Lakers Picked to Win NBA Title, Giannis to Win MVP Award in 2020-21 GM Survey

A survey of NBA general managers found a staggering 81 percent believe the Los Angeles Lakers will repeat as champions at the end of the 2020-21 season.

John Schuhmann of NBA.com provided results from the outlet's 19th annual GM survey, with the Lakers' title prediction percentage ranking third in history behind only the Golden State Warriors' teams of 2017-18 (93 percent) and 2018-19 (87 percent).

The Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo was predicted to win his third straight Most Valuable Player Award by 32 percent of the voters. The Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic (21 percent) and the Lakers' tandem of LeBron James and Anthony Davis (18 percent each) were the next highest vote-getters.

Aside from the Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat were the only other teams to receive votes to win the 2021 NBA title.

Here's a look at the player voted the best at each position by the GMs:

• PG: Stephen Curry (Warriors; 30 percent)
• SG: James Harden (Houston Rockets; 68 percent)
• SF: James (Lakers; 57 percent)
• PF: Antetokounmpo (Bucks; 46 percent)
• C: Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets; 50 percent)

Antetokounmpo was also selected as the best defensive player in the NBA.

The Lakers, who acquired several veteran players to bolster their repeat chances and re-signed both James and Davis, were chosen as the team with the best offseason, though the Phoenix Suns' acquisition of point guard Chris Paul was named the biggest impact move overall.

LaMelo Ball, the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, was picked as the most likely Rookie of the Year over the first two selections, the Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards and Warriors' James Wiseman, though the general managers picked Wiseman as the best player from the class in five years.

Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat was voted the league's best head coach.

A quick glance at some other interesting results from the GM survey:

• Player to start a franchise with: Antetokounmpo
• Most promising young core: New Orleans Pelicans
• Best passer: James
• Most versatile: James
• Toughest player: Steven Adams (Pelicans)
• Player to take winning shot: Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)

The 2020-21 season tips off Tuesday with a TNT doubleheader: the Nets host the Warriors at 7 p.m. ET and the Lakers open their title defense against the rival Clippers at 10 p.m. ET.