*Disclaimer* Injuries will happen… Don’t kill me
Also, this is not your nitty gritty every offseason roster move type deal. Here are a few resources if you wanna get into all that:
In this guide WE HAVE
League-Wide Tier Ratings
NBA Stock Market (Stock Up/Stock Down) (Who got better/Who got worse)
Division Predictions (This is where you will find team by team analysis)
Backcourts & Frontcourts
Season/Postseason Predictions
NBA Futures Handicapping
Notes: Use this as a guide ALL SEASON. It’s so important to keep an idea of what will happen in the long term and to not get lost in the day to day. Please offer this to anyone who is interested in Basketball as it’s just fun to challenge yourself, make predictions, and be more invested in knowing the game.
Overall Tier List
Experienced Contenders:
Celtics
Warriors
Bucks
Notes: Welcome Back
The Newer Contenders:
76ers
Nets
Clippers
Notes: This is the tier where people have things to prove. LOADED ROSTERS. Coming for it all.
Inexperienced Contenders:
Nuggets
T-Wolves
Cavs
Mavericks
Notes: Big expectations. New Looks. Excitement.
Fringe Contenders:
Hawks
Pelicans
Lakers
Notes: Longshots, but things could work out.
Down Year:
Heat
Suns
Grizzlies
Notes: Teams that didn’t get better.
Play-In Teams:
Knicks
Raptors
Kings
Bulls
Trail Blazers
Notes: The Ceiling here is a first round loss
The Cool Bad Teams:
Pistons
Magic
Rockets
Thunder
Notes: Cade, Ivey, Paolo, Jalen Green, Jabari, Shai..Chet. WOW
The Others:
Jazz
Hornets
Wizards
Pacers
Spurs
Notes: The race to the bottom
League 1-30 (POWER RANKINGS):
- 76ers
- Clippers
- Bucks
- Warriors
- Celtics
- Timberwolves
- Nuggets
- Nets
- Cavs
- Mavericks
- Pelicans
- Lakers
- Hawks
- Grizzlies
- Heat
- Suns
- Knicks
- Raptors
- Kings
- Bulls
- Blazers
- Pistons
- Rockets
- Magic
- Jazz
- Wizards
- Hornets
- Thunder
- Pacers
- Spurs
Eastern Conference Stock Market
Stock Up:
76ers
Nets
Cavs
Hawks
Knicks
Pistons
Magic
Stock Down:
Heat
Pacers
Hornets
Same Position:
Bucks
Celtics
Raptors
Bulls
Wizards
Western Conference Stock Market
Stock Up:
Clippers
Nuggets
Timberwolves
Mavericks
Pelicans
Lakers
Kings
Rockets
Stock Down:
Suns
Grizzlies
Jazz
Spurs
Same Position:
Warriors
Trail Blazers
Thunder
Division by Division Rankings and Manifesto for the Season
Atlantic
Philadelphia 76ers
Last Season (51-31) 4 Seed
The Secret Weapon here is James Harden. What people don’t understand is that on top of improving this roster, these guys have star players that can rapidly improve too. Tyrese Maxey is an emerging star and he has the potential to get better and better in the PPG category. However, with a similar situation to Ant in Minnesota… This team will go as far as Harden takes them. Harden wasn’t great in the playoffs (especially in the 4Q) but there is a lot of optimism that he will perform this year. Bobby Marks has already said that he’s a top 5 MVP candidate and as time goes on I’m seeing more and more people hop on this bandwagon. With a team like the Heat, Jimmy Butler can’t just get better and elevate the team. He’s hit his ceiling (not a negative when he’s putting up 45 in the playoffs) meaning he can’t just show up this year and be 10 PPG better. Harden can actually do that. Embiid is the rock that will keep this team in the top tier of contendera as long as he is on the court. Injuries have been a big issue in the past but as time goes on Embiid seems to be more stable. This could be a small step down from Shaq and Kobe and they have more than enough to go along with it. They are their own worst enemy, especially with Doc Rivers being the coach here. PJ Tucker gives you a new toughness and The Big Four in Philly with Maxey and Tobias Harris gives you a top 5 starting lineup in the NBA. Melton running the show off the bench will keep everyone comfortable and I believe Thybulle will continue to improve in meaningful ways (defensively and 3pt shot). Morey is giving us a Houston Rockets 3 point barrage feel with Danuel House coming off the bench. Paul Reed will be seen as a big throughout the season with Trezz Harell joining him down there. I feel like this 76ers team is so deep that they will just beat up on these inferior teams throughout the entire game and rack up the most wins in the East.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 1st Place
Conference – 1 Seed
Boston Celtics
Last Season (51-31) 2 Seed
The C’s fixed their problems this offseason but wow did others arise. To me, Boston had two issues: A lack of FINALS experience and not having a real point guard. Both of these are now fixed. I think the Brogdon move has the potential to fix EVERYTHING and now that this team can feel comfortable moving past the East, the Celtics are as much of a contender as anyone. While last season definitely ended with a sour taste in my mouth as a Boston bettor, I have to acknowledge the very high floor of this team regardless of if they will ever get it done. We know Boston is going to be there, but the way Jayson Tatum performed in big moments is definitely something we need to acknowledge and oh yeah, this team doesn’t have a head coach. Ime Udoka really messes things up for the Celtics with that move, but considering the fact that he made it to the finals in his first season, I don’t think this derails anything for Boston. Tatum has fuel to the fire and Jaylen Brown somehow still has something to prove after being offered up in a Kevin Durant trade this offseason. Robert Williams is already missing some time and while Grant Williams did a great job vs Giannis in the playoffs last year, these guys need to bulk up. Now that there are real teams around Embiid and Giannis it will be hard for Boston to get away with this weakness, especially if they are banged up like they were last year late in the playoffs.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 2nd Place
Conference – 2 Seed
Brooklyn Nets
Last Season (44-38) 7 Seed
KD didn’t impress me in the playoffs last year and Kyrie is Kyrie (the good and the bad). These two along with Ben Simmons are somehow the biggest question marks in Brooklyn. While their bigs need to be improved (Claxton isn’t gonna solve all your problems), the Nets simply have a great roster. They will be the small ball team and this will help them until it doesn’t (good luck with Embiid and Giannis). Their shooting is Warriors esce and the sky’s the limit with this plethora of talent. I’ve actually never seen a roster with shooters like this, it’s sad that LeBron James doesn’t get to play with this talent. Yet, there’s still something off here. An offseason fight between Kyrie and Nash, KD wanting out even though the roster is amazing, Ben Simmons in general, what’s next?? This roster got way better, Ben Simmons is back, Kyrie can play… KD requests a trade? I will never understand the guy. Let’s say we get 25 each from KD and Kyrie. Ben gives you 10. 25 combined from Warren and Curry. Using minimal PPG projections and not counting whoever else is scoring, you’re still almost to 100. So how the hell is this team gonna lose?? I’m on over 50.5 wins and I know that it will clear if people play! Drama and injuries is the only thing that can derail this team. They are their own worst enemy.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 2nd Place
Conference – 2 Seed
New York Knicks
Last Season (37-45)
What now seems like the most underrated offseason move is the signing of Jaylen Bruson. This man did wonders for the Mavericks when it was “his show” against the Jazz in the playoffs last year. I really began to understand his game and see his value during the WCF playoff run and it’s a guarantee that New York jumps SOMEBODY after the move. People have put this team to bed after electing to not trade for Donavon Mitchell but I totally respect the decision. Even if people don’t realize it, the Knicks have a solid core of established players and a CLEAR FUTURE with a ton of draft picks. All they are doing is sticking to the plan instead of moving all their chips in the middle right away, and let’s be honest, even if the Knicks got Mitchell, they weren’t going to win the East. The way the Knicks saw so much value in Quinten Grimes during trade negotiations makes me raise his stock and when you also have Quickley, RJ, Obi Toppin, and Cam Reddish… something has to come out of that. There is a crazy amount of potential. This team is way better than people think and I want the Knicks to be good, just for the sake of basketball, but that’s what’s so hard about this season in the NBA. Even if you got better, it may not matter, because it seems like everyone did. Juluis Randle had some low moments last season but I’m expecting better things now that the roster is improved. You have to really understand these teams to make good predictions. Top starters on this team still have the potential to get way better, and this isn’t the case with all teams! There are a solid 10-11 guys here but injuries could lead to a lot of problems. The main thing with New York is that even if this isn’t the season where expectations are beat, there are good things happening here. BUT they are still the Knicks until proven otherwise.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 4th Place
Conference – 8 Seed
Toronto Raptors
Last Season (48-34) 5 Seed
The evolution of Scottie Barnes is going to be a JOY to watch. He is someone with the clear potential to be a Top 5/Top 10 player in this league one day. Toronto is a well coached team who clearly has their own style. Yet this is still weird to me because they don’t actually have an imposing starting center. I like a lot of these players and the starting 5 is GREAT but there is a glaring hole here with guard depth. Even if Malachi Flynn works out, these guys are pretty screwed and in a league where guards like Colin Sexton aren’t even appealing sometimes, this will get EXPOSED. Mid is a really good way to describe this team because when you think about how they faced Embiid in the playoffs last year… They simply have no answer. I want to watch Scottie Barnes, I want to see Gary Trent Jr drop 40, I love former Indiana Hoosier OG Anunoby, Otto Porter is a great pickup fresh off a championship, I know what I will get out of VanVleet and Siakim… but while I see the theme of the team I don’t see a sense of direction with playoff contention. I’ve heard Rumors of a Myles Turner trade to get you that center to really bruise and play into your strengths. But at the end of the day Toronto is actually a lock to be a play-in participant.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 5th Place
Conference – 9 Seed
Central
Milwaulkee Bucks
Last Season (51-31) 3 Seed
Stay Solid. The Milwalkee Bucks. This team took Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics to 7 games but somehow it was Grant Williams who really ended up being the man that really sent these guys home. BUT Khris Middleton didn’t play. The All-Star will be ready for the playoffs this year and the former NBA Champions will once again be a DANGER for everyone. As a Boston bettor there was no series I sweated more than the Bucks series. There’s something about this team, they just have it. Obviously there’s Giannis doing literally everything (his passing is much improved) but it always seems like they are playing good defense or someone is knocking down an important shot. I could really get into a whole “role player” tangent but Bobby Portis might be the best one of those in the league. I FEAR THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS. This isn’t the team I’m ever gonna be running to the window WANTING to bet but I feel that these guys will be the right play OFTEN. Defense Travels. Toughness isn’t something everyone has. They were once the champs.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 1st Place
Conference – 4 Seed
Cleveland Cavaliers
Last Season (44-38) 9 Seed
I’m trying to find reasons to throw this team down in the standings but I can’t find them. Too young? Not enough depth? Defensive issues with guards? This is without a doubt a top 5 starting lineup in the league this year. When this team gets sent home it will be because of the defensive limitations of Mitchell and Garland. However, Donavon has publicly stated that with all the offensive talent around him, he’s going to put more of an emphasis on the defensive end. This is music to everyone’s ears! Again, I am looking for reasons but with Mitchell potentially showing up differently this year and Mobley and Allen holding everything else down, what could go wrong?? The end of the bench doesn’t have a bunch of names we know, but this unit is just SO STRONG with Levert and Love. Late into the season Jarret Allen went down and nothing relevant really happened from there on. Cleveland kind of fell off our radar but they will be back in a big way. Mobley and Allen are the combo that makes this team so elite and now they have endless points with Mitchell and Garland. If they keep those four on the court the FLOOR for this team is a 7 game series in the first round. Boston, Milwaukee, Philly, and Brooklyn are the big four in the East, but this Cavs team is the best of the rest. When Donavon had that great playoff series against Jamal and the Nuggets, he didn’t have a Daruis Garland playing next to him who can also put up 30. He had Rudy, but Mobley’s offensive tools are more valuable. JB Bickerstaff has already said that he wants Mobley to be a top guy in this league and I feel comfortable saying that he will be top 20. While I have immense respect for the Bucks, it’s certainly worth it to take a shot with these guys at +300 to win the Division. I cannot wait to watch this team.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 2nd Place
Conference – 5 Seed
Chicago Bulls
Last Season (46-36) 6 Seed
Bad vibes. We all love Lonzo Ball. We want to see him succeed. Sadly a fan favorite has been taken away from us due to a knee injury. While we have all the memes and jokes about the Ball family, it really is devastating that Lonzo can’t hoop. There isn’t an explanation as to why things aren’t improving, all we know is that he is in a lot of pain. If Lonzo isn’t playing then what we’ve seen is all there really is to the Bulls. In the playoffs last year Chicago did NOTHING vs the Bucks. This is an awesome basketball team with players like Coby White and Patrick Williams who WILL get better, but this is sadly nothing more than a play-in team. I don’t see how DeRozan can be better than last season but I do think Lavine can give us a monster year. Ayo Dosunmu is the starting point guard here and while that’s going to be fun to watch, I don’t see it translating to much in any kinds of high stakes games.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 3rd Place
Conference – 10 Seed
Detroit Pistons
Last Season 23-59
This is one of MY TEAMS. South Bend Indiana. Jaden Ivey. He grew up in my hometown, I’m allowed to be a fan! Ivey and Cade will be great. Saddiq Bey is RAW and will be up there for most improved this season. Isaiah Stewart has a great game and I’ve really come to like Jalen Duren simply due to the fact that he’s that big and that young. I mean, would he have been SHAQ back in the day?? Sounds like a crazy comment but if you throw Duren in the league back then the results would be laughable. Please consider it. Detroit being one of the cool bad teams is great. This team is far away from contending in the East but they have shown that they are actively trying to win and get better. The Bogdonovic, Noel, and Burks additions give this team more of a ten man rotation. Marvin Bagley could still work out and I’ve been hearing that Killian Hayes has really been working on his 3 point shooting. This team is going to win games. The question is if they can get to thirty. A fake rivalry I’m going to start is these guys vs the Houston Rockets due to Jalen Green opening his mouth from time to time and Ivey/Jabari going 3 and 4 this year. However, in the East, the Orlando Magic are the team that will be the main competition when it comes to seeding. The Pistons are going to be a team with BET ON value early on in the year.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 4th Place
Conference – 11 Seed
Indiana Pacers
Last Season (25-57)
With Halliburton and Ben Mathurin, the rebuild has a very stable starting position. Duarte should have a productive season. Buddy Hield and Myles Turner are good starters but we will have to see if they END the season on this roster. Trade talks will be a factor this season and the Pacers have a horrific supporting cast. I bet Indiana will be looking to unload guys rather than bring in talent. The Pacers will have one of the worst records in the league which will only incentivize them to lose more. Viktor Wembanyana or Scoot Henderson in Indianapolis??
Projected Finishes:
Division – 5th Place
Conference – 15 Seed
Southeast
Atlanta Hawks
Last Season (43-39) 8th Seed
They make the Eastern Conference finals (partially thanks to Ben Simmons) and then they have a down year. Trae still owns NYC. However, many of the concerns have been put to bed after a top tier NBA offseason. They paid the price for Murray but with the trade being focused around draft picks… the roster makes a HUGE JUMP losing minimal talent. This is like the Rudy/Towns of NBA backcourts. The two should mesh together perfectly. Trae’s only real weakness is defense and you go get a top defensive guard in the league to compensate for it! What a great move! This team goes old school with Capela and Okongwu as bigs. I’m even more intrigued by the Hawks because we know John Collins has been available or talked about in trades… so what else could this team do?? Hunter, Bogdanovic, and AJ Griffin should all be solid but I really need more backcourt depth to take this team seriously. What the hell happens when Murray and Trae aren’t in the game? If I’m power ranking teams I have these guys neck and neck with Miami and I like the upside here. With the odds in my favor at +165 to win the division… I’m totally willing to take a shot.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 1st Place
Conference – 6 Seed
Miami Heat
Last Season (53-29) 1 Seed
Boston controlled game 7 in the ECF. Boston was hurt, Boston was being STUPID, and you could even say Boston tried to give it away multiple times. Yet the Heat still came up short. Kyle Lowry gets older, they lose PJ Tucker (was key for their culture), Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo aren’t going to make some huge leap… what does this team have going for it? Tyler Herro is now getting paid $32 million per year. What flexibility does this roster have? I thought they would be a big part of the Durant/Mitchell offseason sweepstakes but the Heat never made a move. So many teams get healthier, so many teams get better, but these guys get worse. This is a BAD YEAR to get worse in the NBA. The Southeast very well could be the worst division in the league this year and we know the Heat will be in the playoffs. Still, I’m down on these guys and will be taking a shot with Atlanta for the division winner. Not a whole lot to talk about here.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 2nd Place
Conference – 7 Seed
Orlando Magic
Last Season (22-60)
Paolo Banchero is that guy. The Magic got it right at #1. Rookie of the year at +400. Grab it while it’s plus odds. It’s his team and I can’t wait to see how he performs in this situation. I put Orlando in the “cool bad team” tier and while they are far from contending, they have a future here with plenty of solid pieces. I’m very high on Cole Anthony, you have Suggs and Carter, Franz Wagner is very good. This team isn’t going to be in playoff contention but it will be an exciting season in Orlando, there is totally something going on here. Watch to see who comes out ahead between Orlando and Detroit.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 4th Place
Conference – 12 Seed
Charlotte Hornets
Last Season (43-39) 10 Seed
Welcome to the shit show and potential fire sale. WagerTalk today is a show I frequently watch and they pointed out a few things. We have to acknowledge how badly Miles Bridges fucked over this team. There is now no clear direction here, so how will you keep Lamelo happy? I feel that this team is very overvalued at 36.5 wins and I’m on the under. Mark Williams from Duke is a player I love and there are plenty of young talents who will be getting heavy minutes here in Charlotte. This could lead to a breakout player or two but I see nothing positive happening in Charlotte this season!
Projected Finishes:
Division – 5th Place
Conference – 14 Seed
Washington Wizards
Last Season (35-47)
Bradley Beal really likes being a franchise guy, and it’s hard not to when you’re getting paid that kind of money. But is he in it for the long haul? Is there any chance of him wanting out? It would be fun to see Brad Beal play playoff basketball, but monitoring his situation is the only thing I really care about here. Kyle Kuzma should out up good numbers. Could Porzingis have a great season? Will Johnny Davis be a good rookie? There are a lot of questions here and the playoffs are completely out of question.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 4th Place
Conference – 12 Seed
Final East Standings Projection:
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Boston Celtics
- Brooklyn Nets
- Milwaulkee Bucks
- Cleveland Cavs
- Atlanta Hawks
- Miami Heat
- New York Knicks
- Toronto Raptors
- Chicago Bulls
- Detroit Pistons
- Orlando Magic
- Washington Wizards
- Charlotte Hornets
- Indiana Pacers
Northwest
Denver Nuggets
Last Season (48-34) 6 Seed
The Nuggets were a 6 seed last season and fell to the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors. With MPJ and Jamal Murray missing the season due to injury, the Nuggets have to see the results as a success, especially with Jokic winning the MVP. What last season proved to me is that Jokic is similar to Luka Doncic in the sense that while he’s not a true contender by himself, he can lead a team into the playoffs without a true #2 superstar around him. Now he gets Jamal and MPJ back and we have seen them in the conference finals before! KCP and Bruce Brown are big additions to the roster and Bones Hyland is someone that I feel could be a potential 6 man of the year candidate. Aaron Gordon is slept on as the fourth option here and I will be watching closely to see just how good this team is. This is a team that gets better health wise and roster wise so I am looking for Denver to take a big jump and compete for a top 3 seed in the Western Conference.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 2nd Place
Conference – 4 Seed
Minnesota Timberwolves
Last Season (46-36) 7 Seed
I can’t think of a more perfect NBA frontcourt than these two. Mobley and Jarret Allen come to mind but they are much younger. Gobert and KAT are more in their prime right now. They pick up on each other’s weaknesses literally perfectly and the Wolves know this, which is why they were willing to pay the crazy price. Yet they still hold onto D’angelo Russel and Jaden McDaniels. The starting lineup is phenomenal. You have D-Lo and Rudy running the pick and roll. An athletic wing who can guard in McDaniels. Towns gets to spend even more time on the perimeter and tap into his strengths. Then you have Anthony Edwards. This team will go as far as he takes them. He seems very focused on being in shape and guarding this year. Ant is the type of player where in a lot of these hustle categories, he can be whatever he wants to be. So knowing he’s coming with the right attitude and will be working hard is a true best case scenario for the Timberwolves. Ant Edwards already averaged over 25 points in his first ever playoff series last year so we are literally waiting just to see how drastic this seasons jump really is. People don’t talk about Mclauglin, the backup point guard who is extremely smart with the ball and defends well. Naz Ried is a great backup center, Nowell can score, Forbes and Rivers give you some shooting, and Wendell Moore from Duke is “older” and may be more league ready right away. I have to put this team below the Clippers and Warriors but besides that I’m only interested in comparing them to the Nuggets. A pretty concrete top four for me. There are so many ways the NBA landscape can be shaken up and it’s crazy that just one player moving can do so much. So this time it’s Kyle Anderson. This directly makes the Wolves better and it directly makes the Grizzlies worse. We will see this reflected in the seeding of the Western Conference. This team was better than people realize last year, especially towards the end. In a legit power ranking they were in the top 10 and they CLEARLY got better. This team could morph into a true contender.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 1st Place
Conference – 3 Seed
Portland Trail Blazers
Last Season (27-55)
Damain Lillard. Jerami Grant. Gary payton II. Anfernee Simons. Nurkic. Throw in Josh Hart and you don’t have much to go along with it. This will be a team who starts the season looking to make the play-in and as time goes on there will be no better scenario. They contend or they fall back to the lottery. I truly think this team is overrated and I look at Sacramento’s roster and see SO MUCH MORE. I’m no longer impressed by Dame being the loyal hometown guy. I just feel bad for him. Shaedon Sharpe has really shown us he has a bag in the pre-season and while he is certainly the headliner, we may see a couple guys emerge from this pool of young talent. I know what this team is and they belong directly below the Sacramento Kings. Here is a situation where we can try to exploit the betting markets because Portland is clearly the 3rd best team in this division. Even with an injuries I would still expect Denver and Minnesota to finish above them, and it’s almost impossible to envision Oklahoma City or Utah finishing 3rd.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 3rd Place
Conference – 11 Seed
Oklahoma City Thunder
Last Season (24-58)
This is really getting out of hand. If you are high on the Thunder, if you like anything about the team, I’m begging you to JUST WAIT A YEAR… and then every year you wait after that, it’s only gonna get better and better. The SGA situation will be interesting and people will speculate trades but he may miss a lot of games this year. With Chet being out and another opportunity for a great draft pick, there is no reason for this team to try and win a bunch of games. Shai seems to know what he signed up for in OKC and I think he will stay here for many years. There are so many players in OKC that I would put in the “interesting guys I like that just aren’t great players” category (like Josh Giddey for example). He’s great! He’s exciting! I love watching him! But he’s just not one of my favorite 25 players you know. There are a lot of interesting things going on here and I will hopefully write a great story about how they got all these picks and what the result is.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 5th Place
Conference – 14 Seed
Utah Jazz
Last Season (49-33) 5 Seed
Colin Sexton is averaging 20 points in his NBA career, nobody wanted him. This doesn’t make a lot of sense. Utah did lose Donavon Mitchell and while I do HATE the picks they got from Cleveland, they got a lot back. This team somehow has a decent base even though it’s a completely new roster overhaul. In terms of a “this season winning games” conversation, this team is definitely not at the very bottom of the Western Conference, but they clearly aren’t contending for any playoff positioning. The Jazz fall into a perfectly predictable spot at 12 or 13.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 4th Place
Conference – 13 Seed
Pacific
Los Angeles Clippers
Last Season (42-40) 9 Seed
Throughout this write up I will refer to HISTORY constantly. You have to know your NBA history because come playoff time, that is the number one thing that matters. So let’s discuss the last few playoff series for Kawhi Leonard. In 2018 he was an NBA champion as the star player of his team. He showed up, he played great, he led his team to the promised land and he won the RIGHT way. This is the ideal kind of run that we want to see from superstars in today’s league. It’s what Kevin Durant has simply never done. So he wins the title, and then he and PG ruin an NBA playoffs for everyone. We were robbed of the battle of LA in the NBA bubble for the Western Conference Finals. Next season comes, the guys look ready to make a finals run, Kawhi goes down in round 2 vs the Jazz. They still won and Playoff P had somewhat of a redemption series but the Clips quickly phased out of the playoffs. Like usual (sadly) with Kawhi, the injury completely derailed the next season. He’s been training all offseason and Kawhi will be ready to get back to a consensus top 5 player and compete for a championship. BUT that’s the less entertaining side of things. THE CLIPPERS are AMAZING. You have All-NBA player Paul George and this team is coached by NBA Champion Ty Lue. I think the Clippers can make the instant jump to the best team in the league for two main reasons. Reason number 1 – John Wall. This is a complete wildcard. Even in a best case scenario he won’t be an All-Star simply due to the heavily competitive volume on this team. He has to compete with Reggie Jackson to start and it’s important to note that Reggie has been GREAT. It’s an unnecessary move to bring in John Wall but if he works out at point guard and wins the starting job, this team isn’t gonna be losing games! Especially after watching him in the pre-season, I believe he will be the starter. ALSO…Can we finally acknowledge that the Clippers fleeced the Blazers??
Clippers Receive:
Robert Covington
Norman Powell
Blazers Receive:
2025 second-round draft pick to Portland
This is a perfect trade for the Clippers. It doesn’t even matter what happens with the stuff the Blazers got because this is a perfect trade for the Clippers. RoCo is a great defender who knocks down threes at a solid Clip and Norman Powell was traded for GARY TRENT JR in a fair trade! Norman is a 2 guard who averaged 18.6 points per game last year and is a WEAPON. With the way this trade happened pretty late into the season and Paul Goerge didn’t even end up playing in the famous play-in game vs the Timberwolves, I still feel like this team is slept on. Clippers to win the West. This is the team to beat.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 1st Place
Conference – 1 Seed
Golden State Warriors
Last Season (53-29) 3 Seed
This team beats my expectations every year so I’m going to throw them at the top for once. A top tier contender for the NBA championship. This is one of my favorite situations to watch because the questions are certainly here, but they are the Warriors, they can always overcome it. Curry Klay Wiggins Green Looney. That’s your starting 5. Poole, Moody, Wiseman, Divencenzo, and Kuminga are the next unit. Absolutely loaded. I keep thinking there will be a down year once this finances get settled, and they did lose Otto Porter and Gary Payton… but here they are again. This team is amazing but I think this season is where things finally get sorted out. We will know what’s happening with Klay, Wiggins, Poole, Draymond and how it affects the team. This is the main thing that could alter the course of the season. If you are Golden State you need to keep everyone happy and keep everyone on the court, and we are approaching a situation that could hinder the ability to do that.
…And days after writing this, there has been an altercation in practice which will likely lead to a Draymond Green suspension. Jordan Poole needs to be paid, and before this has happened.. he’s getting PUNCHED in practice??
With the construction of the roster I do have a couple questions about depth after 1-10 but my main concern is the talent up top. How will this talent actually stack up against THIS SEASONS BEST??? Jrue Khris and Giannis or Curry Klay Steph? Jokic Porter Murray. Ant Kat Rudy. Kawhi & PGs army? When you look at the very top of this roster we may start to see a situation where these franchise Warriors starters just aren’t good enough to compete with the best we have in 2022-2023. It’s a situation where this franchise now owes something to and has deep ties with Klay and Draymond. Steph, Poole, and Wiggins could be the REAL big 3 here but that may never actually happen in the bay area. There are egos to take care of here. However, I know they will come into battle and be ready to face the challenge. Cannot Wait.
Update – The Video just came out… HOLY SHIT DRAYMOND! What does a Draymond Green package look like?? Still not gonna overreact but it appears Draymond will be the guy not getting extended out of him Poole and Wiggins.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 2nd Place
Conference – 2 Seed
Phoenix Suns
Last Season (64-18) 1 Seed
Ring the alarm. Disaster territory. I was a Suns bettor last year. Never have I been so let down, confused, and disappointed by a team. This was the worst of the worst. Throw the game 7 loss up with the Clippers/Nuggets blown 3-1 lead. What a collapse. A time where you need to be making roster moves isn’t a great time to lose your owner. I honestly thought that this was gonna be the team to go all in on Kevin Durant. I thought they would do it and be left with KD, Book, CP3, a wasteland, and never come close to winning. Instead they run it back, and it doesn’t seem like everyone loves that idea. Crowder is out but you will be compensated. You keep the big 3. Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges are your other starters, and I’m not sure what happens after that. I bet Devin Booker for MVP just because he literally has to be if this team is gonna avoid the play-in. I’m sorry but after what I watched in the playoffs last year I’m taking the Lakers with a healthy LeBron and AD over these guys. Instead of going on and on about why I’m down on Phoenix I think the results are already speaking for themselves after the Suns at full strength just lost to an Australian pro basketball team in the Adelaide 36ers. Things are hot in the valley!
Projected Finishes:
Division – 4th Place
Conference – 8 Seed
Los Angeles Lakers – My team
Last Season (33-49)
Man, I have high hopes for this team. Aside from a few players we get a COMPLETE switchout with this roster. People don’t understand how bad it got last year. Anthony Davis never played, Russ was terrible when it mattered, and they had absolutely nobody else. Malik Monk was the only bright spot and he’s gone. This year we have to hope that Lonnie Walker can fill this role. I’m ready for a fresh start. There are a ton of guys that are getting the biggest minutes of their career and if we come out of the fire with a few reliable players, things can really work out. First we need to note that Russell Westbrook has trade value. Clearing up $35 million in cap is HUGE as this will be very desirable especially when we get around the trade deadline. In addition to this, we now know that LEAGUE WIDE the future first round picks are seen as VERY VALUABLE. What this tells us is that even if the Lakers don’t begin the year as contenders with this current roster, they do have the assets to make it happen. LeBron James has committed to them and they are going to commit to building a better team. Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are on the table, Jordan Clarkson is on the table, and I’m sure we will hear much more about this. Moving on to basketball, Anthony Davis is the key to the Lakers season. Nobody remembers this since LeBron hasn’t slowed down, but this is supposed to be Anthony Davis’ team! He is supposed to emerge as the #1 as LeBron slowly fades off in his later years. While LeBron has shown no signs of doing this, Davis hasn’t shown us that he can be a top 10 player like in the past. The last time these two were healthy together in the playoffs they held a lead vs the eventual Western Conference champs in the Phoenix Suns. The potential is here and the roster is going to be better than last year. Schroder, Russ, Pat Bev, and rookie Max Christie actually give the team some options and the new additions of Bryant and Jones at center will be a big big improvement from last season. Bron/Davis/Russ only played 22 games together last season, if that number goes up, so will the wins.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 3rd Place
Conference – 7 Seed
Sacramento Kings
Last Season (30-52)
This has the Potential to be another year of KINGS basketball, especially if things in Portland work out, but I am starting the season with a lot of hope. The Murray/Sabonis frontcourt is great and this team now has a ton of depth with their guards. But that’s about all there is to it. Sacramento is better than they have been, but they are in a conference that includes 9 potentially elite teams. There’s just not much you can do. They are still little bro in a division that includes the Warriors, Suns, Clippers, and Lakers. I am on the win total OVER 33.5 wins and that will be a SWEAT. Still, I think they can get there even with no real chance of competing in a 7 game playoff series.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 5th Place
Conference – 10 Seed
Southwest
Dallas Mavericks
Last Season (52-30) 4 Seed
The safest bet to win the Division. The loss of Brunson won’t show up in their record due to the return of Tim Hardaway Jr, the acquisition of Christian Wood, and more minutes for Dinwiddie. Apparently Luka has slimmed down and is looking great. But, this team overperformed in the playoffs last year due to the underperformance of the Suns, so we need to be careful to not overrate them this year. “Luka Ball” works and the way he controls these playoff games is magical to watch. Christian Wood is looking to get paid and while he said it was news to him that he may be coming off the bench, he seemed willing to accept any role. This is definitely a fresh start for the Mavs and I cannot wait to see how things shape up. My current assessment is a #5 seed in the West and #9 in my NBA power rankings. With established big 3s/4s in Minnesota and Denver I can’t act like Dallas is on the same level. They have a solid unit but as we get into the playoffs, it’s star power that trumps all and I need more than Luka Doncic and 20 points from someone else. Josh Green and Jalen Hardy are young players that can play roles and we know this team is going to defend but they won’t make it to back to the West Finals.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 1st Place
Conference – 5 Seed
New Orleans Pelicans
Last Season (36-46) 8 Seed
So much potential. So much Potential. Brando Ingram is super happy about the fact that Zion and CJ are locked up (contract) here for a while. He seems calm and will be very patient as this team meshes together and figures things out with Zion now in the lineup. This season we could see a Grizzlies type jump from this team and even though Booker was out, it took about everything Chris Paul and the Suns had to get past the Pels in the first round last year. New Orleans will be a horrible team to face in the playoffs this year and I see getting there and seeding as the only potential problems. You never want to get stuck in the play-in but this team will be on the bubble fighting it all season. This team is top heavy with a lot of other stuff to figure out. The extra star power here makes up for everything, and can elevate this team to another level.. especially in the playoffs. Once we get there, you will have Zion, BI, and CJ combining for 75/80 points. Herb Jones will be playing the highest level of defense and this team has plenty of others players that can carry the rest of the scoring weight (Trey Murphy has had big games). Some teams can win a bunch of games but they don’t actually have players with the potential to do everything possible and advance through the postseason. It’s certainly a possibility in New Orleans.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 2nd Place
Conference – 6 Seed
Memphis Grizzlies
Last Season (56-26) 2 Seed
You lose Kyle Anderson. You lose Melton. People know you are good now. I see some regression for the Grizzlies this season. People making predictions don’t want to throw everything out the window and reshape the entire league, but that’s what needs to be done. They had a great season, we want to see them get better and compete, but the Western Conference is too much right now. Jaren Jackson Jr starts the season injured and will miss time. There are so many reasons for this team to lose more games than they did last year, so I’m banking on it. It was fascinating to watch this team thrive with and without Ja Morant last year, and it proved to me that this team has a solid base. They play hard, there is a toughness, and this is one of the few teams with a real identity. I think they hold things together and make the playoffs but I love the play-in angle at +200 for them to be a participant.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 3rd Place
Conference – 7 Seed
Houston Rockets
Last Season (20-62)
There is a very bright future in Houston and I already jumped on the bandwagon last year. Before we can even form an opinion of Jalen Green this team adds Jabari Smith who is the definition of 3 and D and will have a long career in this league. This team will explode on random nights and will be one of my top League Pass priorities. Tari Eason, TyTy Washington, Josh Christopher, Sengun, and KPJ are all young prospects that will have the ability to turn into something very important to this team. There isn’t a ton to get into when we know what the result of the season will be, but I will be picking up all the exciting bits and pieces of information I can find along the way.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 4th Place
Conference – 12 Seed
San Antonio Spurs
Last Season (34-48) 10 Seed
There is literally nothing going on here this year. This Spurs team is a ghost town and I think we could see one of the lowest win totals in NBA history. Tank for Viktor. They are years out of anything exciting and this situation is just unfortunate when you have teams like the Thunder with plenty of young guys and a ton of draft picks. This is truly GM hell. The sunken place. Keldon Johnson could have a monster year, or he will miss a ton of games. We will see.
Projected Finishes:
Division – 5th Place
Conference – 15 Seed
Final West Standings Projection:
- Clippers
- Warriors
- Timberwolves
- Nuggets
- Mavericks
- Pelicans
- Lakers
- Suns
- Grizzlies
- Kings
- Trail Blazers
- Rockets
- Jazz
- Thunder
- Spurs
Great NBA Backcourts this season:
Hawks (Young & Murray)
Warriors (Curry & Klay)
Cleveland (Garland & Mitchell)
Brooklyn (Ben Simmons & Kyrie)
76ers (Maxey & Harden)
Grizzlies (Ja Morant & Desmond Bane)
Suns (Paul & Booker)
Pelicans (C.J McCollum & Brandon Ingram)
Clippers (Reggie Jackson & Paul George)
Minnesota (Russell & Edwards)
Most Exciting:
Detroit (Cade & Ivey)
Portland (Lillard & Simons)
Pacers (Tyrese Haliburtin & Benedict Mathurin)
Houston (KPJ & Jalen Green)
Knicks (Brunson & Grimes)
Orlando (Cole Anthony & Suggs)
NBA 4-5 Frontcourt pairings to watch:
Timberwolves (KAT & Rudy)
Cavs (Mobley & Allen)
Denver (Aaron Gordon & Jokic)
Philly (Tobias Harris & Embiid)
Toronto (Barnes & Siakim)
Sacramento (Murray & Sabonis)
Orlando (Paolo & Wendell Carter)
Teams in Both – Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves
The League According to Max Clark:
One thing I really want to point out for this season is the rookie of the year race. This is clearly the most exciting race that I can ever remember. Usually it’s a 2 man race, last year we had a few guys that had a shot, but this is the year. Sadly Chet Holmgren won’t be participating but we have four others. Paolo, the guy, #1. Then you have Jabari Smith who has been compared to Kevin Durant, but he’s BIGGER. An NBA ready 19 year old with clamps and a polished jumpshot, what more could you ever ask for? Rather than a crazy ROY campaign from Jabari, I’m expecting a lot of years as a starter in this league. Then you have Jaden Ivey from South Bend Indiana, playing alongside Cade Cunningham on a Pistons team that could win more games than we think. There’s also the pick that nobody will talk about: Keegan Murray, on the best of these four teams, the Sacramento Kings. Four legit candidates who WILL make a difference in the league this season due to high volume. I’m already in on Paolo at +400… but you can still grab him at plus odds. Ivey isn’t in the Jalen Green situation where it’s essentially his team, he’s the 2 man with Cade being THE GUY in Detroit, no matter what Ivey is… Pistons fans, that has to be so exciting. With Ivey I see the potential but I have Keegan Murray ahead of him. Murray seems like he’s ready to step in and score 20 a game. He’s older, he’s a complete player, he’s ready to go right away, but he’s simply not the star that Paolo Banchero is.
Next:
It’s the year of the RISER. Last year we saw the Grizzlies rise out of nowhere to a 2 seed winning a ton of games with and without Ja. What I mean by risers is the teams with new identities that could win a million games. We already know a few teams that will be there, but this year it will be about just how good these new teams are and where they actually belong in the power rankings. There will be good and bad performances, there will be injuries, but it’s important to me to have a true rating of best to worst. Stock up is risers, teams who got better and have a ton of potential. We know they are better, we know they are undervalued, but we don’t know EXACTLY where they stack up. All we can do is evaluate, take chances on where we deem fit, and find enough value to make overall profit. Let me give you a couple of examples:
With the NBA Southeast Division we have an interesting situation. You can eliminate the Wizards, Hornets, and Magic from division contention right away so it’s between the Heat and Hawks. In my eyes, Miami takes a step back or essentially stays the same, which IS taking a step back due to all of these risers. While the Hawks have been to the ECF before, they are still a riser. Murray comes here and we know they will be better, but we aren’t sure of how much better. We know they have the POTENTIAL to win so we will take them to win the division at +140. We know what Miami’s floor is, but Atlanta could have a crazy high ceiling.
We have a slightly different scenario in the Southwest division. There are 3 true contenders. The Grizzlies, Mavericks, and Pelicans. We can easily eliminate the Spurs and the Rockets. Your rock is the Mavericks, your faller is the Grizzlies, and your riser is the Pelicans. I’m personally on the Mavericks BUT if someone wants to take a shot with the Pelicans knowing they are making a leap.. I see that as a good decision too. This play is more extreme and you may be looking at +175.
Some other RISERS I like are the Cavs, the Timberwolves, and the Clippers. All three teams who are plus money to win the division while we know they are going to be better.
Continuing:
This season I have a STRONG sense that there is a race to the bottom unlike one we have ever seen before. Viktor Wembanyana is going to be one of the most important storylines of the season and a franchise altering talent right away.
The recent breakthrough of the tier rating system HAS NEVER SEEN A BETTER USE. While we have a LOT to figure out in the jumbled mess up top, I have identified a clear top 10/11 teams that are miles better than the rest. Not only do these teams have the stars to be worthy of high rankings, most of them have the depth to go along with it. However, for these worse teams we see that with injuries and minutes allocation… depth will be a huge issue and we will have some ridiculous matchups. An example could be the Pacers this year with a few names like Duarte, Mathurin, and Halliburton playing let’s say… The Pelicans. While we don’t see the Pels as an overwhelming top dawg, there’s still no reason that they would lose to this Indiana team with how ridiculously terrible these reserves will be.
This is the year of blowouts and a large win dispersion. Multiple teams under 20 wins. Again, while we don’t know exactly who will win, we KNOW who will be LOSING. Timberwolves v Grizzlies could go either way… but we know how it’s gonna go if one of them plays the Rockets. There will be outliers and random events but the gap is very severe this year, especially with the best players on all of these bottom tier teams being well under 25.
We have seen a top heavy league with the Cavs, Warriors, and Rockets owning all and everyone else coming miles below them. Here we have about 20 teams that are solid and will compete with each other, a few projects with potential, and then trash.
This NBA season feels so fresh. There are so many new teams and situations, the league is wide fucking open, and this feels like the most complete package of a season we’ve ever had. We had the Celtics/Lakers Finals around 2010. That was great. Then we had the LeBron years, then we had the LeBron/Warriors years. It hurt so bad to never see the Rockets overtake Golden State but we saw some spectacular` basketball games. 2019 was honestly great with the Raptors INSANITY and it was fantastic to see an entire country back a professional basketball team. Drake and Kawhi were great main characters and the shot vs Jimmy Butler and Embiid (Ohhh that team) gave us an all time moment. Bron returned to the throne with the bubble season and before people try to take that finals away from the Lakers it’s important to note that we were ROBBED OF THE BATTLE OF LA by what I will call the worst collapse/choke in the history of sports. Wayoff P hits the backboard! LeBron having the opportunity to beat the champ/(best player on the planet) in Kawhi and a loaded Clippers team would have undoubtedly legitimized this ring and changed a lot of opinions on who the GOAT is. Or Paul Geroge would have a ring. Oh well.
Here is where I start to set up this season:
In the “legit” but non bubble NBA season we saw the Bucks end up handling the Suns and Chris Paul who once again came up short. Everything falls into place here: The Bucks did have some injury luck but they beat the unbeatable team (Nets) no matter what the circumstances were. A foot on the line will always be a super memorable moment in the career of Kevin Durant and a run like that does make us feel more familiar with Brooklyn. So Milwaukee wins that series and then they win the NBA Finals. Last year they went 7 with Boston minus Khris Middleton. How much better can you possibly do? That’s why I have the Bucks so high in my power rankings.
With Phoenix absolutely folding in last year’s playoffs giving us one of the saddest performances I’ve ever seen, (Game 7 vs Dallas) it’s important to look back before we even consider validating this team. On their way to the finals the year before, they got the Clippers WITHOUT KAWHI and then dropped 4 straight in the Finals to lose in 6. I overlooked this little storyline and it’s a huge contributor to why I have Phoenix so down in the power rankings this year. I feel obligated to call DeAndre Ayton a little bitch boy and Chris Paul is just an embarrassment in the postseason! I have Booker as a potential MVP candidate because he NEEDS to be.
Here’s how I imagine the playoffs:
With the NBA it sometimes sucks making these playoff predictions before the season even starts because one injury can actually change the entire playoff landscape. This isn’t at all a downside for entertainment, it’s a harsh reality of the GAUNTLET.
The Clippers are the best team in the league. I think we know this. They have STARS in PG and Kawhi. They have great point guards in Wall & Reggie Jackson. They have Mann who can score FAST off the bench and PLEASE, you need to learn the name Amir Coffey. If Kawhi or PG misses time, they will still be in the playoffs because of this deep infrastructure including coach Ty Lue. Storylines are so important in the NBA, and the duo of Harden and Embiid NEEDING rings and not knowing how many more years they will have left makes so much sense. Especially when you have literally everything else you would ever need to go along with it. This is my pick for the championship. The Clippers don’t have a Tyrese Maxey. Add in Tobias Harris and you have a BIG FOUR that has better superstars than the Cavs. When I’m so high on Cleveland but it’s blatantly obvious that this Sixers team is better, how can you put anyone above them? It’s a big four with two MVP candidates and then a flawless bench. So I think the Clippers lose in the championship and I’m coming into this season thinking there’s no way the Clippers can find a way to lose the West. This is too perfect. If we get Warriors and Clippers it’s very possible that the Clips will be favored even with all of Golden State’s playoff experience. So then you ask, who could knock off the Warriors? The Timberwolves and Nuggets are 3A and 3B. Both exciting situations and I see Western Conference Finals potential everywhere with these guys. The Pelicans with Zion and BI plus CJ as the 3rd option are certainly a team I don’t want to face in the playoffs. LeBron and Luka are the people who will drag anyone deep into the playoffs and we can’t count them out until the series is over. After that you only have ONE OTHER TEAM that gets to play a seven game series! Think of the West… only one more team. It’s crazy! Shocking to everyone, I think we somehow see the Suns and Grizzlies battling to get the 8 seed. Memphis could lose a lot of games with Jaren Jackson Jr out and that makes me want to give the edge to Phoenix. With players like Ja Morant, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, and others potentially being in the play-in… it’s going to be crazy and will give us a March Madness feel. Anything can happen in the playoffs and this will totally be a year where an 8 seed could potentially take a series to 7 games in the 1st round ESPECIALLY if we see some big injuries down the stretch.
Going back to the East I’m taking Philly, but it won’t be easy. The East is tough physical basketball and the Milwaulkee Bucks are the epitome of this. We will have WARS in the second round where the Bucks BEAT UP the Celtics last year. Boston did get better this offseason but the Bucks will have Middleton back. Last year even though Boston won, I feel like Milwaulkee took them out of contention due to just how much it took to get past them. Boston limped past Miami and gave it away in the finals. The Nets are back. They are loaded, but Boston destroyed them and there’s no reason to think it will work out, until they show us it’s working out. I’ll give the Hawks and the Cavs a long shot to make the ECF too. Atlanta has been there and we could still see them make ANOTHER trade. Cleveland has a BIG FOUR so it will only be a matter of the bench being productive and holding up.
SO Here is my pre-season NBA playoff bracket:
The Betting Section (FutureS)
Others Bets I have added:
Win Totals:
Clippers OVER 52.5 Wins
Hornets UNDER 36.6 Wins
Nets OVER 50.5 Wins
Coach of the Year:
Michael Malone +1400
Ty Lue +1200
Chris Finch +1200
6MOY:
Bones Hyland +1300
Stat Bets:
Kyrie Irving OVER 26.7 PPG
Devin Booker OVER 26.7 PPG
Fox OVER 23.7 PPG
D’Angelo Russell OVER 7.3 APG
James Harden OVER 21.7 PPG
Anthony Edwards OVER 23.1 PPG (Double Units)
Championship:
76ers +1500
Regular Season Most Wins
Clippers +550
West 1 Seed
Clippers +300
Conference Seeding
76ers UNDER 4.5
Denver Nuggets UNDER 4.5
I also have a list of players I would target in fantasy basketball.
I use Underdog where you draft:
2 Guards
2 Wings
1 Big
1 Flex
10 Bench Players
This is a “Best Ball” format where you don’t need to set your lineup. I have always loved drafting and finding value, so a site that gives me the opportunity to draft constantly without all the constant nitty gritty work after is great.
Sleepers/Players I’m drafting a TON of:
Zion Williamson
Cade Cunnignham
Scottie Barnes
Evan Mobley
Paolo Banchero
Saddiq Bey
Keegan Murray
Christian Wood
Gary Trent Jr
Tyrese Maxey
Spencer Dinwiddie
Bobby Portis
Cam Johnson
James Wiseman
Reggie Jackson
Bones Hyland
Anfernee Simons
Isaiah Stewart
Jaden McDaniels
Quniten Grimes
Patrick Williams
Again. I use UNDERDOG FANTASY. Rankings may differ from site to site.
West Coast Hoops 