Phew. Greetings, as soon as once more, from Elevator Doorways HQ, the place we’ve spent the summer season searching for that means amid swirling chaos.
For those who’ve been questioning what occurred to this column for the previous couple months, I’ve a narrative for you.
After one more night time of fixed doomscrolling, I seemed deep inside my coronary heart and tried to discover a means assist make my nook of the world just a bit greener, a little bit prettier, a little bit higher. I hopped on Craigslist and located what gave the impression to be a too-good-to-be-true alternative to plant timber in and across the better Los Angeles space as a part of an formidable carbon-offset plan that will assist mitigate the impacts of greenhouse gases on our more and more unstable local weather.
I don’t dwell in Los Angeles, and I battle to maintain houseplants alive, however I assumed to myself “What the heck?” Plus, the Craigslist advert promised advantages – each monetary and access-related – that few different operations might hope to equal.
What’s the worst that would occur?
I hitched a experience to East Los Angeles, the place a pleasant face in a REDACTED t-shirt and matching hat met me and gifted me an an identical matching hat/shirt set. He informed me we might be planting timber all through Anaheim, with the purpose of reaching Huntington Seaside previous to Opening Day of the 2025-26 NBA season. With nothing however a brand-new pair of gardening gloves in my pocket and hope in my coronary heart, we set to work. Regardless that the temperatures typically touched triple digits and my tree-planting efforts left quite a bit to be desired, I felt good about what our group at REDACTED was looking for to perform.
Plus, our group lead stored telling us we might get to satisfy a significant NBA famous person!
The group that planted probably the most timber can be a part of a social media marketing campaign with REDACTED that was sure to be a viral sensation. In any case, this NBA famous person is understood all through the world for his profitable persona and unstoppable charisma. Regardless of the Los Angeles REDACTED had been paying him for his affiliation with us was a cut price at twice the value – and undoubtedly authorized below the NBA wage cap, in keeping with our group chief.
Regardless that our group doubled each different group’s tree-planting efforts (we planted 3.5 residing timber in three months!), REDACTED by no means confirmed up. Are you able to imagine it? I wasn’t mad – just a bit upset. I texted my new Los Angeles good friend – a curious fellow named Pablo who was at all times asking me and my associates about our new jobs – about these damaged guarantees and whether or not he might look into it for us. I simply wished to satisfy REDACTED.
I left Los Angeles shortly after our tree-planting group closed store. I’m nonetheless unsure precisely what occurred, however I hope no one acquired in any bother. I simply tried to deliver a little bit magnificence into the world.
OK, sufficient goofing round. Let’s get some reckless predictions on the report on the eve of what guarantees to be an interesting 2025-26 NBA season:
No. 1: The Denver Nuggets will win the NBA championship.
Take this one with a grain of salt – or maybe a complete saltshaker. That is my favourite group, and Nikola Jokic is my favourite participant. Even when I wasn’t actively rooting for this to occur, the rational NBA prognosticator a part of my mind simply so occurs to agree with my irrational fan aspect.
That is one of the best roster the Nuggets have ever assembled round Jokic – sure, together with the 2023 title group. Cam Johnson is a major improve over Michael Porter Jr., each by way of basketball capacity and “not saying the dumbest stuff I’ve ever heard anytime a podcast mic is in entrance of his face” capacity. The Johnson/Porter commerce additionally allowed the Nuggets sufficient wiggle room to deliver again folks hero Bruce Brown, an actual backup middle in Jonas Valanciunas, and a respectable bench scoring weapon in Tim Hardaway Jr. Christian Braun is on the verge of a significant leveling up. The Jokic/Jamal Murray/Aaron Gordon core is rock strong.
The one downside? There isn’t a proof to recommend that the defending champs in Oklahoma Metropolis will probably be any worse than they had been final season. Each key contributor on that squad (with the potential exception of Alex Caruso) remains to be enhancing. They’re terrifying. Groups don’t repeat within the NBA anymore, however a wholesome Thunder squad has one of the best shot of doing so.
I imagine the Thunder will end the season with one of the best common season report and enter the playoffs because the clear favorites. I simply assume the Nuggets – who pushed them to seven final yr with 4.5 wholesome/playable gamers by the tip of the sequence – are going to beat them.
No. 2: Victor Wembanyama will win the MVP award.
Any season Nikola Jokic is wholesome = Nikola Jokic is one of the best at basketball. I don’t assume that modifications this yr. The MVP award, nevertheless, is a narrative-based award. Jokic, who has gained three and completed second twice, won’t win any narrative battles. Pundits will probably level to Denver’s much-needed roster enhancements and Jokic could have little interest in campaigning for this award or caring within the slightest.
Wembanyama, alternatively, could have a transparent head begin in any narrative battle ought to the San Antonio Spurs win at a excessive stage this season. He’s able to producing highlights that didn’t have the opportunity of present earlier than him. His group is younger and enjoyable, however not precisely confirmed. If the Spurs come near the 50-win mark and Wemby performs in 70 video games (the latter should occur if the previous is a chance), he’ll win Defensive Participant of the 12 months in a near-unanimous vote and win his first of what is likely to be a half-dozen MVP awards a yr or two forward of schedule.
No. 3: Cooper Flagg will make an All-NBA group.
It appears foolish to foretell a Rookie of the 12 months win for Flagg. It appears too apparent to state out loud. Let’s get nuts – I feel it’s potential he walks into the league as one of many high 15 gamers.
In fact, All-NBA is among the many league’s most injury-dependent designations of excellence. A number of gamers have earned an All-NBA nod that maybe didn’t deserve one after a half-dozen of the league’s actually elite fell in need of the 65-game threshold. This yr’s All-NBA poll is unfortunately already lacking Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton. Joel Embiid is, effectively, Joel Embiid. We’ll see 2-3 gamers combating it out for these remaining spots on the third group poll that we didn’t anticipate.
Flagg goes to be within the combine.
Not like most No. 1 total picks, Flagg joins a company that already has veteran management, a strong teaching philosophy, and playoff aspirations. Not like virtually all rookies, Flagg already performs protection at a near-elite stage, which is able to endear him to his teaching workers and earn him 30-35 minutes per night time, each night time. And in contrast to any rookie in years, Flagg will probably be requested to hold a heavy burden on each ends of the ground for a group that expects to win video games.
I’ve but to see any indication that Flagg will wilt below these expectations and obligations. Actually, it appears as if Flagg thrives in conditions when a group is asking an excessive amount of him. His jumper appears to be like smoother than it did in faculty. His deal with appears tighter, too. I can’t get a deal with on what his end-of-year stat line may appear like, however 22-7-5 on affordable capturing effectivity with borderline All-NBA Second Group protection appears inside the realm of chance. Appears like All-NBA Third Group to me.
We went a little bit lengthy this week, nevertheless it’s good to be again. Benefit from the video games – even when it’ll take just a few weeks getting used to the place they’re all being broadcast.
