The following press release is from NBA Digital:

NBA general managers predict the Cleveland Cavaliers (53.6% of the vote) will capture their first-ever NBA title, based on the results of this year’s NBA.com GM Survey. Cleveland’s four-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James received 39.3% of the MVP votes by the league’s general managers. New Orleans Pelicans center/forward Anthony Davis (25%) finished second in the MVP voting, followed by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (10.7%) and Houston Rockets guard James Harden (10.7%), then Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (7.1%) and Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (7.1%).

Davis received an overwhelming 86.2% of the votes from general managers for player they would want to start a franchise with today. Additionally, San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard was tabbed the league’s top defender (27.6%) while San Antonio’s three-time NBA Coach of the Year Gregg Popovich received 93.1% of the votes for the league’s best coach.

Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor received 44.8% for Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, while fellow first-year center, Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns (62.1%), was projected to be the 2015 NBA Draft’s best player five years from now.

Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (62.1%) was named the league’s top international player, only the second time – also San Antonio guard Tony Parker in 2013-14 – that someone other than Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki has held that distinction.

Top honors from NBA.com’s 14^th GM Survey also include the Thunder (25%) as the top vote getter for most improved team, Alvin Gentry (32.1%) topping Billy Donovan (28.6%) as the new or relocated coach who will make the biggest impact this season, Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (20.7%) as the league’s best role player and Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (17.2%) as a breakout player for 2015-16.

Additional noteworthy 2015-16 NBA.com GM Survey results include:

• Stephen Curry, Golden State – Best Point Guard (55.2%)
• LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio – Most Impactful Free Agent Acquisition (79.3%)
• Marc Gasol, Memphis – Best Interior Defender (27.6%)
• Ron Adams, Golden State – Best Assistant Coach (24.1%)
• Justise Winslow, Miami – Biggest Draft Steal (31.0%)

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 2015-16 NBA season. The general managers were not allowed to vote for their own team or personnel. The complete results of the survey, compiled by reporter John Schuhmann, are available at NBA.com.