We have reached the opening of the NBA season for 2023–2024, ladies and gentlemen. After Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, and Chris Paul were traded throughout the offseason, the upcoming NBA season will bring even more upheaval and fierce rivalry among all 30 teams.

NBA fans nationwide always have questions going into a new season, regardless of how well or poorly their club performed in the offseason. Who is the NBA Finals winner? Is this squad capable of outperforming that team? Who will be traded next on the team?

With the 2023–24 NBA season set to go off, let’s get straight to answering all of your burning questions as the NBA mailbag is starting to fill up.

Who will prevail in the NBA Finals in 2024?—Johnny C.

Johnny, though, is eager to get started! Just like at the beginning of every professional sports season, the question of who will win it all eventually is always on everyone’s mind. We play 82 games, after all, for this reason, right?

These are the ten teams that, as I sit here and type this, I can envision winning the 2024 NBA Finals, given their current standings: The following teams: Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles

While there is still a chance for other teams to win it all, the ten clubs mentioned above have a lineup that can go far in the postseason. But the teams that stand out the most from this group are the Warriors, Bucks, and Celtics. Yes, I am aware that the Suns have maybe the finest offensive trio in the NBA and that the Nuggets recently won a title, but I believe the Warriors will have an advantage over them in the Western Conference.

The Dubs have added Chris Paul to their roster, Jonathan Kuminga is expected to have a tremendous season in his third NBA campaign, and they have more depth on the bench than they did in the previous year. Although their health will be a major factor in their success, the Warriors appear to have a newfound sense of optimism, much like they did during the 2021–2022 season.

Ultimately, the Bucks are the team to beat in the race for the championship. Together, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard will continue to develop new aspects of their game, and they still possess the league’s greatest defensive frontcourt. In the East, Milwaukee can only be stopped by the Boston Celtics.

The Bucks were voted 40 percent to win the NBA Finals in my preseason media poll. On this one, I will be voting with my colleagues. Give me the Bucks to win it all, followed closely by the Warriors and Celtics.

Which groups advance to the Western and Eastern Conference finals?Tyler T.

Starting with the NBA Finals forecast, let’s develop. My instinct tells me to go with the Bucks and Warriors, but my head tells me to go with the Celtics and Nuggets to win the East and West, respectively.

The Bucks and Warriors are the two teams that stand out in the championship equation, assuming that every club is healthy, which won’t be the case in the latter portion of the season. Because Golden State has Stephen Curry and Milwaukee has Giannis Antetokounmpo, both teams are familiar with what it takes to advance to the NBA Finals. These two players, who lead their side to a playoff triumph each year, are the most amazing players in the game right now.

During the regular season, the Bucks will need to rely on their depth, which includes guys like Cam Payne, MarJon Beauchamp, and Malik Beasley, if they want to win the East. Giannis, Dame, and the starting lineup will all be healthy for the postseason if this is done.

Conversely, the Warriors only need to be the Warriors in order to win the West. Golden State will be able to resume being the lethal catch-and-shoot three-point shooting team that they were in 2015 with Chris Paul joining the team, and this team doesn’t have any controversy heading into the season.

For years, everyone has wanted to see the Bucks and Warriors square off in the NBA Finals.

Which team will ultimately have a breakthrough season and perhaps even reach the postseason? Patrick S.

This is one that undoubtedly has several possible responses. The Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans will only get stronger, while the Atlanta Hawks are a sneaky club that I think will return to the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Indiana Pacers, nevertheless, have to be my choice for this season’s undisputed breakout team.

One of the league’s top coaches, Rick Carlisle, currently has a young team that has fully embraced his teachings. All positive things have been said about the Pacers’ summer initiatives. Since they are still a young squad, it could not hurt to acquire another impactful, experienced player before the trade deadline, someone who can either start for them or provide them with 20–25 minutes off the bench.

After playing for Team USA, Tyrese Haliburton is a true star who will start this season as an All-NBA player. Bruce Brown will have an immediate impact on both ends of the court; Bennedict Mathurin is a player on the rise; and Obi Toppin’s influence at power forward should be closely monitored. Warning: We’ll be talking about him next!

Which off-season action will be remembered as having the biggest influence? Daisy C.

The most significant deal would undoubtedly be Damian Lillard joining the Bucks and perhaps winning a championship, but I’m going to veer away from superstars and blockbuster deals for the sake of objectivity.

I see this as a two-part question, the first of which has to do with unmade motions. The Chicago Bulls have made it apparent that they are giving their starting lineup of Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine one more shot by choosing not to make any trades. With Lonzo Ball on the court and these three players healthy, the Bulls appeared to be serious contenders in the Eastern Conference.

Currently, Ball will not be playing this season, and there are a lot of unanswered questions about the group’s desire to stay together. It seems like a matter of time before the Bulls knock things down and start over because they aren’t even in my top five Eastern Conference teams at the moment. Chicago has less influence on the outcome of the trade deadline by choosing not to make any big moves over the summer.

The trade of Obi Toppin to the Pacers for a box of Cracker Jack and a $5 off coupon good for $20 or more at McDonald’s this offseason was an incredible move in terms of transaction impact. In reality, Indiana sent the Knicks two second-round picks in exchange, but the Pacers received a huge steal in this transaction. Toppin was amazing from the start in New York when Julius Randle was hurt, and he has been aching to play more minutes.

Toppin has an opportunity to truly grow into a star with the Pacers. He is expected to be featured in pick-and-roll settings with Haliburton and is now able to truly unleash his athleticism on a team that can push the pace in transition. To be quite honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if we discussed him in relation to the season-ending Most Improved Player award.

Do you think James Harden will be the first All-Star to be traded ahead of February’s trade deadline? Blake J.

Brandon, allow me to ask you this: Would you be interested in a player who has asked for a trade and given up on his team for three seasons in a row if you were an NBA general manager?

Because James Harden led the league in assists per game last season and is still an All-Star-caliber player, some fans may want him on their club, but it is difficult to ignore the reality that he will leave his team if he doesn’t get his way. Harden accomplished this while playing for the Brooklyn Nets, the Houston Rockets, and the Philadelphia 76ers.

The only team showing real interest in Harden is the Los Angeles Clippers, but they aren’t parting with Terence Mann and two of their own first-round picks to acquire the player. According to what head coach Ty Lue just stated, they actually have no intention of trading Mann and plan to keep him in the starting lineup.

Since no other teams are interested in Harden and the Sixers have made it clear that they won’t trade him unless they receive championship worth in return, there simply isn’t a decent answer to this question at this time.

Whether Harden will sit out the 2023–24 season because he no longer loves Daryl Morey or show up and play out his deal with the Sixers may be the real issue we should be asking about him.

At this point, is Klay Thompson’s departure from the Warriors more of a headline than a plot? Tiffany H.

EARLY END! It is important to emphasize that Klay Thompson does not want to, is not considering, and does not intend to leave the Golden State Warriors. That being said, because he is in the last year of his contract, he could still become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

One of those athletes you just can’t picture wearing a different uniform is Thompson. Warriors players Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson are here to stay, and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. recognizes the importance of this core to the team and the community of San Francisco. They will all be inducted into the Hall of Fame together, have their jerseys retired, and have statues of them erected outside of Chase Center.

Since Klay is not leaving, I would honestly anticipate an announcement of an extension before he ever becomes a free agent.

Which 2023–24 season prediction excites you the most?—Hayden H.

I have a lot of ideas for this.

The Eastern Conference Finals will feature the New York Knicks. The Philadelphia 76ers have received a trade request from Joel Embiid. After reaching the NBA Finals the previous year, the Miami Heat did not make it to the postseason. When you ask me this, these are a few audacious predictions that cross my mind.

But when I consider the Western Conference, I find it difficult to see the Dallas Mavericks qualifying for the postseason without going through the play-in round. To tell you the truth, they are not one of my eight clubs vying for a Western Division title. Who among the clubs in the league that did qualify for the playoffs the previous season is turning against the Mavs?

There are currently some very good teams in the West. It’s expected that even the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs will improve from the previous season. In actuality, none of these teams underperformed in the summer.

I’ll simply state it here because there are still unanswered concerns about the Mavericks’ ability to produce outside of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic: “The Dallas Mavericks WILL NOT make the playoffs during the 2023–24 NBA season.”