Pre-Draft NBA Power Rankings

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It's that time of year again, and by that time of year, I mean first time ever. Because it's the start of the brand new Professional Basketball League, SimNBA! 32 teams from across most of America and parts of Canada will be vying for the Unnamed Championship Trophy. Despite the lack of name, we promise it's a very nice trophy and will be highly sought after. The rosters for each team has been announced, and so with that, naturally, means it's time to rank them from best to worst. Now, when the power rankings continue throughout the year, we will take into account things such as recent performances and not just looking at the ratings. But with this being the very first iteration, the rankings will be based strictly on a teams ratings. Here are the different metrics that were taken into account:

 

Overall: Taking all 15 guys' ratings and averaging them. The difference between first and last here is just over 2 points so its not like being last here is the end of the world.

 

Top 10: Basically, every team has 5 Minimum contract players who are all rated under 70. It's very unlikely any of these players see significant minutes, so we took them out and re-calculated the average ratings with just the teams Top 10 players. First and last are separated by about 2.5 points but in my opinion this is a much more accurate way of seeing which team has a solid roster for this upcoming season

 

Starting 5: Taking each team's highest rated PG/SG/SF/PF/C and averaging their rating. BIG NOTE: Since it is possible for players to play above or below their position, this rating likely is not indicative of a teams actual starting lineup. Since this is pre-Draft and, to an extent, pre-trades, it is extremely unlikely that any teams starting 5 today will be the same on Opening Night, so for now this is just the quickest way to get a general rating for each teams "best" lineup. Best to worst, therefore, has a difference of 9 in this category.

 

Star Power: Each team was generated 2 star players (90+ ovr.), this ranking takes their 2 and averages them. Best to worst difference here is 6 points.

 

PWRNK: Takes the ranking of the previous 4 categories and averages them to one number, known as PWRNK (power rank).

 

I also have a ranking of each teams position group, but that may be just a separate post with no additional commentary. So with that, onto the rankings!

 

1. San Antonio Spurs

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
1st (76.4)	1st (82.9)	1st (88)	6th (96)	1st (2.25)

 

No matter how you slice it, the Spurs have the best roster in the league right now. From top to bottom, no other team is as balanced and talented as San Antonio is. Even though their duo of Andrew Anderson and Fred Phillips is "only" 6th best, the rest of the team is top notch. Philip Hill and Craig Thompson make a solid PG/C combo with both being fringe All Star candidates, and even at their weakes position (SG), Ray Brown is a decent 76 rated guy and is only 23. There's also 88 Ovr. Joshua Russell, who could see starting time but for the purposes of this exercise was not counted towards their Starting 5 since Andrew Anderson is the higher rated PF at 98. The scariest part? Other than backup SF Raymond Coleman, the main core of this team is all under contract for 3 years. Anderson and Philips are 27 and 25, respectively, and the rest of the core is just as young for the most part. Surely they don't also have a good draft pick? WRONG, they pick 10th. At this very early stage, the Spurs are the most primed franchise to start a dynasty run. Unless someone in their division is just as talented. Somebody like say...

 

2. Houston Rockets

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
2nd (76.4)	10th (82.4)	6th (87.2)	7th (96)	2nd (6.25)

 

While it may seem like at first glance there may be a gap between Houston and San Antonio, it's important to remember the distance in ratings between two teams is a lot closer than their ranking may appear. Houston's Overall roster ranks exactly the same as the Spurs' does, for example. Both teams have solid back of the lineup guys to complement their stars at the top. And though Houston may be "just" above average with their Top 10 guys, they have one of the leagues best Starting Lineups and a solid 1-2 punch in Ollie Currier and Millard Hinds. Houston's core has a bit more of a veteran presence compared to SAS, and even though Currier is only 25, he is in a contract year. Depending on how successful this season will be, the Rockets may look to move Currier if they feel he won't re-sign. But given where they are on these initial Power Rankings, the expectation in Houston is to win a championship, and that may be enough to keep Ollie around.

 

3. Sacramento Kings

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
6th (76)	2nd (82.8)	3rd (87.2)	14th (95)	3rd (6.25)

 

As far as PWRNK goes, Houston and Sacramento are the same: both have very strong rosters overall, but fall short in one of the categories. For Sacramento, they lack the star power, ranking 14th. That isn't to say the 2-headed monster of Roy Adams and Victor Gonzales (who is in a contract year) isn't good, there are just that many sliiiightly better duos on other teams. But thanks to the depth behind Adams/Gonzales, the Kings are ranked 3rd on PWRNK. Kevin Henderson and Wayne Collins make for very good starters, and though Shawn Hall may not be the best SF, together these 5 still make the 3rd best starting 5 in the league. We will more than likely see less of Hall and more of backup PG Joe Long, an 88 Ovr. player who is too good to be left on the bench. That would mean playing small ball, but it seems like that's the way the league is heading. At the very least, the Kings are the easy favorites to win the Pacific as the next highest division foe ranks 16th.

 

4. Seattle SuperSonics

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
14th (75.6)	12th (82.4)	2nd (87.8)	1st (97)	4th (7.25)

 

What Seattle seemingly lacks in depth, they more than make up for it at the top. With arguably the best combo in the league with Russell Garcia and Keith Philips, the SuperSonics can play with (and beat) any team in the league. The issue will be the bench, as they are ranked 12th in Top 10 guys and 14th Overall. They could potentially move one of their backup C's to help, and a 16th overall pick wont be terrible with this draft class in particular. The SuperSonics did the hard part already and crafted a great starting lineup: now they just need to shore up the bench, and they'll move higher on this list.

 

5. Charlotte Hornets

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
3rd (76.3)	3rd (82.7)	21st (84.4)	3rd (97)	5th (7.5)

 

The East finally shows up on these rankings, led by the Queen City's finest. The Hornets knock out 3 of these 4 rankings solidly, but as you can see, their starting lineup is really lacking in talent. The Hornets are top heavy at SG and C, as Lyle Foster and Samuel Lynch are the duo that are going to lead the Hornets, but they lack talent at the other 3 positions. The 13th pick likely won't help too much in this regard, so the Hornets may have to make a trade or 2 to get a solid starting 5, because even with having one of the best duos in the league and having a deep bench, their starting 5 may hold them back from being true contenders.

 

6. Orlando Magic

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
5th (76.1)	6th (82.5)	17th (84.8)	2nd (97)	6th (7.5)

 

Also from the Southeast, we have the Orlando Magic, who are basically the same as the Hornets except they're slightly more balanced in the rankings. They have solid depth and one of the best combos in Ed Brewer and Francis Colon. They'll need help in the starting rotation, most importantly at PG as their highest rated player is a 65 Ovr. They do have 3 SGs all at 84+, and moving one of them to PG could be an option (potentially Grady Lyons who ranks highly in Ball Handling). But what I think will happen is Orlando will get a top PG with the 8th overall pick (rumors say Francis Doyle is a possibility) and they can keep Grady at his natural #2 position.

 

7. Dallas Mavericks

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
11th (75.7)	4th (82.7)	4th (87.2)	17th (94.5)	7th (9)

 

I hope you enjoyed our brief break from showcasing the Southwest, because we're back again with the Dallas Mavericks. While Dallas has one of the top Starting 5's in the league, as well as having really great bench depth, they don't have the Star Power compared to some of the other top teams, and that's what is keeping them out of the Top 5. Claudio Fitzpatrick is a top tier PG with plenty of years left at being great (he's only 27), but Lindsey Lawler is 30 now and will start to regress sooner rather than later. Add in the fact that Diego Wild and Bret Carman are in the final year of their contracts, it's now or never for this Dallas squad.

 

8. Miami Heat

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
4th (76.1)	11th (82.7)	12th (86)	9th (95.5)	8th (9)

 

The Southeast Division gets its third team with Miami coming in at #8. The Heat have tremendous depth top to bottom in this organization, and is good enough at the top that they can make some noise in the East. Unfortunately for the Heat, despite being the 3rd best team in the East, they are only the 3rd best team in their Division. A tough schedule like that could make them lower on the seed line then they probably deserve, but that will be a concern for later. For now, Blake Watts is one of the game's best and should put up some gaudy stats, and Terry Bowen will be there to clean up any mess this team makes. The Heat should be solid East contenders this year, and it wouldn't be too surprising to see them end up on top.

 

9. New York Knicks

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
12th (75.7)	8th (82.5)	11th (86.2)	8th (95.5)	9th (9.75)

 

The Knickerbockers sport a pretty unique balance of depth and talent, in that their rankings all stay in the 8-12 range. The fact that all of this is new and we haven't played a single game yet, it's unknown if being the best in any one category is more beneficial than being pretty good in all categories. One things for certain, the Belgian Behemoth aka Jimmy Palmer is a solid MVP candidate, and can be the key for the Knicks in becoming contenders. However, Palmer is 30 and is in the final year of his contract, and with two 24 year old potential starters in Malcolm Buchanan and Brent Klein also in contract years, the Knicks will be faced with some tough decisions as the year progresses.

 

10. Vancouver Sea Lions

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
8th (75.9)	13th (82.2)	13th (85.6)	10th (95.5)	10th (11)

 

The SuperSonics' neighbor and rival Vancouver Sea Lions are sure to give Seattle a good fight this season. Much like the Knicks, the Sea Lions are pretty good in depth and talent without being truly great in any category. Unlike the Knicks, they rank lower in Top 10 and Starting 5, which is why they come in at 10. The Snack Pack Kids, aka Jamel Bacon and Lazaro Pringle, will hold down the frontcourt, but what this team really needs is a better PG option than Ike Schrader. That's where the #7 pick might come in, and even though SF is also a need, I believe the 6 teams in front of them will take most of the top talent at that position and will rather go after a PG. One thing to watch as well will be Bacon's contract negotiations, as he's the only non-Min player that's not on a multiyear deal with the team currently.

 

11. Oklahoma City Thunder

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
7th (75.9)	7th (82.5)	25th (83.6)	5th (96.5)	11th (11)

 

Despite being in the flatlands of Oklahoma, the Thunder are the favorites in the Mountain division. However, even with their Star Power of Louis Chandler and Ian Bennett, the rest of the OKC starting lineup is not good. There are no good Centers on this team, and only an average SF in either Norman Perez or Santiago Schultz (both 77 Ovr.). The Thunder won't find a suitable starter with the 29th pick most likely, so they'll either need to go small and play Bennett at C or they will need to make a trade. At this point in the rankings I think we are outside of the "true contenders" zone, so the expectation for OKC besides a division title should be minimal.

 

12. Portland Trailblazers

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
16th (75.6)	9th (82.5)	5th (87.2)	24th (94)	12th (13.5)

 

The Trailblazers will try to not be the third wheel in the Northwest this year, though they may struggle to gain any notoriety with their lack of Star Power. Carlos Campbell may grab headlines but Louis Sanders, who is still a great player, don't get me wrong, is just not as impressive of a player comparatively to other teams' stars, especially compared to Vancouver and Seattle. What's more, Louis Sanders is in a contract year and is 29 with C potential, which means that he very well may have peaked with this 92 Ovr. rating. The good news is David Davis, Terry Bailey, and William Henderson make a very solid Starting 5, and should make Portland a playoff team. But all three are in a contract year as well, so Portland will almost certainly have a different lineup by this time next year. It doesn't get more "now or never" then 4 starters in a contract year.

 

13. Indiana Pacers

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
9th (75.8)	14th (82.2)	28th (83.2)	4th (97)	13th (13.75)

 

One look at the Pacers and you can tell that outside of Ron Hawkins and Jesus Lloyd, this team needs help. Those 2 on any other roster could be title favorites, but this Pacers team lacks a lot of depth outside of C, which is a position they don't need much depth in in the first place because of Hawkins. Peter Marshall is a fine SG, but Aubrey Porter is not a good starting SF and this team has no good or even average options at PF. And unfortunately for Indy, Pete Clarke and Roberto Sparks may be a bit too slow to be solid options at the PF position. Luckily, the Pacers pick 4th, and it's a very Forward centric draft, so they can shore up one of their weaknesses there. Until they do, I don't believe Hawkins/Lloyd will be good enough to win a championship on their own.

 

14. Washington Wizards

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
22nd (75.4)	15th (82.2)	14th (85.4)	11th (95.5)	14th (15.5)

 

By all accounts besides Overall roster talent, the Wizards are above average without being at the top of any category. What's really holding this team back is a solid Center, as Harold Kelly may be good in a few seasons but for now is only a 75 Ovr. With the #1 pick in the draft, there are a couple players at C they could grab, most notably Fred Andrews. However, when you have a can't miss prospect like Roger Stewart at PF, and you have a 31 year old PF as your current starter, it's tough to pass up on that opportunity. Washington could move Washington for a solid C as well. There's a lot of options for the Wizards and I am very interested in seeing how they fare this offseason.

 

15. Denver Nuggets

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
13th (75.7)	22nd (81.8)	15th (85.2)	12th (95.5)	15th (15.5)

 

The Nuggets look to be the only real threat for OKC in the Mountain division as Phoenix and Utah both show up much lower on this list (spoiler alert). And even though they barely come in under the league average line, they are the 9th West team on this list, meaning if these rankings were 100% accurate (God I wish) they would not be in the playoffs. There's work to be done in shoring up the depth, which is what's keeping them out currently. That also assumes, however, that teams both in front and behind are staying put, which is not happening. The good news is Stephen Williams is a great player on contract for 5 years, so even if nothing comes of this season, he is still a good starting point for each of the next 5 Nuggets seasons.

 

16. Los Angeles Lakers

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
10th (75.8)	19th (81.9)	9th (86.8)	27th (93.5)	16th (16.25)

 

They may call LA the city of Stars, but the Lakers are severely lacking in that department. Raymond Garcia is decent enough as far as #1 players go, but Philip Washington is a bit underwhelming as a #2 option. Not to mention, he's 29 and in a contract year with D potential, so this is as good as it's going to get for him. Despite this, the rest of the Lake Show has a decent supporting cast. Kenneth Barnes looks like he may become a decent #2 himself sometime soon, and Jose Turner can step in off the bench and play SF very well if need be. Douglas Edwards of Ghana and Todd Harris round out a pretty good starting 5. Behind these 6 guys, however, the depth is just not there. The West is tough enough as it is, and without a good bench the Lakers are on the outside looking in at this point. The Lakers do have the 2nd overall pick, and PF Jose Foster looks like a solid draft pick here potentially as an upgrade over Harris.

 

17. New Orleans Pelicans

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
25th (75.3)	16th (82.2)	8th (86.8)	18th (94.5)	17th (16.75)

 

The unfortunate thing for New Orleans is that their Texas Divisional foes are all ranked in the top 10, meaning that NOLA is going to have one of the toughest schedules in the league this season. Outside of a lackluster PG, the Starting 5 is top notch. Peter Thompson and Billy Nelson are a serviceable duo, and SG Shawn Parker is very solid for a 23 year old kid. Add in Jason Lee in the 5 position, and there's a pretty good team here. What the Pels really need is some depth, something they may be hard pressed to find with pick #24. Lee and Nelson are both in final contract years, and with Nelson being 30 and the Pels on the wrong side of the West, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get moved to set up a run for next year.

 

18. Toronto Raptors

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
18th (75.5)	18th (82.1)	16th (85)	15th (95)	18th (16.75)

 

The Raptors are very close to being a solid baseline in every category for PWRNK. The team ranks decently in all 4 categories, and in the weaker Eastern Conference that looks to be good enough to hold down a playoff spot. The Japanese PG George Watson is the clear leader of this squad, and he makes a good complement to PF Philip Taylor's game. The issue comes with contracts; Taylor is on his final year at 28 years old and SF Arthur Campbell is 25 on his final year. Watson's contract expires next year, but the much younger John Hall is on a 4 year deal an projects to be a solid PG as well. And with the 6th pick, the Raptors could choose to add a solid bench player to make a push this season, OR they could get a nice complement to Hall and look to shop Watson should they choose to play for the future. Who knows, the player they choose may be good for both scenarios. As it stands now, Toronto is a good but not great team with a lot of unanswered questions (though, if we're being honest, I think it's fair to say every team has unanswered questions).

 

19. Cleveland Cavaliers

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
15th (75.6)	20th (81.9)	26th (83.6)	13th (95.5)	19th (18.5)

 

Outside of the PG position group, the Cavaliers are in dire need of not just depth but talent. Arthur Murphy makes for one of the games' best SGs, but the talent in the Frontcourt is lacking. Steven Johnson is a name I expect the Cavs to move; he's a 30 year old PG at 87 Ovr. in the last year of his contract, and with 25 year old Joe Smith also on the team, the Cavs could move Johnson to get a pretty good Frontcourt starter. The 27th overall pick won't help much for them in the short term, but they may be able to find a project player they can develop. This team's top talent is all relatively young, so a championship is not necessary for this squad this season. Their goal should be finding a way into the playoffs.

 

20. Boston Celtics

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
17th (75.5)	5th (82.6)	30th (81.4)	23rd (94.5)	20th (18.75)

 

That 30th ranking for Starting 5 seems like a direct opposite story than what the 5th ranking for Top 10 players is saying, so let me explain. The Celtics are extremely Guard heavy. Their top 5 rated players are all Guards, followed by 2 SFs and 3 PFs. They have no decent Centers, and because Starting 5 measures the best at every position, the top C's grade drags down the Starting 5's ranking significantly, despite the fact that they have a top 5 bench. While being 20th on here is not ideal, the Celtics are actually closer to being a good team than a bad one. If they can find a way to move their plethora of Guards for some Frontcourt guys, they should move up these rankings. A top 10 pick in the draft should also help in this regard.

 

21. Los Angeles Clippers

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
19th (75.5)	23rd (81.8)	20th (84.6)	16th (95)	21st (19.5)

 

We now find ourselves at the back half of the league average, and I think this marks a good spot in the line between playoff teams and lottery teams. As of this moment, the Clippers are closer to being a lottery team than a playoff team. While Kent Alvarado may be an All Star, the rest of the team is underwhelming. Like Boston, they desperately need help at Center, and just in general the Clips need some more depth. With Kirk Hines on his final year and being 29 years old, and with just the 17th pick, I wouldn't be surprised to see a potential package with these two in order to move up in the draft and get one of the many solid rookies in this class. Luckily, Alvarado has 4 years left on his contract and is 26, so a complete overhaul is unnecessary.

 

22. Atlanta Hawks

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
24th (75.3)	26th (81.6)	10th (86.8)	19th (94.5)	22nd (19.75)

 

The good news is the Hawks have a good enough Starting 5 currently to make a playoff push. The bad news is...the rest. Larry Jenkins and Aaron Davis are a decent combo, but far from top tier, and the overall bench depth is just not there. Starting SG Lawrence Thomas is 32 and in a contract year, so he might be on the move is Atlanta leans more towards rebuilding rather than competing. With the 20th pick, there won't be a franchise player that far down most likely, however they could find a decent enough bench player, something this team very much needs. Sources say that ATL has put backup 30 year old Center Walter Clark on the trading block, so we'll see if they can find any takers.

 

23. Memphis Grizzlies

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
20th (75.5)	21st (81.9)	18th (84.8)	20th (94.5)	23rd (19.75)

 

The Grizzlies have their Franchise centerpiece in PG Gabriel Zimmerman, who signed a 5 year contract with Memphis this offseason, but there's still a lot of work to do to turn this team into contenders. Marvin Erickson and Russell Allison are both over 30 but are under contract for 2 and 3 years, respectively, and Leslie Collier is not much younger at 29. They are in need of a SF, as they don't have any good options currently. They pick 23rd so they won't find a starter there, so they could either play Erickson at the 3 spot, which he is capable of, or they'll need to make some deals. Because they're in the East, they do have an easier track of getting to the playoffs, but at this point they should look to see what they can build for the future.

 

24. Chicago Bulls

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
21st (75.5)	27th (81.5)	7th (87)	25th (94)	24th (20)

 

Between the 24th and 25th ranked teams is a significant gap in PWRNK, so I believe the Bulls are the last of these "fringe" playoff teams and after this will be teams who are more likely focused on getting a good lottery selection. The Bulls sport a solid Starting 5 but not much else. Even their Star players don't seem like world beaters. This team could still make a playoff push with this group of 5, but it will be difficult without the proper supporting cast. And a very late first round pick won't do them much good, so the Bulls find themselves on this side of the playoff picture for now. The Bulls desperately need a better PG than "Scary" Jerry Perry, so we'll see what they do there.

 

25. Golden State Warriors

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
28th (74.9)	30th (81.2)	19th (84.8)	21st (94.5)	25th (24.5)

 

The Warriors, and by extension the rest of the teams listed, are a bit further back in PWRNK, and as such, this is the start of which teams we can look at as lottery teams that have a good chance at picking #1. Starting with Golden State, their roster leaves much to be desired. Their rotation and stars are below average, but their depth is just not there. Having said that, Jeremy Phillips is a monster and can certainly help the Warriors win some games. The Warriors have a good stable of Shooting Guards they could move to get more balance at other positions, and their 18th overall draft pick doesn't spark much confidence in finding a starter, but they may find a guy that can contribute off the bench. They may also trade the pick for future picks, as the team is pretty young. It may not be the Warriors' year this year, but they will be a fun team to watch grow, nevertheless.

 

26. Milwaukee Bucks

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
30th (74.9)	25th (81.7)	23rd (84.2)	22nd (94.5)	26th (25)

 

For all intents and purposes, the Bucks have one of the worst rosters in the league. They are ok at the top but the longer down the list you go, the less and less talent you find. The SF situation is not good at all in Milwaukee, even if they move one of Scott Allen or the Brit Joe "Great" Scott into that position. Craig Lewis has 2 years left and likely will regress, so there is the possibility he could get moved in a blockbuster trade down the road. With the 5th pick, the Bucks are in a prime position to get a really good, potential Franchise cornerstone in the upcoming draft, so that is one thing Bucks fans can look forward to. As of now, it's not looking too good, but again, not a single game has been played and they may play above their expectations. Only time will tell.

 

27. Brooklyn Nets

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
27th (75.1)	17th (82.2)	31st (80.2)	26th (94.5)	27th (25.25)

 

The Nets' Starting 5 is, to put it plainly, one of the worst in the NBA. That is of course based on the fact that their top PG/SG/SF/PF/C players rank that way; it doesn't take into account potentially other players playing different positions. Brooklyn's top 6 rated players are all Guards, and their highest rated non-Guard is C Brad Ryan at 77 Ovr. Their SF group is the worst in the league by a decent margin. But with the 3rd Overall pick, that's a position the Nets can get in this deep draft class. There's a few other holes for Brooklyn, but they can focus on where to go next once they get their guy at 3.

 

28. Philadelphia 76ers

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
23rd (75.4)	28th (81.3)	22nd (84.4)	30th (93)	28th (25.75)

 

The 76ers don't have much to go off of going into this inaugural season. They don't have a good roster, and their 2 best players are one of the worst duos in the league. And on top of that, Brian Mitchell, their best player, is in a contract year and may not re-sign with Philly unless they can build a contender ASAP. The Sixers really have no option at Center as Victor Garcia is too small to be effective there. And on top of all that the Sixers sit all the way at 30th in the draft. The Sixers front office was not handed the best circumstance by any means, so we'll see how they plan to win with this group.

 

29. Detroit Pistons

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
31st (74.9)	24th (81.8)	29th (83)	28th (93.5)	29th (28)

 

The Pistons come in as the last team in the East, and there's a bit of a gap between them and Philly, so it's safe to assume they are not in a great spot. Having David Thompson is nice, but there's no help surrounding him, which is a major issue for them. The 19th pick doesn't help, as the Pistons need as much help at the Forward positions as possible. We'll see what happens before the season gets under way, but for now, expectations should be low in the Motor City.

 

30. Minnesota Timberwolves

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
29th (74.9)	32nd (80.5)	24th (84.2)	31st (92)	30th (29)

 

Minnesota is unfortunately the forgotten brother in the Northwest frat, not having nearly the amount of talent that the other three teams in their division. They have the worst Top 10 talent in the league, and one of the worst star duos in the league as well. Lorenzo Manning would be a decent #2 guy at best on a contending team, but he's the best the T'Wolves have. Casey Casey, ironically, is the #2 guy for Minny, but he is in a contract year and I don't believe the Wolves see a future with him at this time. They might be better off trading him to get a decent haul in return instead of letting him walk at the end of the year. Add in the fact that they pick in the second half of the first round, things don't look particularly good for Minny this year.

 

31. Phoenix Suns

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
26th (75.3)	31st (81.1)	27th (83.6)	32nd (91)	31st (29)

 

As bad as the Star Power is in Minny, it's a bit worse in Phoenix. Robert Brown and Howard James don't exactly inspire confidence for a playoff team, much less a contender. While it's possible Brown may develop into a better player in his next 3 years with Phoenix, James seems to be reaching the apex of his capabilities on the court. His 4 year contract will make lots of teams weary on a trade, however the Suns may still be able to find a suitor should they so choose. The team needs a Center the most, though they would probably be happy to get an upgrade at any position besides maybe SG, where they have a stock of decent guys. As bad as it seems in Phoenix, at least they are not the worst team in their division.

 

32. Utah Jazz

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
32nd (74.5)	29th (81.3)	32nd (79.4)	29th (93.5)	32nd (30.5)

 

At last, we find ourselves in Salt Lake City, where the Jazz somewhat comfortably sit in the 32nd spot of PWRNK. They have the worst Overall and worst Starting 5 in the league, and their Top 10 and Star Power rankings are not very good either. Outside of Ed Lowe and Angel Willis, this team is going to struggle to find any meaningful help. They do have the 11th pick in the draft, and given how deep this class is, they may find a decent guy there. Until then, they are here at the bottom. But when you're this low in the rankings, there's some solace in knowing the only place you can go from here, is up.

[Migi]

This is such amazing content I love it

[subsequent]

Snack Pack Kids. Omg

[Bingo415]

Fantastic research and write-up. Well done.

Blazers are gonna surprise…I feel better about have an SG/SF star combo than I did when we selected.

[Rocketcan]

28. Philadelphia 76ers