The NBA League Pass is set to release in the Fall giving fans the ability to watch all 30 teams in the NBA. Aside from the game, League Pass owners are able to choose from a variety of broadcast options on just about any streaming device. The pass comes in at a steep $200 for the whole season which realistically is going to be too high for the average NBA fan.
HOWEVER
If you happen to enjoy the NBA like I do, you’ll be snagging your pass come September/October. With all that access finding the teams that make having the pass worth it is crucial. I refer to these teams as, League Pass Teams.
league – pass – team
/lēg/- /pas/ – /tēm/
- A League Pass Team is a non-major market franchise, that is poised to have a season filled with growth. Generally, younger in age with more potential than proven talent.
The following four teams are teams I believe that are going to be entertaining and exciting to watch all season long. Each team offers unique dynamics and story lines that keep avid NBA fans locked in all season long. My list is in no order and by no means the ONLY four teams that make the League Pass worth buying. These are just four of my favorites.
- Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are easily one of the most interesting teams heading into 2018. The team added first overall pick DeAndre Ayton to pair with Josh Jackson and future superstar Devin Booker. Phoenix also added veteran Trevor Ariza in the off-season to help set the culture and provide quality minutes when needed. (If you’re looking for more Suns content, here’s a story I did on why they’re the most exciting team in the West.) Lastly, to top it off, Phoenix hired Igor Kokoskov in the off-season to take over as the head coach, his first NBA head coaching job. With such a young roster, this west coast franchise will supply League Pass owners with late-night content all season long.
- Utah Jazz Utah is another west coast time team that is going to be be fun to watch all season long. Utah finished 5th in the Western Conference in 2018, advancing past the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round before being defeated by the Houston Rockets in round two. 2017-2018 rookie sensation Donovan Mitchell averaged 20 points a game and is poised to continue growing as a player. While players like defensive all-team center Rudy Gobert and point guard Ricky Rubio offer more consistent output, there is still plenty of youth on the Jazz roster to keep an eye on. Guard Dante Exum recently re-signed with the Jazz after battling multiple injuries during 2017-2018. His recovery and development over the course of next season could provide Utah with that additional guard they are searching for. However, if Dante can’t, Grayson Allen will surely have his opportunities to prove he’s a legitimate NBA talent. The former Duke Blue Devil has already shown in the Summer League that he hasn’t changed much from his time in Durham. Utah has the highest likelihood of any team on my list to be successful next season, making them one of my favorite 2018 League Pass Teams.
- Denver Nuggets – Denver offers an intriguing mix of talent and question marks heading into 2018. After signing center Nikola Jokic to a 5yr/$146m contract, Denver is now faced with the task of figuring out who will go around him. As it stands, Jokic’s two most valuable teammates are Gary Harris and Paul Millsap. To help Jokic, Denver decided to be the team to take a flyer on former Celtics guard Isiah Thomas on a 1yr/$2M “prove it” deal. Denver elected to trade Kenneth Faried and Darrell Arthur to Brooklyn as a salary dump. With the free agent pool dwindling down as the summer comes to a close, this move seems to be focused on next season. If a $150M center and 5’9” point guard looking to prove he’s still got it doesn’t get you gassed up, the MPJ Project will. Denver lucked into Michael Porter Jr. at 14 due to legitimate concerns regarding Porter’s back heading into the draft. Prior to his injury, Porter was regarded as the best player in a loaded 2018 draft by many of scouts. Watching Porter evolve and flourish or crash and burn is just one of the interesting story lines surrounding Denver as they fights for a play-off seed in 2018.
- Orlando Magic – To wrap up my list I present the Orlando Magic. Similar to Denver, Orlando also locked up their team’s best player Aaron Gordon for 4yr/$80M. Orlando’s young roster features some extreme length. 2017 first round draft pick Jonathan Isaac and 2018 first round draft pick Mo Bamba. Isaac plays the wing while Bamba mans the front court. Isaac’s 7’1″ wingspan and Bamba’s 7’10” wingspan makes them a unique duo to watch over the 2018 season. Defensively, their size makes them nearly impossible to shoot over. Offensively, their size makes it easy for them to shoot over the defender. Watching the three of these players mold together in a weak Eastern Conference could lead to a 5-8 seed in 2018.
NBA League Pass may not be for everybody but for die-hard NBA fans, its the way to go. For fans on the fence, I hope this can give you some insight on a couple of teams that make the League Pass worth its price point for myself. Watching these teams develop and grow together not only is enjoyable this season, but serves as a glimpse into few franchises positioned to thrive once the Warriors’ dynasty comes to a conclusion.
Content by Conover 