17. Phoenix Suns (19-26)
The Suns were hot out of the gate starting the season 7-4, but have since gone 12-22, positioning them at 10th in the West. While DeAndre Ayton is good, he isn’t Luka Doncic, and his 25-game PED suspension has to be leaving the Suns organization questioning itself (as if they weren’t already) as to why they selected him over Luka. Ricky Rubio has been great when he’s been on the floor, and Devin Booker has proven he can light it up with the best of them.
The rest of the roster is just so-so, as Kelly Oubre Jr. and Aron Baynes have been serviceable, though Dario Saric seems to be struggling with providing the consistency he once showed in Philadelphia. To make matters worse, the Suns have the most difficult remaining strength-of-schedule (53.9%), subsequently making it more than likely we see them slip out of playoff contention.
18. Brooklyn Nets (18-25)
Nets GM Sean Marks tried to sign his team into contention with massive off-season acquisitions, including picking up both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. With KD likely out for the year, and Kyrie having already missed his fair share of games, Spencer Dinwiddie has stepped up to keep the Nets afloat in the Eastern Conference (currently 8th in the East). Caris LeVert has struggled this season with rhythm, fit, and consistency, which is disappointing considering how well he performed during last year’s playoffs.
The Nets are surprisingly second in the NBA in rebounding thanks to the pairing of Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan but are 28th in 3-point shooting firing at only 33 percent. Echoing Kyrie’s latest comments on his team’s current state, the Nets are indeed a long way from being among the NBA’s best. The good news is that with KD back next season, this team will likely be a real contender for the 2021 NBA Championship.