2021 "Pre-Season" Power Rankings

[VerifiedThing]

Aaaaaaand we're back! After a very interesting offseason that included trades, cuts, and a whole draft, we have seen major shakeups in the PWRNK system. And with games starting it's time to take one final look at teams without any meaningful game data. Let's get into the action!

 

2 Updates to the PWRNK system, one minor and one major:

 

1) Starting 5 is now accurate to teams' starters on Opening Night. Took the 5 players with the most minutes. In cases of ties, used best judgement.

 

2) Star Power is now a total Ovr score of any player above 90 Ovr. So for example, Vancouver has 3 players at 90+ with a 96, 95 and 93. Their Star Power score, then, is 284. This rewards teams for having more than 2 superstar players, as some major trades had gone down.

 

1. Washington Wizards (+13)

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
1st (80.9)	1st (84.9)	6th (89.4)	17th (191)	1st (6.25)

 

The Wizards have overtaken the Spurs as the most dangerous team in the NBA (for now). The Wizards have plenty of great depth pieces to mess around with and have a top tier starting 5. What may hold them back is the lack of a big 3 like some of their counterparts have started to assemble. Their rise in rankings is mostly due to getting the #1 Overall pick in Roger Stewart, who may very well be that 3rd Star the Wizards need to be title contenders.

 

2. Vancouver Sea Lions (+8)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
4th (79.6)	7th (83.4)	11th (89)	3rd (284)	2nd (6.25)

 

What a few months ago seemed like a close rivalry may now seem a bit one sided. Vancouver made moves that drastically improved their team and Seattle...didn't. And now the Sea Lions are the favorites in the tight Western Conference. The Sea Lions added a star player to join the Snack Pack Duo of Pringle and Bacon, and it's not even a stretch to use his name in a snack variety: Kirk Hines (get it? Like Heinz ketchup? It's technically food!) The Kids will hold down the frontcourt as Vancouver should get into the playoffs easily.

 

3. Dallas Mavericks (+4)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
5th (79.6)	2nd (83.8)	5th (89.4)	20th (189)	3rd (8)

 

The Mavs were involved in a huge three team trade that saw them add Darren Ruiz and Bill Hall, which helped improve their rankings a bit. They now have the 2nd best depth in the league and a top 5 starting 5. They'll hope that "Death by a Thousand Cuts" is a viable strategy as even by 2 superstar standards, Dallas is lacking behind the rest.

 

4. San Antonio Spurs (-3)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
18th (77.2)	6th (83.4)	2nd (90.4)	11th (192)	4th (9.25)

 

San Antonio is still in a prime position to win a title despite their fall in PWRNK and a lack of offseason moves. However, one could argue that if you're already the best why mess with a good thing? The Spurs have the 2nd best starting 5 in the league and 2 great Super Stars. The only thing holding them back is deep depth but that shouldn't be a problem in the present.

 

5. Brooklyn Nets (+22)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
6th (79.3)	14th (82.6)	13th (88.6)	5th (279)	5th (9.5)

 

What a glowup for the Brooklyn Boys. Once thought to be bottom feeders, they made a bunch of major moves that now sees them in the Top 5. The acquisition of Casey X2 gives the Nets a big three that pushes up their rankings a whole lot. They also acquired Isaac Russell to shore up their Guard rotation. After an aggressive offseason, now it's time for the Nets to produce.

 

6. Toronto Raptors (+12)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
17th (77.2)	4th (83.5)	9th (89.2)	12th (192)	6th (10.5)

 

When last we saw the Raptors they were right around average in all 4 categories. They have since made moves to make their bench one of the best in the league, giving Toronto a lot of options to adjust on any given night. While not having top tier stars, they're still good enough along with their depth to be on top of the East at the end of the season.

 

7. Charlotte Hornets (-2)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
25th (76.7)	9th (83.2)	3rd (90)	6th (194)	7th (10.75)

 

The Queen City may have dropped 2 spots in PWRNK but that was mostly due to other teams making huuuge moves and less about Charlotte getting worse. Although one could argue that if others are getting better, then you're getting worse, but I digress. Foster & Lynch are not just Superstars but MVP level candidates and the Hornets will have a better starting 5 then a vast majority of the league. Just hope that the lack of deep depth doesn't come back to bite them.

 

8. Chicago Bulls (+16)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
26th (76.6)	17th (82.4)	1st (90.6)	4th (283)	8th (12)

 

The Bulls were fringe playoff contenders before, but after acquiring Brian Mitchell they have moved up PWRNK drastically and now are a dark horse in the East. They had to sacrifice what little depth they had as well as both draft picks, but it's hard to argue against making those deals when it results in having the highest rated starting 5 in the league. What will keep them from winning the title is their average bench, but we'll see how they fare once the season really gets going.

 

9. Houston Rockets (-7)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
10th (77.8)	19th (82.4)	10th (89)	10th (192)	9th (12.25)

 

Another team that got hurt from other teams getting better, the Rockets should still feel confident in competing this year. The Rockets' strength a couple months ago has diminished thanks to other teams' drafts, though they are still top 10. One thing that all other NBA teams wish the Rockets had is their great name quality, led by Mitch Ruff, Charley Hooper, Bennett Bittner, Deon Passmore, Rusty McFall, and fan favorite on the deep end of the bench Mary Cosgrove.

 

10. Sacramento Kings (-7)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
9th (77.9)	8th (83.3)	16th (88.2)	18th (190)	10th (12.75)

 

The Kings refuse to leave the side of the Rockets, who they were right behind in the initial rankings. Much like those first rankings, Sacramento comes in just behind Houston, and it's once again due to their Star Power. Gonzales and Adams are a fine 1-2 punch, but not compared to the rest of the league, especially with the emergence of Big 3s. They do, however, have a good enough depth to be a thorn in the side of most Western Conference teams.

 

11. New Orleans Pelicans (+6)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
7th (78.1)	15th (82.6)	7th (89.2)	23rd (189)	11th (13)

 

The Pelicans made a relatively small but very important trade in which they acquired Clark Warner to play PG for them, which significantly helped their Starting 5 rank. Now they should be able to keep up with the rest of the West. The downside is that they'll have to lean on a lackluster Star Power duo in Thompson and Nelson. If these two can play at a high level, the Pels are in a prime position to compete. If they can't, the Pels may be on the outside looking in for the playoffs.

 

12. Miami Heat (-4)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
23rd (76.7)	26th (81.9)	4th (89.8)	1st (286)	12th (13.5)

 

Don't let the Heat get hot, or they may blow you out of the building. What the Heat lack in depth (and they realllly lack depth) they more than make up for with the best three headed monster in the game: Blake Watts, Aaron Davis, and Terry Bowen. The Pick & Roll never looked so good then when these three work together out there, and although Miami loses a few spots because of the depth lost in adding Davis, they are still not a team you can look forward to playing.

 

13. Portland Trail Blazers (-1)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
2nd (80.72)	3rd (83.5)	22nd (86.4)	29th (96)	13th (14)

 

There's a saying in the football that if you have 2 starting Quarterbacks, you actually have 0 starting Quarterbacks. That's how I would describe this Portland team as it stands: there's a lot of decent to good level basketball talent on this roster, but there isn't any outstanding talent that can lead a team to a title. The team traded away Louis Sanders among others in a move that may mean they are trying to build for the future and not the present. We'll see if the young guys like Wayne Perry and Terry Bailey can step up to lead this team.

 

14. Indiana Pacers (-1)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
3rd (79.7)	24th (82)	23rd (86.2)	7th (194)	14th (14.25)

 

In a near flip of the Blazers, the Pacers do in fact have the Star Power to help them win games but lack any decent bench depth. Even with the bottom of their roster being top tier, it won't matter much if their starting lineups don't produce, and they are projected to be below average. I could see Indiana finish anywhere between 4th and 13th in the East and not be surprised.

 

15. Seattle SuperSonics (-11)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
24th (76.7)	11th (82.8)	17th (88)	9th (194)	15th (15.25)

 

Outside of adding Martin Bailey in the draft, the Sonics have done almost nothing to add or subtract from their roster. Their fall in the ranks is mostly due to this standing pat strategy as the rest of the league has caught up or surpassed where Seattle was a few short months ago. Garcia/Phillips still make a dynamic duo capable of winning a lot of ballgames as Seattle can still make moves, should they so choose, before the deadline.

 

16. Atlanta Hawks (+6)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
13th (77.7)	12th (82.7)	12th (88.6)	26th (186)	16th (15.75)

 

The Hawks land right on the average line in these rankings which is still a decent step up from where they were before. They still don't have much in Star Power but they significantly fixed their depth problem. They currently don't look the part of a contender, but all you need to do to win a chip is to get in the playoffs. Once there, anything can and will happen.

 

17. Orlando Magic (-11)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
28th (76.3)	22nd (82.3)	8th (89.2)	8th (194)	17th (16.5)

 

The Magic drained their depth in the offseason with the goal of improving their starting 5, and they were successful. Unfortunately they may have drained too much as they've lost 11 spots in PWRNK. Fred Andrews is an exciting rookie to watch for this team and Brewer & Colon make a solid Forward pair. The Magic should be good, not great.

 

18. Denver Nuggets (-3)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
16th (77.4)	18th (82.4)	18th (87.8)	14th (191)	18th (16.5)

 

When last we saw Denver they were the last team out in the West for the playoffs. Now, after a long offseason, they find themselves...nearly in the exact same spot. The Nuggets are unimpressive but not terrible at pretty much every spot. They'll likely beat the bad teams and struggle against the good ones. They could make a move or two and find themselves higher (heh) in the rankings, but until then, they're perfectly fine.

 

19. Boston Celtics (+1)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
27th (76.4)	5th (83.4)	15th (88.2)	19th (189)	19th (16.5)

 

The Celtics were able to keep their depth as one of the league's best while simultaneously improving their Starting 5 drastically, at the cost of the bottom of the roster. With that, they move up exactly one spot. Their below average Star Power is not a great sign of things to come but Boston fans should still expect this team to be in the playoffs by the end of the year.

 

20. Los Angeles Lakers (-4)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
12th (77.8)	10th (82.9)	20th (86.8)	24th (187)	20th (16.5)

 

The Lake Show is missing its stars. Garcia and Washington don't inspire confidence for taking over in a game compared to their counterparts in other parts of the league. The depth here is good but that's really all. It may be a marathon, but you still have to keep pace, and the Lakers are as of now off pace and out of the playoff picture.

 

21. Cleveland Cavaliers (-2)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
8th (78)	25th (81.9)	25th (85)	13th (191)	21st (17.75)

 

The Cavs only made moves late in the draft this offseason and because of that have slipped a bit in the rankings. The picks did help their lower tier depth but the rest has fallen after others improved. As of now there's nothing here indicating that the Cavs can be a playoff team, but their Star Power isn't too bad so maybe they can make it still.

 

22. Golden State Warriors (+3)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
31st (75.9)	30th (80.5)	14th (88.4)	2nd (285)	22nd (19.25)

 

By PWRNK metrics the Warriors shouldn't be good. However, they were one of the few teams to create a Big 3 and definitely have the star power to be competitive. They will be the perfect litmus test to see if depth is really needed at all, because the Warriors have absolutely 0 depth behind their starters. Personally I think the Warriors are a playoff team with an unfortunately thin bench weighing them down by the metrics.

 

23. Memphis Grizzlies (-)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
20th (77)	21st (82.3)	19th (87)	21st (189)	23rd (20.25)

 

Adding Ernest Barnes was the only non-draft move the Grizzlies made and it resulted in them staying in the exact same place, which is extremely rare to do. They didn't get better but they didn't get worse. They are below average but not bad across the board. They're just kinda here, for the time being at least.

 

24. New York Knicks (-15)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
30th (76.1)	16th (82.5)	21st (86.8)	15th (191)	24th (20.5)

 

The Knicks were in great shape to compete in the East, and then they traded away 3 solid bench players. They made up for it by grabbing Jose Foster in the draft, however this trade significantly hurt their PWRNK stats. Jimmy Palmer is a Greek God so the Knicks may very well be fine, especially if Foster develops into the Super Star some predict he'll become.

 

25. Detroit Pistons (+4)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
11th (77.8)	20th (82.3)	24th (86)	31st (91)	25th (21.5)

 

Despite trading away one of their stars, the Pistons saw their ranking improve a bit. This is due to their depth being drastically improved by adding Terry Gonzales and Jerry Sanchez with their trade with Golden State. They also drafted Harold Walker, and once you add those up you have a solidly improved roster. Unfortunately the Star Power is even worse than before but Detroit is clearly looking towards the future, one that is definitely bright.

 

26. Oklahoma City Thunder (-15)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
19th (77.1)	27th (81.8)	26th (84.4)	16th (191)	26th (22)

 

The Thunder were a near Top 10 team a couple months ago, and now project to find themselves fighting for a lottery ticket. They now have George Watson at PG to pair up with Ian Bennett, as well as 4 other new faces that overall saw their roster talent dip a good amount. We'll see how this new Thunder team gels together on the court, but judging by these rankings they seem to be far behind other West teams at this point.

 

27. Milwaukee Bucks (-1)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
32nd (75.7)	13th (82.7)	27th (84.2)	22nd (189)	27th (23.5)

 

The Bucks only saw improvement in their bench depth, which they now find themselves on the better half of the league in. The rest is not great, and after that top 10 there's a steep dip in talent. Their prize of the offseason was Francis Doyle from National Champion St. Mary's, where Doyle was the Commander of the Gaels. The outlook isn't great for Milwaukee as they may look to be sellers sooner than later.

 

28. Utah Jazz (+4)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
21st (77)	23rd (82.1)	31st (83)	25th (187)	28th (25)

 

Congratulations to Utah on no longer being the worst team by PWRNK! And they did it by making a bunch of moves like drafting Kevin Diaz and....waiving Marc Wood I guess? The Jazz benefit from other teams having a garage sale, and are still on the back end of the standings. They still have one of the worst Starting Lineups in the league, a major issue when it comes to winning games.

 

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (+1)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
14th (77.5)	29th (81.2)	28th (84)	30th (93)	29th (25.25)

 

A slight improvement to the rankings even as Minny traded away one of their star players in the offseason. Benjamin Morris was a solid draft pick for this rebuilding team, and they hope not to be rebuilding for long. Most of the top talent here is young and still improving. The Wolves may have their core of the future already: they just need to let them develop now.

 

30. Phoenix Suns (+1)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
22nd (76.7)	28th (81.5)	30th (83.8)	27th (182)	30th (26.75)

 

The Suns decided to mostly stand pat with their roster this offseason, hoping to look to the future possibly. With no games played, maybe Phoenix will be better than projected. For now, though, they sit at the bottom, and will look to see just general improvements in games and try to decide which guys will stick around when the team is ready to compete.

 

31. Philadelphia 76ers (-3)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
15th (77.4)	31st (80.5)	32nd (81.2)	32nd (91)	31st (27.5)

 

One of the two biggest sellers in the offseason saw Philly sell off what little assets they had to build towards the future. Unfortunately these rankings focus on the present, and thus, they find themselves here at the bottom. When you have the worst Starting 5 and the worst Star Power in the league, expectations in Philly should be focused on winning the draft lottery. Sixers GM is asking fans to trust the process, whatever that means.

 

32. San Diego Clippers (-11)

 

Overall	Top 10	Starting 5	Star Power	PWRNK
29th (76.3)	32nd (79.6)	29th (84)	28th (97)	32nd (29.5)

 

The Clippers moved out of their shared apartment with the Lakers to make it on their own in the big city of San Diego. Unfortunately they left all their decent pieces behind and are safely holding down the 32nd spot in PWRNK. This season will be a lot of trial and error with this roster to see what, if anything, can be used in the future. Congrats to San Diego for getting an NBA franchise; sorry you guys couldn't get a better one. That's life.

[tsweezy]

Heck yeah, moving up to the middle of the pack,.. still, considering I think I started with a pretty rough roster and bad draft picks I’m ok with being average

[Rocketcan]

TTP

[Migi]

This might need some edits after week 1 ?