NBA Hope Index: How far is each team from a ring heading into 2017-18?

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 12: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 12, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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DALLAS, TX – FEBRUARY 25: DeMarcus Cousins #0 and Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans at American Airlines Center on February 25, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

17. New Orleans Pelicans

It has been 20 years since the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan and formed a twin towers combo that went on to win two NBA Championships.

It’s 2017, and things done changed. Kevin Durant, who has spent most of his career as a small forward, played the most productive center minutes during this year’s NBA Finals. Needless to say, there is a significant question about the wisdom of building around two traditional big men.

These aren’t just any bigs though. The Pelicans are now one of maybe four teams to employ multiple top-15 NBA players. The problem is what surrounds them, or more accurately, what doesn’t.

Even if Jrue Holiday stays healthy, this team will struggle to shoot well enough to make it all work. If it doesn’t, there are multiple franchises around the league – including a prominent one in the Northeast with a recent history of making big trades and a GM who has the assets to make it happen – that will come calling for Davis.

Path to Glory: The AD/Boogie combo works better than expected, Holiday plays 78 games, and Rondo plays the season like every game is on TNT. After a semi-deep playoff run, they go all in by resigning Cousins and packaging existing salary with multiple unprotected future firsts for a final piece to the puzzle. Davis becomes the best player in the league in 2018-19 and Bourbon Street hosts a championship parade for the first time in a decade.

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