Biggest NBA Questions

The NBA's Top Questions
See the top questions in the NBA as the season tips off. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Is there a sleeper in Big D?
Relegated to the role of the "other" team in Texas, the Dallas Mavericks made smaller splashes this offseason to provide franchise centerpiece Dirk Nowitzki with enough weapons to be, at the very least, dangerous. Nowitzki's new "friends" -- Chandler Parsons and Tyson Chandler -- fit nicely into wing and center roles vacated by Shawn Marion and Dejuan Blair. The Mavs got longer and more athletic, traits that should help them defensively to help account for their two small, offensive-minded guards in Jameer Nelson and Monta Ellis.

The Mavs may not have what it takes to be a title contender in another absurdly deep Western Conference, but they look every bit the part of a team destined to derail a team that does. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Is all that glitters golden?
After guiding the Golden State Warriors from mediocrity to legitimate contender, Mark Jackson was stunningly fired from his head coaching position. It turned out that while the team won a lot of games, not everything was well behind the scenes in Oakland. While hiring a rookie head coach in Steve Kerr to try to remedy that situation may seem risky, Golden State needed new blood and a new voice at the helm.

One of the first moves of the new guard was to help persuade the club not to include shooting guard Klay Thomson in a deal for Kevin Love. That keeps the Splash Brothers together in Oakland along with the same starting five the Warriors took into last season. Golden State likely would have ousted the Los Angeles Clippers and seemed primed for a deep run last season, but an injury to sneaky-good defensive center Andrew Bogut let the Clippers' big men run wild. If the Warriors' offense matures and their key personnel can stay on the floor, they have the firepower to make a run at the title. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Can Indiana keep pace without George?
Paul George's ascent to NBA star was one of the quickest and most surprising we've seen in a long time. The Fresno State product put up nearly 22 points and seven rebounds a game last season as Indiana's primary scoring option. The Pacers' surprising season rested largely on the then-23-year-old's shoulders and shooting hand.

But it all came crashing down, literally, on George's horrifically mangled right led in one of the most gruesome freak injuries in quite some time. Who knows to what level George will eventually return. Whatever that level is, we won't see it this season.

The best-case scenario for Indiana seems to be trying to keep their core together through what portends to be a tough year, and looking a year ahead to a healthier team that will be able to add a high draft pick to its roster. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Can Derrick Rose ever be Derrick Rose again?
Quick: Name the five most exciting players in the NBA. Did Derrick Rose make your list? It's certainly understandable if he didn't, but can you imagine that just three years ago? He's returning from his second knee surgery, and is anything but a sure thing to regain his once-spectacular form, which the Bulls will likely need to be true contenders.

The good news in Chicago is that he won't be expected -- or needed -- to do so right away. The Bulls missed out on Kevin Love, but may have made a better upgrade by adding Pau Gasol in free agency instead, without trading any core pieces. And nobody needed the instant offense that Doug McDermott can provide more than the Bulls, whose attack immediately improves thanks to the versatile rookie.

Chicago will continue to be a stalwart defensive club with Joakim Noah causing opponents headaches in the middle of the floor. With Gasol and McDermott easing Rose's transition back, the Bulls could become a late-season threat nobody will want to face come the playoffs. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)
Is this the bottom of the Lake Show?
Could this be the worst Los Angeles Lakers team we've ever seen? It's crazy to think that any team with Kobe Bryant -- arguably the league's best player over the past 10 years -- could be this bad, but the Lakers have seemingly optimized their potential futility heading into the season.

With Steve Nash out for the season and Pau Gasol in Chicago, LA will feature heavy doses of Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer. New head coach Byron Scott seems to be determined to grind the game to a halt, but doesn't seem to understand anything about shot efficiency, essentially relying on a stable of mid-range jumpers while nearly completely ignoring the existence of the three-point line. Oh, and their defense is terrible, too.

The Lakers won just 27 games last year, easily their lowest total since moving to LA in 1960. This year might be worse. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Are the Wizards ready to contend?
Last year's solid run all the way to the Eastern Conference Semifinals inspired hope in the District for an even brighter 2014-15 campaign. But a preseason injury to Bradley Beal provided an early setback for the Wiz, but also an opportunity. Washington needs to figure out who is going to match up defensively every night with their opponent's primary scorer.

Who will that player be? It seems an awful lot to ask of 37-year-old Paul Pierce. Likewise, it seems a tall task for Otto Porter Jr., after playing just 319 minutes last year, or of Glenn Rice Jr., who clocked just 109 minutes. Both should get early-season opportunities to prove themselves capable of bigger roles this year.

With LeBron James leaving Miami, Washington's goal should be nothing short of a Southeast Division title and a deeper run into the playoffs. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Is Oklahoma City all Thunder, no lightning?
With Kevin Durant shelved until December with a broken foot, Oklahoma City may not be in prime playoff position in the early going. How well will Russell Westbrook handle being the primary option in Durant's absence? A lot of that will come down to a pair of emerging big men for the Thunder.

New Zealander Steven Adams showed some flashes of brilliance in his rookie campaign and will be leaned upon in a larger role this year. Likewise, freakishly athletic University of Michigan product Mitch McGary was an almost unfair steal of a draft pick and could make an immediate impact, especially while Durant is out. Solid options under the hoop will really deepen this team as they hope to compete for a title once again.

This is not the space to discuss the "KD to D.C." rumors that will persist until Durant hits free agency, but we'll say this much: If the Thunder fail to show they can operate competently and win in his absence, Durant may see more promise elsewhere come 2016. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Are the Spurs actually robots?
With all the moves made around the NBA, it's easy to overlook the team that stood pat and did nothing. But considering that the Spurs dispatched the super team built to win not one, not two, not three … (you know where we're going with this) with relative ease, why should they change?

The San Antonio Spurs' roster remains almost entirely intact, and it's safe to expect much of the same from the crew that has captured five of the last 16 NBA titles under Gregg Popovich. At some point, though, the advancing age of San Antonio's big three -- Tim Duncan (38), Manu Ginobili (37) and Tony Parker (32) -- has to take its toll, either via regression or injury. I mean, it really has to. Right? (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Is the fire gone from the Heat?
How do you rebound from losing LeBron James? The short answer is that you don't. But Miami didn't see the entire Big 3 ship sail, as the Heat were able to convince Chris Bosh to return and added an intriguing mix of free agents as they reimagined their roster into something that looks to be competitive.

A healthy Dwyane Wade will be key, but the additions of Luol Deng and Danny Granger give Miami a pair of potentially high-scoring third options on offense. Granger is especially intriguing, just three years removed from his high-scoring Indiana days. A full, healthy season from the swingman could keep the Heat in the discussion among the East's playoff teams and set them up to host at least one series. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Where is the Love?
Kevin Love was almost a Cavalier, until he was almost a Warrior, then a Bull, then actually a Cavalier. The offseason's biggest trade landed the versatile big man in Cleveland with LeBron James and made the Cavs instant Vegas favorites to win the title. The NBA is a league built on stars, but there are valid questions about whether this is a championship team or just a club with a couple superstars and a lot of question marks.

Cleveland's third-best player is Kyrie Irving, who will no longer get as many touches or see himself as the centerpiece of the offense thanks to LeBron's homecoming. Love, who was the focal point of Minnesota's offense, will likewise see his role shift a bit. The Cavs have no shortage of ways to score. Finding the most efficient approach may take a while, though.

The bigger concern with this team is on defense. When a 36-year-old Shawn Marion is in the discussion of who your best defender is, you probably need to find some help. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Can LeBron go home again?
Separate from the discussion of the Cavs is the discussion of LeBron James. James is the NBA's formative star. While one could argue that Kevin Durant may be the better player at this point, there is no doubting that the NBA universe revolves around its "king."

As such, James' Cavaliers will be the talk of the NBA from tipoff through whenever they play their final game, likely deep in the playoffs. With the Pacers and Heat taking a step back, Cleveland appears to be a solid head above other Eastern Conference contenders like Chicago, Toronto and Washington. Factor in the made-for-TV story arc of LeBron's return home coupled with Cleveland's title drought across all sports, and this will be all you'll hear about most of the season.

James got what he wanted when he left for Miami, pulling fellow stars with him to win two championships. Can he really have it all? (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
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