2. Chicago – Gained Rip, but lost Bogans and Thomas’ D. Can Rose finally share the ball like a real PG and can the Bulls finally stop making the excuse that no one else on the team can score?
3. Boston – Core intact. still one of the toughest teams, but will continue to regret decision to trade Perk, esp. given Green’s situation
4. New York – So much fire power PLUS defense w/ addition of Chandler, Shumpert, and Woodson, but needs Davis to come back healthy badly for real PG play
5. Orlando – Uncertainty looms large, reminiscent of Denver last season
6. Atlanta – They are what they are, a bunch of talented players playing out of position with no depth. When will they end the Marvin Williams experiment and acquire a real center?
7. Milwaukee – If Bogut healthy, w/ addition of Jackson, may be one of the best defensive teams in the league. Also may be the worst shooting team in the history of the NBA
8. New Jersey – Lopez gone, Okur in. Will AK also join? It’s as if the Jazz split in half. The core of old Jazz, Avery, and the 2nd best PG in the league? Count me in.
9. Philadelphia – Can Elton Brand continue to produce? Can they continue to trot Hawes as starting Center and be successful?
10. Indiana – Can Hibbert gel with West? Is West ok after microfracture surgery? Can Paul George grow with Granger on the same team?
11. Washington – Wall will rise, but the rest of team won’t. too immature
12. Detroit – When will they let Dumars go? Resigned Prince…
13. Cleveland – Kyrie will impress, but too many nobodies
14. Toronto – No identity, no direction
15. Charlotte – When Maggette is your most reliable player, you are in trouble
2. OKC – With Perkins fully back and healthy, this team looks to take the next step in becoming one of the most well rounded team on both ends of the court
3. Dallas – Big loss with Tyson hurts less with acquisition of Odom. Their biggest loss is Barea, the one guy on this team that could break down defenses. Without another dangerous creator, is this team good enough offensively?
4. LA Lakers – So many questions, but talent alone is good enough for this spot. Can Kobe/Bynum stay clear of injuries? Do they address lack of creator outside of Kobe?
5. Spurs – No changes, window slowly coming to a close
6. Portland – We will miss the most fundamentally sound SG of the past decade. Solid team, but not serious contenders without Roy
7. Memphis – Rudy Gay is back. Team came together without him. Can they infuse him back into the new philosophy?
8. Golden State – Everyone healthy(curry’s ankle still a concern), many pieces added. Small back court still an issue, but depth no longer an issue. Will Lacob finally make the big move and trade Ellis?
9. Denver – Losing 3 players to china hurts. Tough gritty team and hard to count out Karl, but not the same team. Have to wonder if team truly believes Lawson can break out, given they’ve brought back Andre Miller
10. Houston – Mchale’s first full season will be interesting, but lost key defensive stopper Hayes. Can Lowry build on his new found late season dominance without Adelman’s directions?
11. Phoenix – It’s time to trade Nash and start over. Team stuck in mediocrity, but Nash to Gortat will still be a fun watch
12. Sacramento – Can they really run with Evans as PG? Experiment already failed number of times. Has Cousins grown out of immaturity? Will there be chemistry with so many 2 guards?
13. Minnesota – Intriguing amount of talent with Adelman for guidance. Not enough time for young players to grasp Adelman’s intricate playbooks, but perhaps one season away from becoming something special. This will be Love’s true breakout season, and Rubio looks to prove hype is real
14. Utah – Bleak future with loss of Sloan and identity. Every team Jefferson goes to is a loser, even the Jazz.
15. New Orleans – Future looks bright. Current situation looks to be a mess
tupark82 