The NBA revealed the results of their annual general manager survey on Tuesday. We learned the GM’s think a lot about the Boston Celtics and Victor Wembanyana, and think very little about the Portland Trail Blazers. Let’s dig into some of the results.
But first, an important note: The NBA presents the results in percentages, but since there are only 30 teams, those percentages are easy to break down: One vote = 3.33%. So if a player received 17% of the vote, that means that 16.67% of GM’s voted for him. That would be 5 GM’s.
Which player is most likely to have a breakout season in 2024-25? The GM’s apparently disagreed with The Athletic’s Jason Quick, with Shaedon Sharpe receiving zero votes. The winner was OKC’s Jalen Williams, but eighteen players received votes. None play for Portland.
What was the most underrated player acquisition? Apparently not Deni Avdija. He received zero votes. Eleven players received votes, led by Alex Caruso in OKC. But Avdija does make one appearance…
What was the most surprising move of the offseason? Avdija’s acquisition received fewer than three votes, but did make the radar of at least one GM. The Knicks’ acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns unsurprisingly led the way.
Which rookie will be the best player in five years? While Houston’s Reed Sheppard received the most votes, Donovan Clingan received a little attention, receiving one or two votes. He did not receive any votes for expected Rookie of the Year, also won by Sheppard. Clingan received more good news, though.
Which rookie was the biggest steal at where he was selected in the Draft? Clingan was “tied for seventh”, which is due to some weirdness. Six different players were tied for first with three votes apiece. Clingan and Matas Buzelis received two votes, and were therefore tied for seventh.
Which team has the most promising young core? Portland received zero votes. OKC, Orlando, Houston, San Antonio ranked as the top four, and even Detroit got a vote to finish fifth. No other teams received a vote.
In news of former Blazers, former coaches Terry Stotts and Jay Triano each likely received one vote for best assistant. And Damian Lillard received two votes for “Which player would you want taking a shot with the game on the line?”, tied with Nikola Jokic. And Lillard completely fell out of the voting for “Which player is the best leader?”.
The Blazers’ roster has a chance to start proving the GM’s wrong Friday night, when they open their 2024 preseason against the LA Clippers in Seattle, WA.
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Michael C. Wright, ESPN Staff WriterNov 13, 2024, 10:47 PM ETCloseJoined ESPN in 2010 Previously covered Bears for ESPN.com Played college football at West Texa