Training camps in the NBA are just over two months away from opening up, but it isn’t too early to prognosticate which teams will be the front-running contenders to win it all next June.
There have been plenty of trades and overall changes across the league lately, which could make for a very interesting run for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Former center and current ESPN personality Kendrick Perkins feels the Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns have the best chance of taking home the world championship this coming season.
.@KendrickPerkins names his top 3 title contenders for the NBA season 👀 🏆 pic.twitter.com/NCscACZyf9
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 24, 2023
The Nuggets are the defending champs, and the conventional wisdom is that one has to go with the defending champs, assuming they have remained intact, until it is clear they aren’t the best team anymore.
The concern is that their bench has become depleted — Bruce Brown, a key two-way wing last season, left in free agency — but they still have two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the best starting five in basketball.
The Milwaukee Bucks exited in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, but their team has also remained intact, and they should have plenty of motivation after their playoff debacle.
Milwaukee was able to retain starting center Brook Lopez in free agency, and they’re hoping to have a full season of good health after Khris Middleton played in just 33 regular season games.
The Suns will be very interesting to watch after radically remaking their roster to bring in Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal over the last six months.
They’re very top-heavy and lack a viable point guard, but they certainly will not lack star power.
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