Like every year, the NBA submitted a survey to the 30 General Managers of the league’s franchises, collecting their opinions on 50 varied questions. Best teams, best players, best trades… the survey covers a wide range of topics, so much so that it can be difficult to navigate. Here are three points that particularly caught our attention, to see things more clearly.
Victor Wembanyama is a sensation among NBA GMs
At only 20 years old, Victor Wembanyama has already won over the league leaders. If GMs had to choose a player to build a franchise from scratch, 77% would choose the Frenchman. Last year, he was already in the discussion with 23% of the votes, but remained far behind Nikola Jokic (33%). Today, he dominates this ranking, leaving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic far behind (10% each).
In the immediate future, the Spurs interior is already seen as one of the best players in the league. 40% of GMs consider him the best defender in the NBA, far surpassing established players such as Rudy Gobert, Bam Adebayo et Jrue Holiday (10% each). Additionally, 10% believe Wembanyama is the most versatile player in the Championship, while 13% believe Spurs will be the team that improves the most this season.
How far can Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs go this season?
The French rookies do not inspire confidence
Despite being selected first and second in the NBA draft, Zaccharie Risacher et Alexandre Sarr do not inspire much confidence in GMs. Tidjane Salaünsixth choice, as well as the other French rookies were not mentioned in the survey.
Risacher, the top pick, received no votes for the rookie of the year predictions. Alexandre Sarr received at least one vote, but he remains far behind Reed Sheppard (Rockets) and Zach Edey (Grizzlies) who obtained 50% and 30% of the votes respectively.
GMs nevertheless seem more convinced by their long-term potential. 13% of them believe that Zaccharie Risacher will be the best player in this draft class in five years, compared to 7% for Alexandre Sarr. Here again, the two French people are far behind Sheppard (43%), as well as Stephon Castle (Spurs) and its 17%.
CQFR: Risacher starts very well, Salaün confirms
The Knicks, Sixers and Thunder shone this summer
Unsurprisingly, three teams stood out in the eyes of GMs during the offseason: the Knicks, the Sixers and the Thunder. Of the three, Oklahoma City seemingly had the most successful summer, with 37 percent of the vote for best offseason. Alex Caruso et Isaiah Hartenstein emerge as two of the “ most underrated additions », garnering 23% and 13% of the votes respectively in this category.
Despite this, 60% of NBA GMs believe that Paul George will be the player who will have the most impact among the new recruits this season. His four-year, $211 million contract was one of the biggest deals of the summer and represents a bold gamble by Philadelphia. This is why 33% of managers consider that the Sixers had the best offseason.
The Knicks, in third place with 20% of the votes, also made a good impression. The arrivals of Karl-Anthony Towns and of Mikal Bridges are considered, tied with 13% of the votes, as the second most impactful transaction of the offseason. Despite this, the Knicks received no mention in the category of teams that will improve the most, dominated by the Grizzlies with 67%.
