We are nearly a full week into the NBA preseason, and although not a ton could be taken away from contests in which teams’ stars and key players are getting a ton of playing time, there are some key observations that could be made.
This will be a very interesting season, as there is no clear-cut favorite to win the world championship, and there are as many as five to 10 teams that could legitimately end up walking away with the Larry O’Brien Trophy next summer.
This is the type of parity that creates lots of fan interest, and when combined with the level of superstar talent and the high quality of play the league has seen in the last few years, it all makes for quite a bit of anticipation.
In particular, there are three observations that cannot be denied at this point.
Donovan Mitchell Looks Like He Will Be A Hit In Cleveland
The Cleveland Cavaliers made arguably the biggest and most stunning move this summer when they traded three players and five future first-round draft picks for Donovan Mitchell, a three-time All-Star.
He is one of the game’s most explosive scorers, and at age 26, he still seems to have room for improvement.
Between him and Darius Garland, the Cavs have one of the NBA’s best backcourts, and they both join Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen to give the team perhaps the game’s most promising young core.
“It was fun. Having another guy on the floor like him is super cool, just relaxing. Just let the game flow. It was fun, it was easy. Everybody got involved.”
– Darius Garland on Donovan Mitchell pic.twitter.com/oWRPfg53iK
— Cavaliers Nation (@WeAreCavsNation) October 6, 2022
In Mitchell’s first preseason game with Cleveland on Oct. 5, he looked like he was up to the task of making Cleveland into a winner with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting overall and 3-of-4 from 3-point range, plus five assists in 19 minutes.
Donovan Mitchell in his @cavs debut. 👀
16 PTS, 5 AST, 75% 3PT pic.twitter.com/TlzoHiVMBE
— NBA (@NBA) October 6, 2022
There are still questions about whether a Mitchell-Garland backcourt can play strong defense, as they allowed the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey to go 9-of-11 for 21 points in just 19 minutes, but at least offensively, the Cavs should be very exciting and potent this season.
The Ben Simmons Experiment Can Work
It’s a limited sample space, given they have only played two preseason games so far, but the Brooklyn Nets have given a glimpse into how Ben Simmons could be the missing piece to their championship puzzle.
Offensively, he has the ability to get the Nets into a consistent fast-breaking style, a style of play that has come and gone during the Kyrie Irving–Kevin Durant era.
BEN SIMMONS IS BACK 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Q7255CDUCc
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 3, 2022
His ability to hit the open man is unmistakable, and it can make the Nets’ halfcourt offense that much better.
Ben Simmons about to turn Brooklyn into show time pic.twitter.com/ltb4CGd8rh
— Ben Stinar (@BenStinar) October 4, 2022
But it is his defense that is most valuable to Brooklyn, as it has struggled on that end of the floor over the past couple of years.
Ben Simmons is legitimately one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. pic.twitter.com/4Jq6MXHr3I
— Jac Manuell (@JacManuell) October 4, 2022
Look at Ben Simmons ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/Y7DxMA6h2K
— Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) October 6, 2022
Of course, there are still questions about Simmons’ perimeter shooting, and he did have six turnovers in Wednesday’s loss to the Miami Heat, but if his head is on straight, he could supercharge the Nets.
Zion Williamson Looks Healthy And Explosive
In his first game back after missing all of last season with a Jones fracture in his foot, Williamson looked a lot like his old self.
He scored 13 points in 15 minutes while shooting 4-of-6 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line, to go along with four rebounds.
The Duke University product looked nimble and quick, raising hopes among New Orleans Pelicans fans that their team can be very successful this season.
Zion Williamson showing off his explosiveness in his first NBA game in 517 days!
13 PTS (4/6 FG, 5/5 FT), 4 REB in 15 MINSpic.twitter.com/9tTnBtEhCV
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 5, 2022
Of course, every time he lands on the floor during a game, everyone will hold their breath, but it looks like perhaps he hasn’t lost any of his athleticism after last year’s injury.
NEXT: The Hawks’ New Recruit Looks Like A Great Fit