The NBA is a star driven league, so that got us thinking what would the league would be like without those stars. What would happen if every single team’s best player was removed from their respective teams and forced to sit out for the entire season? In today’s blog, we are going to do just that.

One of the main things we are wondering is how valuable the respective stars are to their team, in terms of their team’s wins and losses once that star player is removed. MVP stands for Most Valuable Player. Although the award has traditionally been given to the league’s best player each year, the name of the award, in literal terms, is meant to recognize the player who is most valuable to their team. Therefore, following this logic, we will remove the most valuable player from each NBA team and judge (in terms of wins and losses) whether their team can be competitive or not without them.

While it is rather straightforward to select the Most Valuable Player on a majority of the teams around the league, there are a handful of teams that there are arguments to be had. Those teams/players are:

Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young or Dejounte Murray?
Houston Rockets: Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, or Alperen Sengun?
Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard or Paul George?
Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards or Karl-Anthony Towns?
New York Knicks: Julius Randle or Jalen Brunson?
Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner?
San Antonio Spurs: Keldon Johnson or Devin Vassell?
Sacramento Kings: Domantas Sabonis or De’Aaron Fox?
Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal or Kristaps Porzingis?

We did our best to pick the player whose removal would impact their team the most. You may disagree with whom we picked, and that’s okay! If you disagree with one of our picks, make sure to let us know in the comments below and tell us why the other player would’ve been a better choice for the purpose of this blog.

One last thing before we begin: please make sure to subscribe to our blog and follow our socials if you are enjoying the content. We are going to be pushing out 2-3 blogs a week for the next 2 months before we each take a much-needed spring break trip. We have a ton of great blogs planned, including a Part 2 to this very blog next Monday, where we will conduct a draft lottery with our lottery teams, draft the removed stars onto new teams, and make new predictions for our wacky reinvented NBA!

You aren’t going to want to miss out, so make sure to subscribe to The MVP Blog and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Without further ado, we’re proud to present Reinventing the NBA Part 1.

Eastern Conference

Atlanta Hawks
Player Removed: Dejounte Murray
New Starting Lineup: Trae Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter, John Collins, Clint Capela
Key Reserves: AJ Griffin, Onyeka Okongwu

Many people will argue that Trae Young should have been removed over Dejounte Murray. However, we believe Dejounte Murray impacts the game at a higher level overall, especially on defense, where Murray is one of the best perimeter defenders the league has to offer while Young is one of the worst. Without their 2-way star, this is essentially the 2021-22 Hawks team that won 43 games, but with less depth, but also in a less competitive NBA. Trae Young is a very talented offensive player, but he’s just not good enough to carry a team with no depth and no other star. 43-39.

Boston Celtics
Player Removed: Jayson Tatum
New Starting Lineup: Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Robert Williams
Key Reserves: Malcolm Brogdon, Grant Williams, Sam Hauser

Jayson Tatum is one of the best players in the NBA, but he is also blessed with perhaps the best supporting cast in the entire league. Among that supporting cast is fellow star Jaylen Brown, who would take the leap into superstardom with a higher usage rate. Even without Tatum, this team is very talented on both ends of the court, and they still feature one of the best 6th men in the league in Malcolm Brogdon. In a league where every team loses their best player, the Celtics wouldn’t miss a beat and would remain among the NBA’s elite. 58-24.

Brooklyn Nets
Player Removed: Kevin Durant
New Starting Lineup: Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris, Royce O’Neale, Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton
Key Reserves: Seth Curry, T.J. Warren, Yuta Watanabe

Even without KD, this team should still thrive. Kyrie is one of the premier scorers in the league, and he would win the scoring title in this reinvented NBA. Harris, Curry, and Watanabe are all marksmen from deep to help space the floor for Irving. Royce O’Neale is quietly one of the top 3 and D guys in the NBA, while Nic Claxton has turned himself into one of the top defensive big men in the league. All of that talent, and then there is the x-factor: Ben Simmons. With no KD, Simmons would have the ball in his hands much more, forcing him to be more aggressive. We all know about his defensive prowess, but in this scenario, Simmons could recapture his offensive form he once showed in Philadelphia, where he was averaging about 16/8/8 every year. In short, this team still competes for the title. 55-27.

Charlotte Hornets
Player Removed: LaMelo Ball
New Starting Lineup: Dennis Smith Jr., Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, P.J. Washington, Mason Plumlee
Key Reserves: Kelly Oubre Jr., Jalen McDaniels, Mark Williams

LaMelo Ball has missed 24 games so far this season. The Hornets have gone 6-18 in those games. That’s not just a bump in the road, either. This team is just not good, even with LaMelo Ball active. All the players in their rotation are decent players, but they lack a star and are among the worst defensive teams in the entire NBA. One positive note for the road, rookie center Mark Williams would get ample playing time and prove to everyone that he has a bright future in this league. 26-56.

Chicago Bulls
Player Removed: DeMar DeRozan
New Starting Lineup: Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, Javonte Green, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic
Key Reserves: Alex Caruso, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu

How this team would fair in the reinvented NBA rests in the hands of Zach LaVine. LaVine is incredibly gifted on the offensive end, and without DeMar, he would be among the NBA’s leading scorers due to an increase in workload. This Bulls team still has a very good center in Nikola Vucevic, a very good 3 and D guy in Lonzo Ball and some very good depth. Although none of Chicago’s backup guards are great players, Dosunmu, White, and Caruso are very capable ball handlers who provide good cover for LaVine and Ball. 45-37.

Cleveland Cavaliers
Player Removed: Donovan Mitchell
New Starting Lineup: Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Key Reserves: Kevin Love, Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens, Ricky Rubio

The Cavs just got Donovan Mitchell in a blockbuster trade, and their fans recently bore witness to an incredible 71 point performance from him. Well, now he’s gone. However, there’s no need to panic in Cleveland. Darius Garland takes over as the main perimeter scorer again, a role that saw him make the All-Star game a season ago. Caris LeVert is another very good second scoring option, and Jarrett Allen is a capable scorer as well. Mobley will continue to develop into an elite two-way big man, and Kevin Love is one of the premier reserves in the league. The Cavs are still a title contender. 54-28.

Detroit Pistons
Player Removed: Cade Cunningham
New Starting Lineup: Killian Hayes, Jaden Ivey, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren
Key Reserves: Saddiq Bey, Alec Burks, Marvin Bagley

Unfortunately for the Pistons, this is the team that we have seen for a majority of this season. Not only will Cade not be returning this season, but he has also been completely removed from the roster. The good news for the Pistons? They still have a young, talented roster. Killian Hayes has been quite impressive in Cade’s absence. He’s finally showing the potential that many people (including Ben Pawlak) were excited about when he came over from France as an 18 year old. It’s hard to believe that Hayes is still only 21. Jaden Ivey is 20, and Jalen Duren is only 19. Although both of these rookies have had their ups and downs, they’ve also shown flashes of brilliance. Although it won’t translate to wins this season, the future is still bright in Detroit, even without Cade. 23-59.

Indiana Pacers
Player Removed: Tyrese Haliburton
New Starting Lineup: Andrew Nembhard, Buddy Hield, Bennedict Mathurin, Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner
Key Reserves: T.J. McConnell, Chris Duarte, Jalen Smith

The Pacers have exceeded everyone’s expectations this season, and that trend could continue even with Tyrese Haliburton off the team. They play a fun, unselfish brand of basketball. Every player in the starting lineup is a capable shooter. Buddy Hield is an absolute bucket and would probably average 25+ points per game on this team. Rookie standout Bennedict Mathurin is a fantastic scorer in his own right and Myles Turner is one of the top two-way big men in the league. This team wouldn’t make the playoffs, but they also wouldn’t be awful like many would expect them to be without Hali. 31-51.

Miami Heat
Player Removed: Jimmy Butler
New Starting Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Max Strus, Caleb Martin, Bam Adebayo
Key Reserves: Victor Oladipo, Gabe Vincent, Duncan Robinson

Tyler Herro would become one of the premier scorers in this reinvented league, and I would expect Bam Adebayo to be in the MVP conversation. Victor Oladipo has shown signs of being his old self in recent weeks, and if he were able to play like that in big minutes off the bench for this team, he would be in the running for 6th Man of the Year. Miami would still be a very good defensive team, and despite Butler’s absence, they still have plenty of scoring. It’s a recipe for success when you can score and defend. 50-32.

Milwaukee Bucks
Player Removed: Giannis Antetokounmpo
New Starting Lineup: Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez
Key Reserves: George Hill, Jevon Carter, Pat Connaughton, Joe Ingles

Giannis Antetokounmpo gets all the headlines in Milwaukee, and deservedly so, but it’s ignorant to call the Bucks a one man show. This team has surrounded Giannis with a lot of talent, provided that supporting cast is fully healthy. Jrue Holiday is the best two-way point guard in the league, and I would expect him to have a huge season as the primary ball handler. Grayson Allen has developed into a productive role player. Khris Middleton is a fantastic player who would probably be the #1 scoring option without Giannis. Bobby Portis is a reliable offensive player, and Brook Lopez is one of the best defenders in the NBA while also being a threat from beyond the arc. This team would definitely regress a good bit, but this team is still good enough to cement the Bucks in an Eastern Conference playoff spot. 47-35.

New York Knicks
Player Removed: Julius Randle
New Starting Lineup: Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson
New Bench Unit: Immanuel Quickley, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jericho Sims

Let’s be honest. This team has basically no depth, which surprisingly isn’t a roster/talent issue. Rather, it’s because head coach Tom Thibodeau REFUSES to play the likes of Cam Reddish, Evan Fournier, and Derrick Rose. Hopefully, in this reimagined NBA, the Knicks would better utilize their bench. In the absence of Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson takes over as the star of the show on offense, and RJ Barrett would also be forced to step up in a big way. Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley have both proven to be very capable players in extended minutes. This team isn’t great, but they aren’t awful. The New York Knicks are a play-in squad, nothing more, nothing less. 40-42.

Orlando Magic
Player Removed: Paolo Banchero
New Starting Lineup: Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner, Bol Bol, Wendell Carter Jr.
Key Reserves: Jalen Suggs, Terrence Ross, Gary Harris, Mo Wagner

With Paolo Banchero out, this is essentially the 2021-22 Orlando Magic plus Bol Bol. Last year’s squad won 22 games, bad enough to win the rights to draft Banchero #1 overall. Little did they know that they’d only get to bask in the glory of their young superstar for just 40 games! Everyone in the Magic’s starting lineup is very young but very talented, especially Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. They’d now be tasked with leading the way in Orlando. Bol Bol has excelled as a stretch big alongside Carter this year, while Markelle Fultz has been awesome since returning from injury. This team is good enough to slightly improve on their mark of 22 wins from a year ago. 29-53.

Philadelphia 76ers
Player Removed: Joel Embiid
New Starting Lineup: James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, P.J. Tucker, Montrezl Harrell
Key Reserves: De’Anthony Melton, Shake Milton, Georges Niang

Joel Embiid is the star of the show in Philly, but there is a lot of quality talent around him. Although James Harden has clearly lost a step since his dominant days, he is still a star in this league and would likely find himself in the MVP conversation as a result of Embiid’s absence on offense. Tyrese Maxey is a fantastic second scoring option who would likely average upwards of 23 points per game. Tobias Harris would be asked to score a bit more, which he is more than capable of doing. Harris has unselfishly taken a backseat on offense since the Harden trade. De’Anthony Melton, who has been one of the surprises of the NBA season thus far, would continue to thrive in his role as the Sixers’ sixth man. This team would obviously feel the impacts of no Embiid given the fact that Montrezl Harrell is a less than ideal replacement, but they are still very much in the playoff mix. 46-36.

Toronto Raptors
Player Removed: Pascal Siakam
New Starting Lineup: Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., O.G. Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Precious Achiuwa
Key Reserves: Chris Boucher, Thaddeus Young, Otto Porter Jr.

The razor thin Raptors get even thinner with the loss of Pascal Siakam. Ideally, the Raptors would love to bring Gary Trent Jr. off the bench to provide a bit of scoring for the second unit, but that’s no longer an option. The league’s worst bench is going to be even worse. It’s a good thing that the Raptors have 5 quality starters to keep them afloat, but that’s not a long-term recipe for success. This team can definitely defend, but they will struggle to score, although Fred VanVleet would likely put up huge numbers as Toronto’s top scoring option. 37-45.

Washington Wizards
Player Removed: Bradley Beal
New Starting Lineup: Monte Morris, Will Barton, Deni Avdija, Kyle Kuzma, Kristaps Porzingis
Key Reserves: Delon Wright, Corey Kispert, Rui Hachimura

With Beal, the Wizards are a fringe play-in team. Without Beal, they’ll slide into the lottery. Kuzma and Porzingis would put up impressive numbers, but they’d both fall into the category of “empty calorie” scorers as a result of poor efficiency. It’s hard to have an efficient offense without a player who can create perimeter scoring opportunities for themselves AND their teammates. The Wizards simply don’t have that player without Beal in the picture. The Wizards would win enough games to have long odds at landing the top draft pick, but they won’t win enough games to make the playoffs. 35-47.

Western Conference

Dallas Mavericks
Player Removed: Luka Doncic
New Starting Lineup: Spencer Dinwiddie, Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Christian Wood
Key Reserves: Reggie Bullock, Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell, Jaden Hardy

Spoiler alert: without Luka Doncic, the Mavs would be bad. When Christian Wood is the best player on your team, you probably aren’t a very good team (just ask last year’s Houston Rockets). Spencer Dinwiddie would see a significant increase in his usage, and Josh Green would get a real chance to have an offensive breakout, but without Luka, there wouldn’t be much to be optimistic about in Dallas. 31-51.

Denver Nuggets
Player Removed: Nikola Jokic
New Starting Lineup: Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon
Key Reserves:  Bones Hyland, Christian Braun, Jeff Green

Without Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets would be forced to completely change their style of play. In this situation, they’d probably play small ball and rely on a high pace, transition-oriented offensive game plan. Aaron Gordon would put up All-Star caliber numbers, and assuming full health, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. would be primed to take another leap. Even without their superstar center, the Nuggets would still be a pretty good team. 48-34.

Golden State Warriors
Player Removed: Stephen Curry
New Starting Lineup: Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney
Key Reserves: Donte DiVincenzo, Anthony Lamb, Jonathan Kuminga

Turns out, when you lose the greatest shooter in NBA history, your offense loses a lot of firepower. The threat of what the Warriors represent (fast paced, perimeter centric offense) can’t be replicated, even though Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson are a great backcourt. Without Curry, Andrew Wiggins would find himself open a lot less, but he would still be effective on the wing. The Warriors depth is a little thin, but the team is still good enough to stay in the mix. 46-36.

Houston Rockets
Player Removed: Jalen Green
New Starting Lineup: Kevin Porter Jr., Eric Gordon, K.J. Martin, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun
Key Reserves: Jae’Sean Tate, Tari Eason

The Rockets were bad before the loss of Jalen Green. They’re even worse now. Alperen Sengun would become the centerpiece of Houston’s offense, and while I think he could ascend to the All-Star conversation with more minutes and more touches (here’s looking at you, Coach Silas), that’s not a recipe for success with such a weak supporting cast. 29-53.

Los Angeles Clippers
Player Removed: Paul George
New Starting Lineup: Reggie Jackson, Norman Powell, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac
Key Reserves: John Wall, Luke Kennard, Nicolas Batum, Terance Mann

In the MVP Blog’s reimagined NBA, the Clippers (along with every other team) are fully healthy, but Kawhi Leonard is still load managing, since that’s what he does anyway. Therefore, the removal of Paul George from the Clippers makes the most sense. They will sorely miss his scoring ability and perimeter defense, and Norman Powell takes his place in the starting lineup. This is a deep, talented team when everyone suits up, good enough for a record of 51-31.

Los Angeles Lakers
Player Removed: LeBron James
New Starting Lineup: Russell Westbrook, Lonnie Walker IV, Austin Reaves, Troy Brown Jr., Anthony Davis
Key Reserves: Dennis Schroder, Patrick Beverley, Thomas Bryant

The Lakers would not be a very fun team to watch without LeBron James, and they wouldn’t be very good either. Without his ability to control the tempo of the game and create open shots for his teammates, Russell Westbrook would be forced back into the starting lineup to try and recover some of what’s lost. However, without Westbrook to lead the bench unit, the minutes when Anthony Davis isn’t on the floor would be ugly. 37-45.

Minnesota Timberwolves
Player Removed: Anthony Edwards
New Starting Lineup:  D’Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince, Jaden McDaniels, Karl Anthony-Towns, Rudy Gobert
Key Reserves: Jaylen Nowell, Kyle Anderson, Naz Reid, Jordan McLaughlin

The Timberwolves would be a weird team without Anthony Edwards. They would miss on a lot of perimeter creation on offense, unless D’Angelo Russell were able to recapture his form from years past. Exciting young wing Jaden McDaniels would also shoulder a heavier burden offensively. Taurean Prince is an awkward replacement for Ant in the starting lineup, but he does provide better floor spacing and perimeter defense, so that’s something. However, the success of the Wolves would ultimately boil down to whether Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert could coexist in the same frontcourt without Ant to draw attention out of the paint. The answer, at least from what we’ve seen so far this season, is a resounding no. 43-39.

Memphis Grizzlies
Player Removed: Ja Morant
New Starting Lineup: Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Steven Adams
Key Reserves: John Konchar, Santi Aldama, Brandon Clarke

Ja Morant is an amazing player, but the Grizzlies would be just fine without him. In fact, they’d be better than fine. Tyus Jones is one of the best backup point guards in the entire NBA, and he would seamlessly step into the starting lineup to run Taylor Jenkins’ offense. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. would put up monstrous statlines on a nightly basis. The Grizzlies bench already provides plenty of support for the starters, and the absence of Ja Morant would be a big opportunity for them to further prove their worth. 55-27.

New Orleans Pelicans
Player Removed: Zion Williamson
New Starting Lineup: CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, Larry Nance Jr., Jonas Valanciunas
Key Reserves: Trey Murphy III, Naji Marshall, Jose Alvarado

The start of the 2022/23 season proves that the New Orleans Pelicans can play winning basketball without Zion. With CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram already in the starting lineup, Zion’s scoring is a luxury. However, his rebounding will be sorely missed, which is why Larry Nance Jr. steps into the starting lineup in his place. Trey Murphy III is an electric sixth man who can score in bunches, particularly from behind the arc, and the Pelicans are still a deep, well-rounded team that is headed for the playoffs. 52-30.

Oklahoma City Thunder
Player Removed: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
New Starting Lineup: Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, Kenrich Williams, Aleksej Pokusevski
Key Reserves: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Tre Mann, Aaron Wiggins

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a special player for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He’s essentially their entire offense, as he’s the best playmaker, shot creator, finisher, and shooter on their roster. Without him, the Thunder would flounder. Josh Giddey and Lu Dort would be in line for more scoring opportunities, but they would also find themselves being covered by more capable defensive matchups. The lack of reliable scoring in the lineup is a recipe for losing basketball. 25-57.

Phoenix Suns
Player Removed: Devin Booker
New Starting Lineup: Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Torrey Craig, DeAndre Ayton
Key Reserves: Cam Payne, Landry Shamet, Damion Lee

Devin Booker is way more valuable to the Phoenix Suns than most people realize. Since the start of last season, the Suns are 10-16 without him. However, in an NBA devoid of superstar talent, the Suns would be able to stay afloat in the Western Conference playoff race. Monty Williams is a very good coach, and he would figure out a way to win by utilizing floor general Chris Paul, two-way talent Mikal Bridges, and paint presence DeAndre Ayton. Williams also gets the best out of his role players, particularly his shooters (Cam Johnson, Cam Payne, and Landry Shamet). 46-36.

Portland Trail Blazers
Player Removed: Damian Lillard
New Starting Lineup: Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart, Justise Winslow, Jerami Grant, Jusuf Nurkic
New Bench Unit: Shaedon Sharpe, Gary Payton II, Drew Eubanks

Yes, Damian Lillard is an offensive juggernaut, but Anfernee Simons can replicate a great deal of his offensive star power without him in the lineup. Jerami Grant is capable of playing like an All-Star on both ends of the floor. When they’re all healthy, the Blazers have an impressive collection of productive role players in Nurkic, Hart, Winslow, and Payton II. Shaedon Sharpe may only be 19 years old, but he could wind up in the 6MOY conversation if he’s afforded the opportunity to play big minutes. It may be controversial, but Portland could still be an exciting team, even without Damian Lillard. 47-35.

Sacramento Kings
Player Removed: Domantas Sabonis
New Starting Lineup: De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, Trey Lyles
New Bench Unit: Malik Monk, Terence Davis, Chimezie Metu

Domantas Sabonis is the foundation upon which Mike Brown’s system is built. He is the only real center who gets big minutes on the team, and he uses those minutes superbly as an elite back-to-basket presence, a master of the high screen and roll, a superb passer, and an underrated defender. Trey Lyles is, to put it mildly, a poor replacement for Sabonis’ spot at center in the starting lineup. Sacramento’s lack of size would make them an extremely vulnerable team when it comes to defense, rebounding, and general control of the paint. 40-42.

San Antonio Spurs
Player Removed: Keldon Johnson
New Starting Lineup: Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Josh Richardson, Jeremy Sochan, Jakob Poeltl
New Bench Unit: Zach Collins, Doug McDermott

The Spurs were bad enough with Keldon Johnson at their disposal, and they’re going to be even worse without him. No amount of Gregg Popovich magic can change that. Devin Vassell is a very good player, but when he is the primary source of scoring on a basketball team, chances are that basketball team isn’t going to win many games. It would be interesting to see how Jeremy Sochan would respond to a greater usage rate on offense. Whatever the case, nothing going on in San Antonio translates to the win column. 23-59.

Utah Jazz
Player Removed: Lauri Markkanen
New Starting Lineup: Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Malik Beasley, Jared Vanderbilt, Kelly Olynyk
New Bench Unit: Colin Sexton, Walker Kessler

This season, Lauri Markannan has elevated his once mediocre play to a bonafide All-Star, potential All-NBA level. He’s become the clear cut franchise centerpiece for a Jazz squad in the midst of a rebuild. With that being said, it’s time for Utah to say goodbye to their new hero. Without Lauri to generate instant offense, the efficiency of high volume shooters on the team (Clarkson, Beasley, and Sexton) would likely plummet. Impressive rookie center Walker Kessler would likely have his minutes increase to help patrol the paint and control the boards in the stead of the Jazz’s 7 foot star player. 38-44.

Projected Reinvented NBA Standings

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Celtics (58-24)
2. Brooklyn Nets (55-27)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (54-28)
4. Miami Heat (50-32)
5. Milwaukee Bucks (47-35)
6. Philadelphia 76ers (46-36)
7. Chicago Bulls (45-37)
8. Atlanta Hawks (43-39)
9. New York Knicks (40-42)
10. Toronto Raptors (37-45)
11. Washington Wizards (35-47)
12. Indiana Pacers (31-51)
13. Orlando Magic (29-53)
14. Charlotte Hornets (26-56)
15. Detroit Pistons (23-59)

Western Conference

1. Memphis Grizzlies (55-27)
2. New Orleans Pelicans (52-30)
3. Los Angeles Clippers (51-31)
4. Denver Nuggets (48-34)
5. Portland Trail Blazers (47-35)
6. Phoenix Suns (46-36)
7. Golden State Warriors (46-36)
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (43-39)
9. Sacramento Kings (40-42)
10. Utah Jazz (38-44)
11. Los Angeles Lakers (37-45)
12. Dallas Mavericks (31-51)
13. Houston Rockets (29-53)
14. Oklahoma City Thunder (25-57)
15. San Antonio Spurs (23-59)

Reinvented NBA Champion

Ryan: Brooklyn Nets
Ben: Boston Celtics

Reinvented NBA Award Predictions

Most Valuable Player

Ryan: Jaylen Brown
Ben: James Harden

6th Man of the Year

Ryan: Malcolm Brogdon
Ben: Trey Murphy III

Most Improved Player

Ryan: Tyus Jones
Ben: Obi Toppin

Which teams do you think would succeed without their best player? Which teams would miss their best player the most?

Let us know in the comments!

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Authors: Ben Pawlak and Ryan Macdonald

Published: 01/09/23 at 5:00pm EST

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Sources/Works Cited:

Google Images, Google, https://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en.

“NBA.com.” The Official Site of the NBA for the Latest NBA Scores, Stats & News. | NBA.com, https://www.nba.com/.

Sports Reference LLC. Basketball-Reference.com – Basketball Statistics and History. https://www.basketball-reference.com/. 7 February 2022.

StatMuse, https://www.statmuse.com/.