bodhi white, 13

This year’s NBA offseason has been crazy with big names like Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson and others being free agents. This is a big shakeup changing the landscape of the NBA and I think I know the two teams who are going to rise above and rule the NBA for years to come: Lakers and Nets.

The Los Angeles Lakers traded a boatload for Anthony Davis. They traded Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks. This gives the Lakers another superstar to play with Lebron James, and on top of that they have a good young player in Kyle Kuzma. This year’s offseason also gives them a chance to land another huge superstar in Kawhi Leonard who will likely sign with either the Lakers, Clippers or Raptors. If the Lakers do end up signing him this offseason, this would give the Lakers a formidable Big 3 with Lebron James, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard that could easily win a championship. In the event they do lose out on Kawhi Leonard, they still have two superstars, one of them being the best player in the league and can still go for other big free agents.

Now let’s move onto the Brooklyn Nets, a team that popped out of nowhere as they went from wondering if they were going to make the playoffs to becoming a super team in one year. In the playoffs this year they were competitive with a good 76ers team, showing they were a decent young team. Then in the offseason, they signed Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Deandre Jordan making this team look scary. They also have a good bench with complementary pieces like Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarret Allen and Caris Levert who can deal some damage. In addition, the team will have good chemistry considering the team’s Big 3 all are friends and enjoy playing together, which likely motivated them to leave their teams this offseason. The only downside is that they will not be a championship team right away as the best player, Kevin Durant, will be out next season because of a torn Achilles that he suffered in the NBA finals. But once the 20-21 season comes around, watch out cause this team is going to be a machine.

You might be saying, “But what about the Warriors, Rockets, Raptors, 76ers or the Celtics? All teams that are also formidable super teams.” Well, there are multiple reasons why I think the Lakers and Nets will merge victorious against these teams. So, I am going to break down the competitors one by one.

First, let’s talk about the Warriors, the team that has ruled the NBA the past three years. Their best player, Kevin Durant, left this offseason to the Nets and as we saw in the finals, they are simply not the same without him, and with teams that are better than the one they lost to in the finals popping up, I do not think they can compete.

The Rockets have a superstar in James Harden and an aging star in Chris Paul, which I do not think is enough firepower to beat the Lakers. The Raptors might lose their star in Kawhi Leonard, but even if they do resign him, they did not get better in the offseason while the other teams in the East have gotten a lot better.

Now onto the 76ers and the Celtics. I do believe that they are real competition for the Nets in the East and will probably beat them without Kevin Durant, but once Kevin Durant is back and ready to go, I think the nets can power past these young teams. With other teams falling behind and the Nets and Lakers getting better, this is why I think the Nets and Lakers will rule the league in the near future.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bodhi White is 14 and will be a freshman at Marquette Senior High School. He loves all things sports.