GMS SEE CAVS AS NBA ELITE
NBA general managers predict the Cleveland Cavaliers (53.6% of the vote) will capture their first ever NBA title, based on the results of this year’s NBA.com GM survey.
Cleveland’s four-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James received 39.3% of the MVP votes by the league’s general managers. New Orleans Pelicans centrE/forward Anthony Davis (25%) finished second in the MVP voting, followed by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (10.7%) and Houston Rockets guard James Harden (10.7%), then Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (7.1%) and Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (7.1%).
Davis received an overwhelming 86.2% of the votes from general managers for player they would want to start a franchise with today. Additionally, San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard was tabbed the league’s top defender (27.6%) while San Antonio’s three-time NBA Coach of the Year Gregg Popovich received 93.1% of the votes for the league’s best coach.
Philadelphia 76ers big Jahlil Okafor received 44.8% for NBA Rookie of the Year, while fellow first-year centre, Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns (62.1%), was projected to be the 2015 NBA Draft’s best player five years from now.
Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (62.1%) was named the league’s top non-American player, only the second time – also San Antonio guard Tony Parker in 2013-14 – that someone other than Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki has held that distinction.
Top honours from NBA.com’s 14th GM survey also include the Thunder (25%) as the top vote getter for most improved team, Alvin Gentry (32.1%) topping Billy Donovan (28.6%) as the new or relocated coach who will make the biggest impact this season, Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (20.7%) as the league’s best role player and Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (17.2%) as a breakout player for 2015-16.
Additional noteworthy 2015-16 NBA.com GM Survey results include:
– Stephen Curry, Golden State – Best Point Guard (55.2%)
– LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio – Most Impactful Free Agent Acquisition (79.3%)
– Marc Gasol, Memphis – Best Interior Defender (27.6%)
– Ron Adams, Golden State – Best Assistant Coach (24.1%)
– Justise Winslow, Miami – Biggest Draft Steal (31.0%)
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