Mateo’s Hoop Diary: 5 Storylines for the 2021-22 NBA Season

Competitive professional hoops are fewer than three week away from what should be a memorable 75th year honoring the NBA and its former legends.  Teams have licked their wounds and reloaded through the draft and free agency for their next campaign as the NBA attempts a return to normalcy in its third season dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Below are five reasons to stay hooked on the NBA:

5. Who is Klay Thompson today?

Thompson hasn’t suited up since Game 6 of the 2019 Finals. He missed all of the following season (2019/2020), recovering from his torn ACL, then on last year’s Draft night, tore his Achilles’ tendon in a private workout.

It’s unfair to Thompson, but the success of the Warriors season rests in his health.  Golden State need to get something close to his production level pre-injury in order to legitimately compete for titles.   Stephen Curry is catching every defensive scheme from the opposing team, and with Draymond Green’s inability to hit an outside jumper or take advantage of driving lanes, the Warriors often play 4-on-5 while Green is on the court.

The refusal of Andrew Wiggins to vaccinate is also a factor because he’s ineligible to play in home games and it doesn’t appear he will change his mind soon.  Wiggins told the press that he will keep “fighting” for what he believes in.  As long as he remains misinformed, the Warriors will be without a guy who doesn’t hunt shots and keeps the ball moving on 19 points per game.  His potential absence creates a larger burden on the rest of the Dubs.

Thompson’s injuries are two of the most ruinous wounds an athlete can endure, and they will undoubtedly hinder him on the defensive side of the court, where he was once among the league’s elite. Offensively, Thompson has a solid chance of regaining his old form due to playing in the Warriors motion offense.

Thompson said at Media Day not to expect a return before 12 months since tearing his Achilles tendon on Nov. 18.

4. Will Kawhi Leonard play? 

Kawhi Leonard suffered a partially torn ACL during Game 4 of the West Semis against the Utah Jazz that sat him the rest of the Clippers playoff run. Leonard, historically, has been very conservative with his health and once played all but nine games in a season (2018) recovering from a torn quad.

Just on pure speculation, I wouldn’t expect Leonard to play next year because it would place the burden on him to be the savior of the franchise come postseason time. There is also no guarantee the Clippers will habitually perform well without the services of their best player, so returning next year could be a futile effort for Leonard if the team has poor positioning in the playoff bracket by the time he is healthy. 

At Media Day, Leonard said he hoped to play this season, but he offered no timetable for his comeback. 

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3. Can the Nets star trio stay on the court together?

Due to various health concerns and PTO, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant only suited up for 13 games together, regular season and playoffs combined. Yet, they are on the books for over $120 million of the Nets cap space.  In that minuscule sample size, the star threesome has won 10 games and lost three while teasing spectators on what could be their final form offensively once they’ve learned each other’s tendencies.

Although, on the less-heralded side of the court, the Brooklyn Nets were 22nd in Defensive Rating according to NBA.com, and that starts with their three linchpins.  The only way this big three can begin to show a commitment to the side of the floor is if they manage to get on the court together consistently. Still, due to their supernova abilities attacking the opposing defense from all angles, the Nets don’t have to be better than average at guarding. 

Getting on the court may be an issue. Irving remains unvaccinated and he is ineligible to play in 41 home games per New York City ordinance. If he remains unvaccianted, the Nets take a serious blow to their title aspirations. 

2. Epidemic of the selfish

Per ESPN, close to 40 players remain unvaccinated placing their teams in a competitive disadvantage if the unvaccinated player comes into contact with someone positive for COVID-19.  This forces the athlete into a week of quarantine when it wouldn’t if they were vaccinated.

The anti-vaxxers in New York City and San Francisco dig their teams a deeper hole because they will not be allowed to compete in 41 home games, per The Athletic.   

There are also the health risks that come with not being vaccinated.  The CDC says it’s harder to catch and pass on the virus when vaccinated, but these thick-headed individuals refuse to listen to wisdom from medical professionals. 

It is not a personal issue.  It’s a public health crisis, and these poor teammates who refuse to do the right thing are also becoming distractions for their clubs.

1. Impact of Olympic competition on players next season

When great basketball players are around their peers, many return home with their skills fine-tuned and an enlightened mind. This comes from time spent learning the tricks and tools of the NBA’s elite and listening to a separate coaching staff than accustomed to.

After the 2014 FIBA World Cup that Team USA won gold in, the Splash Brothers came back and dominated the next regular season and playoffs, with Curry winning league MVP. James Harden finished second behind Curry, and he was also a part of Team USA. 

The United States team who won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, features young players on the verge of superstardom, such as Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Zach Lavine, and Bam Adebayo. The experience these gentlemen gathered playing in the Olympics, which is essentially a different game because of the rule differences and increased physicality, is invaluable. This master class experience should keep them sharp and in shape heading into next season. Expect a significant amount of this team’s players providing more contributions for their clubs when the 2021/2022 season starts.