this team is headed towards worst record in the league.

Playoffs:

East: Cavaliers vs Hornets: Cavs in 4 Bucks vs Heat: Bucks in 5

Wizards vs 76ers: Wizards in 5 Celtics vs Raptors: Celtics in 7

West: Warriors vs Trail Blazers: Warriors in 4 Spurs vs Nuggets: Spurs in 5

Thunder vs Clippers: Thunder in 5 Timberwolves vs Rockets: Wolves in 7

Conference Semifinals:

East: Cavaliers vs Celtics: Cavs in 5 Wizards vs Bucks: Bucks in 7

West: Warriors vs Timberwolves: Warriors in 5 Thunder vs Spurs: Thunder in 7

Conference Finals:

East: Cavaliers vs Bucks: Cavaliers in 5

West: Warriors vs Thunder: Warriors in 6

2018 NBA Finals:

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors: Cavaliers in 7

NBA Regular Season Awards:

MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF, Milwaukee Bucks

Rookie of the Year: Ben Simmons, PG, Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Tom Thibodeau, Minnesota Timberwolves

Best Defensive Player: Draymond Green, F, Golden State

Sixth Man: Eric Gordon, SG, Houston Rockets

Most Improved: Myles Turner, C, Indiana Pacers

All-NBA First Team:

G: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

G: James Harden, Houston Rockets

F: Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

F: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

F: Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors