NBA.com GM Survey Forecasts LA Clippers to Win First-Ever NBA Championship

NBA.com GM Survey Forecasts LA Clippers to Win First-Ever NBA Championship

Turner Sports

NBA Digital

LA Clippers' Kawhi Leonard Named Most Impactful Offseason Acquisition,

Best Defender, Best Perimeter Defender & NBA's Top Small Forward

NBA Execs Tab Milwaukee Bucks's Giannis Antetokounmpo to Repeat as Kia NBA MVP

& Bucks to Win Eastern Conference Championship

NBA General Managers - based on the results of this year's NBA.com GM survey - forecast the LA Clippers to win their first-ever NBA Championship - collecting 46% of the votes - followed by the Milwaukee Bucks (36%).

In the 18th annual survey, NBA executives overwhelmingly believe the LA Clippers (82%) had the Best Offseason. Kawhi Leonard garnered 67% of the votes for the NBA's Most Impactful Offseason Addition and collected Best Defender (45%) and Best Perimeter Defender (59%) honors. In addition, he broke LeBron James' streak as the survey's Top Small Forward (62%), which dates back to 2005.

Overall, eight players earned votes for 2019-20 Kia NBA MVP, with Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way with 52% of the votes, followed by the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis and LA Clippers' Leonard, who each garnered 10% of the vote. Antetokounmpo also drew the most votes for the Player General Managers Would Want to Start a Franchise With (86%), Best International Player (79%), Top Power Forward (59%) and Most Versatile (46%).

New Orleans' Zion Williamson was tabbed to be this year's Kia NBA Rookie of the Year (68%) and Best Rookie in Five Years (68%), while also earning Most Athletic honors (41%).

Golden State's Curry received the most votes among general managers for Top Point Guard (90%), Best Pure Shooter (86%) and Clutch Shooter (44%).

The Los Angeles Lakers were identified as the NBA's Most Improved Team (38%), while James topped the list for Best Basketball IQ (64%) and Best Passer (57%).

San Antonio's Gregg Popovich was named Best Coach (55%) for the eighth time in the past nine surveys, along with repeating as the NBA's Best Motivator (41%).

Additional noteworthy 2019-20 NBA.com GM Survey results include:

Paul George, LA Clippers - Most Surprising Offseason Move (52%)

Milwaukee Bucks - Eastern Conference Champion (76%)

Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers - Best Leader (41%)

Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz - Best Interior Defender (93%)

James Harden, Houston Rockets - Forces Most Adjustments (48%)

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, New Orleans Pelicans - Biggest NBA Draft Steal (32%)

Rick Carlisle, Dallas Mavericks - Best In-Game Adjustments (28%)

De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings - Fastest with the Ball (64%)

Denver Nuggets - Most Fun (31%)

NBA.com once again surveyed the league's general managers to gather their responses on the best teams, players, coaches, offseason moves and more prior to the 2019-20 NBA season. The general managers were not allowed to vote for their own team or personnel. The complete results of the survey - compiled by John Schuhmann - are available at www.nba.com/gmsurvey/2019.

LINK:	https://pressroom.warnermediagroup.com/us/media-release/nbacom-gm-surv...
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