After my 2013-14 Guide to the NBA was posted, the Phoenix Suns proved to be the team that EVERYONE (not just I) was wrong about. How wrong? Here's a quote from October 2013...
"Another team in the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes, the Phoenix Suns are obviously re-building with the addition of Eric Bledsoe and departures of Jermaine O'Neal, Luis Scola, and Jared Dudley. This is the team that I have the most confidence in missing the playoffs out of the Western Conference. It should be fun to watch rookies Alex Len and Archie Goodwin work together though, as this isn't necessarily a boring team at all."
Oh no, Andy. Please. Just stop.
But I didn't let the awful call ruin a great year of basketball. The Heat and the Western Conference were about what I expected and my finals prediction was wrong (Heat over Grizzlies) but then again, whose isn't?
At least I'm not Brandon Jennings.
I'm bringing back Andy's Roster Ranks for a second consecutive year with a few added bonuses including 15 players ranked on each roster instead of 12 (unless they have fewer than 15 rostered players presently) and all rankings are based off of the assumption of health on all players (including Paul George and Joell Embiid who are both likely out for the entire season). I'm including each players 2013-14 PER (Player Efficiency Rating) next to their names. Not familiar with PER? The Player Efficiency Rating (PER) is a per-minute rating developed by ESPN.com columnist John Hollinger. In John's words, "The PER sums up all a player's positive accomplishments, subtracts the negative accomplishments, and returns a per-minute rating of a player's performance." Here's a fairly basic explanation of what each number or level is defined as...
- A Year For the Ages: 35.0
- Runaway MVP Candidate: 30.0
- Strong MVP Candidate: 27.5
- Weak MVP Candidate: 25.0
- Bona fide All-Star: 22.5
- Borderline All-Star: 20.0
- Solid 2nd option: 18.0
- 3rd Banana: 16.5
- Pretty good player: 15.0
- In the rotation: 13.0
- Scrounging for minutes: 11.0
- Definitely renting: 9.0
- The Next Stop: DLeague 5.0
Analytics are taking over the sports world so, why not include PER?
Now, I present to you the 2015 Roster Ranks along with some blurbs about what to expect from each NBA team this season. Enjoy.
Atlanta Hawks Head Coach: Mike Budenholzer 2013-14 record: 38-44
| Al Horford |
22.0 |
| Paul
Millsap |
19.8 |
| Jeff
Teague |
17.1 |
| Kyle
Korver |
13.5 |
| DeMarre
Carroll |
13.9 |
| Mike
Scott |
15.3 |
| Thabo
Sefolosha |
10.4 |
| Pero
Antic' |
11.7 |
| Shelvin
Mack |
13.2 |
| Elton
Brand |
14.0 |
| Kent
Bazemore |
11.2 |
| Adreian
Payne |
Rookie |
| Dennis
Schroeder |
5.8 |
| Mike
Muscala |
10.8 |
| John
Jenkins |
4.7 |
With all that has happened off the court involving the racial comments of their owner and GM Danny Ferry's "Africa" comment about Luol Deng, it's hard to imagine a world where this team makes it any further than the first round of the playoffs. There's a lot of controversy surrounding the selling of the team and this team is on level "red" of the distraction alert scale I just invented. Putting aside all of the internal issues this nearly fanless team has, they're still a very real playoff contender as long as Al Horford stays healthy (something he was not last season). The bench has been improving over the past handful of seasons and this offseason was big for Atlanta's depth chart as they added Power Forward Adreian Payne from Michigan State in the draft along with former-Thunder Guard Thabo Sefolosha. They'll make noise in the way that borderline eighth-seeded teams make noise the final week of the season.
Boston Celtics Head Coach: Brad Stevens 2013-14: 25-57
| Rajon Rondo |
15.3 |
| Jeff
Green |
13.1 |
| Avery
Bradley |
12.7 |
| Evan
Turner |
12.4 |
| Jared
Sullinger |
16.4 |
| Marcus
Thornton |
12.0 |
| Marcus
Smart |
Rookie |
| Brandon
Bass |
15.0 |
| Tyler
Zeller |
15.4 |
| James
Young |
Rookie |
| Gerald
Wallace |
10.0 |
| Kelly
Olynyk |
15.2 |
| Vitor
Faverani |
11.0 |
| Chris
Johnson |
10.8 |
| Joel
Anthony |
8.1 |
The Celtics are rebuilding once again, Rajon Rondo is still on the trading block, and the hopes of Celtic fans now lies on the shoulders of rookie Guard Marcus Smart and Head Coach Brad Stevens. The future is bright, mostly thanks to the robbery of a deal they made with Brooklyn last offseason when they dealt Paul Pierce and KG for a bunch of draft picks. Boston fans shouldn't worry about another 25-57 season as they'll likely be in the playoffs within the next three years as long as Brad Stevens sticks around (and there's a strong possibility that he's just waiting for Coach K to step down at Duke or for Roy Williams to do the same at North Carolina).
Brooklyn Nets Head Coach: Lionel Hollins 2013-14: 44-38
| Joe Johnson |
15.5 |
| Brook
Lopez |
25.4 |
| Deron
Williams |
17.6 |
| Mason
Plumlee |
19.0 |
| Jarrett
Jack |
11.5 |
| Andrei
Kirilenko |
12.4 |
| Kevin
Garnett |
13.3 |
| Mirza
Teletovic' |
14.3 |
| Alan
Anderson |
9.5 |
| Bojan
Bogdanovic' |
Rookie |
| Jorge
Gutierrez |
8.7 |
| Marquis
Teague |
8.4 |
| Sergey
Karasev |
2.3 |
| Markel
Brown |
Rookie |
| Cory
Jefferson |
Rookie |
What was your favorite memory of the Jason Kidd era? (
Obvious answer). Paul Pierce is gone and will be replaced by great backup/mediocre starter Andrei Kirilenko. Kirilenko was great off the bench last season but this just in: He isn't Paul Pierce, not even past his prime Paul Pierce. Deron Williams used to be the best player on half of the league's teams until he became a bit of a locker room problem and health concerns kept popping up. Now, he's the third wheel behind all-time clutch shooter Joe Johnson and early-retirement-waiting-to-happen Brook Lopez (Those feet are never going to be 100% healed as long as he's in the NBA). The Nets best case scenario and entire season depends on the health of Williams and Lopez and 9/10 times one of those two is going to get injured. With a limited supply on draft picks this year and into the future, Brooklyn's future is incredibly dull. They added practically nothing to replace Kevin Garnett once he's washed up (which is right now) or Paul Pierce's presence. The only hope this team has for another appearance in the second round is Jarrett Jack playing his best basketball yet and Lionel Hollins coaching his brains out. It's not going to be a fun year for Nets fans.
Charlotte Hornets Head Coach: Steve Clifford 2013-14: 43-39
| Al Jefferson |
22.7 |
| Lance
Stephenson |
13.5 |
| Kemba
Walker |
16.8 |
| Gerald
Henderson |
13.1 |
| Bismack
Biyombo |
13.3 |
| Gary
Neal |
14.0 |
| Marvin
Williams |
14.0 |
| Noah
Vonleh |
Rookie |
| Cody
Zeller |
13.1 |
| Brian
Roberts |
13.4 |
| Michael
Kidd-Gilchrist |
12.0 |
| P.J.
Hairston |
Rookie |
| Jannero
Pargo |
18.9 |
| Jeffrey
Taylor |
5.9 |
Welcome back, Hornets. We've all missed the Hornets' existence and in 2014, they're back and the team has brought
awesome uniforms with them. Michael Jordan isn't messing around anymore as he put all his chips on the table during the offseason and tabbed Lance Stephenson, Marvin Williams, Brian Roberts, and two rookies I'm intrigued about in Noah Vonleh and P.J. Hairston. After making the playoffs as the 7-seed with Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker playing great, this team added some star-power and are the big reason that the East looks so much better than it did a year ago. Give it some time but, Steve Clifford is going to be regarded as a very good NBA coach before the end of the season.
Chicago Bulls Head Coach: Tom Thibodeau 2013-14: 48-34
| Joakim Noah |
20.0 |
| Derrick
Rose |
9.7 |
| Pau
Gasol |
19.3 |
| Taj
Gibson |
16.0 |
| Jimmy
Butler |
13.5 |
| Mike
Dunleavy Jr. |
12.6 |
| Aaron
Brooks |
12.5 |
| Kirk
Hinrich |
10.8 |
| Nikola
Mirotic' |
Rookie |
| Nazr
Mohammed |
10.1 |
| Doug
McDermott |
Rookie |
| E'Twaun
Moore |
11.1 |
| Tony
Snell |
8.0 |
| Cameron
Bairstow |
Rookie |
|
|
|
The Bulls aren't a fun team to write about as seemingly everyone has already said what has needed to be said about the Bulls. They're good. Pau Gasol was a steal in free agency, Derrick Rose isn't going to stay healthy if he's playing at full Derrick Rose-speed, and Taj Gibson/Joakim Noah are only getting better. I have a feeling that Doug McDermott's value is very overstated but if Tom Thibodeau manages to get anything out of them, Chicago will be happy. Chicago is guaranteed a top three spot in the East as long as Rose is active for half of the season at minimum.
Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach: David Blatt 2013-14: 33-49
| Lebron James |
29.3 |
| Kevin
Love |
26.9 |
| Kyrie
Irving |
20.1 |
| Dion
Waiters |
14.0 |
| Tristan
Thompson |
14.9 |
| Shawn
Marion |
13.7 |
| Anderson
Varejao |
17.0 |
| Mike
Miller |
12.5 |
| Matthew
Dellavedova |
10.7 |
| Brendan
Haywood |
8.7 |
| James
Jones |
15.4 |
| A.J. Price |
|
9.7 |
| Joe
Harris |
Rookie |
| Lou
Amundson |
9.1 |
| Alex Kirk |
|
Rookie |
Another guaranteed top four team in the Eastern Conference, you may have heard about some of the things Cleveland did this offseason. If you aren't sure whether or not this team has what it takes to make it out of the East, don't worry since you are not alone. Even
Lebron doesn't think this team is as good as Chicago. Kevin Love, Lebron James, and Kyrie Irving is not as good defensively as the big three in Miami (Lebron, Wade, Bosh) were but, offensively this team is going to be much better than anything we've seen outside of Oklahoma City. Lebron corralled and convinced former-Miami teammates James Jones and Mike Miller to bring their sharp-shooting ways to Cleveland along with former All-star and good defender Sean Marion. This Cavalier team is quietly deep and is ready for a playoff run once everybody is on the same page as a team.
Detroit Pistons Head Coach: Stan Van Gundy 2013-14: 29-53
| Andre Drummond |
22.6 |
| Greg
Monroe |
18.1 |
| Josh
Smith |
14.1 |
| Brandon
Jennings |
15.6 |
| Jodie
Meeks |
14.7 |
| D.J.
Augustin |
16.2 |
| Will
Bynum |
14.4 |
| Caron
Butler |
12.2 |
| Jonas
Jerebko |
13.4 |
| Kyle
Singler |
11.8 |
| Kentavious
Caldwell-Pope |
9.4 |
| Cartier
Martin |
11.0 |
| Spencer
Dinwiddie |
Rookie |
| Aaron
Gray |
7.8 |
| Luigi
Datome |
8.0 |
The Pistons were terrible last season. They spent gross amounts of money on disgusting performances from Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings during the 2013 offseason. How did they try to redeem themselves? By handing contracts to Jodie Meeks and Caron Butler, two players who only thrived because of the situations their teams put them in last season, and gave the Head Coaching reigns to Stan Van Gundy (actually a really, really good move). Andre Drummond is an all-star caliber Center right now and Greg Monroe is right behind him but, this team needs to have Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings play a whole lot smarter than they did last season in order to lock up a playoff spot.
Indiana Pacers Head Coach: Frank Vogel 2013-14: 56-26
| Paul George |
20.1 |
| David
West |
17.5 |
| Roy
Hibbert |
13.5 |
| Rodney
Stuckey |
14.0 |
| George
Hill |
13.4 |
| C.J. Miles |
|
16.0 |
| Luis Scola |
|
13.4 |
| Lavoy
Allen |
12.5 |
| Chris
Copeland |
17.6 |
| C.J.
Watson |
13.0 |
| Ian
Mahinmi |
10.2 |
| Chris
Singleton |
8.8 |
| Solomon
Hill |
7.6 |
| Donald
Sloan |
8.5 |
| Adonis
Thomas |
7.3 |
Any chances this team had at a championship disappeared when Paul George broke his leg during the FIBA practices. With George out for the season, this is Roy Hibbert's team now. Yes, the same Roy Hibbert who averaged 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during the 2014 postseason. Once Paul George got injured, Lance Stephenson became a whole lot more of a steal for Charlotte as he could just as easily have been the Indiana Pacers lead scorer this season. David West will likely start but not get the playing time most starters get due to age and potential health concerns. Indiana did manage to add Rodney Stuckey from Detroit which boosts Stuckey's fantasy value but, it's sort of a shrug and don't read anything into it type of move.
Miami Heat Head Coach: Erik Spoelstra 2013-14: 54-28
| Chris Bosh |
19.0 |
| Luol
Deng |
15.2 |
| Dwyane
Wade |
22.0 |
| Chris
Andersen |
18.5 |
| Josh
McRoberts |
13.8 |
| Mario
Chalmers |
14.0 |
| Udonis
Haslem |
10.5 |
| Danny
Granger |
10.9 |
| Shabazz
Napier |
Rookie |
| Norris
Cole |
8.8 |
| Shawne
Williams |
9.5 |
| Reggie
Williams |
16.4 |
| Justin
Hamilton |
12.6 |
| Shannon
Brown |
4.7 |
| Tyler
Johnson |
Rookie |
Have you grabbed your shovel full of dirt and thrown it onto the Miami Heat yet? don't. Lebron's gone, boohoo. They replaced him with a quality 2nd-tier Small Forward and former all-star Luol Deng who is used to winning with the Bulls. They won't be a top-2 seeded team anymore but, they'll make the playoffs and there's no doubt in my mind that they will. All of these basketball pundits that are killing off Miami even though they still have three great players (two for the 40% of the season that Dwyane Wade rests), a great head coach, and some comeback potential in Danny Granger are wrong. Miami could be on a 2011 Celtic-like downfall but that team still makes the playoffs.
Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach: Jason Kidd 2013-14: 15-67
| Brandon Knight |
16.5 |
| Jabari
Parker |
Rookie |
| John
Henson |
17.9 |
| Giannis
Antetokounmpo |
10.8 |
| Larry
Sanders |
14.0 |
| Ersan
Ilyasova |
13.8 |
| O.J.
Mayo |
11.2 |
| Jerryd
Bayless |
12.0 |
| Khris
Middleton |
12.5 |
| ZaZa
Pachulia |
14.0 |
| Nate
Wolters |
12.7 |
| Jared
Dudley |
8.9 |
| Kendall
Marshall |
12.6 |
| Damien
Inglis |
Rookie |
| Johnny
O'Bryant |
Rookie |
The Bucks are going to be one of the more entertaining watches this year because everywhere you look, there's a storyline. Is Jason Kidd really a good coach and what antics does he have up his sleeve this year? Can Giannis "Greek Freak" Antetokounmpo really play Point Guard at nearly 7-feet tall or is this just J-Kidd's way of losing his all-time turnovers in a game record? Will Jerryd Bayless be the new John Salmons? Is Kendall Marshall more than an assist-padder with little NBA future? Can Larry Sanders live up to his contract? Will O.J. Mayo gain MORE weight? All of these questions are nice to ponder but the one that matters is will Jabari Parker save the Bucks? If enough fans get hyped about the Bucks over the final Bradley Center seasons, they'll be more likely to contribute to a new arena within Milwaukee that does not have an location yet but, needs to be done before 2017. I think Jabari is going to have a terrific career but, every great has rookie years with bumps and bruises. Milwaukee is no more than a 30-win team at best but thirty wins looks like a carnival to a franchise that's sat through the dullness of NBA irrelevancy for 13 years.
New York Knicks Head Coach: Derek Fisher 2013-14: 37-45
| Carmelo Anthony |
24.4 |
| Tim
Hardaway Jr. |
12.7 |
| J.R.
Smith |
14.0 |
| Jose
Calderon |
15.2 |
| Andrea
Bargnani |
14.5 |
| Amare'
Stoudemire |
18.8 |
| Iman
Shumpert |
9.6 |
| Jason
Smith |
12.4 |
| Sam
Dalembert |
16.8 |
| Pablo
Prigioni |
13.0 |
| Cleanthony
Early |
Rookie |
| Quincy
Acy |
10.1 |
| Cole
Aldrich |
19.1 |
| Travis
Outlaw |
10.4 |
| Shane
Larkin |
8.3 |
It's hard to pick against the zen-master Phil Jackson but it's super easy to pick against a team starring J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony, and lugging around the corpse of Amare' Stoudemire. The Knicks are optimistic about their future and should be with many contracts off the team's shoulders at the end of the year. This year is not next year however, and Hardaway Jr. is going to have a year where he won't hit anything from three as most sharp shots not named Ray Allen or Stephen Curry tend to have in their youth. The bench is slightly better than last year with many new faces including another promising offensive rookie Cleanthony Early. I like what Phil and Derek Fisher are building here but, it's not complete yet.
Orlando Magic Head Coach: Jacque Vaughn 2013-14: 23-59
| Nikola Vucevic' |
18.8 |
| Aaron
Gordon |
Rookie |
| Tobias
Harris |
16.5 |
| Victor
Oladipo |
13.6 |
| Channing
Frye |
13.2 |
| Elfrid
Payton |
Rookie |
| Maurice
Harkless |
11.8 |
| Evan
Fournier |
10.3 |
| Andrew
Nicholson |
9.9 |
| Ben
Gordon |
6.4 |
| Luke
Ridnour |
9.0 |
| Kyle
O'Quinn |
16.5 |
| Willie
Green |
7.1 |
| Dewayne
Dedmon |
12.5 |
| Peyton
Siva |
5.7 |
Congratulations to Nikola Vucevic' on his new 4-year contract extension, locking him in as the best player on Orlando's roster and the most trustworthy. Orlando has many good players who just don't seem to fit as a cohesive unit. Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton were the best possible scenario for Orlando in the draft and with Oladipo, Harris, Nicholson, and "How could you be" Moe Harkless another year wiser, this team SHOULD be on the upswing. Sadly, I'm not sure Jacque Vaughn is an NBA-caliber head coach. I'd love to be proven wrong but, this team of budding young stars should not have been 23-59 last season. Maybe 29-53 but, without any major injuries, last season didn't make a whole lot of sense for the Magic. If Victor Oladipo is ever seen playing the Point Guard position again over Payton, Fournier or Luke Ridnour, somebody's job will be in jeopardy. Overpaying Channing Frye wasn't my favorite move of the offseason but it does add somewhat of a veteran presence to cancel out Ben Gordon's "What the hell is he still doing in the NBA?"-ness.
Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach: Brett Brown 2013-14: 19-63
| Michael Carter-Williams |
15.5 |
| Tony
Wroten |
12.9 |
| Jason
Richardson |
DNP |
| Joel
Embiid |
Rookie |
| Nerlens
Noel |
DNP |
| Alexey
Shved |
10.2 |
| Luc
Mbah a Moute |
8.3 |
| Henry
Sims |
17.4 |
| Elliot
Williams |
8.7 |
| K.J.
McDaniels |
Rookie |
| Jerami
Grant |
Rookie |
| Arnett
Moultrie |
6.7 |
| Brandon
Davies |
7.5 |
| Jarvis
Varnado |
13.4 |
| Casper
Ware |
13.0 |
Everyone should study up on... I was going to say something about Henry Sims being a starter but now that I think about it, this team doesn't even require any analysis. They are THAT bad right now. Nerlens Noel might be fun and Michael Carter-Williams will have his moments before he's swapped for Amare' Stoudemire and a draft pick but, don't even bother with this team unless you want to stump someone on a quiz about who the mid-2010's Sixers were. Good luck, Brett Brown, we're all counting on you.
Toronto Raptors Head Coach: Dwane Casey 2013-14: 48-34
| Kyle Lowry |
20.1 |
| DeMar
DeRozan |
18.4 |
| Jonas
Valanciunas |
16.1 |
| Amir
Johnson |
15.4 |
| Greivis
Vasquez |
14.2 |
| Lou
Williams |
14.2 |
| Patrick
Patterson |
16.2 |
| Tyler
Hansbrough |
14.2 |
| Terrence
Ross |
12.0 |
| James
Johnson |
18.5 |
| Jordan
Hamilton |
12.7 |
| Chuck
Hayes |
9.6 |
| Greg
Stiemsma |
9.7 |
| Lucas
Nogueira |
Rookie |
| Landry
Fields |
8.6 |
One of the feel-good stories of the 2014 postseason, the Toronto Raptors will be back in the playoffs this season as nearly all of the roster from last season returns for more feel-good moments. DeMar DeRozan will continue to play at the not-quite-an-all-star level while Kyle Lowry will also proceed along his career redemption. The only new face of any importance is former Sixer and Hawks Guard Lou Williams. Williams has had problems with his health the past two seasons in Atlanta but prior to that, he looked like Leandro Barbosa in his prime. If the Raptors can get that Lou Williams, they have a legitimate chance of making the finals.
Washington Wizards Head Coach: Randy Wittman 2013-14: 44-38
| John Wall |
19.5 |
| Bradley
Beal |
14.3 |
| Marcin
Gortat |
18.4 |
| Nene |
|
16.6 |
| Paul
Pierce |
16.8 |
| Martell
Webster |
11.5 |
| Kris
Humphries |
18.2 |
| Andre
Miller |
14.6 |
| DeJuan
Blair |
17.3 |
| Kevin
Seraphin |
12.5 |
| Drew
Gooden |
18.4 |
| Rasual
Butler |
12.2 |
| Otto
Porter Jr. |
6.0 |
| Garrett
Temple |
7.8 |
| Daniel
Orton |
10.5 |
John Wall is great, Bradley Beal is so close he can almost taste it, Marcin Gortat got paid like he's great (and from time to time, he is), and Paul Pierce is now in the lineup. What could possibly go wrong? Well for one, injuries are always possible with any player of any sport at any moment and I'm not convinced on Randy Wittman being the right coach for this team. I'm not diminishing Wittman's accomplishments up to this point, I'm just wondering if this team's future actually lies with Wittman at head coach. The Wizards' bench has gotten much better with the additions of Kris Humphries, DeJuan "No ACLs" Blair, Drew Gooden, and Rasual Butler. In retrospect, it's stunning that this team actually took Otto Porter Jr. with the #3 overall pick and what a wasted draft the 2013 draft actually was. Washington is in for another playoff appearance but anything longer than two rounds will be amazing.
Dallas Mavericks Head Coach: Rick Carlisle 2013-14: 49-33
| Dirk Nowitzki |
23.6 |
| Monta
Ellis |
16.8 |
| Chandler
Parsons |
15.9 |
| Tyson
Chandler |
16.4 |
| Brandan
Wright |
23.5 |
| Devin
Harris |
14.6 |
| Jameer
Nelson |
13.9 |
| Raymond
Felton |
12.9 |
| Al-Farouq
Aminu |
13.2 |
| Jae
Crowder |
11.3 |
| Richard
Jefferson |
11.8 |
| Greg
Smith |
13.7 |
| Charlie
Villanueva |
12.7 |
| Doron
Lamb |
7.5 |
| Ricky
Ledo |
12.7 |
The first team in alphabetical order in the West had a surprising offseason that begun with the trading of Point Guard Jose Calderon and Center Sam Dalembert after one season with the team. In return, Dallas received Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, and a clearer picture of improvement this upcoming season. Last year was Monta Ellis's breakout season and with Dirk still being Dirk, Dallas is playoff-bound once again. Quieter acquisitions of the no-longer-overpaid Richard Jefferson, once-promising Doron Lamb, Al-Farouq Aminu, and veteran Point Guard Jameer Nelson make up a deep bench that was not very good last season. The biggest of the big moves was signing Small Forward Chandler Parsons to a 3-year/$36 million contract. This team is much younger than the one that won the Finals in 2011 and best of all, they're all experienced. It wouldn't shock me to see Dallas create havoc via the upset in a playoff series against the Spurs.
Denver Nuggets Head Coach: Brian Shaw 2013-14: 36-46
| Ty Lawson |
19.0 |
| Kenneth
Faried |
19.8 |
| Arron
Afflalo |
16.0 |
| Wilson
Chandler |
12.4 |
| Nate
Robinson |
15.6 |
| JaVale
McGee |
10.2 |
| Danilo
Gallinari |
DNP |
| J.J.
Hickson |
16.2 |
| Randy
Foye |
13.3 |
| Gary
Harris |
Rookie |
| Timofey
Mozgov |
16.7 |
| Darrell
Arthur |
9.4 |
| Alonzo
Gee |
8.6 |
| Jusuf
Nurkic' |
Rookie |
| Quincy
Miller |
8.6 |
Brian Shaw's first year in charge of the Nuggets was the worst-case scenario for Shaw outside of Kenneth Faried getting seriously injured. Danilo Gallinari was never able to come back, Wilson Chandler couldn't stay healthy, Nate Robinson tore his ACL, JaVale McGee got hurt, and the Shooting Guard play was abysmal. Luckily for Shaw, Denver made some moves to improved that position and most of the injured players are finally all healthy again. The Nuggets' key players are still Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried but, with McGee, Robinson, and Chandler all healthy again, this team could be in for a shocker of a comeback season. The caveat with this team, as always with teams with health issues is, will they stay healthy? Can we trust Denver to stay 100% all year long? I won't believe it until I see it. The one thing this team has to fall back on in case of emergency is the additions of Shooting Guards Arron Afflalo (free agency) and Gary Harris (draft). The Nuggets are one of the more impossible to predict teams and in a crazy good conference, I don't think they have the talent to pass up a Dallas or a Houston. This season is all about figuring out whether or not Brian Shaw is worth all of the coaching hype he received prior to being hired.
Golden State Warriors Head Coach: Steve Kerr 2013-14: 51-31
| Stephen Curry |
24.1 |
| David
Lee |
19.1 |
| Klay
Thompson |
14.3 |
| Andre
Iguodala |
13.7 |
| Andrew
Bogut |
17.0 |
| Draymond
Green |
12.7 |
| Shaun
Livingston |
14.5 |
| Marreese
Speights |
15.2 |
| Harrison
Barnes |
9.8 |
| Leandro
Barbosa |
11.5 |
| Festus
Ezeli |
DNP |
| Brandon
Rush |
4.1 |
| Nemanja
Nedovic' |
Rookie |
| James
Michael McAdoo |
Rookie |
| Aaron
Craft |
Rookie |
Hold on for a minute... Aaron Craft and James Michael McAdoo are on NBA rosters? I'm surprised since I hadn't heard anything from either player since their glory days at Ohio State and North Carolina. Their impacts will be minimal unless they sign somewhere else. The starting five on this team (Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Lee, Bogut) is still one of the best starting fives in the NBA. Jarrett Jack is not walking through the Bay Area doors to save this bench though and they must rely on inconsistencies like Harrison Barnes, Leandro Barbosa, and Draymond Green for big minutes. One quietly huge name coming off the bench is Guard Shaun Livingston who has had one of the all-time bad luck careers, bouncing from team-to-team after suffering a freak injury and getting drafted by a terrible team (Mid-00's Clippers). Livingston's finally lived up to some of his potential the past few seasons with his quickness on otherwise slow teams like the Bucks and Nets. If Steve Kerr makes the championship in his first season coaching, he'll have Livingston to thank.
Houston Rockets Head Coach: Kevin McHale 2013-14: 54-28
| Dwight Howard |
21.3 |
| James
Harden |
23.5 |
| Trevor
Ariza |
15.8 |
| Terrence
Jones |
19.1 |
| Patrick
Beverley |
12.4 |
| Jeff
Adrien |
17.4 |
| Donatas
Motiejunas |
10.7 |
| Ish
Smith |
11.7 |
| Clint
Capela |
Rookie |
| Jason
Terry |
7.4 |
| Francisco
Garcia |
9.3 |
| Isaiah
Canaan |
9.5 |
| Troy
Daniels |
16.0 |
| Nick
Johnson |
Rookie |
| Robert
Covington |
15.0 |
|
|
The Rockets gained a reputation for being incapable of playing defense despite making the playoffs and more than making up for it on offense. This offseason saw the losses of defensive weaknesses Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons along with Omer "doesn't want to be a backup for Dwight" Asik. If Trevor Ariza, Ish Smith and Jason Terry are expected to make up for those losses, then that's a bit of a step backward for Houston. Donatas Motiejunas remains a three-point shooter and not much else. Kevin McHale remains a questionable head coach on the hot seat if Houston doesn't get out of the first round. There are some interesting pieces but it's hard to see Houston improve on last season's 54-28 record in the West.
Los Angeles Clippers Head Coach: Doc Rivers 2013-14: 57-25
| Chris Paul |
25.9 |
| Blake
Griffin |
23.9 |
| DeAndre
Jordan |
18.2 |
| Jamal
Crawford |
17.3 |
| Spencer
Hawes |
15.7 |
| J.J.
Redick |
16.6 |
| Matt
Barnes |
12.0 |
| Glen
Davis |
13.1 |
| Jordan
Farmar |
15.0 |
| Chris
Douglas-Roberts |
12.2 |
| Ekpe
Udoh |
7.6 |
| Hedo
Turkoglu |
11.3 |
| Jared
Cunningham |
6.5 |
| C.J.
Wilcox |
Rookie |
| Reggie
Bullock |
6.7 |
Congratulations Clippers! You no longer have a racist, senile owner! Now you have an overenthusiastic owner who
yells when he's happy! The NBA has handed you Chris Paul, a new owner, and you have three great deep shooters in J.J. Redick, Spencer Hawes, and Jamal Crawford. IT. IS. TIME. If everything has gone right up to this point, this team NEEDS to win the championship this year or all hell will break loose. DeAndre Jordan is in a contract year and will likely get paid a max contract by somebody else, Blake Griffin is still healthy despite getting shoved around all over the floor, and Chris Paul has gone a few years without hampering injuries. The bench is good as long as Glen "Big Baby" Davis can stay out of the tabloids and Hedo Turkoglu doesn't party too hard in L.A. as he did in Toronto.
Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach: Byron Scott 2013-14: 27-55
| Kobe Bryant |
10.7 |
| Carlos
Boozer |
14.4 |
| Jeremy
Lin |
14.3 |
| Nick
Young |
16.0 |
| Steve
Nash |
12.2 |
| Jordan
Hill |
19.3 |
| Julius
Randle |
Rookie |
| Ed
Davis |
15.9 |
| Wayne
Ellington |
12.2 |
| Ryan
Kelly |
12.6 |
| Xavier
Henry |
12.3 |
| Jeremy
Tyler |
13.0 |
| Robert
Sacre' |
12.1 |
| Wesley
Johnson |
11.0 |
| Ronnie
Price |
7.6 |
Kobe is one of the greatest to have ever played in the NBA but Mr. Bryant, it's over. The contract that the Buss family handed Bryant was completely earned and understandable but terrible from a team-building standpoint. This is a lottery team that won't have great odds in the lottery if Kobe stays healthy. Luckily, the team was shockingly entertaining last season and a team featuring Kobe, Carlos Boozer's shoe-shine hair style, Linsanity, and Swaggy P is guaranteed to have a few incredible social media moments. It won't be dull but, it won't be pretty. Julius Randle is the one hope LA's #2 team will have for an 8th seed in the playoffs.
Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach: Dave Joerger 2013-14: 50-32
| Marc Gasol |
18.2 |
| Mike
Conley |
20.0 |
| Zach
Randolph |
18.3 |
| Tony
Allen |
15.6 |
| Vince
Carter |
15.9 |
| Courtney
Lee |
13.5 |
| Kosta
Koufos |
16.5 |
| Nick
Calathes |
12.3 |
| Jordan
Adams |
Rookie |
| Jon Leuer |
|
17.6 |
| Quincy
Pondexter |
10.3 |
| Tayshaun
Prince |
8.2 |
| Earl
Clark |
9.1 |
| Beno
Udrih |
12.7 |
| Jarnell
Stokes |
Rookie |
Are the Grizzlies too old to do it? Is there too much defense, not enough offense? These are all valid problems to ponder. Likely, the duo of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol will be too much for the other big men in the Western Conference. The team also kept Tony Allen, providing a vicious force on defense at Shooting Guard. Vince Carter is past his prime but has redeemed himself as a solid shooter who no longer relies on game-stopping dunks to boost his reputation. With a team full of (wait for the pun...) grizzled veterans, the Grizzlies are a dominant team with some solid depth (including two very nice rookies in Jordan Adams and Jarnell Stokes) that can make a name for themselves come playoff time.
PS: I totally just jinxed them with my high praise since I had them going to the Finals last year.
Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach: Flip Saunders 2013-14: 40-42
| Nikola Pekovic' |
20.9 |
| Thaddeus
Young |
16.6 |
| Andrew
Wiggins |
Rookie |
| Ricky
Rubio |
15.4 |
| Kevin
Martin |
16.3 |
| Gorgui
Deng |
16.5 |
| Zach
LaVine |
Rookie |
| Anthony
Bennett |
6.9 |
| Corey
Brewer |
12.7 |
| Mo
Williams |
11.8 |
| Ronny
Turiaf |
13.9 |
| Chase
Budinger |
9.7 |
| J.J. Barea |
|
11.6 |
| Glenn
Robinson III |
Rookie |
| Shabazz
Muhammad |
13.1 |
The 2014 NBA Draft will be viewed as one of the greatest drafts in NBA history once everyone can fully reflect upon the careers of each player and the Timberwolves were lucky enough to land Andrew Wiggins (via trade, thanks Cavs!), Zach LaVine (Crazy hops, high ceiling, low floor), and Glenn Robinson III (Nobody else is open? might as well swish this three!). Kevin Love was a major loss and will cost this team a minimum of ten wins off of the 2013-14 season. There are still some veterans that will keep this team relevant including contract-year men in Thaddeus Young and Mo Williams. Nobody knows what the NBA is going to get out of Anthony Bennett. He could be in
much better shape and play like the #15 overall pick in an average draft or he could be Hasheem Thabeet and out of the NBA tomorrow. Either way, the 2013 NBA Draft sucked. Look out for the Pekovic'-Dieng Center combination to dominate teams with Tiago Splitter and Birdman Anderson at Center.
New Orleans Pelicans Head Coach: Monty Williams 2013-14: 34-48
| Anthony Davis |
26.5 |
| Jrue
Holiday |
17.1 |
| Tyreke
Evans |
18.4 |
| Ryan
Anderson |
18.8 |
| Eric
Gordon |
14.9 |
| Omer
Asik |
14.0 |
| Jimmer
Fredette |
15.8 |
| Alexis
Ajinca |
14.6 |
| Jeff
Withey |
15.2 |
| Austin
Rivers |
11.6 |
| Luke
Babbitt |
12.1 |
| John
Salmons |
7.8 |
| Darius
Miller |
9.0 |
| Dionte
Christmas |
11.1 |
| Russ
Smith |
Rookie |
Year two of the Pellies (don't shorten Pelicans, it's not a good shortening) includes many of the same cast plus the new Center, Omer Asik, and a three-point shooter looking to redeem his career, Jimmer Fredette. I was surprised when the Bulls chose to let go of Fredette as he's been semi-effective in limited playing time before and could make a big difference on an average NBA team at some point in his career. Austin Rivers is officially a bust but, still hanging around as he'll get even less playing time. John Salmons is on the team to keep the locker room sane. Anthony Davis is a superstar burgeoning on super-duper star status, and Jrue Holiday is looking to return to semi-all-star form while Tyreke Evans continues to be an overpaid and overplayed sixth-man. The Pelicans are one of many teams looking to sneak into the bottom three playoff spots in the East and will only get there is Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon are put into the correct roles.
Oklahoma City Thunder Head Coach: Scott Brooks 2013-14: 59-23
| Kevin Durant |
29.8 |
| Russell
Westbrook |
24.7 |
| Serge
Ibaka |
19.6 |
| Steven
Adams |
11.2 |
| Reggie
Jackson |
15.4 |
| Anthony
Morrow |
13.9 |
| Jeremy
Lamb |
13.4 |
| Nick
Collison |
11.8 |
| Mitch
McGary |
Rookie |
| Kendrick
Perkins |
6.3 |
| Perry
Jones III |
10.0 |
| Andre
Roberson |
9.0 |
| Grant
Jerrett |
DNP |
| Lance
Thomas |
0.5 |
| Sebastian
Telfair |
DNP |
Apparently, the Thunder's secondary team color is something called "Thunder Red" which does not exist anywhere outside of Oklahoma City so I apologize about the abomination of a font that I have their team name in... blame them. Jeremy Lamb needs to turn into something resembling an NBA starter IMMEDIATELY or this team is losing Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Anthony Morrow is a no-name Shooting Guard who, seemingly every bad NBA team has had at one point or another and now that he's on a good team with a bad bench, it's anybody's guess what his season will amount to. Mitch McGary was a great addition for a team that needed a backup Forward with any type of basketball talent at all. The fact that Andre Roberson is now the team's starting Shooting Guard and Kevin Durant is out for two or three months are frightening and could have serious playoff ranking implications but, luckily for OKC, I am the only person in America praising Russell Westbrook as a more important basketball player than Kevin Durant. Whether that means they'll be fine or not, we'll see. I like their chances.
Phoenix Suns Head Coach: Jeff Hornacek 2013-14: 48-34
| Goran Dragic' |
21.4 |
| Eric
Bledsoe |
19.6 |
| Isaiah
Thomas |
20.5 |
| Markieff
Morris |
18.4 |
| Gerald
Green |
16.5 |
| P.J.
Tucker |
13.3 |
| Miles
Plumlee |
14.6 |
| Marcus
Morris |
14.8 |
| T.J.
Warren |
Rookie |
| Anthony
Tolliver |
11.0 |
| Alex
Len |
7.3 |
| Archie
Goodwin |
10.3 |
| Zoran
Dragic' |
Rookie |
| Tyler
Ennis |
Rookie |
| Shavlik
Randolph |
7.7 |
The Suns of 2013-14 were unbelievably shocking and sadly, weren't on national TV as everybody assumed they were still in a post-Steve Nash depression phase. The 2014-15 season brings new life and new hope to the Phoenix Suns who were 48-34 last year thanks to some of the finest coaching anybody has seen from a first-year head coach. Hopefully, the loss of Channing Frye's jumper doesn't affect this team too much and with ANOTHER young Point Guard (Isaiah Thomas) added into the fold, this team is going to be wildly entertaining once again. Alex Len and his ability to break bones will be tested this season as he is still healthy as of October 23rd and could be the wildcard player Phoenix needs to catapult them into the postseason.
Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach: Terry Stotts 2013-14: 54-28
| LaMarcus Aldridge |
21.8 |
| Damian
Lillard |
18.6 |
| Robin
Lopez |
17.7 |
| Nicolas
Batum |
15.8 |
| Wesley
Matthews |
15.7 |
| Thomas
Robinson |
14.1 |
| Chris
Kaman |
17.0 |
| Steve
Blake |
11.0 |
| Will
Barton |
13.5 |
| C.J.
McCollum |
9.0 |
| Dorell
Wright |
11.9 |
| Meyers
Leonard |
9.4 |
| Joel
Freeland |
11.3 |
| Diante
Garrett |
7.1 |
| Allen
Crabbe |
7.7 |
Portland found a way to upset the behemoth Houston Rockets team playing them in the first round last season before being ousted by eventual-champion San Antonio. That way? by having all of the starting five play terrific basketball while the bench played well consistently also. How can Portland keep that up again? They probably can't but, with Steve Blake replacing Mo Williams, we are basically looking at the same team as last year. If C.J. McCollum were ever to become something, now would be a good team as he is on the trading block if any other need arises for Portland in their playoff hunt. Overall, Damian Lillard, Robin Lopez, Nicolas Batum, the underappreciated Wesley Matthews and LaMarcus Aldridge are all returning so Portland is in for another feel-good season but will it feel good enough for them to be a playoff team in the feel-great conference again?
Sacramento Kings Head Coach: Mike Malone 2013-14: 28-54
| DeMarcus Cousins |
26.1 |
| Rudy
Gay |
19.6 |
| Darren
Collison |
16.2 |
| Jason
Thompson |
11.1 |
| Ramon
Sessions |
16.0 |
| Derrick
Williams |
11.9 |
| Nik
Stauskas |
Rookie |
| Ben
McLemore |
7.7 |
| Omri
Casspi |
12.9 |
| Ryan
Hollins |
11.9 |
| Reggie
Evans |
11.7 |
| Ray
McCallum |
9.7 |
| Carl
Landry |
11.2 |
| Deonte
Burton |
Rookie |
| Sim
Bhullar |
Rookie |
Boogie is still in charge but thanks to an early in-season trade, Sacramento picked up Rudy Gay and redeemed his career as he is a perfect fit in Mike Malone's offense. You know who else was a good fit in Malone's offense? Isaiah Thomas. They will miss him dearly as he was replaced by a time-share of Darren Collison and Ramon Sessions. The bench may be looking slightly better but this is still the Kings and they are the Kings of nothing right now. Actually, how did they get the name Kings? Who made them king of anything?
Even Sara Bareilles is wondering the same thing. Nobody is quite sure how Nik Stauskas and Ben McLemore can play on the same team and once that's figured out, I doubt anyone will be watching a Kings game with their fullest attention span this season.
Your defending 2014 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs Head Coach: Gregg Popovich 2013-14: 62-20
| Tim Duncan |
21.3 |
| Tony
Parker |
18.9 |
| Kawhi
Leonard |
19.4 |
| Manu
Ginobili |
20.0 |
| Patty
Mills |
18.7 |
| Tiago
Splitter |
16.5 |
| Marco
Belinelli |
15.0 |
| Danny
Green |
13.9 |
| Boris
Diaw |
14.1 |
| Cory
Joseph |
14.7 |
| Jeff
Ayres |
11.1 |
| Matt
Bonner |
11.2 |
| Austin
Daye |
11.0 |
| Aron
Baynes |
9.7 |
| Kyle
Anderson |
Rookie |
What can I say that hasn't been said already? They're the defending champions. Everybody is coming back outside of an injured Patty Mills who will miss a few months. The team won't dominate in the regular season if their stars rest as often as they've earned but, all that rest will be worth it come postseason time as they look to repeat and earn coach Pop a sixth ring.
 |
David J. Phillip/AP Photo
Teezus? Is that a thing? |
2013-14 Predictions
Western Conference
1. San Antonio Spurs
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
3. Los Angeles Clippers
4. Golden State Warriors
5. Portland Trail Blazers
6. Houston Rockets
7. Dallas Mavericks
8. Memphis Grizzlies
9. Phoenix Suns
10. New Orleans Pelicans
11. Los Angeles Lakers
12. Sacramento Kings
13. Denver Nuggets
14. Minnesota Timberwolves
15. Utah Jazz
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Chicago Bulls
3. Washington Wizards
4. Miami Heat
5. Toronto Raptors
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Charlotte Hornets
8. Brooklyn Nets
9. New York Knicks
10. Indiana Pacers
11. Detroit Pistons
12. Orlando Magic
13. Milwaukee Bucks
14. Boston Celtics
15. Philadelphia 76ers
 |
| I have the new-look Cavs exceeding expectations and clinching the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference |
There's a lot to like in the West and a lot to hate in the East still but, not every team in the Western Conference will have 49+ wins like last year. The Pacers aren't making the playoffs while Rodney Stuckey leads the team in scoring. Something weird will happen to the Nuggets, resulting in a horror-story season. The Nets will make the playoffs over the Knicks because c'mon... it's the Knicks! they aren't good.
MVP: Lebron James (total cop-out, couldn't see anybody else doing it)
ROTY: Jabari Parker
DPOTY: Dwight Howard (I'll keep picking him for this award until I'm right)
6th Man: Isaiah Thomas
Coach of the Year: David Blatt
Most Improved: Victor Oladipo
Western Playoffs
1st Round
SAS 4 - MEM 1
OKC 4 - DAL 2
LAC 4 - HOU 1
POR 4 - GSW 3
2nd Round
SAS 4 - POR 1
LAC 4- OKC 2
Western Conference Finals
LAC 4 - SAS 2
Eastern Playoffs
1st Round
CLE 4 - BRK 0
CHA 4 - CHI 3
WAS 4 - ATL 3
TOR 4 - MIA 2
2nd Round
CLE 4 - TOR 2
WAS 4 - CHA 3
Eastern Conference Finals
CLE 4 - WAS 3
ANDY TODD'S BIG BAD NBA CHAMPIONSHIP 2014-15 PREDICTION
Los Angeles Clippers over the Cleveland Cavaliers in 7 games.
 |
Image: Noel Vasquez/CG IMAGES
"You take this trophy and you run with it, Steve." |
I was in the Charles Barkley group of picking against the Clippers simply based off the team's history and Chris Paul's lack of playoff success but, this year presents a new Clipper team, a happy Clipper team, a less racist Clipper team. There will be stars galore as THE big three (Lebron, Love, Kyrie) vs. LA's big three in possibly their final season together (Blake, CP3, DeAndre Jordan). It's going to be an amazing series and with Ray Allen signing in Cleveland at the last possible minute (1 day before the season?), there will be plenty of buzzer-beaters and last-minute excitement. I can't wait for this season to play out completely differently from how I have things falling but it's just so sweet to have the NBA back in our lives again while the World Series finishes up and football continues onward. Best of luck to your teams of choice!
