In our first installment of NBA Power Rankings, we explore where each team stands as the 2017-18 NBA season gets underway
The 2017-18 NBA season is officially here. NBA preseason is a thing of the past, and it’s full steam ahead.
After one of the most controversial offseaons in quite some time, it’s going to be interesting to see how the season unfolds. The Golden State Warriors are coming off one of the most dominant performances in league history, and we’ve seen more big names moved this summer than perhaps ever before.
This could be LeBron’s last hurray in Cleveland, and the Boston Celtics appear to finally have a team ready to take the East by storm.
Chris Paul is now in Houston and the Oklahoma City Thunder have put together a new Big 3. What does the 2017-18 NBA season have ins store? Not sure, but we’re defiantly ready to begin.
30. Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets likely won’t end the season as the worst team in the NBA this season, at least that’s not the expectation, but this is where they will start it.
During the offseason, the Nets did well by adding Timofey Mozgov, DeMarre Carroll, Allen Crabbe and D’Angelo Russell.
Those additions likely won’t make a huge impact in the way of wins and losses, but they will go a long way in developing and establishing the future in Brooklyn. And that’s arguably just as important as wins.
29. Atlanta Hawks
After losing Tim Hardaway Jr. and Paul Millsap this summer, it’s going to be extremely difficult to make a return to the playoffs. Quite frankly, it would actually be quite the accomplishment if this team was not a bottom 5 team in the conference.
The onus will fall on Dennis Schroder and Kent Bazemore. As good as those two players are, I’m just not sure they’re ready to be the focal points of any team.
The loss of Al Horford and Paul Millsap in back-to-back summers is going to be shown in full effect this year.
28. Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a team that could really end up surprising people this season. Not because of the immense talent that they have, but because of the young potential stars that they have on their roster.
Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox are two players that could erupt this season. The same could be said about Willie Cauley-Stein. But because they aren’t as sexy as other young players in the conference, they don’t get the same amount of “hype”
The Kings could be an extremely fun team to watch this season. Keep an eye on them.
27. Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA – that’s a statement that I feel like we’ve been professing for the last handful of years. And that hasn’t exactly panned out for the Suns, unfortunately.
However, adding Josh Jackson could be the one variable that they’ve been missing. There’s no question that the Suns have had solid young draft picks over the last handful of seasons. One thing they haven’t had, though, is the type of prospect that Jackson is. He’s a no doubt top talent.
Jackson may not be ready for a huge role this season, but he could end up being a superstar in this league. That’s not the type of player that the Suns have had in the recent past.
26. Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers lost Paul George this summer, or traded him. They also elected not to re-sign Jeff Teague. To say that the Pacers are back at ground zero would be an understatement.
Indiana essentially elected to blow it all up this summer, thanks in large part to George deciding that he no longer wanted to be a member of the Pacers. Now the focus of this team shifts to Myles Turner, who was drafted to be a complement to George.
Now, somewhat by necessity, they’re going to ask him to be THE man. I’m not sure he can fill that role at this point of his career. And that’s OK. The Pacers are going to have a rough season.
25. Chicago Bulls
For some odd reason, Chicago Bulls management didn’t think that Jimmy Butler was a good enough of a star to build around. Thus, they elected to move him at the NBA Trade Deadline for a pack of cigarettes. Technically, it wasn’t that, but you get the drift.
At the same time, having Dwyane Wade on the roster simply didn’t make sense if the team was already moving forward without Butler. So, they bought him out.
Chicago now has a roster full of no-names and potential. Question is, can Fred Hoiberg put it all together now?
24. Orlando Magic
Over the past few years, the Orlando Magic have left a lot to be desired. Not because they have fallen short of expectations, but because their young talent hasn’t exactly blossomed as many expected it to.
Whether that’s the fault of the coaching staff or the prospects themselves isn’t the point. It’s the fact that this team continues to swim in mediocrity. That needs to change. And maybe that started to with Frank Vogel? Maybe not. In fairness, one year shouldn’t be the barometer.
But the time is ticking on this young core. If not now, when?
23. New York Knicks
Finally, after trading Carmelo Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the New York Knicks can move forward with their youth movement. And that begins with the continued development of Kristaps Porzingis.
While signing Tim Hardaway Jr. was a bit of a head-scratching offseason move, I susppose it could’ve been worse. And when it comes to the Knicks, that’s progress.
So how good can the Knicks be this season? I’m not exactly sure, but if Frank Ntilikina can provide any production this season they could at the very least be entertaining.
22. Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are another interesting team heading into 2017-18. Not because they’re going to compete for an NBA Championship this season, but because they have a number of talented young prospects.
That begins with Lonzo Ball. It continues with Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and perhaps the surprise of the NBA Draft thus far Kyle Kuzma.
LA likely isn’t going to be competing for even a playoff spot this season. The Western Conference is too competitive from top to bottom. But I sense they’re going to steal a ton of headlines.
21. Dallas Mavericks
On NBA Draft night, the Dallas Mavericks were gifted Dennis Smith Jr. And I don’t think they’re going to regret their decision to roll the dice on the fiery point guard.
With a solid core group of Smith Jr., Harrison Barnes, who had an underrated season last year, and a still capable Drik Nowitzki, the Mavs could have enough to surprise a team or two in the Western Conference.
They likely don’t have enough to make the playoffs, but they’re definitely back on the right track.
20. Memphis Grizzlies
Let’s be frank. The Memphis Grizzlies aren’t anything flashy. I don’t think anyone would argue against that. However, they’re still a really good team – even though they likely can’t be talked about in the same sentence as the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs.
On the bright side, if Chandler Parsons can remain healthy this season it actually gives Memphis an element that they’ve desperately needed over the last few seasons.
The big question, however, as is always the case for Parsons, is whether or not he can remain healthy.
19. Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are arguably going to be the most interesting team of the 2017-18 season. And you could make a legit argument that they’re ranked way too low to begin the season. And I wouldn’t argue with that.
At the same time, I don’t think it’s fair to place the Sixers high on this list. Not yet. This is a team that has been riding potential for years. That potential eventually has to translate to on-the-court success.
Is this finally the year that the Sixers become relevant in the East? Possibly.
18. Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are another odd team. I’m not sure if they’re going to be a playoff team this season, or a bottom 7 squad. It could honestly go either way.
And a lot of that will depend on how Reggie Jackson bounces back and how Andre Drummond progresses as he enters year six. Drummond had a bit of a down season last year, and it was actually quite confusing. That’s not usually what you want to see from a young, promising big.
As confusing as the whole Drummond narrative was, the Jackson regression was actually more troubling. Hopefully, that was due to injury though.
17. Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers are in this weird place, one where I’m not sure they can improve significantly enough to be a true presence in the Western Conference. At the same time, they’re also not in a situation where they could simply blow things up.
I suppose the move here is for Portland to trust the development of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and hope it leads them to uncharted territories.
Problem is, odds are that the Blazers will be nothing more than a “nice” team in the West this year. Thing is, that might not even be enough for a playoff spot this season.
16. Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets will definitely miss Nicolas Batum to start the 2017-18 NBA season, but they should still have enough talent to rebound from what was a underperforming 2016-17 campaign.
Adding Dwight Howard this summer was somewhat of a head-scratching decision, but considering the center options that Charlotte has had over the last few seasons, it’s definitely worth a roll of the dice.
15. New Orleans Pelicans
This is a big year for the New Orleans Pelicans. Not only does something have to give in year six for Anthony Davis, but DeMarcus Cousins becomes a free agent after this season. Before offering him a max extension this summer, the Pelicans need to figure out if this experiment with two elite bigs is going to work out.
During the latter portion of last season, the Boogie-AD combination didn’t exactly pan out as expected. They struggled to find continuity and limped towards the NBA finish line.
If that were to happen again to start the season, perhaps we could see another blockbuster deal at the NBA trade deadline?
14. Utah Jazz
After losing Gordon Hayward and George Hill in free agency, the Utah Jazz will now have to rely on some of their younger pieces. That means Rodney Hood will likely have to make a bigger jump this upcoming season.
In addition, Ricky Rubio will need to perform much better than he did during the preseason, where he looked like a significant downgrade from Hill. And maybe that works out.
An x-factor for this season could be Donovan Mitchell, who was exceptional during NBA Summer League. With that said, it would be quite unfair to expect ton for him during his rookie season.
13. Miami Heat
Ah, the Miami Heat. This actually might be ranking them a little high, but I’m intrigued by the depth on this roster. Miami doesn’t necessarily have “stars” on the team, but they have a lot of really, really good players.
Question is, does that equate to a playoff team? Or, perhaps more? That’s the question that Erik Spoelstra and his group of outcasts will answer for us this season.
The loss of Rodney McGruder will surely hurt, especially early on. But this could actually be a blessing in disguise for the Heat, who were already pretty clogged up at the wing position.
12. LA Clippers
The LA Clippers might have lost Chris Paul and J.J. Redick this offseason, but they managed to re-sign Blake Griffin, traded for Patrick Beverley, signed Danilo Gallinari in free agency and brought over Milos Teodosic from overseas.
LA is is definitely deeper than last season, even though they’re probably going to desperately miss the star presence that Chris Paul gave them on a nightly basis last year.
With lower expectations this season, could Doc Rivers work his magic one more time before he’s forced to exit stage?
11. Milwaukee Bucks
It’s a testament to Giannis Antetokounmpo that the Milwaukee Bucks are ranked this high to begin the season. At the same time, that’s how much is riding on Giannis.
Don’t get it twisted; this roster is talented. It is. But what makes this Bucks team potentially one of the 10 best in the NBA is Giannis and the next step of his progression. If Giannis can develop any type of consistent jump shot, it’s over.
The Bucks are kind of that team in the East that is somewhat overlooked. However, don’t be surprised if they finish as a 3 or 4 seed this year. They’re that talented as a unit.
10. Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are the best team that no one is talking about. Denver has a myriad of young, exciting talent and just added Paul Millsap in the offseason.
While Millsap isn’t exactly a huge needle mover, he’s the veteran star that this team has desperately needed. Assuming that Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris and Jamal Murray continue to develop, this is going to be one of the most exciting teams to watch in the Western Conference.
Can they make the playoffs?
9. Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards had somewhat of a coming out party during last year’s playoffs. Even though they lost to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, John Wall proved to the world that he is every bit the player that he’s thought to be, and more.
If Washington can continue to build off of last year’s success, perhaps another leap from Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter could lead to the Wizards also making another step towards potentially a Conference Finals appearance.
If nothing else, the Wizards are a team to keep an eye on in the East.
8. Toronto Raptors
There are a ton of “experts” sleeping on the Toronto Raptors, probably because they were predictably quiet during the summer. But, let’s not get it twisted, the Raptors will still be a threat in the East.
Toronto still has Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. That alone will keep they among the top 3 or 4 teams in the East. This team’s problem has always been performing in the playoffs. Although, they never seem to have difficulty getting there.
The Raptors will win a lot of regular season games.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves were another team that made quite the splash during the offseason. The Wolves traded for Jimmy Butler on NBA Draft night and moved Ricky Rubio to the Utah Jazz.
As a replacement, the Wolves inked Jeff Teague. With a developing Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, the addition of Butler could go a long way in elevating the Wolves up the Western Conference hierarchy.
The time is now for the Wolves.
6. Boston Celtics
After falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics knew that a couple of big moves this offseason could set them up for big-time success in 2017-18. And Boston hit on two big moves this summer.
First, the Celtics added Gordon Hayward via free agency. Even though they had to trade Avery Bradley in order to make room for him, there’s no question that they upgraded with that move alone.
But Danny Ainge didn’t stop there. In addition to adding Hayward, the Celtics also traded for Kyrie Irving. Question now is, can they make it all gel?
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
Sam Presti continues to win. Well, not in terms of NBA Championships but offseasons. After being caught off guard by Kevin Durant’s decision to embark on a new journey with the Golden State Warriors last summer, Presti pulled off one of the greatest offseasons in recent history.
Presti shocked the NBA world by trading for Paul George AND Carmelo Anthony. One summer after losing Durant, OKC will now feature a Big 3 of Russell Westbrook, Melo and PG.
Despite not looking like ideal fits on the surface, there’s no question that the Thunder, on paper, will sport one of the NBA’s most talented rosters. It’s up to Billy Donovan to make it all click.
4. Houston Rockets
If there’s one thing that you can count on, it’s the Houston Rockets not standing pat. Daryl Morey continues to strive for that elusive championship. This summer, he made the big splash of trading for Chris Paul.
Utilizing arguably the best backcourt combination in the NBA (Paul, James Harden), Morey is banking on Mike D’Antoni finding a way for two ball-dominant guards to co-exist in one of the NBA’s most explosive offenses.
If they can achieve that quickly, there’s no question that the Houston Rockets will compete with the best of them in the Western Conference.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs had one heck of a busy summer, to say the least.
Cleveland fired their GM, traded Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Ante Zizic, Jae Crowder and a first-round pick. Then they signed Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade in free agency. Oh, and LeBron continued to flirt with Los Angeles – which is important because he’s a free agent after this season.
There’s no question that the Cavs will be deeper this season. Problem is, they lost some significant star power. And we haven’t even talked about how Thomas, their Kyrie replacement, might not play until January.
2. San Antonio Spurs
As long as Gregg Popovich is the head coach and Kawhi Leonard is leading the way, the San Antonio Spurs will always be a team to watch. Something that will also require monitoring is Kawhi’s health.
He’s currently battling a quad injury, one that bothered him last season. He sat out the entire preseason in order to rest it. Even though Leonard is expected to be in the lineup when the Spurs begin their regular season slate, the Spurs’ 2017-18 fate falls squarely on the health of Leonard.
LaMarcus Aldridge is also a player that needs to step up this season, especially after the up-and-down showing he’s had in the last two postseasons.
1. Golden State Warriors
There’s really not much to say about the Golden State Warriors. The Dubs are once again the overwhelming favorites to win the NBA Championship, and, despite all the player movement this past summer, there isn’t one clear team in either conference that seems to be on the same tier.
If the core of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green can remain healthy this season, perhaps we could see them break the 74-win plateau. That’s the scary part.
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We actually don’t know what the next progression of this Warriors team could look like. This is unprecedented territory.