The NBA returns today, it even has a game at a friendly timeslot for Europeans. Yet that’s not how we’re getting ready for it. No, instead Emmet Ryan examines three Euros with points to prove this season. Here’s why Giannis Antetokounmpo, Franz Wagner, and Domantas Sabonis are the three most interesting Euros entering the new season.
When this site started, over 19 years ago, Europeans were fairly well represented in the NBA with over 40 but that number has cleared 70 now. Moreover, far more players from this side of the continent are playing major roles for their sides.
So, rather than just do a bog standard Euro-centric preview of the season, we’ve picked three players with different points to prove coming into the campaign. Giannis Antetokounmpo has moved to the Miami Heat. Domantas Sabonis is on a Sacramento Kings side that likely plans to trade him. Franz Wagner, well, he’s either going to be the guy for the Orlando Magic or he’ll be packaged to potentially be the guy for somebody else.
A new home, the same ambition
Giannis Antetokounmpo was simply brilliant by any reasonable measure for the Milwaukee Bucks. A NBA championship, a NBA Cup, two MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year, a 10 time All Star, and a 7 time first team all NBA player.
Yet the Bucks just could repeat the magic. Eventually, the move was going to happen so he took his talents to South Beach. Pairing up with Bam Adebayo is obviously appealing but the supporting cast at large is thin.
In a fiercely competitive Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat aren’t even locks to make the playoffs. Considering that Giannis has nothing else to prove individually, that’s a concern. Getting this team into the postseason and going deep is the only acceptable result. Anything less and the move will have been a lateral one from what he left in Milwaukee.
Rebuilding the reputation
The Sacramento Kings were just awful last year. Missing Domantas Sabonis for most of the campaign didn’t help, with the Lithuanian limited to just 19 games. Still, even with him healthy the Kings had a low ceiling. It doesn’t seem much higher entering this campaign.
The focus now for Sacramento seems to be on developing a young core. Sabonis, aged 30, is on the wrong side of what his side is looking for age wise. Still, we’re talking about a player who is a tremendous package for scoring, rebounding, and creativity. He is far more suited being a relevant piece on a NBA team that wants to be good now.
This season may well decide if Sabonis ends up staying with the Kings. This is the penultimate year of his current deal so it’s genuinely hard to imagine he doesn’t get moved for draft assets. Still, proving he’s still got it and is recovered will go a long way towards proving he can deliver at the top level of this league.
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Is this finally it?
The Orlando Magic are getting close to having to make some big decisions around its core. The Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero combo seems to overlap a touch too much in what they bring. The result has been three straight first round exists.
With a new head coach, perhaps this is the chance for Wagner to redefine what he does. Of course, this will also be his first NBA season without his brother Moe alongside him. It’s quite the season of change ahead for the 25 year old.
Now really feels like the time, at least in Orlando, to turn his promise into results. For Wagner, there’s a shot at a statement season. Failing that, he might well start to consider if he’s in the best place to be his best self. Either way, there’s a lot riding on this campaign.
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Different measures of success
For Giannis Antetokounmpo, getting through at least one playoff round with the Miami Heat seems the minimal acceptable season. This despite the Heat being odds against to even make the postseason.
With Domantas Sabonis, it’s really about excelling individually. Everything beyond that, aside from maybe reassuring everyone that he’s 100 per cent healthy, is side dressing. He may stay with the Sacramento Kings or may move to a NBA contender.
As for Franz Wagner, he’s got to find out what’s best for him and if the Orlando Magic is where he can achieve that. It’s a long season. The earlier we get answers, the more likely they’re bad ones. All three should hope we’ve got to wait to make a judgement call.
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