Now that the dust has settled, what might the season now look like? With all the movement, this is hopefully close to representive rosters and I'm sure there are a few names missed. Lakers: Gained some (Schroder/Harrell/Matthews, Gasol), lost some (Avery/Rondo/Howard/Green) Schroder/KCP/James/AD/Gasol with Kuzma/Harrell/Matthews/Caruso Still the team to beat although might not finish as the #1 seed. Clippers: Gained Ibaka, Kennard while losing Harrell Ivica Zubac/Morris/Leonard/George/Beverly with Ibaka/Patterson/Kennard Seems like the Clippers got better with Ibaka and Kennard. Will they come back with a vengence after falling short last season? Leonard is no Dame when it comes to being a leader and I think it affects PG13. Nuggets: Lost a lot in Plumlee, Grant and Craig while adding Millsap Jokic/Green/Porter/Barton/Murry with Millsap/Harris/Hartenstein/Morris Hard to see how the Nuggets didn't take a step back with all their losses and the age of Millsap. Jazz: Added Favors, re-signed Clarkson, lost Ed Davis Gobert/Favors/Bogdanovic?/Mitchell/Conley with Ingles/O'Neill/ Clarkson It seems to come down to health with the Jazz. Favors is a solid add, but otherwise feels like a redux. Mavericks: Added Cauley-Stein, James Johnson, re-signed Barea, lost Wright, S Curry, Justin Jackson Stein?/Porzingas/Richardson/Hardaway/Doncic with Johnson/Boban/Barea/Powell Surprised they let Curry go. Their progress will go as Porzingis/Doncic go. Suns: Added Crowder, Carter, Jones, Moore, lost Baynes, Kaminsky and Saric? Ayton/Crowder?/Bridges/Booker/Paul with Johnson, Payne and Moore Paul will make them better and takes pressure off Booker. Thunder: Added Horford, Ariza, Jackson, Leaf, Green and endless Draft picks. SGA and a bunch of chaff. Outside of all their acquired Draft picks, their own should be pretty high up. Grizzlies: Added Melton, Porter Valanciunas/Jackson/Winslow/Brooks/Morant with Clarke, Slo-Mo, Gieng and Allen. One of the more exciting, talented young rosters in the NBA. Jackson has to get healthy. Rockets: Added Wood, lost Covington. It's tough to project a lineup here as they are in chaos. Who knows what happens here but even if everyone comes back, might be a mental challenge. Warriors: Added Wiseman, Oubre, Wannamaker, Bazemore, losing Thompson to injury. Wiseman/Green/Oubre/Wiggins/Curry with Looney, Pachall, Baze and Wannamaker. Will be much better. Oubre/Baze won't replace Thompson, but they should make the Playoffs. .....and your Portland Trail Blazers: Added Covington, Kanter, Jones, Giles re-signed Hood and Melo. Lost Ariza, Whiteside, Hezonja. (no one is losing any sleep over those last two) Nurkic/RoCo/Hood?/CJ/Dame with Kanter, Melo, Jones, Trent and Collins when healthy. Tremendous upgrades in depth and defense but still no additional playmaker which has been a problem. 1. Lakers 2. Clippers 3-10 is anyone's guess. Mavs should take a step up. Blazers will be better. Nuggets may take a step back even with Jokic/Murray getting better. Warriors if healthy outside of Thompson could be dangerous. Memphis is exciting and should be better. Utah feels stagnant but still a Playoff team. Suns will make expanded Playoffs. Houston...whatever comes of that mess. Pelicans will be on TV a lot. T-Wolves...not sure what their plan is. Kings are still....the Kings San Antonio has become an afterthought. OKC plummets.
Western Conference Portland Trail Blazers Added: Robert Covington Derrick Jones Jr Enes Kanter Harry Giles Lost: Hassan Whiteside Trevor Ariza Mario Hezonja Jaylen Adams Wenyen Gabriel Jaylen Hoard Upgraded with every signing. Blazers also resigned Rodney Hood and Carmelo Anthony. The brought back Enes Kanter who helped them to the WCF two seasons ago and all it cost was Mario Hezonja. Turning Ariza into Covington was a bit pricy at two 1sts, but worth it. Both Jones and Giles give Portland more depth. The Blazers had one of the best offseasons in the NBA. If they can stay healthy they are a top 4 team in the west. Los Angeles Lakers Added: Dennis Schroder Montrezl Harrell Wes Matthews Marc Gasol Jordan Bell Alfonzo Mckinnie Lost: Rajon Rondo Avery Bradley Danny Green Dwight Howard Quinn Cook JaVale McGee The Lakers lost a lot of core players from last postseasons championship. They bolstered defense with Schroder and Harrell. Wes Matthews isn't what he used to be and Gasol is at the end of his NBA journey. They will miss the physicality of Dwight Howard and the championship experience of Danny Green. The Lakers still have some pieces to add and no doubt will find some coattails riders for cheap. We will have to wait and see how the chemistry works out with this new fangled Lakers team. As the defending champions and with Lebron still at the helm they remain the number one team to beat. Los Angeles Clippers Added: Serge Ibaka Luke Kennard Lost: Montrezl Harrell Rodney McGruder Landry Shamet JaMychal Green The Clippers were hurt by the exit of Harrell and surprised too (See Patrick Beverly's response), but were saved from falling down the stack with the arrival of Serge Ibaka in free agency. Losing JaMychal Green hurt too as it carved away at their front court, but they resigned Marcus Morris and look to sign brother Markieff. Kennard is an upgrade over Shamet. The Clippers still have a few spots to fill and will stay near the top of the heap in the western conference. Denver Nuggets Added: Jamychal Green Isaiah Hartenstein RJ Hampton Vlatko Cancer Lost: Jerami Grant Mason Plumlee Torrey Craig Noah Vonleh Ouch! The Nuggets took a gut punch when it comes to their losses in the front court. Grant and Plumlee left to Detroit and they thought they would be getting Blake Griffin back in a S&T, but it fell through. They were able to resign Millsap, Bol and Porter Jr will pick up more minutes, and they still have a very talented young core, but they have definitely taken a step back. Houston Rockets Added: Christian Wood Kenny Wooten Lost: Robert Covington Jeff Green Austin Rivers The Rockets are in chaos. They want to trade Russell Westbrook(they are trying to trade him for Wall) and James Harden wants to go to the Nets. It appeared they were tearing down shop after many players wanted out due to team owner Tillman Fortitta's political preferences. The Covington trade serm to signal they were ready to indeed waive the white flag, no pun intended. Secretly, or not so secretly they are desperate for Harden to stay. Much to the sighing relief of fans they were able to nab Christian Wood from the Pistons. They lost Austin Rivers to the Knicks and Jeff Green to the Nets (though he doesn't seem to hang around for long). Wood will help them out, but the damage to chemistry may be done after the franchises issues being made public. Houston is likely a playoff team, but they still are missing several pieces to be a contender. Utah Jazz Added: Derrick Favors Lost: Ed Davis Tony Bradley The Jazz resigned Jordan Clarkson and maxed out Donovan Mitchell. They improve a little bit with adding back Favors to the stack, but are about the same. Maybe Mike Conley will hit the series buzzer beater this time around. Phoenix Suns Added: Chris Paul Jae Crowder Damion Jones Abdel Nader Etwaun Moore Lost: Kelly Oubre Jr Aaron Baynes Ricky Rubio Frank Kaminsky Ty Jerome Jaylen Lecque The Suns who just missed the playoffs last season after an amazing streak of games in the restart, have went all in to pair Chris Paul with Devin Booker. Baynes was a big part of what they had going on, as was Oubre Jr and Rubio. They will have to form a new identity now. They will have shooter Jae Crowder to help them. Having E'twaun Moore doesn't hurt. They still need some more pieces, but have improved. They will be a play in team. Golden State Warriors: Added: Kent Bazemore Kelly Oubre Jr James Wiseman Brad Wanamaker Lost: Ky Bowman Klay Thompson might as well be in the lost column. He is out for the season with an Achilles injury just as he was set to return from an ACL injury. Oubre and Bazemore help to make up for some of that loss, but not really. The Warriors did draft James Wiseman, who along with a now healthy Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and youngsters like Eric Paschall will still pack a punch, but how big of one? With Klay they would have been a top 4 team in the West, as it is they will still be a play in team, if not just above. Dallas Mavericks: Added: Josh Richardson Wes Iwundu James Johnson Tyler Bey Lost: Seth Curry Delon Wright Justin Jackson The Mavericks got better with moving Curry for Richardson. Not to mention signing up and coming Wes Iwundu. Porzingis is still mending from his torn meniscus. Its never good when a big man injures his knee (,take that it from a Blazer fan), but hopefully he comes back from it as he was. Luka Doncic will only get better, and the Mavs chemistry, with many players returning, will build. They will climb from 7th last year. How high? Thats the question. San Antonio Spurs Added: Devin Vassell Sterling Brown Lost: Bryan Forbes Chimezie Metu The Spurs remain much the same after DeMar DeRozan opted in. There were rumors of Aldridge being traded, but nothing came of it. They were quiet this week in free agency. The Spurs drafted guard forward Devin Vassell and signed Sterling Brown. They lost Bryan Forbes, but have such a litany of guards its no surprise though one left. Their team is much the same and will probably once again find themselves in the race for the playoffs, but sitting right outside the window. Still, never count out Popovich Sacramento Kings Added: Tyler Halliburton Lost: Bogdan Bogdanovich (most likely) Harry Giles The Kings ousted GM Vlade Divac this summer and looked to recreate themselves. They spent most of free agency maxing out De'Aron Fox and putting together a trade that would send Bogdanovic to the Bucks in a S&T....only one problem...Bogdanovic wasn't asked first and nixed it. The Kings are being investigated for tampering after news of the trade, involving a free agent got out before the start of free agency. The Kings also let Harry Giles walk away, but a talented young core that has much growing to do. Another fringe playoffs team that will fight for an appearance in the Play-ins Oklahoma City Thunder Added: Al Horford Trevor Ariza Darius Miller Justin Jackson Josh Gray Zylan Cheatham Kendrick Williams Aleksej Pokusevski Theo Maledon Vincent Porier Lost: Chris Paul Steven Adams Danilo Gallinari Nerlens Noel Abdel Nader Andre Roberson Their soul I feel bad for the Thunder fans. They must be devastating. They somehow found a way to make the playoffs last season after losing both stars in the offseason. Chris Paul wanted to stay. Steven Adams was the last remenent of the old guard. The Thunder are completely in rebuild mode. They could pull the trigger on another trade at any moment. Hell, I am surprised Horford is still there, as new traded players haven't had time to pack their bags before they are off again some where else. The Thunder have more future draft picks than tornadoes in storm season. Perhaps, there is a bright future ahead with all those picks, but they will be in the basement this season. They give the Timberwolves hope, knowing they won't be last this year. New Orleans Pelicans Added: Steven Adams Eric Bledsoe Kira Lewis Lost: Jrue Holiday Derrick Favors Darius Miller Josh Gray Zylan Cheatham Kendrick Williams E'Twaun Moore The Pelicans got better adding Adams and Bledsoe. Losing the defensive presence of Holiday hurts, but Zion can only get better. With a more than decent supporting cast around him the Pelicans will be looking for the Playoffs. Minnesota Timberwolves Added: Anthony Edwards Ricky Rubio Ed Davis Jaden McDaniels Leandro Bolomaro Lost: Evan Turner Omari Spellman Jacob Evans James Jones The Timberwolves entertained trading the 1st pick in the draft, but ended up taking Anthony Edwards for themselves. They also threw lots of money at guard Malik Beasley. They will get better this season and move up a seed or 2, but they won't be making the playoffs. Memphis Grizzlies Added: Mario Hezonja Desmond Bane Xavier Tillman Lost: Josh Jackson The Grizzlies are much the same as last season. They might well have made the playoffs if not for the season ending injury to Jaren Jackson Jr. They have a bright exciting young core that grow more together this season. Watch out because they will fight once again for their first postseason birth in 4 years. 1. Lakers 2. Clippers 3. Blazers 4. Mavericks 5. Nuggets 6. Jazz 7. Suns 8. Warriors 9. Rockets 10. Grizzlies 11. Pelicans 12. Spurs 13. Kings 14. Timberwolves 15. Thunder
Tier 1: Lakers Tier 2: Blazers, Mavs, Clippers Tier 3: Nuggets, Jazz, Grizz Tier 4: Rockets, Warriors, Thunder Tier 5: The rest are lottery teams without major moves
Eastern Conference: Milwaukee Bucks Added: Jrue Holiday Bryan Forbes Torrey Craig Bobby Portis DJ Augustin Lost: Eric Bledsoe George Hill Ersan Illyasova Robin Lopez Wes Matthews Cam Reynolds The Bucks really needed to make some moves to keep star Giannis Antetokounmpo interested. The immediately traded for Jrue Holiday then had a deal lined up for Bogdan Bogdanovich that embarrassingly fell through. Things might be awkward between the team and players Donte Divincenzo and DJ Wilson who were supposed to be on the way out. Their moves seem to be horizontal ones. Though Jrue Holiday, Augustin, and Forbes are perhaps a better back court than an aging Hill and Bledsoe. The Bucks lost Robin Lopez but gained Bobby Portis. The Bucks will still be around the top of the east, but are the moves good enough to keep Giannis around? That remains to be seen. Boston Celtics: Added: Tristan Thompson Jeff Teague Aaron Nesmith Payton Pritchard Lost: Gordon Hayward Enes Kanter Victor Porier Brad Wanamaker The Celtics got better in the backcourt with the addition of Teague, but worse overall. They lost Gordon Hayward for nothing after fumbling a deal with Indiana for Oladipo. Their already nearly non existent front court thinned out more after trading both Kanter and Porier. They signed Tristan Thompson to go with Theis. The Celtics made a deep push in the playoffs last postseason, making the Eastern conference finals where they fell to the heat. Did they do enough to make it to the finals this time around? Eh... Toronto Raptors Added: Aron Baynes Lost: Serge Ibaka Marc Gasol The Raptors spent most of the beginning of free agency focused on resigning Vanvleet. Hope Lowry doesn't get jealous of his new contract. They also brought back Chris Boucheron and kept their young nucleus intact. While they were doing that Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol eloped to LA to join the Clippers and Lakers respectively, thinning Toronto's frontcourt. Luckily they landed free agent Aaron Baynes to counter some of that loss. The Raptors will still be good in the east, maybe even better. Philadelphia 76ers Added: Seth Curry Danny Green Dwight Howard Terrence Ferguson Lost: Al Horford Josh Richardson The 76ers needed some change after a underwhelming postseason. They moved Josh Richardson to Dallas for Seth Curry and Al Horford to OKC for Danny Green and Terrence Ferguson. They also snatched Dwight Howard away from the defending champion Lakers. Did they get better? They got more shooters. They traded finesse and shooting in the frontcourt for physicality...which they could use. We will see if these changes in the roster bring about a new attitude in the city of brotherly love. Indiana Pacers Added: Jalen Lecque Lost: TJ Leaf The Indiana Pacers had one of the least active offseasons in terms of what they got done. There is one less TJ and that is about it. The Pacers resigned Justin Holiday and traded TJ Leaf. They were in talks to try and land Gordon Hayward in a sign and trade but didn't want to part with Mike's Turner or TJ Warren. Hayward went elsewhere and the Pacers remain much the same team as last season. Maybe a new Nate at the helm will have better success with the returning roster. Brooklyn Nets Added: Landry Shamet Bruce Brown Jeff Green Lost: Dzanan Musa The Nets improved with the additions of Bruce Brown and Landry Shamet even as they continued to pray for the basketball gods for Houston to waive the white flag and trade them Harden who has expressed his desire to take his talents to Brooklyn. Still, the Nets will have a healthy Kevin Durant and Kylie Irving and as good as they were last year without them in the restart, they will be even better. The Nets look to be part of the race for the top seed in the east. If they get Harden, which seems less and less likely, it's theirs. Washington Wizards Added: Robin Lopez Raul Neto Deni Avdija Anthony Gill Yoeli Childs Lost: The Wizards remain in talks to trade star guard John Wall (To Houston for Westbrook is the concensus), so there is feeling of limbo there. We don't know how Bradley Beal is feeling these days about staying in the US Capitol either. Washington resigned Davis Bertan to an insane contract and brought in Robin Lopez via free agency as well as drafted Dani Avdija. They look to be better next season. How much better is the question. Atlanta Hawks Added: Danilo Galinari Bogdan Bogdanovich (perhaps) Rajon Rondo Tony Snell Khryi Thomas Kris Dunn Lost: Dewayne Dedmon Vince Carter Damion Jones Skal Labissiere Trevon Graham The Atlanta Hawks had the best offseason in the eastern conference and perhaps in the league if they manage to snare Bogdan Bogdanovic(Sacramento has till midnight until he turns into a pumpkin). They add Galinari, Bogdanovic, Rondo, and Dunn to an already impressive young and exciting nucleus. They also drafted impressive big man Onyeka Okungwu. If the Bogdanovic deal goes through expect to be near if not at the top of the eastern conference next season. Charlotte Hornets Added: Gordon Hayward LaMelo Ball Lost: Nice Batum Dwayne Bacon The Hornets went big...way big! They signed Gordon Hayward to a 4 year $120 million contract. He will play alongside #3 draft pick LaMelo Ball. The Hornets will get better enough to be on national television a few times next season and make a playoff berth as a lower seed. New York Knicks Added: Nerlens Noel Austin Rivers Obi Toppin Jacob Evans Omari Spellman Lost: Bobby Portis Taj Gibson Maurice Harkless Wayne Ellington Kenny Wooten The Knicks tried hard to land Gordon Hayward and nearly did before he chose Charlotte. They did net Nerlens Noel to go with Julius Randle and the newly drafted Obi Toppin in the front court. They were able to resign Elkridge Payton and draw in Austin Rivers. They even turned the quick acquisition and flip of Ed Davis into three future draft picks and a few new players. The Knicks continue to rebuild, getting a little better, but still not good enough for a playoff run. Miami Heat Added: Maurice Harkless Avery Bradley Lost: Jae Crowder Derrick Jones Jr The eastern conference champion Heat quickly and surprisingly resigned Meyers Leonard to a more than generous contract. They also took Goran Dragic off the free agent list with haste. They lost Jae Crowder and Derrick Jones Jr but replaced them with Harkless and Bradley. While they lose some physicality and a bit of defense, they won't be hurt to much as Bradley is a solid defender and Harkless replaces the shooting of Crowder. The Heat keep their score of talented rookies intact for another season. The team can only get better. Orlando Magic Added: Dwayne Bacon Cole Anthony Lost: DJ Augustin Wes Iwundu Melvin Fraizer The Magic got worse losing guard DJ Augustin and talented youngster Wes Iwundu. They drafted Cole Anthony and signed Dwayne Bacon...Magic fans rejoice....yawn. The Magic were in talks with several teams including Portland and Houston to trade Aaron Gordon, but it never came to fruition. They will just have to hope another year of continuity will yield better results. As other teams in the east move up, they move down. Chicago Bulls Added: Patrick Williams Lost: Khris Dunn The Bulls were another team that has so far had a quiet offseason. They made noise in the draft picking Patrick Williams at #4 in the draft. Williams was projected to further down in the outer edge of the lottery. To their defense Williams is a beast. They made a good choice. Otto Porter Jr opted in expectedly and Kris Dunn left in FA to Atlanta. The Bulls aren't too far from being a low seed playoff team, but will find themselves sitting out the postseason again this year. Cleveland Cavaliers: Added: JaVale McGee Lost: Tristan Thompson Alfonzo Mckinnie Jordan Bell The Cavs were happy with Andre Drummond opting in. They lost Tristan Thompson to the Celtics, but took on JaVale McGee from LA in a last minute salary dump. The Cavs drafted defensive actor Isaac Okoro in the draft. The Cavs got better, but their only hope of not being last is if New York or Chicago have worse seasons. Detroit Pistons Added: Jerami Grant Mason Plumlee Jalil Okafor Killian Hayes Dzanan Musa Lost: Christian Wood Thon Maker Who knows what exactly the Pistons are up to. They drafted guard Killian Hayes and packed their frontcourt. They lost Christian Wood to Houston, but made up for it with Jerami Grant. They signed Mason Plumlee as well, plundering Denver, and then leaving them to burn after deciding not send Griffin to the Nuggets. If Griffin can stay healthy and Hayes can contribute immediately, with Jerami Grant on board, the Pistons could make a postseason appearance. 1. Bucks 2. Nets 3. Heat 4. Hawks 5. Celtics 6. Raptors 7. 76ers 8. Pacers 9. Wizards 10. Hornets 11. Magic 12. Pistons 13. Bulls 14. Knicks 15. Cavs
