2024-2025 NBA season preview, predictions: Sleeper team, overachievers and finals matchup

The Post’s Stefan Bondy, Brian Lewis and Mike Vaccaro answer the most pressing questions as NBA tips off:

1. What’s the biggest storyline for the 2024-25 season?

STEFAN BONDY: LeBron James. Until he retires, it’s always LeBron James. The new wrinkle this season is his son, Bronny, who either doesn’t look ready yet for the NBA or looks like he’ll never be ready. But there’s no question they’ll become the first ever father-son duo to play an NBA game together.

BRIAN LEWIS: LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry put on a show in the Paris Olympics and are the three greatest players of their era. But is their era coming to a close?

MIKE VACCARO: Right now it’s hard to envision how the Thunder aren’t the best team in the league. They were already terrific and got better; this should be a 60-plus-win team and playoff ready.

2. This team will be better than expected

BONDY: The Pistons. They were a dumpster fire under Monty Williams, who coached like he wanted to get fired and collect that lucrative contract on his couch. But they’re talented enough to make the play-in with Cade Cunningham as the centerpiece if — and this is a big if with Cunningham — he stays healthy.

LEWIS: Oklahoma City, if we’re judging this by the playoffs. After getting upset in the second round last season, the Thunder will go further this time around, maybe even the Finals.

VACCARO: It feels like the world jumped ship on the Nuggets after last year’s flameout. But they still have Jokic. And maybe, just maybe, this is where Russell Westbrook authors a fitting final chapter.

3. This team will be worse than expected

BONDY: The Sixers. Paul George is already hurt. Joel Embiid is already committed to sitting out a bunch of games. There’s only so far Tyrese Maxey can take them.

LEWIS: The Clippers. After winning 51 games last year, they’re projected for 40.5. But they’ve lost Paul George to the Sixers, and Kawhi Leonard is already out indefinitely with knee issues.

VACCARO: If the Sixers could ever keep their big three intact for eight months, they’d be something to see. It is hard to envision the big three staying intact for eight months. Or eight weeks.

4. This player will emerge this season

BONDY: Brandon Miller. The Hornets stink, but Miller is a future star. He just has to figure out a way to pry the ball away from LaMelo Ball.

LEWIS: Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams. Ja Morant is more of a comeback and Victor Wembanyama is expected to be great, but the Thunder shooting guard is going to have a true breakout.

VACCARO: Darius Garland. It seems like he’s in as stable a position as he’s ever been in, he’s healthy again, and he will prosper under Kenny Atkinson’s guiding hand.

5. This player will regress this season

BONDY: LeBron James. It’s not smart to bet against the second-greatest player of all time (MJ is No. 1) but Father Time, as they say, is undefeated. LeBron will be 40 years old in December and his supporting cast, outside of injury-prone Anthony Davis, isn’t very good.

LEWIS: Kawhi Leonard. He’s out indefinitely with inflammation in his right knee, and with the Clippers having no legitimate championship aspirations, how many games is the oft-injured wing going to miss?

VACCARO: It started last year. But by the All-Star break, the Bucks might really rue how they upended the formula of their team by pushing Damian Lillard.

6. If I were this coach, I’d be worried about my status

BONDY: Quin Snyder. He’s entering his third season with the Hawks and the team has done nothing but disappoint. If they fail to make the playoffs this season, Snyder is in trouble.

LEWIS: Billy Donovan. Frankly, I thought he might be gone last year. But even the fact the Bulls finally started a delayed rebuild won’t save the Long Island native this season.

VACCARO: The Clippers are primed to be a dumpster fire. And if that happens and the choice is to blame Tyronn Lue or James Harden, the coach always “wins.”

7. The biggest name moved at the trade deadline will be

BONDY: James Harden. You can always count on him to ask out. The Clippers are a mess already with Kawhi Leonard’s knee injury and Harden will be guaranteed a ringless existence until he leaves. The other big name could be Jimmy Butler.

LEWIS: Zach LaVine. Brandon Ingram seems like a reasonable name, but once LaVine runs another half-season off of that five-year, $215 million albatross, he could get dealt at the deadline.

VACCARO: Julius Randle. He could be a perfect fit in Minnesota. Or it could go the other way. And if it goes the other way ….

8. Don’t be surprised if this becomes a quietly big story this year

BONDY: Mike Malone getting frustrated with the Nuggets. Word is the championship coach is butting heads with GM Calvin Booth and there might be an important decision to make by ownership.

LEWIS: The flip side of the LeBron-KD-Steph storyline. Can the young trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic or Anthony Edwards break through to win an MVP … or a title?

VACCARO: We haven’t heard the last from unhappy ex-Knicks, and if the Knicks start slowly — a distinct possibility — there’ll be a lot of piling on from all corners of the league, starting here.

9. MVP prediction

BONDY: Luka Doncic. It always feels like MVP is a cumulative award, and Doncic has been knocking at the door for a couple seasons. At 25 years old and coming off an NBA Finals appearance, it’s time for Doncic to get his MVP.

LEWIS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Doncic is a good bet after leading the Mavericks to the Finals last year, but it’s the Thunder superstar that will earn the MVP.

VACCARO: Luka Doncic. He already spends huge chunks of the season living in that rarefied air. After last year’s stumble in the NBA Finals, look for him to take the last leap he can possibly make.

10. NBA Finals prediction

BONDY: Celtics over Timberwolves. It’s difficult to repeat but Boston is built for it with a core in their mid-20s. The T-Wolves take the next step into the Finals with Anthony Edwards jumping into the NBA’s top four.

LEWIS: Celtics over Thunder. Boston gets back to the NBA Finals and repeats, this time teaching young Oklahoma City a lesson.

VACCARO: Thunder over Celtics. And when they do, the Thunder will have authored the greatest blueprint in NBA history: 22 wins to 24 to 40 to 57 to a title. And they still have assets!