Life without Kawhi Leonard has actually gone quite well for the Toronto Raptors so far this season. The defending champs have started with a 15-6 record and settled into a comfortable fourth spot in the Eastern Conference. Toronto was successful prior to Leonard’s arrival last season, but after being heavily reliant on the defending Finals MVP, many wondered where the team would ultimately end up this season. Their winning record has put them in a surprising position, as teams in the past tend to drop in the standings after losing a star player in the off-season. Below are past teams that did not seem to rebound from this situation.

2010-11 Cavaliers

Coming off of back-to-back seasons with over 60 wins, the expectations for the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers were not nearly as high when LeBron James left to form a Big 3 in Miami. The team actually managed to obtain over 60 losses, as opposed to wins. They only achieved 19 victories. Cleveland did not have a winning record again until James returned in 2014.

2016-17 Thunder

After losing to the Golden State Warriors in seven games of the Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder went on to lose Kevin Durant in free agency, resulting in a 47-35 record. The record, of course, was not bad, but they would end up losing in the first round of the playoffs. The team has not made it out of the first round since.

2018-19 Cavaliers

The situation was almost identical to the 2010-11 team. In both cases, LeBron James left in free agency AND both seasons ended with a 19-63 record. James captured a ring for Cleveland in his return, but now they are back to searching for ways to succeed without him. It could be a very long time until we see the Cavs reach the playoffs with a leader who is not LeBron James.

2012-13 Orlando Magic

Times were hard for Orlando after trading Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic went 20-62 and did not win over 20 games until the 2015-16 season. No matter your stance on Dwight Howard, he definitely had a big impact on Orlando. He led the team to six playoff appearances, including a trip to the Finals. The magic have only returned to the playoffs once since his absence.

LeBron James has had his fair share of all-star sidekicks throughout his tenure. The most obvious, of course, was the iconic “Big 3” squad that consisted of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Their uniting resulted in two NBA titles for the Miami Heat, kicking off the beginning of James’ championship résumé. Then there was Kyrie Irving, who despite having issues with being James’ right-hand man, was a key factor in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ historic championship run in 2016.

Now, for the first time in his career, James may not be the biggest threat on his team. The Los Angeles Lakers took part in arguably the best trade of this past summer when they acquired Anthony Davis. Davis is currently leading the team in points per game with 26 and is an early contender for Defensive Player of the Year. Together, he and James have become one of the most dominant duos in the league, leading the Lakers to the top spot in the western conference.

Wade is certainly considered James’ most legendary teammate, considering the chemistry between the two and Wade’s long list of career accolades. And even Irving will always be remembered for his 2016 Finals performance when both he and James put up 41 points in a crucial game 5, and when he hit the series-clinching shot in game 7. However, this is not an argument centered around who James worked best with, because in that case it would be Wade. I am only determining which of James’ teammates was the best player at the time he played with them.

I am aware it is early in the season, but all the signs point to Davis having the best season of all of James’ past and present teammates. It has been well established that Davis is officially in his prime, as he is playing the best basketball we have seen him play in this league. Not only is he an offensive nightmare, but he has also played tremendous defense this season, averaging 2.7 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Davis could very well be the best player to join forces with James.

James is no stranger to having to carry the weight of a team, but he most likely will not be capable of such a demanding task for much longer. As James is considered to be entering the twilight of his career, a young Anthony Davis is just what James needs to help lead the Lakers. No matter the teammate, he has always been looked at as “the man” on just about every NBA roster he has been on. This is the first time that debate could legitimately be in question. Regardless of whose team it is, the two have successfully led the Lakers to a 19-3 record as two of the most dominant players in the NBA.

Carmelo Anthony made his NBA return last month after not playing a game in over a year. Many had lost hope in the former scoring champ, and it was unclear whether he would be able to play at the level we have seen him play at in the past. In his past seven games of play, however, Anthony has unexpectedly averaged 16.4 points a game and was recently named the Western Conference Player of the Week. He has become a crucial part of a struggling Trail Blazers team after not being quite valuable for a team in a good while.

The question is: can Anthony keep it up? Will we get to the point where we can grant him, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum Big 3 status? It certainly is a stretch, considering Anthony’s age (35) and lack of consistency in recent years, but many of us have already been proven wrong so far. Anthony seems to want to make a statement that he can still compete in this league and we have started to see glimpses of it.

Coming off a trip to the conference finals, Portland has started the season with a disappointing below .500 record. In the recent three-game winning streak the Blazers went on, though, Anthony scored near (19) or above 20 points. Points do not dictate everything, but it is clear when he plays well, the team is successful. Anthony’s performance going forward could very well make or break the team’s chances at a playoff spot and even another postseason run.

Anthony needs to be consistent if this is to happen. That is where I am hesitant. Anthony was given a “re-birth” when Portland signed him. Unfortunately, it could have come too late. Anthony is not getting younger, as he is one of the very few active players left from the ’03 draft class. It would be bold to predict that he can still average over 20 points a game, but I would not put it past him. He is hungry. He wants to make the most of the opportunity he has been given. Such a drive could be just what Portland needs if they are going to start winning again.

I hate to believe that this is Anthony’s last shot in the league. We know that few teams wanted him on their roster at the start of this season and that is never a good sign for a veteran. For now, Portland is Anthony’s home. He has sprouted into a key piece in the lineup and he has provided evidence that he still belongs in this league. But consistency is key. Following the best week Anthony has had in a very long time, he sunk to dropping just 9 points and 1 assist against the Los Angeles Clippers. That cannot happen. For both his and Portland’s sake, Anthony needs to be more than an average player. This season might be the last time he has the capability to do so.

(All facts were gathered prior to Portland’s Wednesday, December 4 game vs. the Sacramento Kings).

The NBA has recently discussed a few, but very significant, changes to both its regular season and playoff formats. Potential modifications include a shorter regular season, a mid-season tournament and a reseeding in the conference finals. Such changes could dramatically impact the NBA we are accustomed to.

I never have been one for change in sports. I have always thought that if we want to have the same awards for players and teams every single year, we must be consistent. LeBron James should have to experience the same league conditions that Michael Jordan did in order to consider the “G.O.A.T.” conversation. We already have enough difficulty comparing players with the whole “difference in eras” argument. I do not want to have to debate whether or not a certain team or player was better than another based on how many regular season games they played.

In terms of the fan experience, I do think certain aspects of this potential schedule could be somewhat interesting. Here are my “yes” and “no” responses to which changes I could get on board with:

Shorter regular season: No

As previously stated, having a shortened regular season will only add controversy in the debate of comparing historic teams and legendary players. Some would say the idea is for the players (load management) and not the fans. But what do a lot of these players play for? They want to be the best and they want to win. How are we going to access the greatness of these players if the road they take to winning is easier or less strenuous than those of the past. I guess it depends on if you are a person who values results over the process. “A win is a win.” Maybe I am being too stubborn, but I believe if you want to be in the record books, you should get there the same way everyone else has. Ultimately, this is an adjustment for the players, not the fans.

In-season tournament: Yes

This idea has been growing on me. Originally I wondered what is even worth competing for if not an NBA championship, but as I have heard some of the possible rewards, I have become more and more intrigued. One of the suggested prizes was an additional draft pick, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times. An idea like this leads me to believe the result is not quite as valuable as winning an NBA championship, but the prize is worth playing for.

Every sports fan loves a tournament. The upsets and “win or go home” concept adds a dramatic and thrilling feature to the game. And, of course, there are few better feelings than your time coming on on top. In this proposed scenario, you get to experience all the amusements of a normal tournament, there just is not as much to lose. This would be a great addition for fans who tend to only tune in come playoff time. It could really boost league ratings.

Conference finals reseeding: Yes … ?

I am kind of indifferent on this matter. In such a case, when the four conference finals teams are determined, there would be a new “reseeding” regardless of their conferences. I think it is a genius solution to the on-going complaint within the NBA regarding the level of competition between the east and the west. This would also allow for fans to potentially witness certain stars from the same conference compete in the Finals. We also could limit the possibility of one of the conference finals being more entertaining than the last round. This might be the most creative and effective suggestion out of all the proposals.

My only problem with this idea is that it almost disregards the concept of even having two conferences. Then again, the goal is to have the two best teams in the Finals, and this would be a simple method to ensure it. I do think this could diminish the intensity of the semi-finals, but either way, we will still be left with the final four best teams standing.

We are over a month into the 2019-2020 NBA season and a whole lot has already happened. It is a much different league than fans have been used to in recent years and it might be for the better. With multiple teams from both conferences rising to contender status, it is safe to say that the NBA has gained a level of competition that it has been missing for a while. When new teams begin to climb the standings, we often are able to pinpoint new stars as well. This season, however, the league has seen both former MVPs and rising stars begin to creep into the MVP conversation. Here are my top early season MVP candidates:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo is picking up right where he left off after winning last season’s MVP award. His Bucks team is back on top of the east with an 18-3 record, as he has averaged 30.8 points per game, 13.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists. Many figured after being defeated by the defending champions, the Toronto Raptors, in last season’s Eastern Conference Finals that he would return hungrier than ever. If Antetokounmpo can keep this performance going, with his team remaining as a top contender in the east, there is very little reason the MVP award should not stay in his grasp at the end of the season.

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2. LeBron James

If you have followed the NBA season until this point, there is not much I can tell you about LeBron James than you may already know. After a disappointing outcome for his first season with the L.A. Lakers, James has made an incredible effort in putting “showtime” back on the map and, in doing so, making a statement in his quest to reclaim his throne as the best player in the league. He is playing the best defense we have seen him play since his Miami days, he is racking up triple-double after triple-double and he is leading the league in assists per game with 10.8. James is on a mission and in his 17th season, we could very well witness him add a fifth MVP trophy to his collection.

3. Luka Dončić

Personally, I questioned whether or not Dončić could top his Rookie of the Year performance from last season. Now, as we enter the holiday season, I am listing him as an early MVP candidate. It was known Dončić was a young triple-double machine, but through over a month, he is nearly averaging one. His Mavericks have jumped to one of the top spots in the west with a 13-6 record and he has played no small part in getting them there. Considering it is still just his second season, I do not see him as the favorite to win the MVP, but if he continues to play even close to this level, I 100% believe he will finish the season as a top candidate.

It is always difficult to predict MVPs at the start of the season. As the season progresses, injuries happen, trades begin to change the course of a team’s success and some front-runners sometimes began to fade out of the spotlight. These are my candidates as of right now. What makes this discussion exciting, is that nothing is ever certain. We could be seeing a surprising star in the next few months, and with the balance of competition at this point in the NBA, anything is up for grabs at any time.