WEEKLY BOLD PREDICTIONS
1. Lakers “Big Three” Fails To Win Title
The Lakers are known for their willingness to make trades to acquire superstars – Case and Point: Thursday night. Los Angeles sent Kyle Kuzma, Montrez Harrell, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope plus several picks to the Washington Wizards for All-Star Russell Westbrook. Westbrook joins Lebron James and Anthony Davis to form a Big Three, but can they win a title? It’ll be tough since the West is full of elite teams like the Mavericks, the Clippers, the Suns, and the Jazz. Meanwhile, the Warriors NEED to reload to regain their championship level play. On the other hand, the Lakers have experienced injury issues with Lebron and AD. I’m not sold on Russ and Lebron’s chemistry, so I can’t see a title run happening.
2. Eagles Take NFC East
“Interesting” best describes Philadelphia’s last few years: A Super Bowl win followed by back to back early playoff exits and then a 4-11-1 year. Since then, the Eagles traded former MVP candidate Carson Wentz for nickels on the dime and fired head coach Doug Pederson. Philly has put their hopes in the hands of rookie coach Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts, who showed up and downs in his four starts with the Eagles. The Philly offense is building with newly acquired Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith (10th pick in the draft) who will complement Jalen Reagor, their 2020 first round pick. Also, the Eagles will have a formidable O-Line with the return of Brandon Brooks and Lane Johnson. If the team stays healthy, Hurts plays well, and the defense improves, it could be a different year for the Eagles. Read The Whistleblower’s NFC East 2021 Outlook here: https://thewhistleblowersports.com/nfc-east/
3. Jalen Green’s ROTY
Jalen Green was the 2nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and is arguably the best talent in that class. Green opted to skip college and join the NBA’s G League to prepare for his NBA career. Green enjoyed success in the G League and was the top-rated shooting guard in the league. He will join the Houston Rockets, who, after trading James Harden, had a disastrous 2020 season. Green will have some adjusting to do with the Rockets, but will get the most usage of any rookie, as 1st overall pick Cade Cunningham is a backup to Dennis Smith Jr.
