Pre Off-Season Power Rankings
May 21, 2022 3:44:06 GMT -5
Oklahoma City Thunder (Loren), San Antonio Spurs (Chris), and 8 more like this
Post by Golden State Warriors (Caleb) on May 21, 2022 3:44:06 GMT -5
The grind for next year's season starts now and this is currently how I see things. Rankings are mostly based off of the squad, but have some GM tendencies baked in their as well. No I do not hate you if you feel you're lower than you should be, and honestly with 4 months left until next season these are the most irrelvant version of power rankings that could come out. This is just to spark some debate and thought. Enjoy!
News Items:
30. Sacramento Kings
Man it's not Bagel's fault man, but it's ugly right now. Credit to Bagels as he didn't just sit on his hands when he took over. Agree with the moves or not he went all in on a rebuild and now the Kings at-least have a direction. Bagels has to just learn to enjoy the process because this is where it starts! Mikal is probably the only one truly safe player, but Bagels now has 5 firsts and we'll see what he can cook up with his 3 seconds in this years. We've already seen quite a few free agents from last year's class get flipped for assets and that 100% should be a plan of attack for the Kings with 34ish mill in cap space. Bogey and Payton will probably be shipped to contenders for picks. Outside of those two Bagels can take a year to decide who is worth keeping from their young "core". A few cheeky signings here and a draft steal there and the Kings could be well on their way back to relevance. I salute you as you take on this project Bagels.
29. Los Angeles Lakers
After back to back years in the playoffs it was just such a tough year for Griff. Let's start with the bright spots. Collin Sexton was pretty damn good before he tore his acl. He's just 23 years old and should have a clear high usage role next to a very good player in Darius Garland. Collin has had a year to sit and really break down the game, I think this time off could lowkey help him. I wouldn't be surprised to see him be a 30 a night guy once his rhythm returns. I still believe in PJ's talent long term and think this was just a tough year with off the court shit. Lu Dort will be getting big minutes somewhere, Joe Harris will be back, and suddenly Grant Williams isn't looking like a bad piece. With 3 late-ish firsts there's still plenty to for Griff to work with. He doesn't have to hit a home run but just single after single and the Lakers will climb back out of this hole. Keep grinding Griff!
28. Toronto Raptors
After being a perennial playoff team for the first couple years it's been a tough turn around for the Toronto Raptors. But again, there's stuff to cook with in the kitchen! Anfernee proved he's a problem in this league, but it will be a little bit of an adjustment in the CJ role as opposed to the #1 guy. I honestly could see his points range from like 24-30 a night depending on how efficiently he shoots that thing. Regardless he's a talent and honestly the piece big Perk is building around right now. Ayo had an AWESOME year, and you just gotta give a Bouknight a chance, because there is microwave scoring ability in there somewhere. Other than that Perk has a couple pieces he can dangle to contenders and 7? first round picks in the next 3 years. It's gonna take a bit, but if Perk's squads can take a step this year they can be back in the playoff picture within the next 2 or so years.
27. Cleveland Cavaliers
Look man I'm not gonna lie to you, I have no idea why Jon decided to blow it up. Did he come up short the last couple years? Yes. But injury luck is tough (ask bman) and I feel like you just gotta keep grinding away when you have the best player in fantasy sports + the king. Regardless, Darius comes home along with another young talent in #4 and you feel pretty good about the baseline of this rebuild. Throw in JB who took the leap and it's definitely a fun 3 pieces to build around. To be honest I can't really remember Jon rebuilding so I'm not sure what his plan of attack is going to be. Regardless it's likely going to be a little bit before the Cavs are relevant again, but I like forward to monitoring the Cavs and the way they approach this rebuild.
26. Houston Rockets
Free is still a ways away but he's definitely on the right track. We've seen there are basically 2 different styles of rebuilds. You can cash in your young guys and picks for star talent ready made at the moment (Tyler) or you can build slowly and wait for your talent to develop (Irwin). It seems like Free is taking the second approach and I respect it. Tyler Herro is fresh off a 6th man of the year award at 22. Jalen Green was unreal the second half of the year. I will say shooting guards really take a little bit to develop in here, but no doubt Jalen has star potential. Mix in Paolo/Chet + another pick at 9, Killian, Boston and the future is real bright. If free just lets his guys develop, finds deals for Klay and Zu and stacks up another lotto the Rockets will have all the assets at their disposal to make the jump. Again it remains to be seen if Free is gonna fully wait out his young guys or eventually deal them, but it's just a miles better situation in Houston compared to the Tony era.
25. Charlotte Hornets
Everyone has their different GM style, and Kennan's is definitely the more conservative type. Is that bad? No, not necessarily, but I do think there could be better execution on the edge of this roster. The core here in Charlotte is undoubtedly talented. Ingram solidified himself as a star this year (imo), John Collins was built perfect for this league and could explode at any moment should he leave Atlanta. James Wiseman might take a little bit, but in bigman dynasty if he does hit, he's gonna hit pretty hard and honestly even if he isn't a star he'll produce. Kid just was allowed to drink 2 months ago. I mean Free is the only mfer in here even younger than him
The Lowry trade last year looked to address a hole and while he is decent when he plays, I just think he'll be resting a little too much in Miami given his 21 mill salary. Like I said the edge of the roster needs to be addressed because i'm not sure Dwight, Nick Richards, Blake Griffin, DJ Augustine, Tristan Thompson are worthy of roster spots. The talent is nice in Charlotte but work needs to be done on the edges to get this team back into the playoffs.
24. Denver Nuggets
It wasn't a bad first year into the rebuild for Kevin. Davion had a cool year, Cam took a leap, Kuz found a home in DC, and even Bags found a potential nice spot with Detroit. However, Kev doesn't have his pick this year because of a fun little swap he did with Mavs. Play stupid games and you'll win stupid prizes. Anyways, he dealt Bones, JJJ and a first for Gobert so maybe he's kinda down to be competitive? Idk the direction isn't super clear, but I think Kevin is just going the Loren route where you don't commit super hard to a direction either way, but just try to stack up deals in which you gain perceived value and move from the there. Ultimately this team won't be in the gutters because of Kuz and Gobert, but it's not going to make any real noise this year. Given the situation theres a lot of pressure to hit on pick 6. I'm rooting for Kev, the path may not be super clear rn, but I believe in young Kev to slowly but surely find his way back to the promise land.
23. Indiana Pacers
I want to start by saying a playoff push is 1000% in the picture if Jon decides that's what he wants to do. But as this point in time despite wanting to put the Jon higher I can't really put him much higher than this. There's just too much unknown. Look I think Zion will come back and be Zion, but there is still some risk. I've loved Isaac since the time he was drafted in here but even I still have some concern about his return. Regardless, both are supremely talented and give this team a high ceiling despite some risk. Outside of even someone unknown regarding the actual roster, I think there is someone unknown within management too. I think there's a chance Jon would have competed if he landed a Chet or Paolo, but dropping down to 5 I could very easily see him say fuck it, let's tank this thing one more year, and honestly, I couldn't even blame him. Regardless, the Pacers are litered with young talent. Mann, Thomas, McDaniels, Alpy, can all be developed or dealt for consistent production. My money is on Jon probably tanking this thing one more year, but if one of Mcdaniels, Mann, Alpy take a leap, Zion and JI come back without issues and the Pacers hit on pick 6 the Pacers could be competitive. Regardless this is the team i point to take the biggest leap within the next 1-2 years.
22. San Antonio Spurs
I would definitely call this last year for Chris a success. Again there is no point in rushing a rebuild and Chris undeniably took a step forward from where he was the year before. Obviously one of the biggest reasons why is this kid named Evan Mobley. Prime Mobes is easily 20 and 10 minimum with 3-4 dimes and a steal and two blocks a game. Just nasty, nasty stuff. Add in OG, Deni, and DLO and you have a real nice nucleus in San Antonio. The next step is building that collective supporting cast around those 4. It may take a couple years, but Chris is well on his to being back to the consistent playoff team he was in the 25 and early 26 days. I will say unfortunately Chris is at a pretty large disadvantage without the discord. There's just a lot more ease when it comes to the communication around making trades. (We'd love to have you join Chris). Regardless there is a clear direction here, and I could see the Spurs making a run at a 7/8 seed within the next 2 years. Keep building my man!
21. Phoenix Suns
Fun fact, Tyler actually won our first title in 26, when he was GM of the Knicks. He won one, got fired, and then took over the Phoenix Suns with a very long term approach. The Suns have a star in Jarrett Allen, and has a couple candidates for who could be the next one. Jalen had a tough first season, but we've seen it a million times guys develop at different rates, and I have no doubt Suggs will be a 30+ guy at some point in his career. Pwilly was another guy who had a tough year, but I'm still really bullish on for the future. Overall I've heard rumors the Suns are looking to get back into the playoff mix and while they aren't terrible there is work to do. If you don't have 2 or preferably 3 stars you need ELITE depth. The Suns don't have that yet. Rui, Tyus, Tre, Chuma, Bamba can all be counted on to have roles, but it drops off pretty hard after there. You're gonna need to sign or trade for some guys to really make a run. Look we've seen Tyler win a title before, but it takes a little bit longer when you are basically regrowing your organization strictly through the draft and free agency. Tyler probably has to get in the mix with some trades to really push into that middle tier. Hitting on 13 would also clearly be helpful. Stage is set for Tyler to get back into it, and we'll see what the off-season holds.
20. Atlanta Hawks
Similar to Cavs the Hawks have already shipped off a star this off-season and are a candidate to fall even further if a Harden trade commences. It's been a hell of a 3-4 year run for Trey but unfortunately all good things must eventually come to an end. Let's get right into the trade, Is Maxey a great chip for a Dame trade to be centered around? Yes. But did Trey execute the rest of the trade around Maxey well? Hellll no. In a rebuild, these kinda margins can make or break how long it takes to turn around the ship. The next question really is does Harden stay? He's clearly being shopped around, but as we've seen with the latest Bron and Dame deals, the star market has lowkey dried up a bit. You can't really sell him for pennies on the dollar, but he'll also low key keep this squad afloat. This team might actually be nasty if Joel does down for a minute lmao, but other than that it's a pretty mediocre team rn. Trey has to do his best to find cheap young talent and go from there. It's been awhile since Trey has been in rebuild mode and I'm rooting for him figure out this next stage.
19. Chicago Bulls
Alright I think Chuck is the highest "rebuilding" team here and he slots in at #19. It's been well documented that Chuck pivoted from his all in ways to a more strategic long term approach, and that approach paid dividends early. Chucked snagged Wendell and RJ at "discount" rates along with swapping Jrue Holliday for the extremely gifted Jonathan Kuminga. Now while Chuck is rebuilding or retooling or whatever the fuck you wanna call it, he doesn't have his pick this year, meaning there is little reason for Chuck to not turn in a competitive season. I think the area of GMing that Chuck is really elite in is his ability to manage a team from a day to day perspective during a season. He is absolutely elite at finding cheap streamers and creative ways to find points throughout the year. So while there is a drop off a cliff after his core pieces, I think Chuck can help mitigate that for a lot of the year. I loved what I saw from Zinger in the nation's capital and I'm hopefully it carries into 2022/2023. I still think he can be a 35 a night guy. RJ is a tough eval for me, he obviously took huge steps this year, and the minutes with Thibs will always be nice, but can he score efficiently enough hand put up counting stats to ever be a 35+ guy? Idk. Dell had an AMAZING year and i'd expect 30+ again. JK is still a ways away but he could be a legit star in 3-4 years. I think the most likely scenario is similar to what last year looked like for the Bulls. Competitive team, use the season to find flip opportunities, finish middle of the pack and then look to make a real push next year. Year 1 in the process started well, and don't be shocked if we find Chuck back in the mix here pretty soon.
18. Utah Jazz
Safe to say last year was a failed experiment for my guy. The days of 25 are long gone. Props to TJ though he looked himself in the mirror dusted himself off and pivoted. I don't think the star mold is a bad thing but I just don't think Beal and Vooch can be your 2nd and 3rd guys unless you have really unreal depth. TJ has 8ish young talented pieces and then Bojan and Monte on the side. It's lowkey a pretty deep team and TJ 100% can still compete for the playoffs, but there's no real title shot here. I think the Tyler route makes the most sense here, be a fringe playoff team with young talent for a year or two and hope that a couple of those guys can take meaningful steps this year and then deal them for profit. I will say despite the rebounding concerns I think a 30+ season is bound to be coming for Jaren soon, bro is really a talent. Colby and Claxton are both talented and i'm really interested to see where Clx lands this summer. I'm not huge on White or Levert in here but at-least their young-ish. Lastly I'm rooting for TB to find a home this year. He was really growing before he tore his ACL and this year was just ass in DC. Like Chuck, TJ is taking a step back and looking to build this thing organically. I'm rooting for him especially because I really relish the opportunity of sending his ass to Cancun.
17. Memphis Grizzlies
Okay as we get closer and closer to the top teams the analysis will turn more from focusing on long term pieces to more of a conversation on how the squad looks in regards to winning this year. I was skeptical of what Royce was doing heading into next year but I absolutely love Royce and what he did last year. He said fuck you all i'm going to be competitive and that's exactly what he did. From arguably the worst roster in the league to a Western Conference Semis appearance. Truly an awesome year. But man, last year is gone and it's gotta be right back on the grind. Let's start with the FA situation... I still think Bob will get that out right re-sign- but then that means Bobby Portis is gone along with Covington and Delon Wright. It might not seem like a big deal but the strength of this Grizzlies team was definitely it's depth and that depth is just not the same as it was last year. Now there's still a chance Royce re-signs Bobby and takes Timelord to RFA but that could end up being tough too. Regardless, it's a solid team. Bane should be high 20's and maybe even could hit 30 if things go really well. Scottie is almost a lock for 30, and then obviously Bob. That's a solid big 3 but there is just is going to have to be more juice around those 3 if this team wants to make any real noise. Grizz are very much in the mix but moves are going to have to be made for the Grizz to replicate last year's run IMO.
16. Washington Wizards
I know we do this shit with Octy every year but this is where I have him lmao. It's clear what Octy's strategy has been over the years, build as deep a team as possible regardless of the name on the back of the jersey. It's weird to have him here after back to back conference semi finals but I do think this team is worse than it was the last 2 years. For starters I don't think Trez is replicating his year last year. JV is gone, Barton is a year older, and Al Horford is gone. Octy always finds ways to fill his roster, but I just think there are more holes to fill this year than in the past. End of the day I give ultimate respect to Octy who has put together proven winners. I know based on his track record he will put together a competitive team, but I just don't think he has the star power up top to really stick with the top dogs this year.
15. Miami Heat
Sanjul's team slots into the 15 spot for me. It very clearly all starts with Ja Morant and Deandre Ayton. Ja is just gonna be a stud every time he steps on the basketball court and 40 FPG should be in play next year. I think more importantly though, Ja needs to be able to stay on the court for more games. The Ayton situation is interesting, He's 32 a night with a pretty minimal offensive role. I think we all think that as he gets older he'll become more and more involved within the PHX offense, but who knows if that starts next year. A trade would give Ayton 40 point upside, but even if he stays in PHX he should be good for around 35 a night. Myles Turner has consistently been 30 a night while juggling sometimes being a center and sometimes not. If he stays healthy I really like his chances at bumping up his average he just has to stay healthy. The reason why I don't have the Heat higher is just the depth. It's actually not bad depth wise as a lot of guys have room for growth, but it's not championship level. Laurri looks like he found a home, Obi was really encouraging this year, but is just blocked by Julius. 14 and 18 should be nice long term, but it's hard to really count on much immediate production from guys taken there. Overall the future is really bright for the Heat, given the talent and assets I wouldn't be surprised if the Heat were in the mix for a title even as soon as the year after next, but not this year.
14. Boston Celtics
Bman and his boys will attempt to to bounce back after a disastrous year last year. We obviously have to start with the top end talent and it's wild that a team that traded Bam Adebayo still sports a trio like KAT, SGA, and Ben Simmons. With those 3 really all the Celtics need is solid depth to be considered a title contender imo. Unfortunately I don't know if we have it. On the other side of the coin, there are a lot of really nice young pieces with locked in roles on teams, giving the potential for one of them to take a leap. Obviously this would be huge for Bman. We'll start with Precious, we've seen Nurse could give less of a fuck about conventional lineups and as a result Precious is going to get minutes. He really could average 25/26 if things break right. Baze probably hasn't developed as much as the Thunder would hope, but he's still just 21 and again took another small step forward last year. Ziare flashed some talent and should see 20-25 minutes a night. On top of all that Bman gets a great shot at a young talent with pick 7. Outside of those guys though it gets pretty bare. There is a ton of upside and potential with this team, but there is also a pretty low floor given the lack of overall production around the big 3. Bman did a really sneaky job of picking up depth over the last two years. He signed Bev, Hartenstein, Strus, and LMA. If Bman hits on a vet or two and 7 this team is a contender. With a wide range i'll settle in here at 14 as a feel there are a couple teams with safer floors. After a year of no Brandon I'm excited to have his Celtics back in the picture again.
13. Philadelphia 76ers
It was dope to see Peltz make his first real run as GM of the 6ers. When you have Trae and Sabo pounding opposing teams all year if you put a good supporting cast around these two a championship is definitely within reach. After drafting Anthony Edwards, Philly hit on another rookie with Josh Giddey. You can say whatever the hell you want about him but at the end of the day he averaged the third most out of one of one of the most ridiculously talented rookie classes in awhile. I don't really see many scenarios in which he doesn't score 30, he absolutely fills up the stat sheet. With these three it's really going to be tough to beat the Sixers. The Sixers actually have some pretty decent depth and that's what separated them from a team like the Celtics. Seth, Kennard, Bullock, Kleber, Bev, and Gallo are all safe for 15 FPs a game at-least. Pair that with 40 points upside from Trae and Sabo and mid 30 upside for Giddey and you have a fringe title team. The one downside of this team is that most of the top tier teams either have slightly better stars or better guys right below the stars. This team jumps from Giddey to basically Seth Curry in a second and you just need a little more fire power in that area to be a title contender imo. Regardless with Trae, Sabo, and Giddey the Sixers will be in the mix for the foreseeable future, the next part of this run is just finding the depth around them.
12. Detroit Pistons
Lmao I know what you guys are thinking but, I'm high as hell on the Pistons man... Probably higher than most. But let me talk you through it. Alright so we forget but Kawhi is an easy 40 a night when he is back. Cade has 40 point upside, I know Russ struggled in LA this year but even then he averaged 31. The depth has some promise, Melton can be 20 a night, Poole will have some monstrous runs when Steph sits and will be effective even when he plays. Graham's contract is by no means good but he should still have at-least a role in this league. Now the wildcard.... picks 1 and 4. Like that is nastyyyyyy. I personally think Chet will be in the mix right away for mid to high 20's maybe even 30 man. I know the strength will take some time, but he's honestly just flat out really good at basketball and an NBA spaced floor and more freedom is going to help him a lot. Then at 4 he probably gets Ivey? idk maybe Duren or Keegan. It's going to depend where guys go IRL but I mean talk about having shit to work with. I think 12 is a good comprise but this is probably the most tough to predict team in the league right now. If things work with the draft picks and Irwin uses his 36 million in cap on a couple role players this team can absolutely contend. But if the rooks don't produce and free agency isn't fruitful this team could definitely fall. I doubt Irwin does it but drafting Chet and putting 4 on the table for a win now piece could absolutely vault this team at-least in the conversation for a title. Irwin has been super patient so I don't expect him to rush this thing, but it's dope to see a new face in the mix.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder
Another team that I feel like people will say is too high but I really like what Loren has going on. There's a clear big three in Nurk, Jrue, and Book. Book is only going to get a larger share of the offense as CP ages, Jrue is almost a lock for 33+, and Nurk if he puts it all together and stays healthy for a year has 40 points upside. On top of the big 3 Loren also has pretty damn good depth. Jerami Grant and HB are steady 25 a night guys. Huerter has a steady role, IQ will be in the mix, and now add Herb Jones and newly acquired Jae Crowder... This team is deep as fuck! It's almost like an Octy build just with better stars. With 20ish mill left in cap if Loren can work the outer edges of his roster he very much can jump into the mix of title contenders. Right now basically CJ Elleby is the only player without a guaranteed role. We've seen in depth is absolutely key especially in stabilization throughout the year. I'm not sure Loren has enough top end talent to win a title this year, but watch out for some of these young pups. Herb, IQ, Huerter, and even Nurk and Book all have room to grow and if a couple of them do significantly OKC is a real sleeper out West.
10. Los Angeles Clippers
Remy took a year to let his flowers grow and I suspect he'll be back looking to contend this year. Remy's depth is once again elite. Ant, Keldon, Poeltl, Franz, Lonzo, Mitch, and Holmes can all be real producers and very few teams boast rosters that have 7 legit night in night out producers. For me Remy's ceiling is going to hinge on players making a leap. Can Ant and or someone else take the leap. Ant had moments of brilliance this year and I think he very easily could go from the 30 he was this year to 34-35. Keldon Johnson averaged 25 and I honestly could see him leap close to 30 if he plays the way he finished this season last year. Lonzo averaged 31 a night in Chicago and could see an increased offensive load if Lavine leaves, but prayers up that he can stay healthy. Anyways you get the point... The beautiful part of having a young team is there is always the potential that you can get a lot of internal growth from one year to the next, lessening the burden of pressure to go out and find more pieces. I still think Remy is a piece or two away as constructed from making a real title push but the depth is going to have them as one of the steadier teams throughout the league. It's a tough squad to predict because after going all in a year ago Remy has been much more conservative in his moves so i'm not sure if pushing it all the way in is in the cards... But if the right star or player becomes available you know Remy will seize the moment. Remy is one of the elite traders in the league and a good deal here or there can absolutely have this team in contention for a championship.
9. Brooklyn Nets
I think Andre is still feeling out the trade part of this league (toughest learning curve) but he has got the attention to detail and roster maintenance down pat for sure. One of the biggest knocks on Josh besides just being aloof in general was he didn't get nearly enough depth around KD and Luka. Josh snatched up Gary bird, Dwight Powell and a couple others off the FA market and really helped settle down the team. Luka is just going to keep getting better and honestly I don't think 50 a game is out of the question at all. KD is almost a lock for 40, and when Clint Capela is healthy and engaged he is 37-40 a night as well. While many teams have good big threes, very few have a big three that includes 3 40+ players and one that has high 40's upside. Similar to Sixers there are a lot of lower tier depth pieces on the roster. Kispert will have a role, Cam will have a role, Loon will have a role, Martin should have a role. But I really do think you need guys behind the big stars that can give you a couple 30 pointers during a week. With the core in place the floor for this team is pretty high, but Andre needs to find a way to find a difference maker or two to really make a push imo.
8. Dallas Mavericks
Anyone who has semi paid attention to this league over the past 2 years has known a Kyle run would be coming eventually and I think the 2022/2023 season is finally the year the run comes. This team is deep with stars at the top. I think Bam is capable of being a #1 in here if there is a deep team around him, and I think that's the case here. Bam has averaged 37, 38 and then 36 this past year, it sounds crazy but Bam being a 40 a night guy would be huge for Kyle. The one "issue" I have with this team is the stars outside of Bam are super high variance. Jamal, Midds, and Spida are high volume scorers who take a lot of tough shots on any given night. It can lead to some inconsistency at times and I think that can be tough when they are you 2-4 guys. Luckily for Kyle this team is unreal deep with a lot of different guys who can all take steps forward. Hunter can be maddening to own but he's still so young and the upside is evident, wouldn't shock me if he improves a good bit next year. Onyeka and Stew are also two massive pieces. Both will have roles, but it remains to be seen whether it will be 20-25ish min roles or if one or both of these guys can crack 30. If you told me Onyeka over took Capela next year i wouldn't be all that shocked, but it's also entirely possible Capela remains the guy. Duarte and Mann showed promise, and despite both being in murky situations should contribute over the course of the season. The real swing piece is MPJ. He's a year removed from 30 a night. I think it's somewhat tough to just say he'll be right back at 30 given the usage Jamal and Jok take up, but his boards should keep him afloat until he gets back into rhythm. End of the day this is the culmination of about 2.5 years of grinding. The Mavs are in really good shape and are a good off-season away from being a true title contender.
7. Portland Trail Blazers
What a fucking off-season so far for Ty. Tyler put on an absolute clinic on cashing in young talent for studs. Nikola Jokic is a Blazer and that means the Blazers are officially a title threat. Obviously Jamal and MPJ aren't gonna hurt Jokic too much, but I am curious to see what his role looks like over 82 when he doesn't have to single handedly carry every night. The second star is Dame.... I love buying star's stock after they have an off year. Combine a year off for Dame, an offense created directly for him, and him hearing the noise and i'm expecting a 40/ game season for Dame. These guys have a ton of pride and i'm sure Dame will want to show the world he is not even close to done yet. Vooch is the 3rd star and you can say whatever you want about him in real life, but in here he's a stud. Marcus Smart is almost a locked 25 a night. But this is where things get interesting. Tyler is rostering Niang, Stanley, Garuba, and Moses Brown and still has 2 roster spots to fill not including them. 15 million in cap space. We've seen you be able to cash in your chips for studs box checked there for sure, but can you fill out the edges of a roster under some financial constraints? We'll see. Getting even 15-18 a night from THT would go a long way. Jok/Dame/Vooch obviously gives this team a really high ceiling but can he fine tune the rest of the roster out of the mud before opening night? We'll see
Regardless, the Blazers will be here to stay for the foreseeable future and I'm excited to see what this first real run looks like for Tyler and his squad.
6. New York Knicks
Sood's recent acquisition of the King has him firmly in the mix of things with the #6 spot in this edition of power rankings. After a magical debut in the league Sood had a relatively disappointing year, missing the playoffs. Despite this Sood didn't let this get him done and quickly adjusted finishing the year strong due to a mid season pivot. He's already made a couple of great trades, so much so that he is already right back in the picture after one year. Sood boosts one of the best big 4's in the league with Lebron, PG, Beal, and Bridges. All are basically a lock for 30+ a night with mid 40 upside for Bron and high 30 upside for PG and Beal. I think the swing piece is Beal. Stars rarely have two bad years in a row and he just didn't score the ball nearly as effectively as he did 2 years ago. I'm expecting a bounce back year for Beal and wouldn't be surprised to see him back close to the 35/36 he's been the three years previous. I think that trade has flown under the radar but I don't think there are many trades better than landing Beal for White and Caris IMO. Great work Sood. Again with these 4 if you have depth you're a title contender. Depth is definitely still an aspect Sood is working on right now. Trey Murphy has a lot of talent but with his role is kinda limited to three and D it's gonna be tough to expect more than 15. Vassell is someone I'm super high on and if he could give Sood 25 that would be HUGE. Anyways outside of TM3 and Vassell it's pretty bare and with 5 mill in cap and no PG Sood definitely still has work to do this off-season. Regardless with Sood's track record of putting in work and the stars in New York it's going to be pretty tough for the Knicks not to have a shot late in the season. For now Sood is just on the outside looking in, but he's a couple pieces away from being right there with the main contenders.
5. Orlando Magic
I got Sarge here because I love the studs in Orlando. We gotta start with JT. He "only" averaged 38 this year, but the game just continues to become easier and easier for him and I really wouldn't be surprised if 42 is in the picture for him as he becomes more and more efficient. Pascal under Nurse is just a mad man. He got off to a slow start but was an easy 40 a night the rest of the way. Jimmy is tough because I feel like he'll sit 10 times a year randomly on top of random injuries... but when he plays.. man there are very few people that fill a stat sheet the way Jimmy Butler does. Now those 3 alone put this team in really good shape but the depth is honestly there too. We all know Sarge loves his KPJ, but he honestly is going to be the X factor for this team. After a tough start to the year KPJ finished really strong. Some might say it's because the games meant less, but he very clearly has a ton of talent and if he can cut down on the turnovers and shoot the ball a little bit better he could legit flirt with 30. Dinwiddie's contract is meh for sure, but I just realized what if Brunson leaves? My god would that be huge for Sarge. Regardless Din will have a role but if Brunson leaves or Luka suffers injuries he could be a really sneaky piece for Sarge. Brooks missed a lot of time and shots this year, but he could flirt with mid 20's if he shoots it just 4-5% better. I think having those 3 to back up the big three is huge and something that I think separates Sarge from the teams behind him. A lot of teams have the top end talent but immediately drop to sub 20 role players after their heavy hitters. Sarge has 3 heavy hitters and then 3 guys with 25 a game potential. I do think Sarge can stand to add one more rotation piece or two, but it's tough given the cap situation. I think Sarge did a really sneaky good job of finding points throughout the season, signing Len, Furk, Doug, Trey, and Patty. I think all 4 of those guys besides maybe Len should have roles. If Sarge can find a piece or two or one trade where he grabs some depth it'll go a long way to helping his chances. If this Magic team is healthy it's a title contender.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
Some would say the Timberwolves got unlucky the past 2 years and I would agree to an extent, but it's tough when your team heavily relies on AD and Brogdon because of their injury history. Don't get it twisted tho this team has some of the best mix of high end talent and depth in the league, but I do think they carry a bit more risk than some of the other teams up here. I would think maybe after 2 down season AD is due for a monster year. He may get a few Knicks here and there but if he can avoid the 15/20+ game injury stretches it'll be huge for the Wolves. The Wolves boast 5 different 30+ guys with AD, Jaylen, Brogdon, Halli, and Randle. Brogdon and Halli being on the same team is a little odd, but it's also kinda a hedge for if either gets hurt. Jaylen should continue to take strides and I think 33-34 is in the picture. Julius is a huge swing piece and I wonder if he is closer to the 40 a game he was the year before last or 33 like this most recent year (most likely). Regardless his minutes give him a super high floor each night. On top of the big five the Wolves have pretty solid depth. Caruso will always have a role, AG has found a nice home in Denver, and Steven Adams looks to be fitting in pretty well in Memphis. JRE playing consistent minutes will also be huge. Overall I think the teams ahead of Wolves have either better overall depth or higher star talent but it's clear the Wolves are a contender. Brogdon being traded out of Indy would definitely help, but the Wolves could use a piece or two to help deal with some of the injuries that might pop up during the year.
3. New Orleans Pelicans
Despite back to back finals losses I think Johnny has really been impressive over the majority of his tenure. He had a pretty complicated financial situation just 4 months ago and navigated it well and should be right back in the mix as a result. Nobody has as much top end talent as Pels does. Kyrie, CJ, Lavine, Demar, Dray, Saddiq, and Wood is one of the better core groups ever assembled. The issue now is that the Pelicans really did lose a decent amount of depth. CP is gone, Royce is gone, and Plum honestly was a decent piece for Pels over the last 2 years. Johnny is going to have to find creative ways to upgrade the depth from spots 8-12 on this team. Pick 11 will help and the Pels also have 9 mill in cap to work with in the off-season. As for the players themselves, I think Kyrie should have a bounce back year, Lavine could find a new home where he is the #1 and not just 1B, Dray will be productive when he plays, and Wood should be an easy 30. I see no reason why Demar can't do what he did last year again, with or without Lavine. Overall no matter what happens this off-season the Pelicans will be a title contender on the basis of what they have right now, but I think depth has to be added to match some of the other top tier teams.
2. Golden State Warriors
It's just me so i'll keep it short. This is the best i've felt about in a squad in awhile. With Halli out of Sac i'm expecting Swipa to finally spread his wings and get back to who he was when he averaged 35 a year ago. I know i'm also investing a lot of trust into Kelle but he averaged 20 in 20 minutes this year and I think he should see 30 minutes a night next year and suddenly he has a pretty talented supporting cast around him. Like bros I think 30 is legitimately in the picture for this man. Josh Hart is my other X factor. I think it's kinda gone under the radar because he was coming off the bench in New Orleans but he's really developed his game all around and I think he'll have every opportunity to shine in Portland next year. I still need to work on the end of bench depth, but I feel confident in Burks, Boucher, Gary, and Theis as bench pieces surrounding the big 5. You know its all in for me and I really want it more than ever. JACOB IM COMING.
1. Milwaukee Bucks
Gotta give the champ his respect with the #1 spot, and the 2x champ should remain here until dethroned. If this was another owner maybe i'd be concerned about the lack of depth, but the season is 4+ months away from tipping and that should be more than enough time for Jacob to find ways to fill out the roster. While Pels may have more quality pieces, nobody can really match the top end talent of the Bucks. Giannis has 50 point upside, Lamelo has 40 point upside, Dejountae should be right back around 40+, FVV is a threat for high 30's if he stays healthy, and Jval is MINIMUM 30 with upside into the the mid to high 30's. Malik and Batum both have solid roles giving the Bucks an absolutely dominant front 7. Again depth is an issue right now but Jacob's been doing this for awhile. But it's cool because even after 2 titles this off-season presents a much different challenge for Jacob. 2 roster spots to fill while also rostering Danuel House and George Hill and only 5 mill to play with. My guess is Jacob eventually finds a suitor for Jval and FVV and the cap relief from one of those guys being gone allows Jacob to add some depth but it will be interesting. Back to back to back is a ridiculous feat but one that is very much in the picture for Jacob... Time will tell.
News Items:
- Conference Shake Up? - The East has been the better overall conference for the past couple years, but with the Blazers and Mavs taking a step forward and the Cavs and Hawks taking a step back the West very well could be the better conference ATM. Going to be interesting to see how this changes the overall balance of power
- Stars On The Move- Within the last 2 months or so Jok, Vooch, Beal, Gobert, Dame, and Bron have all changed hands. Tyler went from a fringe playoff team in a weak conference to a contender. Sood went from a fringe title contender to a contender with Bron. It's rumored James Harden is still available can a team in the top 15 grab him and help their chances even more?
- Pistons Rebuild Front and Center- Irwin has been one of the quietest owners we've had but his rebuild is turning the corner and the Pistons could firmly be on the map as soon as this year. Kawhi, Cade, Russ, JP and 1+4 is an awesome nucleus and i'm excited to see how this iteration of the Pistons fairs next year
- Wide Open- I think the past two years Pelicans and Bucks were in a class of their own (maybe Twolves). While both Pelicans and Bucks are still two of the largest favorites I don't think the gap is nearly as big as it's been previously. The Pels lost CP along with Royce and Plum and have holes to fill. The Bucks still have a ridiculous front line, but the bench is lacking and the Bucks only have 5 mill in space. I'm excited to see if someone new can come for the crown and I think it's wide open
30. Sacramento Kings
Man it's not Bagel's fault man, but it's ugly right now. Credit to Bagels as he didn't just sit on his hands when he took over. Agree with the moves or not he went all in on a rebuild and now the Kings at-least have a direction. Bagels has to just learn to enjoy the process because this is where it starts! Mikal is probably the only one truly safe player, but Bagels now has 5 firsts and we'll see what he can cook up with his 3 seconds in this years. We've already seen quite a few free agents from last year's class get flipped for assets and that 100% should be a plan of attack for the Kings with 34ish mill in cap space. Bogey and Payton will probably be shipped to contenders for picks. Outside of those two Bagels can take a year to decide who is worth keeping from their young "core". A few cheeky signings here and a draft steal there and the Kings could be well on their way back to relevance. I salute you as you take on this project Bagels.
29. Los Angeles Lakers
After back to back years in the playoffs it was just such a tough year for Griff. Let's start with the bright spots. Collin Sexton was pretty damn good before he tore his acl. He's just 23 years old and should have a clear high usage role next to a very good player in Darius Garland. Collin has had a year to sit and really break down the game, I think this time off could lowkey help him. I wouldn't be surprised to see him be a 30 a night guy once his rhythm returns. I still believe in PJ's talent long term and think this was just a tough year with off the court shit. Lu Dort will be getting big minutes somewhere, Joe Harris will be back, and suddenly Grant Williams isn't looking like a bad piece. With 3 late-ish firsts there's still plenty to for Griff to work with. He doesn't have to hit a home run but just single after single and the Lakers will climb back out of this hole. Keep grinding Griff!
28. Toronto Raptors
After being a perennial playoff team for the first couple years it's been a tough turn around for the Toronto Raptors. But again, there's stuff to cook with in the kitchen! Anfernee proved he's a problem in this league, but it will be a little bit of an adjustment in the CJ role as opposed to the #1 guy. I honestly could see his points range from like 24-30 a night depending on how efficiently he shoots that thing. Regardless he's a talent and honestly the piece big Perk is building around right now. Ayo had an AWESOME year, and you just gotta give a Bouknight a chance, because there is microwave scoring ability in there somewhere. Other than that Perk has a couple pieces he can dangle to contenders and 7? first round picks in the next 3 years. It's gonna take a bit, but if Perk's squads can take a step this year they can be back in the playoff picture within the next 2 or so years.
27. Cleveland Cavaliers
Look man I'm not gonna lie to you, I have no idea why Jon decided to blow it up. Did he come up short the last couple years? Yes. But injury luck is tough (ask bman) and I feel like you just gotta keep grinding away when you have the best player in fantasy sports + the king. Regardless, Darius comes home along with another young talent in #4 and you feel pretty good about the baseline of this rebuild. Throw in JB who took the leap and it's definitely a fun 3 pieces to build around. To be honest I can't really remember Jon rebuilding so I'm not sure what his plan of attack is going to be. Regardless it's likely going to be a little bit before the Cavs are relevant again, but I like forward to monitoring the Cavs and the way they approach this rebuild.
26. Houston Rockets
Free is still a ways away but he's definitely on the right track. We've seen there are basically 2 different styles of rebuilds. You can cash in your young guys and picks for star talent ready made at the moment (Tyler) or you can build slowly and wait for your talent to develop (Irwin). It seems like Free is taking the second approach and I respect it. Tyler Herro is fresh off a 6th man of the year award at 22. Jalen Green was unreal the second half of the year. I will say shooting guards really take a little bit to develop in here, but no doubt Jalen has star potential. Mix in Paolo/Chet + another pick at 9, Killian, Boston and the future is real bright. If free just lets his guys develop, finds deals for Klay and Zu and stacks up another lotto the Rockets will have all the assets at their disposal to make the jump. Again it remains to be seen if Free is gonna fully wait out his young guys or eventually deal them, but it's just a miles better situation in Houston compared to the Tony era.
25. Charlotte Hornets
Everyone has their different GM style, and Kennan's is definitely the more conservative type. Is that bad? No, not necessarily, but I do think there could be better execution on the edge of this roster. The core here in Charlotte is undoubtedly talented. Ingram solidified himself as a star this year (imo), John Collins was built perfect for this league and could explode at any moment should he leave Atlanta. James Wiseman might take a little bit, but in bigman dynasty if he does hit, he's gonna hit pretty hard and honestly even if he isn't a star he'll produce. Kid just was allowed to drink 2 months ago. I mean Free is the only mfer in here even younger than him
The Lowry trade last year looked to address a hole and while he is decent when he plays, I just think he'll be resting a little too much in Miami given his 21 mill salary. Like I said the edge of the roster needs to be addressed because i'm not sure Dwight, Nick Richards, Blake Griffin, DJ Augustine, Tristan Thompson are worthy of roster spots. The talent is nice in Charlotte but work needs to be done on the edges to get this team back into the playoffs. 24. Denver Nuggets
It wasn't a bad first year into the rebuild for Kevin. Davion had a cool year, Cam took a leap, Kuz found a home in DC, and even Bags found a potential nice spot with Detroit. However, Kev doesn't have his pick this year because of a fun little swap he did with Mavs. Play stupid games and you'll win stupid prizes. Anyways, he dealt Bones, JJJ and a first for Gobert so maybe he's kinda down to be competitive? Idk the direction isn't super clear, but I think Kevin is just going the Loren route where you don't commit super hard to a direction either way, but just try to stack up deals in which you gain perceived value and move from the there. Ultimately this team won't be in the gutters because of Kuz and Gobert, but it's not going to make any real noise this year. Given the situation theres a lot of pressure to hit on pick 6. I'm rooting for Kev, the path may not be super clear rn, but I believe in young Kev to slowly but surely find his way back to the promise land.
23. Indiana Pacers
I want to start by saying a playoff push is 1000% in the picture if Jon decides that's what he wants to do. But as this point in time despite wanting to put the Jon higher I can't really put him much higher than this. There's just too much unknown. Look I think Zion will come back and be Zion, but there is still some risk. I've loved Isaac since the time he was drafted in here but even I still have some concern about his return. Regardless, both are supremely talented and give this team a high ceiling despite some risk. Outside of even someone unknown regarding the actual roster, I think there is someone unknown within management too. I think there's a chance Jon would have competed if he landed a Chet or Paolo, but dropping down to 5 I could very easily see him say fuck it, let's tank this thing one more year, and honestly, I couldn't even blame him. Regardless, the Pacers are litered with young talent. Mann, Thomas, McDaniels, Alpy, can all be developed or dealt for consistent production. My money is on Jon probably tanking this thing one more year, but if one of Mcdaniels, Mann, Alpy take a leap, Zion and JI come back without issues and the Pacers hit on pick 6 the Pacers could be competitive. Regardless this is the team i point to take the biggest leap within the next 1-2 years.
22. San Antonio Spurs
I would definitely call this last year for Chris a success. Again there is no point in rushing a rebuild and Chris undeniably took a step forward from where he was the year before. Obviously one of the biggest reasons why is this kid named Evan Mobley. Prime Mobes is easily 20 and 10 minimum with 3-4 dimes and a steal and two blocks a game. Just nasty, nasty stuff. Add in OG, Deni, and DLO and you have a real nice nucleus in San Antonio. The next step is building that collective supporting cast around those 4. It may take a couple years, but Chris is well on his to being back to the consistent playoff team he was in the 25 and early 26 days. I will say unfortunately Chris is at a pretty large disadvantage without the discord. There's just a lot more ease when it comes to the communication around making trades. (We'd love to have you join Chris). Regardless there is a clear direction here, and I could see the Spurs making a run at a 7/8 seed within the next 2 years. Keep building my man!
21. Phoenix Suns
Fun fact, Tyler actually won our first title in 26, when he was GM of the Knicks. He won one, got fired, and then took over the Phoenix Suns with a very long term approach. The Suns have a star in Jarrett Allen, and has a couple candidates for who could be the next one. Jalen had a tough first season, but we've seen it a million times guys develop at different rates, and I have no doubt Suggs will be a 30+ guy at some point in his career. Pwilly was another guy who had a tough year, but I'm still really bullish on for the future. Overall I've heard rumors the Suns are looking to get back into the playoff mix and while they aren't terrible there is work to do. If you don't have 2 or preferably 3 stars you need ELITE depth. The Suns don't have that yet. Rui, Tyus, Tre, Chuma, Bamba can all be counted on to have roles, but it drops off pretty hard after there. You're gonna need to sign or trade for some guys to really make a run. Look we've seen Tyler win a title before, but it takes a little bit longer when you are basically regrowing your organization strictly through the draft and free agency. Tyler probably has to get in the mix with some trades to really push into that middle tier. Hitting on 13 would also clearly be helpful. Stage is set for Tyler to get back into it, and we'll see what the off-season holds.
20. Atlanta Hawks
Similar to Cavs the Hawks have already shipped off a star this off-season and are a candidate to fall even further if a Harden trade commences. It's been a hell of a 3-4 year run for Trey but unfortunately all good things must eventually come to an end. Let's get right into the trade, Is Maxey a great chip for a Dame trade to be centered around? Yes. But did Trey execute the rest of the trade around Maxey well? Hellll no. In a rebuild, these kinda margins can make or break how long it takes to turn around the ship. The next question really is does Harden stay? He's clearly being shopped around, but as we've seen with the latest Bron and Dame deals, the star market has lowkey dried up a bit. You can't really sell him for pennies on the dollar, but he'll also low key keep this squad afloat. This team might actually be nasty if Joel does down for a minute lmao, but other than that it's a pretty mediocre team rn. Trey has to do his best to find cheap young talent and go from there. It's been awhile since Trey has been in rebuild mode and I'm rooting for him figure out this next stage.
19. Chicago Bulls
Alright I think Chuck is the highest "rebuilding" team here and he slots in at #19. It's been well documented that Chuck pivoted from his all in ways to a more strategic long term approach, and that approach paid dividends early. Chucked snagged Wendell and RJ at "discount" rates along with swapping Jrue Holliday for the extremely gifted Jonathan Kuminga. Now while Chuck is rebuilding or retooling or whatever the fuck you wanna call it, he doesn't have his pick this year, meaning there is little reason for Chuck to not turn in a competitive season. I think the area of GMing that Chuck is really elite in is his ability to manage a team from a day to day perspective during a season. He is absolutely elite at finding cheap streamers and creative ways to find points throughout the year. So while there is a drop off a cliff after his core pieces, I think Chuck can help mitigate that for a lot of the year. I loved what I saw from Zinger in the nation's capital and I'm hopefully it carries into 2022/2023. I still think he can be a 35 a night guy. RJ is a tough eval for me, he obviously took huge steps this year, and the minutes with Thibs will always be nice, but can he score efficiently enough hand put up counting stats to ever be a 35+ guy? Idk. Dell had an AMAZING year and i'd expect 30+ again. JK is still a ways away but he could be a legit star in 3-4 years. I think the most likely scenario is similar to what last year looked like for the Bulls. Competitive team, use the season to find flip opportunities, finish middle of the pack and then look to make a real push next year. Year 1 in the process started well, and don't be shocked if we find Chuck back in the mix here pretty soon.
18. Utah Jazz
Safe to say last year was a failed experiment for my guy. The days of 25 are long gone. Props to TJ though he looked himself in the mirror dusted himself off and pivoted. I don't think the star mold is a bad thing but I just don't think Beal and Vooch can be your 2nd and 3rd guys unless you have really unreal depth. TJ has 8ish young talented pieces and then Bojan and Monte on the side. It's lowkey a pretty deep team and TJ 100% can still compete for the playoffs, but there's no real title shot here. I think the Tyler route makes the most sense here, be a fringe playoff team with young talent for a year or two and hope that a couple of those guys can take meaningful steps this year and then deal them for profit. I will say despite the rebounding concerns I think a 30+ season is bound to be coming for Jaren soon, bro is really a talent. Colby and Claxton are both talented and i'm really interested to see where Clx lands this summer. I'm not huge on White or Levert in here but at-least their young-ish. Lastly I'm rooting for TB to find a home this year. He was really growing before he tore his ACL and this year was just ass in DC. Like Chuck, TJ is taking a step back and looking to build this thing organically. I'm rooting for him especially because I really relish the opportunity of sending his ass to Cancun.
17. Memphis Grizzlies
Okay as we get closer and closer to the top teams the analysis will turn more from focusing on long term pieces to more of a conversation on how the squad looks in regards to winning this year. I was skeptical of what Royce was doing heading into next year but I absolutely love Royce and what he did last year. He said fuck you all i'm going to be competitive and that's exactly what he did. From arguably the worst roster in the league to a Western Conference Semis appearance. Truly an awesome year. But man, last year is gone and it's gotta be right back on the grind. Let's start with the FA situation... I still think Bob will get that out right re-sign- but then that means Bobby Portis is gone along with Covington and Delon Wright. It might not seem like a big deal but the strength of this Grizzlies team was definitely it's depth and that depth is just not the same as it was last year. Now there's still a chance Royce re-signs Bobby and takes Timelord to RFA but that could end up being tough too. Regardless, it's a solid team. Bane should be high 20's and maybe even could hit 30 if things go really well. Scottie is almost a lock for 30, and then obviously Bob. That's a solid big 3 but there is just is going to have to be more juice around those 3 if this team wants to make any real noise. Grizz are very much in the mix but moves are going to have to be made for the Grizz to replicate last year's run IMO.
16. Washington Wizards
I know we do this shit with Octy every year but this is where I have him lmao. It's clear what Octy's strategy has been over the years, build as deep a team as possible regardless of the name on the back of the jersey. It's weird to have him here after back to back conference semi finals but I do think this team is worse than it was the last 2 years. For starters I don't think Trez is replicating his year last year. JV is gone, Barton is a year older, and Al Horford is gone. Octy always finds ways to fill his roster, but I just think there are more holes to fill this year than in the past. End of the day I give ultimate respect to Octy who has put together proven winners. I know based on his track record he will put together a competitive team, but I just don't think he has the star power up top to really stick with the top dogs this year.
15. Miami Heat
Sanjul's team slots into the 15 spot for me. It very clearly all starts with Ja Morant and Deandre Ayton. Ja is just gonna be a stud every time he steps on the basketball court and 40 FPG should be in play next year. I think more importantly though, Ja needs to be able to stay on the court for more games. The Ayton situation is interesting, He's 32 a night with a pretty minimal offensive role. I think we all think that as he gets older he'll become more and more involved within the PHX offense, but who knows if that starts next year. A trade would give Ayton 40 point upside, but even if he stays in PHX he should be good for around 35 a night. Myles Turner has consistently been 30 a night while juggling sometimes being a center and sometimes not. If he stays healthy I really like his chances at bumping up his average he just has to stay healthy. The reason why I don't have the Heat higher is just the depth. It's actually not bad depth wise as a lot of guys have room for growth, but it's not championship level. Laurri looks like he found a home, Obi was really encouraging this year, but is just blocked by Julius. 14 and 18 should be nice long term, but it's hard to really count on much immediate production from guys taken there. Overall the future is really bright for the Heat, given the talent and assets I wouldn't be surprised if the Heat were in the mix for a title even as soon as the year after next, but not this year.
14. Boston Celtics
Bman and his boys will attempt to to bounce back after a disastrous year last year. We obviously have to start with the top end talent and it's wild that a team that traded Bam Adebayo still sports a trio like KAT, SGA, and Ben Simmons. With those 3 really all the Celtics need is solid depth to be considered a title contender imo. Unfortunately I don't know if we have it. On the other side of the coin, there are a lot of really nice young pieces with locked in roles on teams, giving the potential for one of them to take a leap. Obviously this would be huge for Bman. We'll start with Precious, we've seen Nurse could give less of a fuck about conventional lineups and as a result Precious is going to get minutes. He really could average 25/26 if things break right. Baze probably hasn't developed as much as the Thunder would hope, but he's still just 21 and again took another small step forward last year. Ziare flashed some talent and should see 20-25 minutes a night. On top of all that Bman gets a great shot at a young talent with pick 7. Outside of those guys though it gets pretty bare. There is a ton of upside and potential with this team, but there is also a pretty low floor given the lack of overall production around the big 3. Bman did a really sneaky job of picking up depth over the last two years. He signed Bev, Hartenstein, Strus, and LMA. If Bman hits on a vet or two and 7 this team is a contender. With a wide range i'll settle in here at 14 as a feel there are a couple teams with safer floors. After a year of no Brandon I'm excited to have his Celtics back in the picture again.
13. Philadelphia 76ers
It was dope to see Peltz make his first real run as GM of the 6ers. When you have Trae and Sabo pounding opposing teams all year if you put a good supporting cast around these two a championship is definitely within reach. After drafting Anthony Edwards, Philly hit on another rookie with Josh Giddey. You can say whatever the hell you want about him but at the end of the day he averaged the third most out of one of one of the most ridiculously talented rookie classes in awhile. I don't really see many scenarios in which he doesn't score 30, he absolutely fills up the stat sheet. With these three it's really going to be tough to beat the Sixers. The Sixers actually have some pretty decent depth and that's what separated them from a team like the Celtics. Seth, Kennard, Bullock, Kleber, Bev, and Gallo are all safe for 15 FPs a game at-least. Pair that with 40 points upside from Trae and Sabo and mid 30 upside for Giddey and you have a fringe title team. The one downside of this team is that most of the top tier teams either have slightly better stars or better guys right below the stars. This team jumps from Giddey to basically Seth Curry in a second and you just need a little more fire power in that area to be a title contender imo. Regardless with Trae, Sabo, and Giddey the Sixers will be in the mix for the foreseeable future, the next part of this run is just finding the depth around them.
12. Detroit Pistons
Lmao I know what you guys are thinking but, I'm high as hell on the Pistons man... Probably higher than most. But let me talk you through it. Alright so we forget but Kawhi is an easy 40 a night when he is back. Cade has 40 point upside, I know Russ struggled in LA this year but even then he averaged 31. The depth has some promise, Melton can be 20 a night, Poole will have some monstrous runs when Steph sits and will be effective even when he plays. Graham's contract is by no means good but he should still have at-least a role in this league. Now the wildcard.... picks 1 and 4. Like that is nastyyyyyy. I personally think Chet will be in the mix right away for mid to high 20's maybe even 30 man. I know the strength will take some time, but he's honestly just flat out really good at basketball and an NBA spaced floor and more freedom is going to help him a lot. Then at 4 he probably gets Ivey? idk maybe Duren or Keegan. It's going to depend where guys go IRL but I mean talk about having shit to work with. I think 12 is a good comprise but this is probably the most tough to predict team in the league right now. If things work with the draft picks and Irwin uses his 36 million in cap on a couple role players this team can absolutely contend. But if the rooks don't produce and free agency isn't fruitful this team could definitely fall. I doubt Irwin does it but drafting Chet and putting 4 on the table for a win now piece could absolutely vault this team at-least in the conversation for a title. Irwin has been super patient so I don't expect him to rush this thing, but it's dope to see a new face in the mix.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder
Another team that I feel like people will say is too high but I really like what Loren has going on. There's a clear big three in Nurk, Jrue, and Book. Book is only going to get a larger share of the offense as CP ages, Jrue is almost a lock for 33+, and Nurk if he puts it all together and stays healthy for a year has 40 points upside. On top of the big 3 Loren also has pretty damn good depth. Jerami Grant and HB are steady 25 a night guys. Huerter has a steady role, IQ will be in the mix, and now add Herb Jones and newly acquired Jae Crowder... This team is deep as fuck! It's almost like an Octy build just with better stars. With 20ish mill left in cap if Loren can work the outer edges of his roster he very much can jump into the mix of title contenders. Right now basically CJ Elleby is the only player without a guaranteed role. We've seen in depth is absolutely key especially in stabilization throughout the year. I'm not sure Loren has enough top end talent to win a title this year, but watch out for some of these young pups. Herb, IQ, Huerter, and even Nurk and Book all have room to grow and if a couple of them do significantly OKC is a real sleeper out West.
10. Los Angeles Clippers
Remy took a year to let his flowers grow and I suspect he'll be back looking to contend this year. Remy's depth is once again elite. Ant, Keldon, Poeltl, Franz, Lonzo, Mitch, and Holmes can all be real producers and very few teams boast rosters that have 7 legit night in night out producers. For me Remy's ceiling is going to hinge on players making a leap. Can Ant and or someone else take the leap. Ant had moments of brilliance this year and I think he very easily could go from the 30 he was this year to 34-35. Keldon Johnson averaged 25 and I honestly could see him leap close to 30 if he plays the way he finished this season last year. Lonzo averaged 31 a night in Chicago and could see an increased offensive load if Lavine leaves, but prayers up that he can stay healthy. Anyways you get the point... The beautiful part of having a young team is there is always the potential that you can get a lot of internal growth from one year to the next, lessening the burden of pressure to go out and find more pieces. I still think Remy is a piece or two away as constructed from making a real title push but the depth is going to have them as one of the steadier teams throughout the league. It's a tough squad to predict because after going all in a year ago Remy has been much more conservative in his moves so i'm not sure if pushing it all the way in is in the cards... But if the right star or player becomes available you know Remy will seize the moment. Remy is one of the elite traders in the league and a good deal here or there can absolutely have this team in contention for a championship.
9. Brooklyn Nets
I think Andre is still feeling out the trade part of this league (toughest learning curve) but he has got the attention to detail and roster maintenance down pat for sure. One of the biggest knocks on Josh besides just being aloof in general was he didn't get nearly enough depth around KD and Luka. Josh snatched up Gary bird, Dwight Powell and a couple others off the FA market and really helped settle down the team. Luka is just going to keep getting better and honestly I don't think 50 a game is out of the question at all. KD is almost a lock for 40, and when Clint Capela is healthy and engaged he is 37-40 a night as well. While many teams have good big threes, very few have a big three that includes 3 40+ players and one that has high 40's upside. Similar to Sixers there are a lot of lower tier depth pieces on the roster. Kispert will have a role, Cam will have a role, Loon will have a role, Martin should have a role. But I really do think you need guys behind the big stars that can give you a couple 30 pointers during a week. With the core in place the floor for this team is pretty high, but Andre needs to find a way to find a difference maker or two to really make a push imo.
8. Dallas Mavericks
Anyone who has semi paid attention to this league over the past 2 years has known a Kyle run would be coming eventually and I think the 2022/2023 season is finally the year the run comes. This team is deep with stars at the top. I think Bam is capable of being a #1 in here if there is a deep team around him, and I think that's the case here. Bam has averaged 37, 38 and then 36 this past year, it sounds crazy but Bam being a 40 a night guy would be huge for Kyle. The one "issue" I have with this team is the stars outside of Bam are super high variance. Jamal, Midds, and Spida are high volume scorers who take a lot of tough shots on any given night. It can lead to some inconsistency at times and I think that can be tough when they are you 2-4 guys. Luckily for Kyle this team is unreal deep with a lot of different guys who can all take steps forward. Hunter can be maddening to own but he's still so young and the upside is evident, wouldn't shock me if he improves a good bit next year. Onyeka and Stew are also two massive pieces. Both will have roles, but it remains to be seen whether it will be 20-25ish min roles or if one or both of these guys can crack 30. If you told me Onyeka over took Capela next year i wouldn't be all that shocked, but it's also entirely possible Capela remains the guy. Duarte and Mann showed promise, and despite both being in murky situations should contribute over the course of the season. The real swing piece is MPJ. He's a year removed from 30 a night. I think it's somewhat tough to just say he'll be right back at 30 given the usage Jamal and Jok take up, but his boards should keep him afloat until he gets back into rhythm. End of the day this is the culmination of about 2.5 years of grinding. The Mavs are in really good shape and are a good off-season away from being a true title contender.
7. Portland Trail Blazers
What a fucking off-season so far for Ty. Tyler put on an absolute clinic on cashing in young talent for studs. Nikola Jokic is a Blazer and that means the Blazers are officially a title threat. Obviously Jamal and MPJ aren't gonna hurt Jokic too much, but I am curious to see what his role looks like over 82 when he doesn't have to single handedly carry every night. The second star is Dame.... I love buying star's stock after they have an off year. Combine a year off for Dame, an offense created directly for him, and him hearing the noise and i'm expecting a 40/ game season for Dame. These guys have a ton of pride and i'm sure Dame will want to show the world he is not even close to done yet. Vooch is the 3rd star and you can say whatever you want about him in real life, but in here he's a stud. Marcus Smart is almost a locked 25 a night. But this is where things get interesting. Tyler is rostering Niang, Stanley, Garuba, and Moses Brown and still has 2 roster spots to fill not including them. 15 million in cap space. We've seen you be able to cash in your chips for studs box checked there for sure, but can you fill out the edges of a roster under some financial constraints? We'll see. Getting even 15-18 a night from THT would go a long way. Jok/Dame/Vooch obviously gives this team a really high ceiling but can he fine tune the rest of the roster out of the mud before opening night? We'll see
Regardless, the Blazers will be here to stay for the foreseeable future and I'm excited to see what this first real run looks like for Tyler and his squad. 6. New York Knicks
Sood's recent acquisition of the King has him firmly in the mix of things with the #6 spot in this edition of power rankings. After a magical debut in the league Sood had a relatively disappointing year, missing the playoffs. Despite this Sood didn't let this get him done and quickly adjusted finishing the year strong due to a mid season pivot. He's already made a couple of great trades, so much so that he is already right back in the picture after one year. Sood boosts one of the best big 4's in the league with Lebron, PG, Beal, and Bridges. All are basically a lock for 30+ a night with mid 40 upside for Bron and high 30 upside for PG and Beal. I think the swing piece is Beal. Stars rarely have two bad years in a row and he just didn't score the ball nearly as effectively as he did 2 years ago. I'm expecting a bounce back year for Beal and wouldn't be surprised to see him back close to the 35/36 he's been the three years previous. I think that trade has flown under the radar but I don't think there are many trades better than landing Beal for White and Caris IMO. Great work Sood. Again with these 4 if you have depth you're a title contender. Depth is definitely still an aspect Sood is working on right now. Trey Murphy has a lot of talent but with his role is kinda limited to three and D it's gonna be tough to expect more than 15. Vassell is someone I'm super high on and if he could give Sood 25 that would be HUGE. Anyways outside of TM3 and Vassell it's pretty bare and with 5 mill in cap and no PG Sood definitely still has work to do this off-season. Regardless with Sood's track record of putting in work and the stars in New York it's going to be pretty tough for the Knicks not to have a shot late in the season. For now Sood is just on the outside looking in, but he's a couple pieces away from being right there with the main contenders.
5. Orlando Magic
I got Sarge here because I love the studs in Orlando. We gotta start with JT. He "only" averaged 38 this year, but the game just continues to become easier and easier for him and I really wouldn't be surprised if 42 is in the picture for him as he becomes more and more efficient. Pascal under Nurse is just a mad man. He got off to a slow start but was an easy 40 a night the rest of the way. Jimmy is tough because I feel like he'll sit 10 times a year randomly on top of random injuries... but when he plays.. man there are very few people that fill a stat sheet the way Jimmy Butler does. Now those 3 alone put this team in really good shape but the depth is honestly there too. We all know Sarge loves his KPJ, but he honestly is going to be the X factor for this team. After a tough start to the year KPJ finished really strong. Some might say it's because the games meant less, but he very clearly has a ton of talent and if he can cut down on the turnovers and shoot the ball a little bit better he could legit flirt with 30. Dinwiddie's contract is meh for sure, but I just realized what if Brunson leaves? My god would that be huge for Sarge. Regardless Din will have a role but if Brunson leaves or Luka suffers injuries he could be a really sneaky piece for Sarge. Brooks missed a lot of time and shots this year, but he could flirt with mid 20's if he shoots it just 4-5% better. I think having those 3 to back up the big three is huge and something that I think separates Sarge from the teams behind him. A lot of teams have the top end talent but immediately drop to sub 20 role players after their heavy hitters. Sarge has 3 heavy hitters and then 3 guys with 25 a game potential. I do think Sarge can stand to add one more rotation piece or two, but it's tough given the cap situation. I think Sarge did a really sneaky good job of finding points throughout the season, signing Len, Furk, Doug, Trey, and Patty. I think all 4 of those guys besides maybe Len should have roles. If Sarge can find a piece or two or one trade where he grabs some depth it'll go a long way to helping his chances. If this Magic team is healthy it's a title contender.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
Some would say the Timberwolves got unlucky the past 2 years and I would agree to an extent, but it's tough when your team heavily relies on AD and Brogdon because of their injury history. Don't get it twisted tho this team has some of the best mix of high end talent and depth in the league, but I do think they carry a bit more risk than some of the other teams up here. I would think maybe after 2 down season AD is due for a monster year. He may get a few Knicks here and there but if he can avoid the 15/20+ game injury stretches it'll be huge for the Wolves. The Wolves boast 5 different 30+ guys with AD, Jaylen, Brogdon, Halli, and Randle. Brogdon and Halli being on the same team is a little odd, but it's also kinda a hedge for if either gets hurt. Jaylen should continue to take strides and I think 33-34 is in the picture. Julius is a huge swing piece and I wonder if he is closer to the 40 a game he was the year before last or 33 like this most recent year (most likely). Regardless his minutes give him a super high floor each night. On top of the big five the Wolves have pretty solid depth. Caruso will always have a role, AG has found a nice home in Denver, and Steven Adams looks to be fitting in pretty well in Memphis. JRE playing consistent minutes will also be huge. Overall I think the teams ahead of Wolves have either better overall depth or higher star talent but it's clear the Wolves are a contender. Brogdon being traded out of Indy would definitely help, but the Wolves could use a piece or two to help deal with some of the injuries that might pop up during the year.
3. New Orleans Pelicans
Despite back to back finals losses I think Johnny has really been impressive over the majority of his tenure. He had a pretty complicated financial situation just 4 months ago and navigated it well and should be right back in the mix as a result. Nobody has as much top end talent as Pels does. Kyrie, CJ, Lavine, Demar, Dray, Saddiq, and Wood is one of the better core groups ever assembled. The issue now is that the Pelicans really did lose a decent amount of depth. CP is gone, Royce is gone, and Plum honestly was a decent piece for Pels over the last 2 years. Johnny is going to have to find creative ways to upgrade the depth from spots 8-12 on this team. Pick 11 will help and the Pels also have 9 mill in cap to work with in the off-season. As for the players themselves, I think Kyrie should have a bounce back year, Lavine could find a new home where he is the #1 and not just 1B, Dray will be productive when he plays, and Wood should be an easy 30. I see no reason why Demar can't do what he did last year again, with or without Lavine. Overall no matter what happens this off-season the Pelicans will be a title contender on the basis of what they have right now, but I think depth has to be added to match some of the other top tier teams.
2. Golden State Warriors
It's just me so i'll keep it short. This is the best i've felt about in a squad in awhile. With Halli out of Sac i'm expecting Swipa to finally spread his wings and get back to who he was when he averaged 35 a year ago. I know i'm also investing a lot of trust into Kelle but he averaged 20 in 20 minutes this year and I think he should see 30 minutes a night next year and suddenly he has a pretty talented supporting cast around him. Like bros I think 30 is legitimately in the picture for this man. Josh Hart is my other X factor. I think it's kinda gone under the radar because he was coming off the bench in New Orleans but he's really developed his game all around and I think he'll have every opportunity to shine in Portland next year. I still need to work on the end of bench depth, but I feel confident in Burks, Boucher, Gary, and Theis as bench pieces surrounding the big 5. You know its all in for me and I really want it more than ever. JACOB IM COMING.
1. Milwaukee Bucks
Gotta give the champ his respect with the #1 spot, and the 2x champ should remain here until dethroned. If this was another owner maybe i'd be concerned about the lack of depth, but the season is 4+ months away from tipping and that should be more than enough time for Jacob to find ways to fill out the roster. While Pels may have more quality pieces, nobody can really match the top end talent of the Bucks. Giannis has 50 point upside, Lamelo has 40 point upside, Dejountae should be right back around 40+, FVV is a threat for high 30's if he stays healthy, and Jval is MINIMUM 30 with upside into the the mid to high 30's. Malik and Batum both have solid roles giving the Bucks an absolutely dominant front 7. Again depth is an issue right now but Jacob's been doing this for awhile. But it's cool because even after 2 titles this off-season presents a much different challenge for Jacob. 2 roster spots to fill while also rostering Danuel House and George Hill and only 5 mill to play with. My guess is Jacob eventually finds a suitor for Jval and FVV and the cap relief from one of those guys being gone allows Jacob to add some depth but it will be interesting. Back to back to back is a ridiculous feat but one that is very much in the picture for Jacob... Time will tell.