You hear that? It’s the song “Money Trees,” by Kendrick Lamar, playing as the Clippers’ starting lineup is announced. The NBA season is upon us. 14 of the 15 teams in the Western Conference have playoff expectations. The Eastern Conference is a lot worse.

We have had a subdued offseason, but it is now time to make bold predictions for the upcoming season.

Anthony Edwards Wins MVP

“Start swingin’ so people know you’re not afraid,” is my motto, which I just came up with. Anthony Edwards’ motto this summer was hopefully, “learn how to make a mid-range jumpshot.” By doing this, Edwards will unlock all three levels of his offensive game. For this bold prediction to come true, Edwards would have to average at least 30 points, get at least 2 steals a game, and the Timberwolves would have to be a top 2 seed in the West.

Edwards is entering his fifth NBA season, having just turned 24, and has made back-to-back conference finals appearances.  He is on the superstar timeline, and an MVP in his fifth season would fit. If Edwards is going to be an all-time great, he’ll have to win an out-of-nowhere MVP over presumed favorites.

Winning MVP would make Edwards the first American-born MVP winner since James Harden in the 2017-2018 season.

Heat Culture is Back

What happens when your best player hates everyone in the organization and makes your team’s life a living hell? Look no further than the 2024-2025 Miami Heat. Not even “Heat Culture” could withstand the wraith of Jimmy Butler forcing his way out.

This season is going to be the fresh start the Heat need. The Heat have a solid collection of guards in Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, Nikola Jovic, and rookie Kasparas Jackucionis. They added wing scoring in Norm Powell (contract year). They’ll have enough scoring and depth to make waves in a putrid East.

The Heat may not look like a top 3 seed in the East, but they’ll finish there. Erik Spoelstra is a top-3 coach in the NBA, and Bam Adebayo is a superb defensive anchor. The East is a mystery, but Heat culture is real. 

The Warriors AND the Clippers Miss the Playoffs

The Warriors and Clippers will both put out starting fives with an average age of 200 years old. The Clippers are coming off an embarrassing performance in the playoffs with a team that got older. Oh, and Kawhi forgot to plant trees.

The salary cap circumvention scandal surrounding the Clippers is likely to harm the team. The Western Conference has also improved, as it seems to do every year. The bet the Clippers and the Warriors are making is that despite the age and health concerns of their teams, they’ll be able to outwit younger teams.

(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

When the Warriors got hot at the end of the year, it was because the finish line was in sight. Now, with 82 games in front of the Warriors, the margin for error is lower, but the risk for injury is higher. Jimmy Butler didn’t look like himself towards the end of last year, and his shooting decline hurt the Dubs. Butler connected on less than a third of his three attempts with the Warriors.

The Dallas Mavericks are a Top Four Seed

Yes, that’s right, Nico Harrison had a plan. Make a horrible, franchise-altering trade, then have everyone mock you. Make the Play-in, lose, and luck out in the lottery. Draft Cooper Flagg first overall.

The Mavs have one of the best frontcourts in the NBA. The variety of lineups they can use with Flagg, Davis, PJ Washington, Derek Lively, and Daniel Gafford is endless. Well, they do end, but I don’t want to do the math.

The Mavs were already an elite defense during their title run. Subtract a sub-par defender in Luka, and add in Davis and Flagg, who can both guard multiple positions, and they’ll be unstoppable.

Kyrie Irving will return mid-season and add some much-needed scoring. I expect the Mavs to make a late-season push for a top-four seed. This is the least bold of my bold predictions. The West is deep, but also tight. Only four games separated the 2 seed from the 7 seed last season.

The New York Knicks Win the NBA Title

This one isn’t as bold as it may appear. The NBA hasn’t had a repeat champion in seven years. The incumbent, the Oklahoma City Thunder, appears to be the likeliest candidate to break that streak. However, that’s what was said last year about the Boston Celtics. The Thunder are young, talented, and improving. However, they avoided any major injuries to their key players. They also benefited from injuries to opposing teams’ players on their finals run.

The New York Knicks hired Mike Brown, who recently led the Kings to the playoffs, which is equivalent to ending homelessness in America in a single 82-game season. Brown will rotate the key players in and out more, which will help the team stay fresher during the playoffs. The Knicks added depth in the offseason to help the team.

Jordan Clarkson was added to help improve the Knicks’ bench, which finished 25th in bench points. Both Malcom Brogdon and Guerschon Yabusele will bring stability and experience to the Knicks’ bench.

The New York Knicks are a more complete team than last year, and in an easier conference. A Knicks finals win will break the internet and New York City.

Featured Image: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
If you enjoyed “Bold Predictions for the NBA Season,” check out Belly Up Sports. Follow me on Twitter/X @nikgable37