LeBron James has gone too Hollywood. Now, the search for a new ruler in the Eastern Conference is set to begin.
LeBron has basically dominated the East for the better part of his career. He made eight straight trips to the NBA Finals—four with the Miami Heat and four with the Cleveland Cavaliers—and hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy three times.
However, with the King opting to move to the Western Conference and play for the Los Angeles Lakers, the door opened for the next generation of stars to take over the Southeast, Atlantic and Central divisions.
Today, we take a look at five potential contenders who can alter the NBA betting odds and replace LeBron as the King of the East.
Joel Embiid
2017-18 Season stats: 22.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.8 blocks per game
A double-double machine with ridiculous defensive instincts and great footwork, Embiid undeniably has the talent and tools to be the East’s best player.
He is yet to scratch the surface of his potential as he prepares to enter his third season in the league. Despite that, however, he was already named to the All-Star team and was even one of the finalists for the Defensive Player of the Year award last campaign.
Health and conditioning, though, remain an issue for Embiid after missing 19 games in the 2017-18 season.
Ben Simmons
2017-18 Season stats: 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.7 blocks per game
Oft-compared to LeBron (and Magic Johnson), Simmons is unarguably on his way to greatness. His vision is said to be right on par with the younger Magic, while his overall play and ability to do everything drew him comparisons to the King.
Simmons also earned the nickname the “New Fresh Prince,” a nod to being the heir apparent to LeBron.
He won the Rookie of the Year honour after being red-shirted for a year; and while the young Australian is often overshadowed by Embiid in Philadelphia, he is undoubtedly capable of being the main act.
In a recent NBA news, Sixers legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving even described Simmons as a “once-in-a-decade player” who can become a “once-in-a-generation” type of athlete.
All that is left missing in his repertoire is that long-range shooting that continues to be his biggest flaw.
Kyrie Irving
2017-18 Season stats:24.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.1 steals per game
Irving once played Robin to LeBron’s Batman, and now that the King’s gone, most fans believe the 26-year-old is the rightful one to take over the throne in the Eastern Conference.
A lethal scorer and crafty point guard with sick handles, Irving has all what it takes to rule over the East. Also, considering that he’s currently playing for the Boston Celtics, his path to utter dominance might just be easier.
Irving’s injuries over the years are quite frustrating to see, and it remains to be seen if he can lead a team to the NBA Finals in a relatively weak bracket—something which he has failed to do over and over again during his time with the pre-Lebron Cleveland Cavaliers.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
2017-18 Season stats: 26.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.4 blocks per game
He’s called the Greek Freak for a reason.
Antetokounmpo can play multiple positions, and given his 6-foot-11 height and 7-foot-2 wingspan, he’s easily one of the tallest and longest point guards in the league—though he usually plays as a small forward.
It’s also worth noting that Giannis has shown the desire to improve year after year. He averaged just 6.8 points in his rookie season, but he has grown tremendously over the past five years, earning him two All-Star berths and the Most Improved Player of the Year in 2017.
A two-time All-NBA second team member, Giannis needs to become a game-changer for the Bucks and lead them to a deep playoff run if he wants to become the best. Fortunately, the 23-year-old is hungrier than ever to improve and do just that.
DeMar DeRozan
2017-18 Season stats:23.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.1 steals
DeRozan was the best player of the Toronto Raptors team that won the top seed in the East last season. So by default, that makes him the best player in the conference, right?
Well, their choke job against LeBron and the Cavs in the recent playoffs doesn’t help that case, and he is perhaps the long shot pick to contend for the “King of the East” title.
Only his performance in the upcoming NBA season can change the narrative. But with Dwane Casey gone, the future is still uncertain for the University of Southern California standout.
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