2018 has been a crazy year for the NBA, and nobody would’ve expected things to play out the way they did. I mean, who would’ve thought that the Nuggets would be sitting on top of the division, let alone surpass the Warriors. Player mobility has also been the name of the game this season, with players like Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler having a huge and direct impact on their teams. And none would’ve expected the race to be so tight in the west with only eight wins separating the number 1 and 11th positions. 2019 is set to be no different, and we can expect plenty of fireworks before the series start. Here are some of our bold predictions for 2019.

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Anthony Davis will be Traded Before the Deadline

This is a scenario a lot of people were skeptical about, but one that seems to be materializing right before our eyes. After all, why would the Pelicans trade away their only star? Well, it’s becoming clearer every day that Davis is getting frustrated with the state of affairs in New Orleans and would probably prefer spending his prime years playing for a competitive franchise.

And since he’s only a year off from becoming a free agent, now would be the time to trade while they could still get something for him. Not to mention that he just signed with Rich Paul, who just happens to be Lebron James’s agent, and he also recently bought a home in LA. All signs point to him going to the Lakers, who not only have the cap space to handle his contract but some interesting pieces the Pelicans could use right now.

If it were to happen, the Lakers could instantly become contenders and completely change online sports betting odds as a result. A team with Davis, James, Rondo and a rising Lonzo Ball would give fits to any top team in the league and could even make them favorites over the struggling Warriors by year’s end.

The Raptors will Win their First Titles

The Raptors have been neglected ever since they’ve been in the league and have been dismissed as a good season, but a poor playoff team. However, things could change with the stability a former champion and finals MVP like Kawhi Leonard can bring to a team. Masai Ujiri’s gamble paid off, and Leonard is integrating perfectly into Nick Nurse’s system. They’re now second only to the Bucks in the Eastern Conference but have two wins over them. But they are still clear favorites to win the East this year, and if the Warriors don’t get it together by the playoffs, we could easily see the Raptors winning a 7-game series against them.

The Kings will make the Playoffs

Nobody in the league could predict that De’Aaron Fox would have this kind of year this year, and he’s making everyone who overlooked him in last year’s draft regret their decision. Fox is having a stellar second year this season, averaging 18.1 points per game off of 7.6 assists. But what’s most impressive is his 3-point shooting percentage, which shot up to 38.9% from 34.2% last season.

Conclusion

We hope some of these predictions will come true this season and we’re looking forward to even more excitement by the start of postseason.

Former UConn Huskies offensive lineman Will Beatty was set to become a free agent on March 12. But the New York Giants ensured Beatty will be around for the next five years.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Beatty and the Giants have agreed on a five-year deal worth $38.75 million. $19 million of that is guaranteed for Beatty.

Beatty was a second round pick of the Giants out of UConn in the 2009 NFL Draft.

He played in all 16 games in 2009 for the Giants, starting four of those. He missed eight weeks in 2010 but played in eight games starting two of them.

Beatty became the starting left tackle for the GIants in their Super Bowl Championship season but only played in 10 games before missing the final six games and playoffs with a detached retina. He returned in 2012 and played in all 16 games, starting 15 of them.

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photo credit: getty images

Check out out what former UConn Husky and current Los Angeles Clippers small forward Caron Butler did to Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas in the Clippers loss last night.

The Clippers were trailing by 27 points when he did this by the way.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=L0c11p9UQLQ?rel=0

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Two former UConn Huskies, Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Bobcats and Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons, have been selected will take part in the 2013 NBA All-Star Weekend in the 2013 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge.

The pair is part of a pool of 18 players (rookies and sophomores) selected to the game that will be played on Friday, February 15 at 9 p.m. and be broadcast on TNT. Those 18 players will be split into two teams as drafted by Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal.

Here are the players selected to participate in the 2013 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge:

Sophomores:

Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets), Brandon Knight (Detroit Pistons), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs), Chandler Parsons (Houston Rockets), Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), Tristan Thompson (Cleveland Cavaliers),  Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic), Kemba Walker (Charlotte Bobcats)

Rookies:

Harrison Barnes (Warriors) Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Anthony Davis (New Orleans Hornets), Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Bobcats), Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), Alexey Shved (Minnesota Timberwolves), Dion Waiters (Cavaliers), Tyler Zeller (Cavaliers)

Walker leads the Bobcats in scoring averaging 17.8 points and 5.7 assists in 45 games (45 starts). In 46 games for the Pistons, Drummond is averaging 7.5 points and 7.7 rebounds in 20.2 minutes of action.

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Former UConn Huskies small forward Rudy Gay has a new home in the NBA as his former team, the Memphis Grizzlies, has traded him to the Toronto Raptors in a three-team deal that also included the Detroit Pistons.

Here's how that trade breaks down:

Raptors get – Rudy Gay (Grizzlies), Hammed Haddadi (Grizzlies)

Grizzlies get – Ed Davis (Raptors), Tayshaun Prince (Pistons), Austin Daye (Pistons), 2013 2nd Rd pick (Raptors).

Pistons get – Jose Calderon (Grizzlies via Raptors)

Gay was originally drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 2006 NBA Draft as the 8th overall pick before his rights were dealt to the Grizzlies where he had spent his entire NBA career. The six-year pro was averaging 17.2 points and 5.9 rebounds before the trade.

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photo credit: getty images

With the end of the 2012 NFL regular season over, the awards from the various media entities will come out. And while we don't post them all, we do look for ones that pertain to the subjects of the site.

With this being said, Mel Kiper, Jr. of ESPN.com posted his top rookies of the 2012 season and there is one former member of the UConn Huskies football team that was honored. And that was San Diego Chargers DE and former Husky Kendall Reyes.

Here's what Kiper had to say about Reyes (ESPN Insider link):

Kendall Reyes, Chargers: A 3-4 defensive end, Reyes was maybe the most athletic defensive tackle in the 2012 draft. Once he got the reps in San Diego he produced, and he should be a stud going forward. He finished with 5.5 sacks and simply destroyed the Jets in Week 16.

Reyes played in all 16 games with the Chargers and finished with 28 tackles. He was a second round pick of the Chargers out of UConn in the 2012 NFL Draft.

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