The NBA has seen a lot of movement in the past few months.
It started with movement at the top of the food chain, as Adam Silver took over for David Stern as the league’s commissioner in February. Silver quickly proved his worth by extinguishing the potentially dangerous Donald Sterling situation, banning him from the league for life and urging the owners of the NBA to vote for the removal of Sterling’s Clippers ownership. After a successful vote, the Clippers were sold to Microsoft magnate Steve Ballmer for the astronomical fee of $2 billion.
Behold the awesome power of the big market in today’s NBA. Sure, you’re getting a free Blake Griffin and a free Chris Paul included with your purchase, but $2 billion? This team was one of the biggest laughing stocks in sports for three decades! The franchise valuations in the NBA are rising at an incredible rate as a result of the league’s increased revenues. This will likely lead to a conflict in 2017, when both the league’s owners and the Players Association have the option to opt out of the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement. The players (as they should) may seek a bigger piece of the pie, so we’re probably looking at another potential lockout.
It started with movement at the top of the food chain, as Adam Silver took over for David Stern as the league’s commissioner in February. Silver quickly proved his worth by extinguishing the potentially dangerous Donald Sterling situation, banning him from the league for life and urging the owners of the NBA to vote for the removal of Sterling’s Clippers ownership. After a successful vote, the Clippers were sold to Microsoft magnate Steve Ballmer for the astronomical fee of $2 billion.
Behold the awesome power of the big market in today’s NBA. Sure, you’re getting a free Blake Griffin and a free Chris Paul included with your purchase, but $2 billion? This team was one of the biggest laughing stocks in sports for three decades! The franchise valuations in the NBA are rising at an incredible rate as a result of the league’s increased revenues. This will likely lead to a conflict in 2017, when both the league’s owners and the Players Association have the option to opt out of the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement. The players (as they should) may seek a bigger piece of the pie, so we’re probably looking at another potential lockout.
On the court itself, the chip was won by using a lot of movement. Under the immortal Gregg Popovich, the San Antonio Spurs beat the Miami Heat in the Finals by continuously swinging the ball around the court and finding the open man. This spread out the defense and allowed for a steady flow of Tim Duncan bank shots and Tony Parker pick-and-rolls alongside the long-range hailstorm. It may not be for everyone aesthetically, but it worked. Oh, and they have Kawhi Leonard too. He’s only 23, and he’s the NBA Finals MVP. I’ll take ‘Just Spurs Things’ for $200, Alex. (It doesn’t hurt to have a faulty air conditioner, as well.)
In the summer, player movement was the name of the game. You may not have heard, but the league’s best player, LeBron James, is on a new team. He headed home to Cleveland to form The Next Super Team (working title) with Kevin Love, who was traded from Minnesota for the 2014 draft’s number one pick, Andrew Wiggins. Miami replaced James with Luol Deng. Ear-blowing enthusiast Lance Stephenson left the Pacers for the new look Charlotte Hornets. Paul Pierce headed down to the nation’s capital. Chandler Parsons went to party with Mark Cuban, who also re-acquired Tyson Chandler from the Knicks. Got it all? There’s a lot more where that came from.
The game of musical chairs has stopped so we can play the game of basketball for a bit. In preparation, I have ranked the league’s teams in order of how good I think they’ll be this season. I will include each team’s record and conference standing from last year next to their name, in parentheses.
DISCLAIMER: I am a huge fan of the Brooklyn Nets. My general sanity hung in the balance at the end of Game 7 against Toronto this May. Paul Pierce, thank you. That was not worth all of those picks, but was still an incredible moment that provided a huge lift. Anyway, I will not let this bias affect the rankings or any embedded predictions. As for the running commentary, well…
And we’re off!
In the summer, player movement was the name of the game. You may not have heard, but the league’s best player, LeBron James, is on a new team. He headed home to Cleveland to form The Next Super Team (working title) with Kevin Love, who was traded from Minnesota for the 2014 draft’s number one pick, Andrew Wiggins. Miami replaced James with Luol Deng. Ear-blowing enthusiast Lance Stephenson left the Pacers for the new look Charlotte Hornets. Paul Pierce headed down to the nation’s capital. Chandler Parsons went to party with Mark Cuban, who also re-acquired Tyson Chandler from the Knicks. Got it all? There’s a lot more where that came from.
The game of musical chairs has stopped so we can play the game of basketball for a bit. In preparation, I have ranked the league’s teams in order of how good I think they’ll be this season. I will include each team’s record and conference standing from last year next to their name, in parentheses.
DISCLAIMER: I am a huge fan of the Brooklyn Nets. My general sanity hung in the balance at the end of Game 7 against Toronto this May. Paul Pierce, thank you. That was not worth all of those picks, but was still an incredible moment that provided a huge lift. Anyway, I will not let this bias affect the rankings or any embedded predictions. As for the running commentary, well…
And we’re off!
30. Philadelphia 76ers (19-63, 14th in the East)
The current draft lottery system in place in the NBA has led to a recent outbreak of a team-building strategy colloquially named ‘tanking,’ which involves intentionally putting together a weak roster to lose games intentionally. This strategy all but guarantees your team a bad record and a high pick in the next year’s draft. Tanking is by no way reprehensible, as it is one method a small market team can use to rise from irrelevance to become a contender. If they can do it under the guise of “developing young players,” even better.
The Sixers have a driven a tank right through the definition of tanking. Last year’s team, engineered to fail by shrewd GM Sam Hinkie, tied the league record for the longest losing streak, losing 26 consecutive games. By trading every player of note midseason, the roster by the end of the year consisted of the eventual Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams, and a cast of D-Leaguers.
They were rewarded with merely the third pick of the draft for the efforts, but also had the Pelicans selection, the tenth pick, from last year’s Jrue Holiday trade. Who did they wind up with? Center Joel Embiid, and Croatian point forward Dario Saric, neither of who will play this year. Are you kidding me?!? Guys, you still have to get people to come to your games! I know Embiid’s Twitter game is on point, but that’s not going to sell tickets!
Yes, Nerlens Noel and his flat top are coming back from injury to debut this year, but the Sixers cancelled out that potential improvement by trading veteran forward Thaddeus Young to Minnesota. This team is going to be absolutely pitiful, and has a great chance to finish at the absolute bottom of the league. I know that’s what they’re gunning for, but at some point, that comes at a price. What about Carter-Williams’ development, with all this losing? What about their fans’ collective patience? What about the league’s desired image of parity?
There’s a reason that the league is looking into new draft lottery proposals. The guy in charge in Philly needs to be reprimanded because his plan for the future, if you can even call it a plan, is going a step too far. Also, their team is going to suck this year. A lot.
The current draft lottery system in place in the NBA has led to a recent outbreak of a team-building strategy colloquially named ‘tanking,’ which involves intentionally putting together a weak roster to lose games intentionally. This strategy all but guarantees your team a bad record and a high pick in the next year’s draft. Tanking is by no way reprehensible, as it is one method a small market team can use to rise from irrelevance to become a contender. If they can do it under the guise of “developing young players,” even better.
The Sixers have a driven a tank right through the definition of tanking. Last year’s team, engineered to fail by shrewd GM Sam Hinkie, tied the league record for the longest losing streak, losing 26 consecutive games. By trading every player of note midseason, the roster by the end of the year consisted of the eventual Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams, and a cast of D-Leaguers.
They were rewarded with merely the third pick of the draft for the efforts, but also had the Pelicans selection, the tenth pick, from last year’s Jrue Holiday trade. Who did they wind up with? Center Joel Embiid, and Croatian point forward Dario Saric, neither of who will play this year. Are you kidding me?!? Guys, you still have to get people to come to your games! I know Embiid’s Twitter game is on point, but that’s not going to sell tickets!
Yes, Nerlens Noel and his flat top are coming back from injury to debut this year, but the Sixers cancelled out that potential improvement by trading veteran forward Thaddeus Young to Minnesota. This team is going to be absolutely pitiful, and has a great chance to finish at the absolute bottom of the league. I know that’s what they’re gunning for, but at some point, that comes at a price. What about Carter-Williams’ development, with all this losing? What about their fans’ collective patience? What about the league’s desired image of parity?
There’s a reason that the league is looking into new draft lottery proposals. The guy in charge in Philly needs to be reprimanded because his plan for the future, if you can even call it a plan, is going a step too far. Also, their team is going to suck this year. A lot.
29. Utah Jazz (25-57, 15th in the West)
It’s been more than three and a half years since Utah shook things up by trading Deron Williams to the Nets. The haul they got for Williams included Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, and a pick that was eventually combined with other assets to acquire Trey Burke. Brooklyn (at the time, New Jersey) gained the star they coveted after missing out on Carmelo Anthony at the trade deadline, but what about the Jazz?
Well, they got Dante Exum, the Aussie phenom, in this year’s draft, which is cool. A Charlotte offer sheet forced them to overpay (four years, $63 million) for Gordon Hayward, but he’s a young and still developing playmaker. Alec Burks is becoming a solid shooting guard and filling out the other half of the Burk Brothers in the backcourt.
Still, this team simply doesn’t have much upside in a brutal Western Conference. Kanter and Favors haven’t quite become the formidable front line that GM Kevin O’Connor envisioned in 2011, although Favors is starting to develop some offensive skills. Hayward struggled last year as the first option offensively. A couple of monster Exum performances will likely steal a few games, and there is an excellent fan base awaiting them in Salt Lake City, but the sheer amount of inexperience, and the lack of a true scoring punch, is going to hold this team back. Throw in an unproven head coach (Quin Snyder, from Atlanta), and you’ve got the recipe for a last place finish in the West.
Also, can we get a new name here? With all of the name changes flying around the league, we need to stop associating the state of Utah with jazz music. Bypassing all of the usual Mormon jokes, how about the Utah Snowboarders? The Utah We Had The Olympics Here That One Time? There’s nothing brewing. Keep the Jazz. Stockton/Malone pick-and-rolls are music to my ears on NBA TV re-runs.
It’s been more than three and a half years since Utah shook things up by trading Deron Williams to the Nets. The haul they got for Williams included Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, and a pick that was eventually combined with other assets to acquire Trey Burke. Brooklyn (at the time, New Jersey) gained the star they coveted after missing out on Carmelo Anthony at the trade deadline, but what about the Jazz?
Well, they got Dante Exum, the Aussie phenom, in this year’s draft, which is cool. A Charlotte offer sheet forced them to overpay (four years, $63 million) for Gordon Hayward, but he’s a young and still developing playmaker. Alec Burks is becoming a solid shooting guard and filling out the other half of the Burk Brothers in the backcourt.
Still, this team simply doesn’t have much upside in a brutal Western Conference. Kanter and Favors haven’t quite become the formidable front line that GM Kevin O’Connor envisioned in 2011, although Favors is starting to develop some offensive skills. Hayward struggled last year as the first option offensively. A couple of monster Exum performances will likely steal a few games, and there is an excellent fan base awaiting them in Salt Lake City, but the sheer amount of inexperience, and the lack of a true scoring punch, is going to hold this team back. Throw in an unproven head coach (Quin Snyder, from Atlanta), and you’ve got the recipe for a last place finish in the West.
Also, can we get a new name here? With all of the name changes flying around the league, we need to stop associating the state of Utah with jazz music. Bypassing all of the usual Mormon jokes, how about the Utah Snowboarders? The Utah We Had The Olympics Here That One Time? There’s nothing brewing. Keep the Jazz. Stockton/Malone pick-and-rolls are music to my ears on NBA TV re-runs.
28. Milwaukee Bucks (15-67, 15th in the East)
It takes a special type of incompetence to play in a league with last year’s train wreck of a Sixers team and still finish with the worst record in the league. That dubious honor belongs to the Bucks, who endured horrible injury luck and miserable play from new acquisitions en route to a measly 15 wins. Fifteen! Even worse, they were trying to win last year, as shown by the generous contracts given to role players Zaza Pachulia and O.J. Mayo.
However, there’s definitely hope in Milwaukee, owing to both the stable new ownership (hedge fund managers Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens) that will assuredly keep the team in town, and the pair of exciting young players that will likely make up the team’s future core. First, Giannis Antetokounmpo, the ‘Greek Freak,’ who enthralled NBA fans last year with his never-ending limbs and chirpy personality. Second, Jabari Parker, the rookie from Duke who should immediately begin getting buckets using his polished scoring tools. These two, along with intriguing point guard Brandon Wright, will team with defensive menace Larry Sanders to form a fascinating young squad. They won’t be very good (fifteen!), but they should be a League Pass favorite.
And, lest we forget the man in charge…
It takes a special type of incompetence to play in a league with last year’s train wreck of a Sixers team and still finish with the worst record in the league. That dubious honor belongs to the Bucks, who endured horrible injury luck and miserable play from new acquisitions en route to a measly 15 wins. Fifteen! Even worse, they were trying to win last year, as shown by the generous contracts given to role players Zaza Pachulia and O.J. Mayo.
However, there’s definitely hope in Milwaukee, owing to both the stable new ownership (hedge fund managers Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens) that will assuredly keep the team in town, and the pair of exciting young players that will likely make up the team’s future core. First, Giannis Antetokounmpo, the ‘Greek Freak,’ who enthralled NBA fans last year with his never-ending limbs and chirpy personality. Second, Jabari Parker, the rookie from Duke who should immediately begin getting buckets using his polished scoring tools. These two, along with intriguing point guard Brandon Wright, will team with defensive menace Larry Sanders to form a fascinating young squad. They won’t be very good (fifteen!), but they should be a League Pass favorite.
And, lest we forget the man in charge…
Kidd landed in Milwaukee over the summer after a power play to take control of all basketball operations in Brooklyn failed miserably. Good riddance. The Nets were excellent in 2014 under his watch, but this move by Kidd was downright crooked. He tried to undermine Billy King, the guy who gave him his job, just one year after the fact. Let’s not forget that for all the goodwill Kidd accumulated with the Nets for his improvement, he still only won one playoff round with the highest-paid roster in NBA history. I wish we could take his jersey down from the rafters.
27. Boston Celtics (25-57, 12th in the East)
As a recent migrant to New England, I’ve been reminded many, many times about the storied history of the Boston Celtics. They have more championships than any other franchise in the NBA. Bill Russell is one of the greatest big men to ever play. They have some of the best uniforms in the league. The parquet floor at the Boston Garden is a symbol of basketball history.
In the immediate present, the Celtics are not scaring anyone. After trading legends Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett last year for every Nets pick for the rest of time, the roster is a mismatch of disinterested veterans and youthful role players. Avery Bradley is a terrifying on-ball defender, but is not worth $32 million, which Boston gave him this offseason. Jeff Green could go off for 40 any night, but could just as easily shoot 2 for 14. They added point guard Marcus Smart in the draft and the enigmatic Evan Turner in free agency. The magician from Butler, Brad Stevens, is back at the helm again as GM Danny Ainge searches for the next Doc Rivers.
The Celtics should be a solid team in a few years, assuming they spend their trade loot wisely, but I’m not sure if they have a future star on the team right now. Ainge will always seek a top player on the trade market, but who’s available? With Love gone, the marketplace is barren. If anything, the top player potentially available is Rajon Rondo, who has become a serious injury risk. I think Boston trades Rondo midseason, after a rough start, and hands most of his minutes to Smart. Then, it’s time to look ahead to the draft lottery. They should have the luck of the Irish on their side.
As a recent migrant to New England, I’ve been reminded many, many times about the storied history of the Boston Celtics. They have more championships than any other franchise in the NBA. Bill Russell is one of the greatest big men to ever play. They have some of the best uniforms in the league. The parquet floor at the Boston Garden is a symbol of basketball history.
In the immediate present, the Celtics are not scaring anyone. After trading legends Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett last year for every Nets pick for the rest of time, the roster is a mismatch of disinterested veterans and youthful role players. Avery Bradley is a terrifying on-ball defender, but is not worth $32 million, which Boston gave him this offseason. Jeff Green could go off for 40 any night, but could just as easily shoot 2 for 14. They added point guard Marcus Smart in the draft and the enigmatic Evan Turner in free agency. The magician from Butler, Brad Stevens, is back at the helm again as GM Danny Ainge searches for the next Doc Rivers.
The Celtics should be a solid team in a few years, assuming they spend their trade loot wisely, but I’m not sure if they have a future star on the team right now. Ainge will always seek a top player on the trade market, but who’s available? With Love gone, the marketplace is barren. If anything, the top player potentially available is Rajon Rondo, who has become a serious injury risk. I think Boston trades Rondo midseason, after a rough start, and hands most of his minutes to Smart. Then, it’s time to look ahead to the draft lottery. They should have the luck of the Irish on their side.
26. Orlando Magic (23-59, 13th in the East)
Orlando is the most magical place on Earth. You can ride the movies (sponsor!) at Universal Studios, and SeaWorld is, for the most part, pretty swell. Also, it’s the home of literally any chain eatery that you can think of, except for In-N-Out. Why can’t we East Coasters have just one In-N-Out somewhere? Just one!
Since the Dwight Howard trade, Orlando has not exactly been the most magical place for NBA basketball. GM Rob Hennigan decided to re-shape his team in the inevitable Howard deal, declining a stud center like Brook Lopez or Andrew Bynum in favor of a more well-rounded severance package. One part of the Magic’s haul: Arron Afflalo, who was shipped back to Denver this summer for Evan Fournier. Another: Nikola Vucevic, Dwight’s replacement at center, who is a nice player but will likely receive a bigger contract than he deserves.
Orlando has also brought a pair of top-five picks on board since the trade. Victor Oladipo had a nice rookie effort last year as a perimeter defender, and this year’s top pick, Aaron Gordon, will bring similar athletic tools to the table this year as a forward, although Gordon only shot 42% from the free-throw line at Arizona last year.
That helps to explain a common problem on the Magic roster: they can’t shoot. Elfrid Payton, 2014 lottery pick, and Oladipo will likely start in the backcourt, and neither of them are very accurate shooters. Afflalo was really the only guy on this team last year who could think about creating his own shot, and he’s gone. Versatile forward Tobias Harris will hit a couple of triples, but nothing more.
To combat this issue, Hennigan brought in a pair of shooters on ludicrously expensive contracts: Channing Frye, who ran the pick-and-roll with Goran Dragic last year, and Ben Gordon, who practically gave up on the Bobcats and got himself cut before the playoffs. Does Coach Jacque Vaughn have a trick up his sleeves to bring out these players’ skills for Orlando?
For the Magic’s sake, I’d hope so. They are going to improve this year, certainly, but they are currently looking at another win total in the twenties. I don’t even think Criss Angel could change that.
Orlando is the most magical place on Earth. You can ride the movies (sponsor!) at Universal Studios, and SeaWorld is, for the most part, pretty swell. Also, it’s the home of literally any chain eatery that you can think of, except for In-N-Out. Why can’t we East Coasters have just one In-N-Out somewhere? Just one!
Since the Dwight Howard trade, Orlando has not exactly been the most magical place for NBA basketball. GM Rob Hennigan decided to re-shape his team in the inevitable Howard deal, declining a stud center like Brook Lopez or Andrew Bynum in favor of a more well-rounded severance package. One part of the Magic’s haul: Arron Afflalo, who was shipped back to Denver this summer for Evan Fournier. Another: Nikola Vucevic, Dwight’s replacement at center, who is a nice player but will likely receive a bigger contract than he deserves.
Orlando has also brought a pair of top-five picks on board since the trade. Victor Oladipo had a nice rookie effort last year as a perimeter defender, and this year’s top pick, Aaron Gordon, will bring similar athletic tools to the table this year as a forward, although Gordon only shot 42% from the free-throw line at Arizona last year.
That helps to explain a common problem on the Magic roster: they can’t shoot. Elfrid Payton, 2014 lottery pick, and Oladipo will likely start in the backcourt, and neither of them are very accurate shooters. Afflalo was really the only guy on this team last year who could think about creating his own shot, and he’s gone. Versatile forward Tobias Harris will hit a couple of triples, but nothing more.
To combat this issue, Hennigan brought in a pair of shooters on ludicrously expensive contracts: Channing Frye, who ran the pick-and-roll with Goran Dragic last year, and Ben Gordon, who practically gave up on the Bobcats and got himself cut before the playoffs. Does Coach Jacque Vaughn have a trick up his sleeves to bring out these players’ skills for Orlando?
For the Magic’s sake, I’d hope so. They are going to improve this year, certainly, but they are currently looking at another win total in the twenties. I don’t even think Criss Angel could change that.
25. Sacramento Kings (28-54, 13th in the West)
BOOGIE!!!!!!!!!!
BOOGIE!!!!!!!!!!
Another NBA season, another year of the fascinating DeMarcus Cousins attempting to drag a hopeless Kings team to the Western Conference playoffs. Let’s not pretend that Valanciunas didn’t deserve that. I wanted to do the same thing during the Nets-Raptors series.
Sacramento is still far, far away from a playoff spot, but there are bright spots to point out. Cousins is an absolute force of nature in the paint. The Kings are staying in Sacramento by way of a $477 million arena, to be built by 2016. New owner Vivek Ranadive is remarkably hands-on, and is pushing for increased analytics to be implemented into the organization’s scouting and planning.
However, their offseason decisions were very questionable. They let the short but explosive Isaiah Thomas leave for Phoenix on a very reasonable four-year, $27 million contract. To replace him, they signed Darren Collison, who is essentially the poor man’s Isaiah Thomas, for three years and $16 million. Why not pony up the extra bucks to keep Thomas, the guy you developed? Also, we have plenty of evidence from Dallas and Indiana that Collison cannot be the starting point guard on a good team. This move doesn’t make much sense at all.
Additionally, they drafted shooting guard Nic Stauskas in the top ten just one year after drafting shooting guard Ben McLemore in the top ten. Noah Vonleh was sitting right there, waiting for his name to be called! When will the Kings realize that Jason Thompson is not the answer at the four? I hope they’re following some advanced statistical treasure map that none of us can decipher.
But hey, they’re not moving to Seattle. Congratulations to Sacramento, which hasn’t had a lot to cheer about since the Chris Webber days of the early 2000s. They fought hard to keep their team in town, and were rewarded for it. Seattle didn’t deserve it anyway. You can’t complain about having your team stolen, and then actively support the takeover of another city’s team. Also, these are fans that buy and wear jerseys that celebrate their own excessive volume. The Seahawks are more than enough.
Sacramento is still far, far away from a playoff spot, but there are bright spots to point out. Cousins is an absolute force of nature in the paint. The Kings are staying in Sacramento by way of a $477 million arena, to be built by 2016. New owner Vivek Ranadive is remarkably hands-on, and is pushing for increased analytics to be implemented into the organization’s scouting and planning.
However, their offseason decisions were very questionable. They let the short but explosive Isaiah Thomas leave for Phoenix on a very reasonable four-year, $27 million contract. To replace him, they signed Darren Collison, who is essentially the poor man’s Isaiah Thomas, for three years and $16 million. Why not pony up the extra bucks to keep Thomas, the guy you developed? Also, we have plenty of evidence from Dallas and Indiana that Collison cannot be the starting point guard on a good team. This move doesn’t make much sense at all.
Additionally, they drafted shooting guard Nic Stauskas in the top ten just one year after drafting shooting guard Ben McLemore in the top ten. Noah Vonleh was sitting right there, waiting for his name to be called! When will the Kings realize that Jason Thompson is not the answer at the four? I hope they’re following some advanced statistical treasure map that none of us can decipher.
But hey, they’re not moving to Seattle. Congratulations to Sacramento, which hasn’t had a lot to cheer about since the Chris Webber days of the early 2000s. They fought hard to keep their team in town, and were rewarded for it. Seattle didn’t deserve it anyway. You can’t complain about having your team stolen, and then actively support the takeover of another city’s team. Also, these are fans that buy and wear jerseys that celebrate their own excessive volume. The Seahawks are more than enough.