Toronto Raptors: Pascal Siakam
The Raptors are off to a surprisingly strong 15-6 start, and Siakam looks like an MVP candidate given the amount of talent Toronto lost in the offseason.
While Siakam was rewarded with a four-year, $130 million max contract this summer, it's time to take care of the role players around him.
Fred VanVleet (18.7 points, 7.4 assists, 2.0 steals, 39.6 3P%) is priority No. 1, but Toronto should try hard to bring back Serge Ibaka (13.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.0 blocks) and Marc Gasol (6.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists), as well.
Detroit Pistons: Blake Griffin
The Pistons likely faced an uphill battle to keep Griffin happy from the moment they traded for him, given that he had just signed a five-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.
A playoff spot (albeit a brief appearance) helped keep any rumors of Griffin's potential unhappiness at bay, but losing Andre Drummond this summer might be a tipping point.
Drummond can opt out of his $28.8 million player option for next season and test free agency, something he'll almost certainly do given the weak free-agent market. Griffin and Drummond have a net rating of plus-1.6 this season, and keeping them together is the only hope for Detroit to maintain a playoff-caliber roster.
Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James
As good as the Lakers have been this season, there's still the threat of Davis leaving next summer in free agency.
For James and the Lakers, that simply can't happen.
L.A. gutted its roster for Davis, clearly the right move given its 18-3 record. If Davis leaves for whatever reason, the Lakers would be left with cap space but no one worthy of earning it on the free-agent market.
James needs to let Davis have all the shots he wants now and be part of the presentation to ensure he re-signs in July. Davis is now forever intertwined with James' legacy, and an early net rating of plus-10.9 between the two proves, unsurprisingly, that the pair is working well together.
New Orleans Pelicans: Jrue Holiday
Especially with Zion Williamson not yet back from a knee injury, Holiday remains the Pelicans' best player even as Brandon Ingram enjoys a career year.
While little has gone right for the 6-16 Pelicans, the play of Ingram should provide encouragement as Holiday watches Anthony Davis go off for the Los Angeles Lakers thus far.
With averages of 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.0 blocks and a .492/.423/.838 shooting line, Ingram is in line for a max extension from New Orleans. At least he should be if the Pelicans want to keep Holiday satisfied with the direction of the team.
Boston Celtics: Kemba Walker
While Walker is leading the Celtics in scoring this season, Jayson Tatum isn't far behind (21.9 points per game to 21.0). Keeping the pair together should be crucial to Boston's winning efforts, and thus Walker's happiness.
Boston is a whopping 19.4 points per 100 possessions better with Tatum in the game, and he's posting career-high marks in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
Like Jaylen Brown this year, Tatum will be extension-eligible next summer. Even if he plays well enough to earn a max deal, there's no way the Celtics can let him walk and risk the damage it would ultimately do to Walker and the rest of the team.
"Happy" - Google News
December 07, 2019 at 08:00PM
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What Every NBA Team Can Do To Keep Its Best Player Happy - Bleacher Report
"Happy" - Google News
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