NBA Power Rankings: Brooklyn Nets rise after acquiring James Harden

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Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

18. New Orleans Pelicans

Overall, the New Orleans Pelicans have been quite disappointing as a team to start the season. They’re under .500 and don’t have the look of a playoff team at the moment. While Zion Williamson has been highly productive, he hasn’t exactly had the impact on the rest of the roster that perhaps originally thought.

The Pelicans are a tough matchup on a nightly basis, but an average offense continues to hold this team back in the West.

17. Miami Heat

Right now, the Miami Heat are just bad. And I don’t think that’s something anyone would really argue with. Even when they had a full roster, the Heat was losing to teams they had no business losing to and Jimmy has been a shell of his former playoff self.

I’m not sure if the James Harden trade whispers had anything to do with this team’s slow start, but the hope is now that the possibility of trading the majority of the team’s roster for Harden is dead, the Heat will get back on track.