Another LeBron free agency has come and gone and in its conclusion the Lakers landed their next star who will now follow the shadows left by many greats like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Jerry West, and many others. Some thought LeBron's decision would serve as a domino for many other moves, however many of the league's other free agent stars opted to resign, including Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Paul George, Nikola Jokic, and Clint Capella. Some things remain uncertain, foremost the stalemate between Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs. Carmello Anthony is likely on his way to a contender for a veteran's minimum salary, and other big names have been the subject of trade talks such as Kemba Walker and Jimmy Butler. After all the cards were dealt, a huge lopside was present between the conferences, with the West commanding all of the league's active MVP winners (James, Durant, Curry, Harden, Westbrook, Nowizski) and 9 of the league's top 10 players (I have Giannis as the East's lone member). In fact the East currently has only 2 or 3 active players to reach an all NBA first team (John Wall and Dwight Howard, though Dwayne Wade would make 3 if he forgoes retirement to return to Miami), 2 of which are well past their prime. Alas, #1 will come as no surprise as the rest of the league remains chasing the evil empire that is the Golden State Warriors but 2-30 provides more speculation and debate. So without further to do...
#30. Orlando Magic
Despite a promising, lengthy, young front court the Magic check in at last place due to the lack of guard depth behind Evan Fournier and Jonathan Simmons, who aren't exactly all stars themselves. That being said the positive of this team is it's youth, lenth, and athleticism in the front court, where a few years down the road the trio of Aaron Gordon, Mo Bamba, and Jonathan Isaac can make life difficult for teams inside the arch and if developed can be dangerous offensively as well. The depth is great here as well with guys like Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo serving as 2 of the league's better big men off the bench. The development of the young guys will be crucial, as this organization has not been one of the better developmental ones in the past. Exhibit A is how good Victor Oladipo became 2 years after leaving the organization, and the failed experiments of Mario Hzonja and Elfird Payton could be pointed to as well.
#29. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are another team in a full on rebuild, but at least they can believe they may have found the starting block in Trae Young. Young is a high risk/ high reward pick, he could be anywhere from the next Steph Curry to a huge bust. Trading away Luca Doncic may prove to be foolish, but for Atlanta to get their man and still secure a likely lottery pick in next year's draft seems like a good deal in the present. Last year's first round pick John Collins looks like a player with high potential as well, and the Hawks will continue to be optimistic for the development of their young wings such as Taurean Prince and DeAndre Bembry. But Young is the key and his development will be key to where Atlanta will find themselves 4-5 years from now. But for 2018-19 they are not expected to win many games.
#28. Sacramento Kings
The Kings are building a nice collection of young talent, adding Marvin Bagley III with the 2nd overall pick in June's draft. He is the youngest piece to a group that also includes D'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Willie Caulie-Stein, Justin Jackson, and Harry Giles. With more young pieces in place there's more reason for optimism for Sacramento then there is for Orlando or Atlanta, but the disparity between the West and East could force the Kings into the lowest win total of the 3. This group could get better with seasoning and proper development but for this year expectations should remain relatively low.
#27. Brooklyn Nets
Credit where credit is due, I think most of us thought the Nets would be the league's worst team next year and that was not the case. Are they still going to suck this year? Yeah, unfortunately. But the team finally starts having first round picks again starting this summer and the front office has done a nice job striking reasonable deals and creating cap space to make moves next summer. So while in prior years the Nets seemed hopeless, they can finally begin to look forward to higher draft picks and chasing free agents in the summer. But this year they will still be towards the bottom.
#26. Cleveland Cavaliers
It's always surprising to see a team in last year's finals sitting in the bottom 5 but I truly think Cleveland will be clueless without the league's best player to bail out its otherwise less than mediocre roster. Kevin Love will likely become the focal point of the offense, as its lone all star caliber player. Collin Sexton was a good pick at 8, giving the Cavs another ball dominant, pick & roll player they can build around. Past those 2, the Cavs have a slew of older overpaid players and not much young talent to work with. Cleveland is a team I expect to be active in trying to trade players in exchange for picks and younger assets as it hits the reset button and adjusts to life after LeBron.
#25. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are another team progressing through a rebuild but are doing a decent job of it. Zach LaVine, Lauri Markannen, and Kris Dunn all are young pieces coming off good years, and the Wendell Carter pick is a good one that fills a need and gives the Bulls a good young duo of big men who can also shoot from outside. The Bulls are still too young to win many games so the focus of next season should be more aimed at developing its young guys and maximizing their minutes on the floor together.
#24. New York Knicks
The Knicks 2018-19 season will largely depend on when Kristaps Porzingis, who continues to recover from a torn ACL just before last season's all star break. But the Knicks should allow Porzingis to heal and rehab at his own pace and use that time as an opportunity to develop its other young prospects such as Frank Ntilikita and Kevin Knox. Once healthy, Porzingis gives the Knicks a capable star to work through that the other rebuilding teams lack. But an ACL is nothing to rush the recovery of, especially when the team has no reason to be winning immediately, thus I expect the Knicks 2018-19 win total to stay low.
#23. Charlotte Hornets
Our countdown is now progressing from the rebuilders, to the "a little bit short of the middle of the road" teams. I expect the Hornets to trade Kemba Walker prior to the February deadline, and begin their rebuild around Malik Monk and Miles Bridges, but until then Walker remains on the roster and one of the league's best point guards and this ranking will reflect as such. If he is still on the roster come April, there's a chance the Hornets are in the playoff race, but the more likely scenario still involves the Hornets moving Walker, as well as other veterans whose window is closing such as Nicholas Batum (a contract they would love to dump) and Marvin Williams and resetting with the younger pieces.
#22. Phoenix Suns
The Suns are on the verge of exiting the rebuild with the proper places now in piece. They have their elite scorer in Devon Booker whom they can run the offense through and who will serve as the centerpiece. DeAndre Ayton has a chance to be a legit big man in this league and dominate the middle on both ends. Signing Trevor Ariza gives the Suns a veteran presence and helps them stretch the floor with his shooting. The Suns then traded for Mikal Bridges to give the roster a second top 10 pick from this year's draft class. If other young pieces like Josh Jackson and Marquesse Chriss can take steps forward and if the Suns can still get production from the other vets like Tyson Chandler then this a fringe playoff team, and probably is a playoff team in the East.
#21. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies still believe they are a 'win now' team and intend to ride Mike Conley and Marc Gasol for at least one more year. When healthy, those 2 guys are top 10 at their respective positions. Despite tampering with trading away the 4th overall pick, the Grizzlies retained the pick and selected Jaren Jackson Jr., who is one of the best 2 way players in this class. Past those 3, the roster leaves little to be desired, and given the strength of the West it wouldn't surprise me to see the Grizzlie's 2 stars on the trading block if they don't find themselves in the top 4 or 5 teams of the conference, which I don't think they will.
#20. Los Angeles Clippers
Just a little over a year ago the Clips still had Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan. Now, all 3 find themselves on different teams. Fortunately for the Clippers they were able to trade the best 2 of that group (Paul and Griffin) and get some decent return. The current roster now lacks an all star caliber player but has a slew of veteran B-list players, including Tobias Harris, Danillo Galinari, Patrick Beverly, Avery Bradley, Marcin Gortat, Wesley Johnson, and the reigning 6th man of the year Lou Williams. They found their point guard of the future in Shai Gilgious-Alexander who may even prove to be the best point guard of this draft class if he can show the same growth he did in one season at Kentucky. The Clippers may opt to blow up the roster come the trade deadline, as the rest of the West is too competitive for this group and the franchise could use some more young blood to compliment Gilgious-Alexander. The lack of big men behind Gortat may also prove problematic for the Clips, who have a guard heavy roster and not a single true power forward.
#19. Dallas Mavericks
In terms of starting 5's the Mavericks quietly boast one of the more well-rounded groups in the league with Dennis Smith Jr, Luca Doncic, Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitski, and DeAndre Jordan. The latter 3 are proven veterans, DSJ is coming off a solid rookie campaign, and if Doncic is half of what he was in Spain then this 5 is solid. Strengthening the bench with some scorers could give Dallas a great shot of landing one of the West's last playoff spots but regardless it's a team that could surprise some people.
#18. Detroit Pistons
The one big positive for the Pistons is that they have the best big man duo in the East with Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin. In fact, that may make them the only team in the league with 2 guys who can average 25 & 10. The bad news is that it's quite a drop from those 2 to the remainder of the roster. Stanley Johnson and Luke Kennard are still in developmental mode but will both likely be thrust into starting roles and Reggie Jackson probably doesn't even scratch the top 20 point guards in the league. Assuming that's the starting 5, there are even less positives to say about the bench. The big men will need to shoulder the load if Detroit is to be in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
#17. Miami Heat
Few teams were able to match Miami's depth last season, who boast a roster full of 2nd tier players who can hurt opponents in a variety of ways. Unfortunately for the Heat they sit in cap room hell right now owing a lot of big money to a lot of players in their late 20s and early 30s. Thus as other teams in the conference are improving, the Heat appear to be running in place. That being said, this is still a team with a lot of talent on the roster and arguably a top 5 coach. They shoot the 3 well, they defend, they play with a lot of grit. There is still enough here to return to the playoffs, but it's tough to envision them going far once they're there.
#16. Washington Wizards
The Wizards find themselves in the middle of the pack because that embodies what they have been in recent years, painfully mediocre. In drafting John Wall, the Wizards landed one of the best if not the best player in franchise history, but have struggled to build around him and the sharpshooting Bradley Beal. Dwight Howard is a nice addition, who quietly had a pretty good season last year, averaging 17 & 14 while staying healthy. Duplicating that level of production would be an upgrade from Marcin Gortat. Otto Porter Jr and Kelly Oubre continue to improve with seasoning as well. If Wall and Howard manage to stay healthy you should bank on the win total improving, however this group has never gone past the 2nd round of the playoffs and I see no reason to believe that will change this season.
#15. Portland Trailblazers
This year in Portland will be very telling. The Trailblazers pay Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum too much money not to at least win a playoff series, let alone game (they have lost 10 straight!!). Yet still this team found a way to win 49 games and finish 3rd in an extremely competitive Western Conference. The Blazers are the counter part to the Pistons, 2 extremely talented guards and not much else to support. Portland will likely still have a successful regular season, but winning in the playoffs remains a monkey on the back for this team and I'm not sure there's enough personnel behind the guards to get it done in 2019.
#14. Milwaukee Bucks
With the departure of LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo now becomes the best individual player in the Eastern Conference. The organization has done a nice job of surrounding him with assets like Eric Bledsoe, Khris Middleton, Malcom Brogden, and John Henson. Donte DiVincezo is a solid draft pick who can add scoring a perimeter shooting to the line up. The Bucks are close, may be another shooter away from being a real contender in this conference, but if Giannis can take the next step then he and these Bucks may just be the dark horse to win the East.
#13. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets have built an excellent collection of young talent with high potential, the next step for this group would be reaching the playoffs, who finished 1 game behind Minnesota and San Antonio for 7th & 8th last season. 3 of the starters, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Gary Harris, are all 23 or younger and just beginning to scratch the surface of their potential. If Michael Porter Jr. proves to be healthy following his back surgery, he could be the steal of the draft and add a 4th youngster and fill a hole at small forward for the Nuggets. Paul Milsapp remains productive and gives this group a veteran presence, and the addition of Isiah Thomas will add to that and could prove another great addition if he can reach anywhere near his pre injury form in Boston. The Nuggets are probably still a couple years away from being a true contender in the West, but as other 'win now' teams begin to deteriorate this franchise will be primed to make a move towards the top.
#12. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers greatly exceeded their expectations last season, many had them only winning 30-35 games following the Paul George trade. Few foresaw Victor Oladipo taking the league by storm and becoming the league's most improved player and an all star. There is super star potential hear if he can continue to develop. Myles Turner is also an excellent young piece that the Pacers can build around. The additions of Tyreke Evans and Doug McDermott also add depth and scoring options, and exchanging Al Jefferson for Kyle O'Quinn is an upgrade down low. Everyone is pinning Boston, Philly, and Toronto as the heavy favorites but the Pacers are another potential sleeper in the East and one that could make some noise come playoff time.
#11. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans would be inside the top 10 had they resigned DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo, which gave them a 2nd legitimate scorer and rebounder and a pass first guard who elevated his game in the playoffs. Unfortunately, both ultimately walked and were replaced with Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton, who while solid players probably are downgrades from Boogie and Rondo. Still, Anthony Davis is a top 3 player in this league who can carry this team, and Jrue Holiday is arguably a top 5 2-way player who had a terrific post season. Behind those 2, the roster is lacking, and thus the Pelicans may take a small step backward, but still this team was probably the 3rd best team in the West last season once the playoffs were said and done and thus are still a force to be reckoned with.
#10. San Antonio Spurs
Yes, this ranking is still reflecting the assumption that the Spurs will ultimately be without Kawhi Leonard. But many forget this team only had Leonard for 9 games last season and still managed to win 47 games and make the Western Conference playoffs. The roster still has a slew of talented veterans in LaMarcus Aldridge, Manu Ginobli, Pau Gasol, Danny Green, and Rudy Gay and a pair of young pieces with high potential in DeJounte Murray and Lonnie Walker. And let's not overlook the fact that they're coached by the league's best in Greg Poppovich. No, they aren't going to contend with Golden State and Houston, but they did prove last year that they can compete and win games without Kawhi.
#9. Minnesota Timberwolves
If they can work out the locker room kinks, there's enough talent on this roster to finish in the top 10 with a big 3 of Jimmy Butler, Karl Anthony-Towns, and Andrew Wiggins. Furthermore the gritty veterans like Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, and Derrick Rose should further compliment the young trio, along with Gorgui Deng. The team itself hasn't really undergone any changes from last season, so building on their recently ended 14 year playoff drought will be dependent on the growth of the young stars as well as the aforementioned chemistry.
#8. Toronto Raptors
Perhaps no team was more overjoyed to see LeBron exit the East than the Raptors, who have lost 10 straight playoff games to LeBron and the Cavs. Upon being swept out for the 2nd consecutive year, all signs pointed to the Raptors blowing up the roster and starting over following the departure of Dwayne Casey, but now the Raptors seem to want to give it another ride. Because of the post season woes along with all the hype around Boston and Philadelphia , it's easy to forget that this group won a franchise high 59 games last season, which was also the highest in the conference. The same group remains intact, with Demar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry leading the charge with strong support from Serge Ibaka, Jonas Valenciunas, OG Annunoby, Fred Vanvleet, Lucas Nogueira, Norman Powell, and Jakob Poetl. With Cleveland no longer a contender, it will be interesting to see if this group can pace themselves with the Celtics and Sixers.
#7. Utah Jazz
The pieces are coming together for the Jazz, who after an 18-29 start finished the season as one of the league'hottesest teams (tied for 4th in the West) and upset the Thunder in the first round before ultimately losing to the Warriors in 5. They hit the jackpot in last year's draft by selecting Donavan Mitchell, who was a prolific scorer and who would have won Rookie of the Year had Ben Simmons not been eligible. They have a great rim protector and the Defensive Player of the Year in Rudy Gobert, and they have a top 5 coach in Quinn Snyder. The roster runs deep with Ricky Rubio, Derrick Favors, Joe Ingles, Jae Crowder, and Dante Exum, and added another good perimeter shooter in Grayson Allen. They may still lack the firepower to keep up with Golden State and Houston but this well rounded unit could finish 3rd in the conference.
#6. Oklahoma City Thunder
Carmello Anthony and his 28 million pounds of dead weight will not be a part of this roster come the beginning of the season and once again this ranking is reflecting that. Once that transaction has been completed, the Thunder can chalk up this offseason as a 'W' also factoring in the resigning of Paul George, which seemed highly unlikely a year ago. PG and Russell Westbrook alone give this team a flurry of offense and the return of Andre Roberson will give the team a huge lift defensively as well, while Steven Adams continues to hold the fort down in the middle. Nerlens Noel is a nice addition that adds more defense and depth behind Adams. The lack of perimeter shooters is the biggest thing holding the Thunder back from the 2 mainWestern Conference rivals, and although getting out of Carmello's contract is a great thing, his career high 169 3 pointers will need to come from somewhere else. The superstar duo can only do so much with a thin bench and a lack of shooters.
#5. Philadelphia 76ers
Do you trust the process yet? Joel Embiid is the best center in the conference, maybe even the league if DeMarcus Cousins doesn't return to pre-injury form. Ben Simmons is a jump shot away from being a mini LeBron, and if Markelle Fultz can stay healthy and live up to his hype when the Sixer's traded up to draft him first overall last year then we have a scary good trio. Did I mention they are all 24 or younger? The roster is loaded with good role players behind the big 3 as well. Robert Covington is a great young 3&D player, JJ Reddick is a sniper from deep, and Dario Saric is a tough as nails power forward. Trading back for Zhaire Smith allowed the Sixers to add the best athlete in the draft class and yet another unprotected future first round pick. Sixers/Celtics has the potential to be a great Eastern Conference rivalry for years to come, one that will only be further fueled by Embiid's love for trash talking and social media. Trust the process, trust the process indeed.
#4. Los Angeles Lakers
Look, when you add the best player in the world, maybe ever, you jump from the bottom of the food chain to the top 5. LeBron James is the ultimate trump card of this league, the alpha and the omega. While further adding Kawhi Leonard or Paul George would have made the Lakers an instant title contender, the front office had a great plan B of creating a roster that had a sufficient balance of winning veterans and promising young prospects. Rajon Rondo gives the team a pass first guard who also defends and one with plenty of playoff and Finals experience. Lance Stephenson is a terrific defender who gave LeBron fits for years in Indiana. JaVale McGee provides rim protection inside and more Finals experience. Lonzo Ball is another pass first point guard with great handles and good decision making and Brandon Ingram is turning into a great 2nd option as a scoring wing. Also good young players are Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart, who have overachieved thus far. There's a good collection of talent and grit here, which always makes things interesting when The King is the centerpiece.
#3. Boston Celtics
People always mention how the Warriors can start 4 all stars, but hypothetically Boston could do the same in Irving, Hayward, Horford, and Tatum. Even Jaylen Brown has all star potential and rounds out a very complete starting 5. Furthermore this is one of the league's strongest benches with Marcus Smart (assuming they do bring him back), Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris, and Aaron Baynes. And like the Sixers, this team is youthful and should be expected to contend in the East for years to come. Brown and Tatum are 21 and 20, Smart and Rozier are both 24, and Irving is 26. And they're coached by mastermind Brad Stevens, who is 41 years young himself. This group has it all, athleticism, shooting, defense, mental toughness. They're my pick to win the East and I think they could surprise the Western champ as well.
#2. Houston Rockets
Let's not forget the Rockets were one bad hamstring and/or one cold shooting night away from dethroning the champs and more than likely winning the title themselves. The Rockets are an offensive juggernaut with reigning MVP James Harden, another top 10 player in Chris Paul, one of the best young centers in Clint Capella (assuming he returns) and a plethora of 3 point shooters surrounding them (Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker, Ryan Anderson), perhaps even Carmello gets added. They play fast and they make many 3's. The depth is lacking with the departures of Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute, and the Rockets were only playing a 7 man rotation last postseason prior to that, thus still making them underdogs to the....
#1. Golden State Warriors
The Pope is still Catholic, water is still wet, and Golden State is still the best team in basketball by a country mile. Once DeMarcus Cousins is healthy, this team's starting 5 will all be made up of top 25 players, any of whom could score 25 points on any given night. Oh yeah, and they still have Andre Iguodala coming off the bench. Many believe they would beast this year's Eastern Conference All Star's in a 7 game series. I don't need to elaborate here, it's Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and DeMarcus Cousins. I mean there are ways they could lose, right? They could get hit by an airplane, they could unleash the TS-19 virus. Joking aside, we will all be greatly surprised if Golden State isn't 3-peating, I would even consider it an upset if it takes more than 5 games against any opponent along the way.
Friday, July 13, 2018
Friday, August 25, 2017
NBA Post Offseason Power Rankings
When the Finals concluded, it seemed that there would be an inevitable Warriors/Cavs Final for at least the next 3 years. At least. Fortunately, the rest of the league was determined to not concede to the Warriors and spent a lot of money and made a lot of moves in attempts to close the gap. The West looks to be a blood bath, with Paul George and Jimmy Butler switching conferences, and Chris Paul upgrading teams. The East is far from a sure thing as well with Dan Gilbert's firing, Kyrie's trade requests, and rumors of LeBron leaving next summer swirling like a tornado. So without further to do:
#30. Brooklyn Nets
Key acquisitions: DeAngelo Russell, DeMare Carroll, Timmofey Mozgov
Key departures: Brook Lopez
Acquiring Russell helps give Brooklyn their point guard of the future and a player to get excited about, something they haven't had since the years they had aging veterans Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Joe Johnson, and Deron Williams. They also still have Jeremy Lin, who was injured most of last season. Despite some things finally going in their favor, the lack of draft picks and the lack of talent on the roster will still keep Brooklyn from being competitive in this league.
#29. Chicago Bulls
Key acquisitions: Kris Dunn, Zach Lavine, Lauri Markannen
Key departures: Jimmy Butler Rajon Rondo
After pushing the Celtics to a competitive 6 game series, the Bulls took 3 steps back with the Jimmy Butler trade, which made Indiana's Paul George deal look decent. The Bulls acquired 2 players who have young promise but were injured last year in Dunn and Lavine and instead of gaining a first round pick they ended up just swapping theres with Minnesota. Dwayne Wade still remains but is an old goat on a team that's clearly moving in a younger direction. Perhaps the biggest fear is that the Bulls seem to have no definite direction. Acquiring Wade and Rondo last summer had fans thinking they could compete in the East, but now they seem geared for a rebuild.
#28. Atlanta Hawks
Key acquisitions: John Collins
Key departures: Dwight Howard, Paul Milsapp, Tim Hardaway
Despite having a playoff roster, Atlanta has committed to tanking and going younger by losing 3 of their 5 starters. Perhaps they've given up on competing with Cleveland and Golden State. They have a pair of promising young pieces in Dennis Shroeder and Taurean Prince and a decent but overpaid wing player in Kent Bazemore. This year is going to be rough, but 5 first round picks in the next 2 years and lots of cap room should reduce the swelling.
#27. Indiana Pacers
Key acquisitions: Victor Oladipo, Domantis Sabonis
Key departures: Paul George, Jeff Teague
Though it wasn't as lop sided as the Butler trade, the Pacers should have gotten more for George. Even on a one year rental, he's a player who can make a team an immediate contender, as he did for Oklahoma City. Now Myles Turner will become the cornerstone of the franchise as they too go younger. I think it would have benefited Indiana more to trade George to Boston for 3 first round picks, but the Pacers have made their bed and now they must lie in it.
#26. Orlando Magic
Key acquisitions: Jonathan Isaac
Key departures: none
The Magic were silent in free agency and the remainder of their messy roster remains unchanged. If Isaac can gain weight and confidence in his jump shot, he may be the steal of the draft in time, but for now the roster has too many moving parts and it's difficult to determine it's best player. With few changes, it would be abnormal to expect different results.
#25. Phoenix Suns
Key acquisitions: Josh Jackson
Key departures: none
Phoenix is higher than some of the teams behind them because they have a potential great scorer in Devin Booker, who had 70 in a game against Boston late in the season. Factor in other promising young players such as Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender along with athletic 4th overall pick Josh Jackson and there's a decent core. One of Phoenix's priorities this year may be to trade Eric Bledsoe, who is talented but does not fit the mold of this young group. All these players still need seasoning, and thus I still have them as the West's worst team.
#24. New York Knicks
Key acquisitions: Tim Hardaway Jr, Frank Ntilikina
Key departures: Derrick Rose
Phil Jackson got the boot, Kristaps Porzingis skipped his exit meeting, and the organization can't seem to make up their mind on whether or not to trade Carmello. The roller coaster continues in the Big Apple. Despite their best efforts, the Knicks just can't seem to move upward, but young pieces like Porzingis and Ntilinkina at least give them a place to start. If they can convince Anthony to waive his no trade clause, they could speed up the rebuilding process and add some more assets. Until that happens he will continue to loom as a dark cloud over the franchise.
#23. Detroit Pistons
Key acquisitions: Avery Bradley
Key departures: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Markieff Morris
The Pistons were relatively quiet in free agency. They made a nice acquisition in Avery Bradley thanks to Boston's financial constraints, but failing to resign KCP brings them back towards par. Andre Drummond is a great young big to develop a franchise around, but he needs to establish more consistency. The Pistons still owe big contracts to Reggie Jackson and Tobias Harris, who are failing to live up to their pay checks. Unless they experience bounce back seasons, it's tough to picture Detroit in the playoff picture.
#22. Sacramento Kings
Key acquisitions: DeAaron Fox, Justin Jackson, Frank Mason III, Harry Giles, George Hill, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter
Key departures: Rudy Gay
Normally the Kings are a laughing stock of an organization, but I must admit they were one of the winners of the offseason, especially the draft. Fox is a legit point guard, Jackson can score, Giles was the top high school player before being plagued by injuries, and Mason III won the Naismith Award for college basketball's best player. They additionally blended their youth with some gritty veterans by adding Hill, Randolph, and Carter. They're not going to become good overnight, but it was a job well done for the organizations first off season without DeMarcus Cousins.
#21. Dallas Mavericks
Key acquisitions: Dennis Smith Jr
Key departures: none
Not much changed in Dallas this summer but many felt Smith Jr was the star of the summer league. He joins a young core of Yogi Ferrell, Harrison Barnes, most likely Nerlens Noel, and a Mavericks organization that missed the playoffs for the only the 2nd time this millennium. The Mavericks also convinced loyal servant Dirk Nowitzski to take another pay cut as they continue to search for pieces to help return them to relevance.
#20. Los Angeles Lakers
Key acquisitions: Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brook Lopez
Key departures: DeAngelo Russell, Timoffey Mozgov
Magic Johnson has been killing it since taking over as president of basketball operations. He was able to get rid of Mozgov's ridiculous contract and ship off the problematic DeAngelo Russell to acquire a huge upgrade at center in Brook Lopez and a third first round pick. Furthermore, he was able to build a team that would both be competitive in the playoff race this season, and still have plenty of cap space next year to chase whales such as LeBron James and Paul George. Also, I hate to say it but I am drinking the cool aid on Lonzo Ball. In summer league he was an excellent passer, and showed great composure and ability as a floor general. I believe Brandon Ingram will be much improved in year 2 as well and Kyle Kuzma may have been the steal of the draft after showing off his range in summer league. Maybe, just maybe, we should start taking LaVar a little more seriously. Maybe.
#19. Philadelphia 76ers
Key acquisitions: Markelle Fultz, JJ Reddick, Amir Johnson
Key departures: none
Sixers fans can finally begin to see the fruit of their labor from all the trust they put into the god-damn process. A core of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Markelle Fultz can be really good in a couple years. Throw in Robert Covington and Dario Saric for good measure and the Sixers are building a great young team. Despite how good they can be, winning in the NBA takes time, especially with a roster who's majority is still too young to rent a car. The Sixers' realistic goal should be to contend for a playoff spot in a weak Eastern conference.
#18. Portland Trailblazers
Key acquisitions: Zach Collins
Key departures: None
Your perspective of Portland depends on how you feel about Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic averaged a double double when he was healthy, if he maintains that level of play, or dare I say improves, Rip City probably returns to the playoffs. They still have one of the league's better back courts with Damien Lillard and CJ McCollum. Unfortunately, those 2 have such ludicrous contracts that there isn't much wiggle room for Portland to improve in free agency. In the draft Portland traded up to acquire Zach Collins, the talented center from Gonzaga. It will be interesting to see if he and Nurkic can get on the floor together, good look driving to opposing teams if that happens.
#17. Utah Jazz
Key acquisitions: Ricky Rubio
Key departures: Gordon Hayward, George Hill
You can't blame Utah for losing out on Hayward, they offered him the max and signed and resigned players that he was interested in being with. Without their best scorer, it's only natural to assume Utah would take a step backward. However, this is a group of tough players who work hard on both sides of the ball. They still have one of the league's best young big men in Rudy Gobert, they'll get a healthier Derrick Favors back, and they still have the bulk of a roster that made the Western Semi's including Joe Ingles, Shelvin Mack, Rodney Hood, Joe Johnson, and Boris Diaw. Rubio will fit their style as a point guard who will slow the game down and facilitate. They won't go as far as last year, but the post season isn't out of question.
#16. Miami Heat
Key acquisitions: Kelly Olynyk, Bam Adebayo
Key departures: None
Miami was 2 teams last year, one that started 11-30 and seemed primed for a top 5 pick, and then one that got red hot and went 30-11 and nearly snuck into the post season. The truth is they fall somewhere in the middle. The East got much weaker this offseason, and between that, the return of Justice Winslow, the upgrades in the post with Olynyk and Adebayo, and a full offseason of development for the younger guys, Miami should have enough to return to the post season, but only as a lower seed.
#14. Los Angeles Clippers
Key acquisitions: Patrick Beverly, Danillo Gallinari, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell
Key departures: Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford
Although they did well to make this trade and get good pieces, losing Paul will hurt and the Clippers will struggle to find their new identity. Resigning Griffin and adding Gallinari, Beverly and Williams is enough to keep the team afloat however. Griffin and Jordan will have to assume larger roles as scorers, this will be a greater challenge for Jordan who scored a high percentage of his baskets on alley oops from the league's best passer. Regardless, I cannot stress enough how much Paul will be missed. He's a good scorer, great floor general and leader, all NBA defender, excellent decision maker, and one of the best point guards the game has ever seen who can always dictate the game to his preferred tempo. The Clippers will no longer contend to be a top team in the West without Paul, but did well to gain quality assets before his departure.
#13. Denver Nuggets
Key acquisitions: Paul Milsapp Trey Lyles
Key departures: Danillo Gallinari
Milsapp is an all star (in the East) and underrated player who will also provide veteran leadership to this group of overachieving youngsters. That group is ahead of schedule with the rapid development of Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, and Jamaal Murray. The Nuggets finished 9th in the West last year, and the addition of Milsapp and regression of teams like LA and Utah could help them push into the post season. Milsapp is the organization's biggest acquisition probably since Carmello Anthony way back in 2003 and the biggest free agent acquisition in an even longer time span.
#12. Memphis Grizzlies
Key acquisitions: None
Key departures: Zach Randolph Tony Allen
If Allen does not return to Memphis, the Grizzlies will have lost their 2 grittiest players who helped develop the identity of the franchise. They still have a top 10 point guard in Mike Conley and an all star center in Marc Gasol and those 2 alone are probably still enough to guide the Grizzlies to fringe playoff contention. Memphis tends to have enough to compete with the top teams, but never enough to defeat them in a 7 game series. Barring a change in that pattern, a tear down and rebuild may be on the horizon.
#11. New Orleans Pelicans
Key acquisitions: Rajon Rondo
Key departures: none
While the rest of the league is trending towards small ball the Pelicans counter with the NBA's best big man duo. Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins provide the Pels with 2 players who put up 25 points and 10 rebounds on a nightly basis, that alone should help them win a lot of games. The duo didn't reach expectations last season, but developing chemistry and spacing took time and they were already playing catch up. However, the Pelican's lack of guards and depth still keeps them outside the upper tier of the Western Conference.
#10. Milwaukee Bucks
Key acquisitions: None
Key departures: None
Milwaukee breaks into the top 10 thanks to a young core that's filled with talent but just scratching the surface of its potential. It was no fluke Giannis Antetokounmpo won most improved player, the 22 year old is on the verge of becoming one of the league's next big stars. The Bucks also have the rookie of the year Malcom Brodgen, a 3 point sniper in Kris Middleton, and a scoring rising star (when healthy) in Jabari Parker. They're probably a year or two away from truly contending for the East, but they're trending in the right direction.
#9. Toronto Raptors
Key acquisitions: CJ Miles
Key departures: Patrick Patterson, DeMare Carroll
Resigning Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka keeps the Raptors relevant in the East, though the window of opportunity seems to be narrowing. The losses of Patterson and Carroll hurt both from perspectives of depth and defense. Younger players like Norman Powell and Bebe Nogueira will have to step up and assume bigger roles if the Raptors wish to advance any further than the conference semis. Regardless, Toronto has the feel of a team that has already hit its ceiling.
#8. Washington Wizards
Key acquisitions: Tim Frazier, Jodie Meeks
Key departures: None
A career game from Kelly Olynyk and a rough 2nd half from John Wall were all that separated the Wizards from a spot in last season's conference finals. Wall is the conference's best point guard, with blazing speed and a unique ability to hit teammates with precision while moving so quickly. However, his inability to develop a consistent jumpshot allows defenders to sag off and disallows Wall from taking the next step. Another big flaw to Washington which was evident in the Boston series was the lack of bench production, which the Wizards did not to much to improve in the offseason.
#7. Minnesota Timberwolves
Key acquisitions: Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson
Key departures: Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine
No team saw more offseason improvement that the Timberwolves. They practically robbed the Bulls of Jimmy Butler on draft night, and then added a pair of testy veterans in Jeff Teague and Taj Gibson. These are all players who provide upgrades in both defense and leadership, both of which the team needed in the worst way. Karl Anthony Towns was one of the league's best offensive players after the all star break last season, averaging 28 points, 45% from the field, 41% from deep, and nearly 80% from the free throw line. Andrew Wiggins was not nearly as productive but still chipped in 24 points per game. If the 2 youngsters can show real improvement defensively, this team that only won 31 games last season can be taken seriously as a contender.
#6. Oklahoma City Thunder
Key acquisitions: Paul George, Patrick Patterson
Key departures: Victor Oladipo, Taj Gibson, Domantis Sabonis
Russell Westbrook is coming off an absurd MVP season, but needed help to get back in the championship picture. Paul George arrives after a strong post all star break performance as a needed running mate, but compared to Kevin Durant he's not as good of a defender and has a poorer shot selection. Unlike that situation, George will probably acknowledge that this is Westbrook's team and that he is #2. The Thunder should also be one of the league's best defensive teams, but they still lack the perimeter shooting and key rotational players necessary to winning such a competitive Western Conference.
#5. Boston Celtics
Key acquisitions: Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward
Key departures: Isiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley Kelly Olynyk
It's rare that a regular season conference champ experiences such turnover in the offseason, as the Celtics only return 4 players from last year's squad (Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier). Despite this, Boston gets closer still to reaching the finals, some even now consider them the favorite to win the East. The Celtics add 2 prolific scorers in Irving and Hayward. If Brad Stevens can get the most out of Irving and help him improve as a defender and distributor, and if the young talented prospects Brown and Jason Tatum develop ahead of schedule, Boston becomes extremely dangerous. Even if it doesn't happen this year, there's enough uncertainty and drama in Cleveland for Boston to be an Eastern powerhouse for years to come.
#4. Cleveland Cavaliers
Key acquisitons: Isiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose, Jeff Green
Key departures: Kyrie Irving
I still like Cleveland better with Kyrie, but they made the most of an unfortunate situation. Isiah Thomas was a top 5 scorer last season, Jae Crowder gives Cleveland an above average perimiter defender who can also hit 3's and play small ball, and the Cavs greatly helped their future by acquiring Brooklyn's 2018 1st round pick, which should be top 3. If healthy, former MVP Derrick Rose gives Cleveland a major boost on the bench. The improved depth and moreso the fact that they have the league's best player still make the Cavs the team to beat in the East. The inability to correct their defensive struggles and the offseason distractions will likely still deter them from winning another championship.
#3. San Antonio Spurs
Key acquisitions: None
Key departures: Jonathan Simmons
Some people are discounting the Spurs due to their lack of offseason moves, but let's recall some basic facts. They won 61 games last season. They're coach is one of the best masterminds in the history of the game. They have a top 5 player in Kawhi Leonard who also happens to be arguably the league's best defender. They were crushing Golden State in Oracle before a certain incident changed the entire western conference finals, a series they also played without Tony Parker. So sure, you could argue that they're running in place, but running in place in San Antonio means 50+ wins and a top 5 team that can compete for a title.
#2 Houston Rockets
Key acquisitions: Chris Paul, Luc Mbah A Moute, Tarik Black
Key departures: Patrick Beverly, Sam Dekker, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell
Landing Chris Paul alone makes the Rockets one of the offseason's big winners. It will take time for he and James Harden to learn how to play together, but the combination could be lethal post all star break. Adding Mbah A Moute and Black also helps Houston improve their defense while still retaining sharp shooters like Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon, and Ryan Anderson. In last year's playoffs, the Spurs were able to defeat the Rockets by crowding the 3 point line and forcing Houston to take difficult, off dribble, mid range shots. The Rockets shoot these nowhere near as well as spot up 3's but Paul is one of today's best mid range shooters. His presence will also take some of the weight off Harden, who looked gassed at the end of some games. If the Rockets find a way to trade for Carmello Anthony, things can get interesting.
#1. Golden State Warriors
Key acquisitions: Nick Young, Omri Casspi
Key departures: None
Were you expecting anything else? After winning their 2nd title in 3 seasons, the Warriors won the offseason as well, thanks in large part to the unselfish actions of Kevin Durant. The Final's MVP's lack of monetary greed allowed the champs to resign all their key rotational players such as Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Zaza Pachulia, JaVale McGee, and David West, while giving 2 time MVP Steph Curry the max deal he has long deserved and simultaneously adding another bench spark plug in Nick Young. The rest of the NBA has worked hard to lessen the gap, but the Warriors still run the Association.
#30. Brooklyn Nets
Key acquisitions: DeAngelo Russell, DeMare Carroll, Timmofey Mozgov
Key departures: Brook Lopez
Acquiring Russell helps give Brooklyn their point guard of the future and a player to get excited about, something they haven't had since the years they had aging veterans Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Joe Johnson, and Deron Williams. They also still have Jeremy Lin, who was injured most of last season. Despite some things finally going in their favor, the lack of draft picks and the lack of talent on the roster will still keep Brooklyn from being competitive in this league.
#29. Chicago Bulls
Key acquisitions: Kris Dunn, Zach Lavine, Lauri Markannen
Key departures: Jimmy Butler Rajon Rondo
After pushing the Celtics to a competitive 6 game series, the Bulls took 3 steps back with the Jimmy Butler trade, which made Indiana's Paul George deal look decent. The Bulls acquired 2 players who have young promise but were injured last year in Dunn and Lavine and instead of gaining a first round pick they ended up just swapping theres with Minnesota. Dwayne Wade still remains but is an old goat on a team that's clearly moving in a younger direction. Perhaps the biggest fear is that the Bulls seem to have no definite direction. Acquiring Wade and Rondo last summer had fans thinking they could compete in the East, but now they seem geared for a rebuild.
#28. Atlanta Hawks
Key acquisitions: John Collins
Key departures: Dwight Howard, Paul Milsapp, Tim Hardaway
Despite having a playoff roster, Atlanta has committed to tanking and going younger by losing 3 of their 5 starters. Perhaps they've given up on competing with Cleveland and Golden State. They have a pair of promising young pieces in Dennis Shroeder and Taurean Prince and a decent but overpaid wing player in Kent Bazemore. This year is going to be rough, but 5 first round picks in the next 2 years and lots of cap room should reduce the swelling.
#27. Indiana Pacers
Key acquisitions: Victor Oladipo, Domantis Sabonis
Key departures: Paul George, Jeff Teague
Though it wasn't as lop sided as the Butler trade, the Pacers should have gotten more for George. Even on a one year rental, he's a player who can make a team an immediate contender, as he did for Oklahoma City. Now Myles Turner will become the cornerstone of the franchise as they too go younger. I think it would have benefited Indiana more to trade George to Boston for 3 first round picks, but the Pacers have made their bed and now they must lie in it.
#26. Orlando Magic
Key acquisitions: Jonathan Isaac
Key departures: none
The Magic were silent in free agency and the remainder of their messy roster remains unchanged. If Isaac can gain weight and confidence in his jump shot, he may be the steal of the draft in time, but for now the roster has too many moving parts and it's difficult to determine it's best player. With few changes, it would be abnormal to expect different results.
#25. Phoenix Suns
Key acquisitions: Josh Jackson
Key departures: none
Phoenix is higher than some of the teams behind them because they have a potential great scorer in Devin Booker, who had 70 in a game against Boston late in the season. Factor in other promising young players such as Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender along with athletic 4th overall pick Josh Jackson and there's a decent core. One of Phoenix's priorities this year may be to trade Eric Bledsoe, who is talented but does not fit the mold of this young group. All these players still need seasoning, and thus I still have them as the West's worst team.
#24. New York Knicks
Key acquisitions: Tim Hardaway Jr, Frank Ntilikina
Key departures: Derrick Rose
Phil Jackson got the boot, Kristaps Porzingis skipped his exit meeting, and the organization can't seem to make up their mind on whether or not to trade Carmello. The roller coaster continues in the Big Apple. Despite their best efforts, the Knicks just can't seem to move upward, but young pieces like Porzingis and Ntilinkina at least give them a place to start. If they can convince Anthony to waive his no trade clause, they could speed up the rebuilding process and add some more assets. Until that happens he will continue to loom as a dark cloud over the franchise.
#23. Detroit Pistons
Key acquisitions: Avery Bradley
Key departures: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Markieff Morris
The Pistons were relatively quiet in free agency. They made a nice acquisition in Avery Bradley thanks to Boston's financial constraints, but failing to resign KCP brings them back towards par. Andre Drummond is a great young big to develop a franchise around, but he needs to establish more consistency. The Pistons still owe big contracts to Reggie Jackson and Tobias Harris, who are failing to live up to their pay checks. Unless they experience bounce back seasons, it's tough to picture Detroit in the playoff picture.
#22. Sacramento Kings
Key acquisitions: DeAaron Fox, Justin Jackson, Frank Mason III, Harry Giles, George Hill, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter
Key departures: Rudy Gay
Normally the Kings are a laughing stock of an organization, but I must admit they were one of the winners of the offseason, especially the draft. Fox is a legit point guard, Jackson can score, Giles was the top high school player before being plagued by injuries, and Mason III won the Naismith Award for college basketball's best player. They additionally blended their youth with some gritty veterans by adding Hill, Randolph, and Carter. They're not going to become good overnight, but it was a job well done for the organizations first off season without DeMarcus Cousins.
#21. Dallas Mavericks
Key acquisitions: Dennis Smith Jr
Key departures: none
Not much changed in Dallas this summer but many felt Smith Jr was the star of the summer league. He joins a young core of Yogi Ferrell, Harrison Barnes, most likely Nerlens Noel, and a Mavericks organization that missed the playoffs for the only the 2nd time this millennium. The Mavericks also convinced loyal servant Dirk Nowitzski to take another pay cut as they continue to search for pieces to help return them to relevance.
#20. Los Angeles Lakers
Key acquisitions: Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brook Lopez
Key departures: DeAngelo Russell, Timoffey Mozgov
Magic Johnson has been killing it since taking over as president of basketball operations. He was able to get rid of Mozgov's ridiculous contract and ship off the problematic DeAngelo Russell to acquire a huge upgrade at center in Brook Lopez and a third first round pick. Furthermore, he was able to build a team that would both be competitive in the playoff race this season, and still have plenty of cap space next year to chase whales such as LeBron James and Paul George. Also, I hate to say it but I am drinking the cool aid on Lonzo Ball. In summer league he was an excellent passer, and showed great composure and ability as a floor general. I believe Brandon Ingram will be much improved in year 2 as well and Kyle Kuzma may have been the steal of the draft after showing off his range in summer league. Maybe, just maybe, we should start taking LaVar a little more seriously. Maybe.
#19. Philadelphia 76ers
Key acquisitions: Markelle Fultz, JJ Reddick, Amir Johnson
Key departures: none
Sixers fans can finally begin to see the fruit of their labor from all the trust they put into the god-damn process. A core of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Markelle Fultz can be really good in a couple years. Throw in Robert Covington and Dario Saric for good measure and the Sixers are building a great young team. Despite how good they can be, winning in the NBA takes time, especially with a roster who's majority is still too young to rent a car. The Sixers' realistic goal should be to contend for a playoff spot in a weak Eastern conference.
#18. Portland Trailblazers
Key acquisitions: Zach Collins
Key departures: None
Your perspective of Portland depends on how you feel about Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic averaged a double double when he was healthy, if he maintains that level of play, or dare I say improves, Rip City probably returns to the playoffs. They still have one of the league's better back courts with Damien Lillard and CJ McCollum. Unfortunately, those 2 have such ludicrous contracts that there isn't much wiggle room for Portland to improve in free agency. In the draft Portland traded up to acquire Zach Collins, the talented center from Gonzaga. It will be interesting to see if he and Nurkic can get on the floor together, good look driving to opposing teams if that happens.
#17. Utah Jazz
Key acquisitions: Ricky Rubio
Key departures: Gordon Hayward, George Hill
You can't blame Utah for losing out on Hayward, they offered him the max and signed and resigned players that he was interested in being with. Without their best scorer, it's only natural to assume Utah would take a step backward. However, this is a group of tough players who work hard on both sides of the ball. They still have one of the league's best young big men in Rudy Gobert, they'll get a healthier Derrick Favors back, and they still have the bulk of a roster that made the Western Semi's including Joe Ingles, Shelvin Mack, Rodney Hood, Joe Johnson, and Boris Diaw. Rubio will fit their style as a point guard who will slow the game down and facilitate. They won't go as far as last year, but the post season isn't out of question.
#16. Miami Heat
Key acquisitions: Kelly Olynyk, Bam Adebayo
Key departures: None
Miami was 2 teams last year, one that started 11-30 and seemed primed for a top 5 pick, and then one that got red hot and went 30-11 and nearly snuck into the post season. The truth is they fall somewhere in the middle. The East got much weaker this offseason, and between that, the return of Justice Winslow, the upgrades in the post with Olynyk and Adebayo, and a full offseason of development for the younger guys, Miami should have enough to return to the post season, but only as a lower seed.
#15. Charlotte Hornets
Key acquisitions: Dwight Howard, Malik Monk
Key departures: Marco Bellinelli, Miles Plumlee
The Hornets improved with the additions of Howard and Monk. Monk will take some of the scoring burden off Kemba Walker and Howard provides much needed help both on the glass and as a post defender. Howard is nowhere near what he used to be, but he's still one of the league's better centers. Kemba Walker was also terrific after the all star break, averaging 24 ppg and 41% from deep. Another interesting stat to note about the Hornets was that they were 0-9 last season in games decided by 3 points or less. If they can swing some of those in their favor next season they may have enough to return to the playoffs.
Key acquisitions: Dwight Howard, Malik Monk
Key departures: Marco Bellinelli, Miles Plumlee
The Hornets improved with the additions of Howard and Monk. Monk will take some of the scoring burden off Kemba Walker and Howard provides much needed help both on the glass and as a post defender. Howard is nowhere near what he used to be, but he's still one of the league's better centers. Kemba Walker was also terrific after the all star break, averaging 24 ppg and 41% from deep. Another interesting stat to note about the Hornets was that they were 0-9 last season in games decided by 3 points or less. If they can swing some of those in their favor next season they may have enough to return to the playoffs.
#14. Los Angeles Clippers
Key acquisitions: Patrick Beverly, Danillo Gallinari, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell
Key departures: Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford
Although they did well to make this trade and get good pieces, losing Paul will hurt and the Clippers will struggle to find their new identity. Resigning Griffin and adding Gallinari, Beverly and Williams is enough to keep the team afloat however. Griffin and Jordan will have to assume larger roles as scorers, this will be a greater challenge for Jordan who scored a high percentage of his baskets on alley oops from the league's best passer. Regardless, I cannot stress enough how much Paul will be missed. He's a good scorer, great floor general and leader, all NBA defender, excellent decision maker, and one of the best point guards the game has ever seen who can always dictate the game to his preferred tempo. The Clippers will no longer contend to be a top team in the West without Paul, but did well to gain quality assets before his departure.
#13. Denver Nuggets
Key acquisitions: Paul Milsapp Trey Lyles
Key departures: Danillo Gallinari
Milsapp is an all star (in the East) and underrated player who will also provide veteran leadership to this group of overachieving youngsters. That group is ahead of schedule with the rapid development of Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, and Jamaal Murray. The Nuggets finished 9th in the West last year, and the addition of Milsapp and regression of teams like LA and Utah could help them push into the post season. Milsapp is the organization's biggest acquisition probably since Carmello Anthony way back in 2003 and the biggest free agent acquisition in an even longer time span.
#12. Memphis Grizzlies
Key acquisitions: None
Key departures: Zach Randolph Tony Allen
If Allen does not return to Memphis, the Grizzlies will have lost their 2 grittiest players who helped develop the identity of the franchise. They still have a top 10 point guard in Mike Conley and an all star center in Marc Gasol and those 2 alone are probably still enough to guide the Grizzlies to fringe playoff contention. Memphis tends to have enough to compete with the top teams, but never enough to defeat them in a 7 game series. Barring a change in that pattern, a tear down and rebuild may be on the horizon.
#11. New Orleans Pelicans
Key acquisitions: Rajon Rondo
Key departures: none
While the rest of the league is trending towards small ball the Pelicans counter with the NBA's best big man duo. Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins provide the Pels with 2 players who put up 25 points and 10 rebounds on a nightly basis, that alone should help them win a lot of games. The duo didn't reach expectations last season, but developing chemistry and spacing took time and they were already playing catch up. However, the Pelican's lack of guards and depth still keeps them outside the upper tier of the Western Conference.
#10. Milwaukee Bucks
Key acquisitions: None
Key departures: None
Milwaukee breaks into the top 10 thanks to a young core that's filled with talent but just scratching the surface of its potential. It was no fluke Giannis Antetokounmpo won most improved player, the 22 year old is on the verge of becoming one of the league's next big stars. The Bucks also have the rookie of the year Malcom Brodgen, a 3 point sniper in Kris Middleton, and a scoring rising star (when healthy) in Jabari Parker. They're probably a year or two away from truly contending for the East, but they're trending in the right direction.
#9. Toronto Raptors
Key acquisitions: CJ Miles
Key departures: Patrick Patterson, DeMare Carroll
Resigning Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka keeps the Raptors relevant in the East, though the window of opportunity seems to be narrowing. The losses of Patterson and Carroll hurt both from perspectives of depth and defense. Younger players like Norman Powell and Bebe Nogueira will have to step up and assume bigger roles if the Raptors wish to advance any further than the conference semis. Regardless, Toronto has the feel of a team that has already hit its ceiling.
#8. Washington Wizards
Key acquisitions: Tim Frazier, Jodie Meeks
Key departures: None
A career game from Kelly Olynyk and a rough 2nd half from John Wall were all that separated the Wizards from a spot in last season's conference finals. Wall is the conference's best point guard, with blazing speed and a unique ability to hit teammates with precision while moving so quickly. However, his inability to develop a consistent jumpshot allows defenders to sag off and disallows Wall from taking the next step. Another big flaw to Washington which was evident in the Boston series was the lack of bench production, which the Wizards did not to much to improve in the offseason.
#7. Minnesota Timberwolves
Key acquisitions: Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson
Key departures: Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine
No team saw more offseason improvement that the Timberwolves. They practically robbed the Bulls of Jimmy Butler on draft night, and then added a pair of testy veterans in Jeff Teague and Taj Gibson. These are all players who provide upgrades in both defense and leadership, both of which the team needed in the worst way. Karl Anthony Towns was one of the league's best offensive players after the all star break last season, averaging 28 points, 45% from the field, 41% from deep, and nearly 80% from the free throw line. Andrew Wiggins was not nearly as productive but still chipped in 24 points per game. If the 2 youngsters can show real improvement defensively, this team that only won 31 games last season can be taken seriously as a contender.
#6. Oklahoma City Thunder
Key acquisitions: Paul George, Patrick Patterson
Key departures: Victor Oladipo, Taj Gibson, Domantis Sabonis
Russell Westbrook is coming off an absurd MVP season, but needed help to get back in the championship picture. Paul George arrives after a strong post all star break performance as a needed running mate, but compared to Kevin Durant he's not as good of a defender and has a poorer shot selection. Unlike that situation, George will probably acknowledge that this is Westbrook's team and that he is #2. The Thunder should also be one of the league's best defensive teams, but they still lack the perimeter shooting and key rotational players necessary to winning such a competitive Western Conference.
#5. Boston Celtics
Key acquisitions: Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward
Key departures: Isiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley Kelly Olynyk
It's rare that a regular season conference champ experiences such turnover in the offseason, as the Celtics only return 4 players from last year's squad (Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier). Despite this, Boston gets closer still to reaching the finals, some even now consider them the favorite to win the East. The Celtics add 2 prolific scorers in Irving and Hayward. If Brad Stevens can get the most out of Irving and help him improve as a defender and distributor, and if the young talented prospects Brown and Jason Tatum develop ahead of schedule, Boston becomes extremely dangerous. Even if it doesn't happen this year, there's enough uncertainty and drama in Cleveland for Boston to be an Eastern powerhouse for years to come.
#4. Cleveland Cavaliers
Key acquisitons: Isiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose, Jeff Green
Key departures: Kyrie Irving
I still like Cleveland better with Kyrie, but they made the most of an unfortunate situation. Isiah Thomas was a top 5 scorer last season, Jae Crowder gives Cleveland an above average perimiter defender who can also hit 3's and play small ball, and the Cavs greatly helped their future by acquiring Brooklyn's 2018 1st round pick, which should be top 3. If healthy, former MVP Derrick Rose gives Cleveland a major boost on the bench. The improved depth and moreso the fact that they have the league's best player still make the Cavs the team to beat in the East. The inability to correct their defensive struggles and the offseason distractions will likely still deter them from winning another championship.
#3. San Antonio Spurs
Key acquisitions: None
Key departures: Jonathan Simmons
Some people are discounting the Spurs due to their lack of offseason moves, but let's recall some basic facts. They won 61 games last season. They're coach is one of the best masterminds in the history of the game. They have a top 5 player in Kawhi Leonard who also happens to be arguably the league's best defender. They were crushing Golden State in Oracle before a certain incident changed the entire western conference finals, a series they also played without Tony Parker. So sure, you could argue that they're running in place, but running in place in San Antonio means 50+ wins and a top 5 team that can compete for a title.
#2 Houston Rockets
Key acquisitions: Chris Paul, Luc Mbah A Moute, Tarik Black
Key departures: Patrick Beverly, Sam Dekker, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell
Landing Chris Paul alone makes the Rockets one of the offseason's big winners. It will take time for he and James Harden to learn how to play together, but the combination could be lethal post all star break. Adding Mbah A Moute and Black also helps Houston improve their defense while still retaining sharp shooters like Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon, and Ryan Anderson. In last year's playoffs, the Spurs were able to defeat the Rockets by crowding the 3 point line and forcing Houston to take difficult, off dribble, mid range shots. The Rockets shoot these nowhere near as well as spot up 3's but Paul is one of today's best mid range shooters. His presence will also take some of the weight off Harden, who looked gassed at the end of some games. If the Rockets find a way to trade for Carmello Anthony, things can get interesting.
#1. Golden State Warriors
Key acquisitions: Nick Young, Omri Casspi
Key departures: None
Were you expecting anything else? After winning their 2nd title in 3 seasons, the Warriors won the offseason as well, thanks in large part to the unselfish actions of Kevin Durant. The Final's MVP's lack of monetary greed allowed the champs to resign all their key rotational players such as Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Zaza Pachulia, JaVale McGee, and David West, while giving 2 time MVP Steph Curry the max deal he has long deserved and simultaneously adding another bench spark plug in Nick Young. The rest of the NBA has worked hard to lessen the gap, but the Warriors still run the Association.
Monday, May 5, 2014
NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND 2 PREDICTIONS
It's nearly fact that the first round of the 2014 NBA playoffs was the best we've ever seen. It seemed like every night I turned on my TV a record was being broken, a game was going down to the last second, or both. Although the 16 team field has finally been narrowed down to 8, let's take a moment to appreciate an incredible first round
5 Game 7's is simply unbelievable. It sets an NBA playoffs single round record and tied an NBA playoffs overall record, which will likely be broken in one of the remaining 7 series. There would have been 6 if not for Damien Lillard's heroics in Portland Friday night. 10 times, a game tying or go ahead basket was made in the final 24 seconds (6 of them in the Houston/Portland series). There were 14 4-point plays in the first round, smashing the previous record of 7. And then think of all the individual memories that didn't break records. Donald Sterling made national headlines but the Clips fought back, LeBron stared down Jordan on a dunk, Vince Carter gave us a blast from the past with that Game 3 buzzer beater, Tony Daniels knocked down 3 3's and the eventual game winner in Game 3 for Houston after only playing 50 minutes all year, Houston/Portland played 4 overtime games and all 6 games were decided by 10 points or less, OKC/Memphis played 4 straight OT games featuring 3 late 4-point plays, a Perkins buzzer beater, and a waved off Ibaka buzzer beater, Nene and Z-Bo got suspended for fighting, and....the 16 team field is now down to 8.
Although it's sad to see such a good round finally come to a close, the excitement is really only beginning as we still have 3 rounds worth of playoff basketball left. I'll be overjoyed if they're even half as good as their predecessor. As for my personal record, I correctly predicted 6/8 first round winners (missed Washington and Portland) but only had the correct amount of games for 1 of them (Clippers). But who foresaw Indiana, San Antonio and OKC playing in Game 7's so early. Basketball never stops, as round 2 will start immediately at 7pm EST, so here come my predictions.
#1 Indiana vs #5 Washington: Had we picked this series 2 weeks ago, 90% of people would say Indiana. Now it's not so certain. The Hawks gave the Pacers all that they could handle and pushed them to 7 games. Meanwhile the Wizards took quick care of Chicago and have been on break since Tuesday. It's tough to tell whether the Wizards are truly legitimate or if they benefited from a favorable match up with Chicago. Even though they are newcomers, John Wall and Bradley Beal are providing much better guard play than Lance Stephenson and George Hill are right now. But down low the Pacers have the advantage, especially if Roy Hibbert returns to All-Star form. It's tough to believe in the Pacers when they don't believe in themselves, and it's easier to pick Washington when they play with such confidence. Indiana barely survived the worst team in the playoffs, Washington dominated one of the most successful organizations. However, if the Pacers can play the kind of basketball we saw in game 7 they still have a pretty high shot at this series. 13 & 7 are basically Chamberlain numbers for Hibbert if you take into account the first 6 games and the defense was much better and looked more like what we saw the first half of the year when the Pacers had the best record in the NBA. This is either going to go Wizards in 6 or Pacers in 7. While the Pacers look like far from championship contenders, they have at least proven they are survivors, and I do believe they'll do it one more time. Pacers in 7
#2 Miami vs #6 Brooklyn: Welp, the Nets got what they wanted when they decided to throw in the towel the last 2 games of the season and settle for the 6 seed, a match up with a 2 seeded Miami team that they've defeated 4 times already. Miami annually has one series where they get pushed to the brink for no good reason, and it's likely this is it, especially with the depth and physicality of the Nets. However, to believe any team could beat the Heat 8 times in one calendar year seems like quite the stretch. The Bulls swept the Heat 3-0 in 2010-11 and then lost in 5 to the Heat in the playoffs that year despite having homecourt advantage. The Nets are more keyed for a deep playoff run than ever before, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson set the tone early, but it's still the old goat Paul Pierce that gets called upon for late heroics. And it's a popular belief that he and Kevin Garnett were put on this planet to torture LeBron James. Regardless, it's probably time the Heat showed that ferocious side that they've been lacking all season, and though it's closer than they'd prefer, the champs prevail. Heat in 6
#1 San Antonio vs #5 Portland: Here's a classic example of veteran leadership versus young blood. The series between the Spurs and the Mavs was a fun watch with all the experience, age, and future hall of famers on the court in the in-state rivalry. That being said, Portland is the kind of team Greg Popovich and his crew like to stomp on. The Spurs are much better defensively than both the Blazers and the Rockets and Portland isn't going to be able to win this series by simply hoping to outgun San Antonio on a nightly basis. Damien Lillard is rising to stardom but dealing with Tony Parker is going to be a lot more challenging than dealing with Patrick Beverly was. I'm sure Lillard and Lamarcus Aldridge will post some big numbers again throughout the series, but ultimately a young team looking to go deep must pay it's dues. Portland has a lot to be proud of, their first 50 win season since 2009 and their first playoff series win since 2000, but they're probably still a year away from a Western Conference finals appearance, and more years away from an NBA title. The Spurs are a now team and their hall of famers and veteran experience will take advantage of Blazer's mistakes throughout the series and earn them a spot in the Western finals for the 3rd straight year.
#2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #3 Los Angeles Clippers: This is in my opinion the most exciting series to watch of the 2nd round. The series contains the NBA leaders in points (Durant), rebounds (Jordan) assists (Paul) steals (Paul) and blocks (Jordan). Then you throw Russel Westbrook and Blake Griffin into the mix and it's going to be quite a show. The Clippers displayed true mental toughness to rebound from the distractions within the organization and take out Golden State, the kind of thing that you can use as motivation and spin into something really special. You get the vibe the Clippers feel as if they have paid their dues with all of their early exits and are finally poised for a championship run. But truthfully, the playoffs have been historically unkind to the Clips and they're trying to accomplish something they've never accomplished before. On the other end of the spectrum, the relatively new Oklahoma City Thunder have made the playoffs all but once in franchise history. However, this is present day and I think the match up favors the Clippers. LA will be able to do as Memphis did punishing the Thunder inside with Griffin and Jordan, and frankly the Memphis series exploited the Thunder as a 2 man team whereas the Clips are much deeper and well rounded. As long as LA isn't too emotionally spent, they have the tools and ability to do something the franchise has never done. Clips in 7
Saturday, April 19, 2014
NBA PLAYOFFS 1ST ROUND PREDICTIONS
March Madness has come to a conclusion once again, and the end of March Madness means the beginning of April which means it's time for the NBA to steal the spotlight for 2 months. The 30 team league has been narrowed down to 16 hopefuls. Though we don't expect anywhere close to the same spontaneity as college basketball provided us, with more than half the league still in play things should be interesting. In fact, this marks the first time in playoff history that the Lakers, Celtics, and Knicks have all missed the playoffs. This opens a huge door for up and coming franchises. This article will break down and offer a prediction of each of the 8 first round match ups that will take place over the next 2 weeks.
Eastern Conference
#1 Indiana Pacers vs #8 Atlanta Hawks: Atlanta is the only team in the field without a winning record, entering the post season 6 games under .500. Even more concerning is the fact that they've only won 14 times on the road, which is where they'll spend the entirety of their playoff journey. The lone chance the Hawks have to make things interesting for the Pacers is their ability to drill the 3 ball, as all 5 Hawks starters made at least 55 3's this season. Due to that and the fact that the Pacers have lost 13 of their final 23, I don't believe this will be a sweep. But a team that lives/dies by its 3 point shooting isn't likely to take a 7 game series from a defensively sound team either, especially on the road. Pacers take care of business 4-1.
#2 Miami Heat vs #7 Charlotte Bobcats: I'm gonna lay this out pretty simply; the Heat are 15-0 against the Bobcats during the Big 3 era. Sure, Charlotte has made drastic improvements in the last 2 years since posting the worst winning percentage in NBA history, and there's a lot to be proud of in that. But still to think a healthy Al Jefferson, Kemba Walker, and Gerald Henderson can stand up to LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh in a 7 game series is almost laughable. I'll throw Charlotte a bone and say they win a game because to believe any team could beat another 19 times in a row at the professional level is very bold; but they won't get more than one. Heat win in 5.
#3. Toronto Raptors vs #6 Brooklyn Nets: The Nets really could be the Dark Horse to win this entire thing. The second half turnaround they've made is incredible, Jason Kidd went from nearly being fired to likely coach of the year candidate. The Nets finally have their superstars playing in cohesion, even without Brook Lopez. They settled for the 6th seed by resting their guys the last 2 games. Meanwhile, if you haven't been following the NBA lately, it would probably greatly surprise you to find out the Raptors posted the East's 3rd best record. Even if you did watch you probably still found it rather abnormal. The teams split the season series 2-2, with 3 of the 4 meetings decided by 4 points or less. AKA: it's going to be a long series. Even though the Raptors hold the homecourt, the Nets are playing better and have bigger star power and experience to carry them through a tough series on the road, especially with KG gaining health. Nets 4-2.
#4. Chicago Bulls vs. #5 Washington Wizards: Once again, the Bulls proved that they can still be one of the conferences' best without franchise player/crybaby Derrick Rose. (Seriously, he outdid himself by playing a whole 10 games this season before calling it quits!). Joakim Noah in particular carried the load for Chicago to get them where are now. Washington's here thanks to a good blend of youth and experience. Washington's seasoning at the guard position has finally paid off with John Wall and Bradley Beal continue to improve as time goes on. Down low Washington owes their success to established veterans Nene and Marcin Gortat. Like Charlotte, this taste of success is unique to Washington, their first playoff appearance since the Gilbert Arenas era. However, I predict the experience and physical smash mouth style of the Bulls will overcome the young legs of Washington. Bulls in 6.
Western Conference
#1. San Antonio Spurs vs #8 Dallas Mavericks: San Antonio has to be the hands down favorite to win it all right now. The Spurs have only lost 4 games since the All-Star break, and they're deeper than ever as no Spurs player averaged 30 minutes per game. They've won the last 9 against the Mavericks, many of which have not been close. Though we've seen many great Spurs teams over the past decade and a half, none have seemed more confident and hungry than this year's edition. Ray Allen's game 6 shot is still burned into their memory, and they've channeled that into motivation and are out for blood. It seems pretty hopeless for a Dallas team filled with old goats. The Spurs are also completely healthy which minimizes the chances for Dallas to catch Greg Popovich's team off guard even for a game. I'm predicting a 4-0 San Antonio sweep.
#2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs #7 Memphis Grizzlies: One of the biggest storylines going into the 2013-14 playoffs is Kevin Durant chasing that elusive NBA championship trophy. Durant is playing the best basketball of his career, Westbrook's late injury last year challenged Durant to add new elements to his game and he has risen to the occasion. Memphis put Oklahoma City out of the playoffs last year while Westbrook healed and the Thunder should seek vengeance. Memphis won't go down without a fight, and they'll be able to bother OKC physically with Marc Gasol and Z-Bo inside balanced with the guard play of Mike Conely. But with Westbrook healthy this time around, the Grizzlies won't be able to focus solely on Durant with the double and triple teams we saw last year. There will be some close games in this series, but they will mostly roll in the Thunder's favor. OKC in 5.
#3. Los Angeles Clippers vs #6 Golden State Warriors: I believe this is going to be a lot closer than most of you may think. Golden State can really scare people with their ability to shoot the basketball. When Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Harrison Barnes are feeling it offensively all bets are off. Iguodala and Lee are fighting through injuries, but Andrew Bogut has been a huge help off the bench leading the team in rebounds and blocks while shooting 63% from the field. Lee and Bogut will be enough to cause trouble for Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan inside and Steph Curry vs Chris Paul is going to be a classic match up at the point guard position as well. Factor in the Clipper's franchise history of post season struggles and things really don't look bad at all for Golden State, the Clippers have only won 3 playoff series ever, and never advanced past the Western semis. However this is also one of the best teams in Clipper's history, and Doc Rivers has taken them to another level of ability and self-belief. I believe this series will be very close thanks to a couple of offensive outpours from Golden State but ultimately the experience and leadership of L.A. will be just enough to hurdle them over the hump and pick up a much needed playoff victory for the franchise. Clippers 4-3.
#4. Houston Rockets vs #5 Portland Trailblazers: At one point in time, each of these teams looked to be bigger threats than they are seen as now. The Rockets seemed to be the best post New Year's team for the first couple months before fading out and settling for the 4 seed. The Trailblazers made noise early keeping pace with San Antonio and OKC with the Western lead for the first few months. Now they meet as middle class Western opponents in the first round. For Portland it's been the result of youth finally maturing as Lamarcus Aldridge, Damien Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez and Nicholas Batum have all been in the league 7 years or less. For Houston, the focus has more been on superstars, bringing in James Harden, Dwight Howard, and Jeremy Lin to Houston in the last 2 seasons of free agency. Houston's ability to score constantly along with Portland's weak bench will be the difference maker that sets up an in-state match up between the Rockets and the Spurs. Houston 4-2.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
A Very Early 2014 NBA Preview
A Very Early 2013-14 NBA Preview
All 30 teams and their title chances
#30. Charlotte Bobcats: Rebuilding has been the name of the game for Michael Jordan's team. On the bright side, they did triple their wins from last year (from 7 to 21) and have a promising young group of talent which includes Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and freshly drafted Cody Zeller. With some seasoning, this team may be a contender a few years down the road, but to say 2013-14 will be that year is a bit of a stretch, unless of course, the 29 other franchises all get hit by a plane or something.
#29. Orlando Magic: The wounds Dwight Howard left on the Orlando organization are still very visible and raw. But all hope isn't lost. With the exit of Dwight Howard came some light, including a great deal of spending money and draft picks. The success of the franchise depends solely upon what the owners choose to do with the opportunities in front of them, specifically if they can find a long term solution.
#28. Detroit Pistons: The future isn't bad for Motor City...it's just gonna take some time. The hopes are high for the young front court duo of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond, as well as Brandon Knight. The lack of faith I have in Detroit comes from the GM's office. I never agreed with the firings of Larry Brown or Flip Saunders, which both occurred some time ago. But maybe with time and experience, this Detroit Piston team can go back to the smash mouth ball they played in the mid 2000s.
#27. Miluakee Bucks: Here comes the first big surprise. A 2013 playoff team so low on the list. What's the big damage? Monta Ellis is gone, and Brandon Jennings will likely follow suit. Combine losing your 2 best players with a coaching change and in year 1, it's often a struggle.
#26. Phoenix Suns: Most people prefer to write off Phoenix even further down the list. But I actually like some things I see here. I like the hiring of Jeff Hornacek, and the underrated talent of Gordon Dragic, Michael Beasley, and Marcin Gortat. The downside is, in addition to being bad, Phoenix has one of the older rosters in the league. On the bright side, if things really are as bad as they seem, they will be in the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes in June 2014.
#25. Toronto Raptors: Toronto has some work ahead of them, make no mistake of that. But not as much as some others. With the acquisition of Rudy Gay halfway through last season, they present themselves with their best player in Canada since Chris Bosh. In addition, they have a good young point guard and shooter in Kyle Lowery and DeMar DeRozan is a nice compliment to Gay on the wing. The questions lie in the front court, and minimizing Bargnani's fat contract.
#24. Sacramento Kings: New ownership has breathed new life into California's capital. Management has quietly done a good job by drafting lottery picks Demarcus Cousins and former rookie of the year Tyreke Evans, and if Kings fans are lucky, they can expect the same with their new addition Ben McLemore. But more success leads to tougher decisions for management, such as to continue to build, or deal away young talent in hopes for a higher-caliber player.
#23. New Orleans Pelicans: It's going to take more than a name change to return Nola to contention, but Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon might fill the "more". New Orleans made their big move in the draft by sending Nerlens Noel to Philly in exchange for Jrue Holiday, which may even be a nice wake up call to rookie disappointment Austin Rivers. New names and new faces are what fans hope yields new winning ways in New Orleans.
#22. Utah Jazz: Every year since the departure of Deron Williams, I expect the Jazz to be much worse off. Yet every year, they actually put together a decent record, and make a playoff push. This year, I once again revert back to my low expectations. The keys are Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson, and what management decides to do with them. On a lighter note, Utah was one of the big winners of the draft by finally addressing their point guard problem and landing NCAA player of the year Trey Burke. If college is any indication of what to expect in the big leagues, Burke will be both a scorer and a solid floor general at the point. And if he's really good, he might be the third-best point guard to throw on a Jazz uniform.
#21. Portland Trailblazers: Portland finally has a reason to be excited about basketball once again. Damian Lillard had a tremendous rookie season, unanimously winning rookie of the year. The question is whether or not he can continue that trend or turn into a bust like other past winners. In addition to Lillard, LeMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, and Nicholas Batum all continue to grow. The bad news? Portland had the worst bench in the year last year, and defense isn't their cup of tea either.
#20. Cleveland Cavaliers: Now let's be honest. Kyrie Irving is one, quick, talented, flashy, basketball player....who only turned 21 in March. Unfortunately for Irving, he doesn't have much of a supporting cast to work with. Cleveland had a great opportunity with the top pick in the draft, and chose to blow it on underdog Anthony Bennett. However, Cleveland's last two #1 draft picks have rose to stardom in the league, Cavs fans can only hope this one doesn't take his talents to South Beach, or anywhere else for that matter.
#19. Washington Wizards: Washington has quietly put together the essential tools of a good basketball team. After John Wall returned from injury, the team played significantly better, and Wall has quietly accelerated towards the top half of point guards in the league. Bradley Beal had a good first year and shot the ball with confidence, and Washington helped themselves by adding veteran big boys Nene and Emeka Okafor up front. The Wizards further added to that group by acquiring local Georgetown star Otto Porter Jr., and I'll go out on a limb here to say that IF they remain healthy, you may see playoff basketball in DC this year.
#18. Boston Celtics: Things really took a turn from bad to worse for the Celts this past week. If losing their hall of fame worthy coach wasn't depleting enough, KG and Paul Pierce being dealt to division rival Brooklyn certainly is. Their only remaining all-star, Rajon Rondo, will be recovering from an ACL tear as well. Jeff Green will be turned to to step-up in a big way, and Kelly Olynyk will be asked to step in early and efficiently as a rookie. The reason Boston doesn't slip further on the list is simply because in troubled times Boston has a knack of finding the light at the end of the tunnel, though this time will be especially challenging given their low cap room.
#17. Minnesota Timberwolves: The days of Minnesota being at the bottom of the NBA seem to be behind them, that being said, it's still a long climb to the top. The obvious good news for T-wolves fans is that Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio will finally be healthy and together again, though there is no guarantee on how long that will last, or if either will return to full strength. And even if they do, Minnesota still needs an explosive offensive player to push them over the .500 hump. Minnesota also has a lot of free agency problems to address deeper in the roster. The draft brought more hope to Minnesota though, who picked up first rounders Shabazz Muhammed and Gorgui Dieng and even some more cash to work with.
#16. Philadelphia 76ers: Philadelphia has been good for some time now; not great, but good. We all know Andrew Bynum's first year in Philly was one he wishes he could redo, but he could come back. Add a more focused Bynum to an already talented young group that includes Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner, and their newest teammate Nerlens Noel. If Noel can become what analysts are building him up to be, he and Bynum may become a scary 1-2-punch in the post.
#15. Dallas Mavericks: I realize Mark Cuban can be annoying and hog the spotlight more so than any other NBA owner or GM, but he's also one of the best at what he does. Cuban has what it takes to land a big free agent in Dallas this summer to join forces with Dirk, who has one last good push in his system. And if Dirk were to rework that ginormous contract of his, Cuban could probably bring in another star to form a "big three", though that might not take place til next summer. For the present year, returning to the playoffs and even making some noise might be a nice goal with even bigger aspirations in mind down the road. But it all rests on making a big signing this summer.
#14. Atlanta Hawks: Atlanta has created some summer noise by flirting around with the idea of uniting Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. Doing so would be a huge boost for the Hawks towards the top of the East. Failing to do so would result in yet another mediocre season. Sorry Hawks fans, Josh Smith is not the answer.
#13. Houston Rockets: Houston made good progress last season, and can only hope they will continue to progress. James Harden has finally had a year to be the star and gain the recognition he deserved while he was overshadowed in OKC, and prove himself as one of the best scorers in the league. Chandler Parsons also stepped up in a big way for Houston last season and will try to continue that trend. Jeremy Lin and Patrick Beverly continue to battle for the bulk of the minutes at the point. And of course if the rockets were to land Dwight Howard they would skyrocket to one of the Western favorites. Even without Howard, the Rockets ranked 6th in offense last year. The x-factor will be whether or not Houston will be able to defend people this year. If we learned one thing from last year, it's that defensively sound teams go far in the post-season.
#12. Los Angeles Lakers: Things don't look as good for the city of Angels as they normally do. Their best player appears to be out for at least 2 months of the season, and may take even longer to return to full Mamba form, if ever. Their 2nd best player is the most popular free agent on the market, which might not be a bad thing for LA. Their 3rd best player turns 40 in February. Their 4th best player turns 33 this month, and is coming off arguably the worst season of his pro career. There is no doubt still hope in LA, as there perennially is. The Lakers finished 28-12 last season and finally appeared to be gelling before the Kobe injury. Regardless, these are the Los Angeles Lakers, and they are iconic to the NBA. They will find some way of being the center of media attention next year.
#11. Los Angeles Clippers: Of all 30 teams in the league, my crystal ball was no foggier when trying to determine the future of the Clips. The roller coaster began with the firing of Vinny Del Negro after dropping 4 straight to the Grizz. While a first round exit was not what LA had in mind, I was skeptical about firing the guy who had the Clips competing for the top seed in the West for the majority of the year. Regardless, bringing in Doc Rivers was a huge victory for this organization, and gives them a better chance at retaining Chris Paul. Regarding Paul, he seems to be the 2nd most popular free agent on the market right now and his future seems really unclear at this point. The possibility of him playing with KG is now out the window, and while the one with him playing with Dwight Howard still remains, it's still very unclear as to where. The Clipper's summer will be one filled with a lot of whispering and gossip, as it has been already. But the Clips should enjoy the spotlight while it lasts, it's rough being the 2nd most popular team in your own city.
#10. Denver Nuggets: The future was looking mighty bright for the Denver Nuggets....and then they fired NBA coach of the year George Karl. Karl predicted his firing was "very stupid", and he may be right. But this team still flourishes with young talent. Ty Lawson is quietly one of the best and quickest point guards in the league. Kenneth Faried is a human tricep who continues to bang his opponents around in the post. Dano Gallinari has been solid for Denver and will continue to be, though he will be sidelined the majority of next season. Which brings us to the bad news. Denver will start from square 1, with changes in both coaching and ownership. Furthermore, Andre Iguodola opted for free agency, and we're still not sure if JaVale McGee is brilliant or a bust. With so many different variables to address, the possibilities are endless for the mile high city.
#9. New York Knicks: The past few years have gotten hopes up for Knick's fans, only to continuously have them come crashing down. Carmello Anthony continues to be the man in New York, and looks to be a top 5 scorer in the league for years to come. The questions in the big apple continue to be courtesy of Mello's supporting cast. Tyson Chandler just doesn't look like the same aggresive Tyson Chandler that we watched in Dallas or on the Olympic team. Amare Stoudemire looks even worse. J.R. Smith has been the 2nd best player for the Knicks, despite not even starting, and Raymond Felton has quietly played well at the point. But unless New York's stars play like stars, fans can rely on another Eastern Conference Semi's exit.
#8. Chicago Bulls: Tom Thibodeau continues to give very positive reports on the progress of former MVP and 3-time all star Derrick Rose. Thibodeau claims he's finally returning to the level of confidence and explosiveness that we saw him perform at in his MVP peak season 2 years ago. It's no surprise that Chicago's championship aspirations are directly related to the health and performance of Derrick Rose, no matter how much we all love Nate Robinson. We've seen that this team is among the best with Rose running the show, and we've also seen that they're willing to compete with anyone with or without him. People wrote Chicago off at the beginning of last year, and Chicago surprised a lot of people by still finishing 5th in the East, winning a playoff series, and beating the champs on their home court. That's great and all, but this team's title odds rely solely at Derrick Rose playing MVP basketball once again.
#7. Memphis Grizzlies: I have yet to hear a great explanation as to the firing of Lionel Hollins. Despite leading the Grizzlies to their first Western Conference Finals appearance in franchise history, Hollins was given the axe, which is just a good reminder to all coaches that your job is never secure, and you should never take shots at your bosses. The Grizz are loaded with underrated talent. Mike Conley has silently evolved into one of the best point guards in the game as both a scorer and a passer, Zach Randolph continues to be a solid 20 & 10 performer as he has been throughout his career, and Marc Gasol continues to give the Grizz a strong inside presence along with Randolph. The front office will have its hands full this summer though, Their problems include re-signing Tony Allen, figuring out what to do with Jerryd Bayless, and helping out a thin bench (specifically with a shooter or two) with their already small cap space. The team could further spice things up by trading away one of its best players like Randolph. There's a lot of different issues that come into play here, but when all is said and done, Memphis should still be able to compete for the West.
#6. Golden State Warriors: They. Will. Score. A lot. Placing them this high on the list is possibly my biggest gamble and biggest surprise. Steph Curry is going to make lots and lots of jumpshots, and on the rare occasion he isn't, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes still will be. David Lee, who led the NBA in double-doubles last year, will be healthy again. Jarrett Jack was solid, but it's uncertain whether or not he'll be in a Warrior uniform next year, as it is with Carl Landry. Regardless, the Warriors are explosive, and the majority of their superstars are 25 or younger. Onto the negatives now. Steph Curry's ankle seems to be developing into a long-term concern, Thompson is streaky and not consistent enough as a shooter, and Lee is a burden on the defensive end, not that the rest of the team did much better. The cap room is thin as ice, which makes it more probable that they would have to do away with Jack and Landry in hopes of opening up space for future moves. Nevertheless, for the first time in ages, Golden State is the best team in California, and that's something to be very very excited about.
#5 Indiana Pacers: This team has all the tools for an NBA championship run, as they proved last season. Paul George continues to rise as one of the elite players in the NBA who fills out the stat sheet in more ways than one, Roy Hibbert has in my opinion become the 2nd best center in the game and still doesn't get the recognition he fully deserves, Danny Granger returns from surgery and hopes to still be the scorer and iso player Indiana needs him to be, and George Hill and Lance Stephenson continue to be young spark plugs in the Indiana motor. David West is expected to return to Indiana, or at least he has no legitimate reason not to at this point. On the flip side, the bench could use some work, and Solomon Hill was one of the more disappointing picks of the NBA draft. Despite minor issues, the Pacers should still be geared for a deep post season run.
#4. Brooklyn Nets: The outright winners of the 2013 NBA draft. The Nets recognize that the key to success has been creating a "big 3" and providing Deron Williams with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett skyrockets Brooklyn among the beasts of the East. Add Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez and you have possibly the most well rounded starting 5 in the NBA. The concerns lie past that, where your best bench players are old goats Jason Terry and Reggie Evans, followed by no names. Mason Plumlee was a great pick up for the Nets, and will serve as a solid back up for both Lopez and Garnett, but it's also expected that only time and experience can truly break him in to the length and challenge of a full NBA season. Still, Brooklyn made the big free agency move that many other franchises are struggling to make and have propelled themselves to title talk.
#3. San Antonio Spurs: People are always willing to discuss how complicated defending a title is. What you don't hear as much, is how hard it is to recover from having it slip through there fingers. Game 6 is something that will be forever engraved in the minds of Spurs players, coaches, and fans. One made free throw or one defensive rebound would have changed the outcome of the entire season, and Ray Allen's shot will haunt San Antonio for years to come. Furthermore, the hunger just isn't there, as a bulk of the roster has won 2, 3, or even 4 NBA titles. For Tony Parker, age is but a number and he will be a yearly MVP candidate, but his long time teammates Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli add another year on. On a lighter note, Kawhi Leonard has emerged as one of the fastest rising stars in the league, and Danny Greene became one of the biggest celebrities over a 5-game span. If there's one thing we've learned over the beginning of the century though, it's that this organization is full of winners, and to never, ever, ever count out the San Antonio Spurs....ever.
#2. Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC fans will always wonder what could have been had a guy with the last name "Westbrook" not have had his meniscus torn in a collision with Patrick Beverly. Russ is young enough to where this injury won't be a big setback to his game. We know Kevin Durant is going to be a top 5 scorer and player in the league for many years down the road, and many still believe and hope that Serge Ibaka has still yet to hit his peak. The playoffs taught us though that banking on the health of KD and Russ is truly putting all your eggs in one basket (or 2 if you wanna get technical), and a deeper supporting cast is a necessity for another Thunder championship run. The youth is there, and one can only believe that in time this group is going to win an NBA championship. The question is when.
#1. Miami Heat: Defending their NBA title took everything Miami had in the tank. Three-peating, will be even more challenging. Chris Bosh took a major step back, especially down the stretch, and Dwayne Wade was inconsistent. Regardless, add LeBron James and this group is still the iconic "big 3" to model in the NBA. James is peaking, he has emerged head, shoulders, knees, and toes above all other players in the NBA. His focus now is creating a legacy similar to, or better than, that of the great Michael Jordan, and his biggest competition will always remain between his ears rather than on the court. This past year, Miami's success was very reliant on great role players who came to life on any given night. Allen and Battier are the obvious that come to mind, but Miller, Haslem, Cole, Chalmers, and the Birdman all added to the White Heat. Even if Miami can't hang onto all their key pieces, other role players will be more than welcome to the idea of coming in and becoming part of something so successful. The one concern of Miami's is how many more great runs this group has left in them, some new young blood would do this franchise good and assure that this isn't going to die out in the next few years. But until Miami shows us a reason to believe their cooling off, it's hard not to deem them as the obvious front runners.
Written by: Ryan Quigley
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