ESPN: Future Power Rankings: Teams 1-5

Clips/Roxfan · Mar 16, 2011

Originally Published: March 16, 2011

Future Power Rankings: Teams 1-5

How will your favorite team fare in future seasons? Our experts take a close look.

By Chad Ford and John Hollinger

ESPN.com

The Future Power Rankings are ESPN Insider's projection of the on-court success expected for each team in the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insi.../news/story?page=FuturePowerRankings-1-110316

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Can someone please post the rest of this article...

da_juice · Mar 16, 2011

bulls are first, thunder 2nd, bobcats last, and cavs are 29th.

tamericus · Mar 16, 2011

Rockets places?

Thanks

J.R. · Mar 16, 2011

Below

The Future Power Rankings are ESPN Insider's projection of the on-court success expected for each team in the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

Consider this a convenient way to see the direction your favorite team is headed.

Each of the NBA's 30 teams received an overall Future Power Rating of 0 to 1,000, based on how well we expect each team to perform in the three seasons after this season.

To determine the Future Power Rating, we rated each team in five categories (see table at right).

As you can see, we determined that the most important category is a team's current roster and the future potential of those players -- that category accounts for 40 percent of each team's overall Future Power Rating.

At the same time, we looked at many other factors, such as management, ownership, coaching, a team's spending habits, its cap situation, the reputation of the city and the franchise, and what kind of draft picks we expected the team to have in the future.

With all the big moves made in the last few months, it's time for a new edition of the Future Power Rankings. Two important notes: (1) we are evaluating each team's prospects for the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons; and (2) we are not, for the most part, considering the changes that might be made to the collective bargaining agreement because there is no way to know how those changes will reshape the league.

HOW FUTURE POWER RATING IS DETERMINED

PLAYERS (0 to 400 points): Current players and their potential for the future, factoring in expected departures

MANAGEMENT (0 to 200 points): Quality and stability of front office, ownership, coaching

MONEY (0 to 200 points): Projected salary-cap situation; ability and willingness to exceed cap and pay luxury tax

MARKET (0 to 100 points): Appeal to future acquisitions based on team quality, franchise reputation, city's desirability as a destination, market size, taxes, business and entertainment opportunities, arena quality, fans

DRAFT (0 to 100 points): Future draft picks; draft positioning
Click to expand...

16. Houston Rockets | Future Power Rating: 508

PLAYERS|MANAGEMENT|MONEY|MARKET|DRAFT
147 (22nd)|138 (10th)|112 (9th)|52 (11th)|59 (10th)

The Rockets find themselves caught in the NBA's version of purgatory -- good enough to win a bunch of regular-season games, but not good enough to get into the playoffs. While Houston has several good players -- Kyle Lowry, Kevin Martin, Chase Budinger, Luis Scola, Patrick Patterson, Courtney Lee and Goran Dragic all are keepers -- the Rockets lack a great one now that Yao Ming's career is in jeopardy, and they have thus far failed in their efforts to procure one.

Houston's management score took a slight hit due to uncertainty over Rick Adelman's future, as well as a puzzling midseason trade of a future first-round pick for New Jersey bust Terrence Williams. As for the draft, the Rockets' well-executed trade with New York that gave them the right to switch picks with the Knicks in 2011 and NY's first-rounder in 2012 now looks like less of a jackpot given the Knicks' recent success.

Nonetheless, the Rockets should at the very least keep their heads above water. They have a strong salary cap situation going forward, plus an owner who is willing to spend money to buy draft picks and/or pay luxury tax. They have an alluring market where many players make their offseason homes, one with no state income tax. And while they owe a future first-rounder to New Jersey for the Williams trade, they got one from Phoenix in the Dragic deal and still have the 2012 Knicks pick.

All of that should allow the Rockets to be a decent team; becoming any more than that will require some clever wheeling and dealing from GM Daryl Morey to convert his many red chips into one or two blue ones.

(Previous rank: 10)
Click to expand...

The Future Power Rankings are ESPN Insider's projection of the on-court success expected for each team in the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

Consider this a convenient way to see the direction your favorite team is headed.

Each of the NBA's 30 teams received an overall Future Power Rating of 0 to 1,000, based on how well we expect each team to perform in the three seasons after this season.

To determine the Future Power Rating, we rated each team in five categories (see table at right).

As you can see, we determined that the most important category is a team's current roster and the future potential of those players -- that category accounts for 40 percent of each team's overall Future Power Rating.

At the same time, we looked at many other factors, such as management, ownership, coaching, a team's spending habits, its cap situation, the reputation of the city and the franchise, and what kind of draft picks we expected the team to have in the future.

With all the big moves made in the last few months, it's time for a new edition of the Future Power Rankings. Two important notes: (1) we are evaluating each team's prospects for the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons; and (2) we are not, for the most part, considering the changes that might be made to the collective bargaining agreement because there is no way to know how those changes will reshape the league.

HOW FUTURE POWER RATING IS DETERMINED
PLAYERS (0 to 400 points): Current players and their potential for the future, factoring in expected departures
MANAGEMENT (0 to 200 points): Quality and stability of front office, ownership, coaching
MONEY (0 to 200 points): Projected salary-cap situation; ability and willingness to exceed cap and pay luxury tax
MARKET (0 to 100 points): Appeal to future acquisitions based on team quality, franchise reputation, city's desirability as a destination, market size, taxes, business and entertainment opportunities, arena quality, fans
DRAFT (0 to 100 points): Future draft picks; draft positioning

Here are our latest rankings, from 1 to 30:

1. Chicago Bulls | Future Power Rating: 729

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
369 (2nd) 144 (8th) 85 (20th) 93 (3rd) 38 (19th)

In August, after making several moves last summer, the Bulls took a big leap from ninth to fourth. Now? For the first time ever, they've claimed the No. 1 spot in our rankings.

There is a lot to be bullish about in Chicago. Derrick Rose is the leading candidate for this year's MVP honors, an amazing accomplishment for a 22-year-old; Joakim Noah is blossoming, now that he's healthy again; and Carlos Boozer gives the Bulls scoring inside. They may not be the "Big Three," but they've been almost as good as the trios in Boston and Miami when they've been on the court together.

Chicago gets a big bump in the Management category -- up from No. 14 to No. 8 -- thanks to new coach Tom Thibodeau, who has the Bulls playing great defense and much better offense as well.

While the Bulls still need to find a 2-guard with a jump shot, otherwise this is starting to look like a championship-caliber team that is set up to stay that way for the next five years. Besides the Heat and Thunder, can any other teams say the same?

(Previous rank: 4)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder | Future Power Rating: 726

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
373 (1st) 174 (2nd) 111 (10th) 46 (16th) 22 (26th)

We chose the Bulls as the team to beat going forward, but Oklahoma City rated as a close second, trailing Chicago by just three points in the Future Power Rating. General manager Sam Presti moved another step closer to completing his championship blueprint by acquiring center Kendrick Perkins at the trade deadline and immediately signing him to a contract extension, ensuring that Oklahoma City's athletic, skilled and frighteningly young core has a true center to go with the talent amassed at the other four spots.

In fact, we rate the Thunder No. 1 in the Players category, and Presti & Co. rated second only to the Spurs in Management. Additionally, Oklahoma City's favorable salary-cap situation gives the Thunder the flexibility to add pieces and make moves as necessary in coming years, most notably by extending the contracts of their young stars.

Of course, the Thunder remain behind the Bulls in the Market category. Chicago and the Bulls franchise are much greater lures, and -- as with San Antonio and the Spurs organization -- it's going to take certain types of players to adapt to the culture of the Oklahoma City locale and the Thunder franchise. As a result, Oklahoma City might lose out on free agents that could round out its roster.

Fortunately, Presti seemed to know that all along, which one reason he traded for Perkins and extended Nick Collison, and why even with cap space the past two summers, the Thunder never dove headlong into the free-agent market. Instead, Presti has built his team from the bottom up, and over the next three years we rate them the most dangerous bunch in the West.

(Previous rank: 2)

3. Miami Heat | Future Power Rating: 661

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
360 (3rd) 173 (3rd) 30 (30th) 95 (2nd) 3 (30th)

The Heat ranked No. 1 in our previous edition, but we've had to temper our expectations in light of their somewhat disappointing regular season. In particular, we dropped the rating for their players from first to third. While LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are a fearsome trio, they put up better numbers apart than they have together. But the bigger reason is that the supporting cast has been worse than expected. Miami committed to five-year deals for both Mike Miller and Joel Anthony, and both have been terrible. Meanwhile, nobody has offset those subpar seasons with a surprise campaign.

That said, Miami still has tremendous advantages over the next three years. Not only do they have a spectacularly good nucleus, but the Heat also have strong management from the top down -- owner Micky Arison, team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra each are among the best. Additionally, the magnetic lure of this market -- a sunny tax haven with three superstars to play alongside -- has already paid benefits by luring free agents Erick Dampier and Mike Bibby during the season, and likely will continue to do so in future campaigns.

One concern going forward is the possibility of a hard salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement. The Heat rank dead last in the Draft category, as they'll be picking late when they pick at all (multiple future picks are owed to Cleveland and Toronto as part of the James and Bosh acquisitions). Plus, they're capped out by paying James, Wade and Bosh, which means if the new collective bargaining agreement doesn't include midlevel or biannual cap exceptions, the Heat will have great difficulty surrounding their star trio with championship-caliber talent.

(Previous rank: 1)

4. Los Angeles Lakers | Future Power Rating: 644

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
325 (4th) 167 (4th) 41 (29th) 99 (1st) 12 (29th)

The two-time defending champion Lakers are championship contenders again this year, and likely will be in the hunt for at least two more years. Certainly, a foursome as mighty as Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom isn't just going to fizzle overnight, even as Bryant, Gasol, Odom and Ron Artest age a bit.

Nonetheless, enough cracks are showing in the foundation for us to leave the Lakers just fourth in our rankings. Bynum and Shannon Brown are the Lakers' only decent players under 30, which is scary, because it means they're counting on Kobe, Pau & Co. to bridge the gap for a few more years until they can bring in meaningful reinforcements.

Additionally, the Lakers have virtually no means to make quality additions for the coming seasons, particularly if the new collective bargaining agreement eliminates the midlevel exception, because L.A. is already capped out for the foreseeable future. (Forget those Dwight Howard fantasies, folks -- unless the Magic trade him for Bynum, you're not getting him.) And while the Lakers are still a luxury-tax team with, in fact, the highest payroll in the league, owner Jerry Buss has become increasingly tight with the excess cash -- L.A. has made salary-dumping deals each of the past three seasons.

We had to give the Lakers a lower score in the Management category to price in the likelihood that Phil Jackson will not return next season. The Lakers' prestige should allow them to hire a quality replacement, but regardless of who fills Phil's shoes, the new coach will be a downgrade from arguably the best coach in history.

(Previous rank: 3)

5. San Antonio Spurs | Future Power Rating: 611

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
236 (10th) 195 (1st) 84 (21st) 63 (8th) 33 (22nd)

The Spurs have the best record in the NBA right now. So why aren't they No. 1 in our rankings?

Because it's pretty hard to see how this run stretches all the way into 2013-14. Tim Duncan (35 next season), Manu Ginobili (34 next season), Antonio McDyess (37 next season, if he returns) and Richard Jefferson (31 next season) won't keep this up forever, and Duncan in particular has slowed down already. Tony Parker (29 next season) is the only Spurs veteran who remains in his prime. George Hill, DeJuan Blair and Tiago Splitter appear to have bright futures, but as role players, not stars.

But we're still high on the Spurs, mostly because of their stellar ownership, front office and coaching. We've ranked them No. 1 in the Management category every time, and they continue to prove us right as they reload and fill in around the aging Duncan and Ginobili.
Click to expand...

6. New York Knicks | Future Power Rating: 586

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
255 (8th) 107 (12th) 117 (8th) 92 (4th) 15 (28th)

What a difference a season and a half can make. In the November 2009 edition of the Future Power Rankings, we ranked the Knicks 21st. In December 2010, thanks to their strong play, a sleeper draft pick and the acquisition of free agent Amare Stoudemire, we moved the Knicks from 11th to seventh. Now, with a trade deadline deal bringing in Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, we have pushed the Knicks up the rankings once again, to sixth overall.

New York is still a piece or two away from being a true contender, but they rate as above average in every category but Draft -- in terms of Players, Management, Money and Market, the Knicks are relatively strong.

In just 16 months, the Knicks' roster has moved from 28th to eighth, and the front office gets high marks for its deft maneuvering to clear cap space and get two stars. And while New York City has always been a prime destination for free agents, with Stoudemire and Anthony on board, the Knicks now rival the Lakers, Heat and Bulls as the team to join.

While the Knicks lost ground in the Money category because they used a lot of their salary-cap space in the Anthony acquisition, they should have significant room in 2012, when Chauncey Billups is scheduled to come off the books. While it's unlikely the Knicks can add star point guard Chris Paul or Deron Williams, they should be able to keep adding pieces to the puzzle.

The future in New York hasn't seemed so bright in years. While it's doubtful the Knicks will be able to compete with the likes of Miami and Chicago next season, they should, for the first time in a long time, finally be fielding a serious playoff threat for the next few years.

(Previous rank: 7)

7. Indiana Pacers | Future Power Rating: 581

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
207 (14th) 106 (13th) 173 (1st) 38 (21st) 57 (13th)

The Pacers continue, improbably, to fly up our rankings, despite being little more than a .400 team.

In August, the team jumped a whopping nine spots from No. 26 to No. 17 in our rankings. In December, they rose six more spots to No. 11. This time they leapfrog a few more teams, all the way up to No. 7. Yes, we're saying the Pacers have the seventh-brightest future, ahead of teams like the Celtics, Magic and Mavericks.

Really? Really. Let us explain.

In our ratings, the Pacers excel in only one category: Money, which is defined as "projected salary-cap situation [and] ability and willingness to exceed cap and pay luxury tax." While we don't know how the new collective bargaining agreement will affect the Pacers' ability to spend, on paper they are in great shape.

Pacers executives Larry Bird and David Morway have set this team up for future success by drafting well, building depth and staying away from bad contracts. Owner Herb Simon is considered one of the best in the business -- despite an unfavorable market and financial situation, he has remained committed to spending the money it takes to be competitive.

Going into the summer of 2011, the Pacers have the second-most salary cap space, behind only Sacramento, even though the Pacers aren't likely to lose any core players. Among the team's unrestricted free agents-to-be, T.J. Ford has been benched, Mike Dunleavy has been injured often, and only Jeff Foster (who just turned 34) and Josh McRoberts have played consistent roles in the second half of the season. On the downside, the Pacers might lose former lottery pick Brandon Rush, who has fallen out of favor, and must sign big man Roy Hibbert to an extension.

Meanwhile, the Pacers have several promising young players still on their rookie contracts. Rookie Paul George has star ability and looks like the steal of the 2010 draft this year, Tyler Hansbrough has come on strong under coach Frank Vogel, and Darren Collison has given the Pacers a boost at point guard.

At the moment, the Pacers are barely hanging on to their playoff spot, but they should be a more legitimate factor in the next three seasons. With the right additions and the development of George, Hibbert, Hansbrough and Collison, Indiana has a shot at being one of the better teams in the East for the next half-decade.

(Previous rank: 11)

8. Boston Celtics | Future Power Rating: 575

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
210 (12th) 162 (5th) 103 (14th) 68 (7th) 32 (23rd)

The Celtics shocked virtually everyone at the trade deadline when they shipped out Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. The conventional wisdom before the trade was that Boston, with three stars over the age of 30, was focused solely on winning the 2010-11 championship.

While some believe the trade hurts their chances for this season, it did help their Future Power Rating a bit. Green is just 24 years old and should play a prominent role in the team's future, as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen continue to slow down. Green, Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis and Avery Bradley give the Celtics enough young talent to keep them moving forward optimistically.

We are impressed by the staying power of Garnett, Allen and Pierce in the Celtics' system, which means Boston should remain in contention next season. Beyond that, Allen and Garnett might stick around, but if they depart as free agents, the Celtics should have a lot of salary-cap space and appear to be positioning themselves well for their next big splash.

Furthermore, these days Boston appears to be an attractive place to play and has a strong management team, willing to spend. While we have doubts about the future of the roster over the long haul, there is still a lot to like in Boston.

(Previous rank: 14)

9. Los Angeles Clippers | Future Power Rating: 567

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
280 (6th) 44 (27th) 124 (7th) 61 (9th) 58 (11th)

It appears the Clippers may become good in spite of themselves. L.A. moved five spots north to No. 9 in our future power poll, based mostly on the spectacular exploits of rookie Blake Griffin. With a fantastic rookie power forward and a few other strong young players -- shooting guard Eric Gordon, center DeAndre Jordan, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and point guard Eric Bledsoe -- the Clips have a solid base on which to build success. They also have plentiful salary-cap space in future seasons thanks to the midseason trade of Baron Davis, and Los Angeles is a major lure to potential free agents. Finally, they own a completely unprotected 2012 pick from the lowly Timberwolves.

With all these assets, you'd think the Clippers couldn't possibly screw this up. And with any other team you'd be right. But the lingering fear remains that the Clippers will somehow find a way to botch a near-perfect setup. We rated L.A. 27th in the Management category, and that might have been kind. Owner Donald Sterling is the worst in all of sports -- a cheapskate who heckles his own players, can't hire a good coach because of his history of not paying his employees, and has interfered to block countless transactions. Unheralded GM Neil Olshey did well to dump Davis' contract, but he has several more difficult battles ahead of him as he tries to build around Griffin.

The scary thing is that Griffin and Gordon are so good it may not matter. As long as the Clippers extend those two players -- a no-brainer, one would think, but never assume anything with this franchise -- L.A.'s other team seems set as a playoff regular.

(Previous rank: 15)

10. Portland Trail Blazers | Future Power Rating: 548

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
257 (7th) 142 (9th) 64 (26th) 49 (14th) 36 (21st)

Perhaps the worst has passed for Portland. The Trail Blazers moved up three spots in this edition, as a breakout season from LaMarcus Aldridge, a trade for Gerald Wallace and some recent encouraging performances from Brandon Roy have us much more bullish on their prospects. The Blazers still have quality young wings like Wes Matthews, Nic Batum and Rudy Fernandez littering the roster, and still own the rights to center Greg Oden. While the latter seems like a punch line, Portland intends to re-sign him, and if he can get healthy and stay healthy, the Blazers are going to be very good.

Even if not, they have the makings of a solid core, plus strong management -- especially now that coach Nate McMillan agreed to a contract extension -- and an owner willing to spend for the right player. Roy's contract is likely to be a major problem going forward, but key veterans like Marcus Camby and Andre Miller have expiring deals that could allow Portland to use them in trades. Additionally, younger players like Elliot Williams, Luke Babbitt and Patty Mills could become contributors in coming seasons.

The one hit Portland took was in the Draft category -- the Blazers traded two first-rounders to Charlotte for Wallace -- but even that isn't as bad as it appears, as the Blazers have always been willing to purchase first-round picks from other teams.

(Previous rank: 13)

11. Orlando Magic | Future Power Rating: 541

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
287 (5th) 125 (11th) 43 (28th) 70 (5th) 16 (27th)

The Magic dropped five spots in this iteration of the Future Power Rankings, with uneven play and an increasingly large heap of bad contracts sullying the fact that they have the game's most dominant big man -- at least, for a while. Dwight Howard can become a free agent in the summer of 2012, and his potential departure will hang over the team until he signs an extension.

Howard has some talented teammates, most notably point guard Jameer Nelson, power forward Brandon Bass and the vastly underrated Ryan Anderson, but around them are a lot of older players who are compensated far too much for their production. Gilbert Areanas, Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Duhon are essentially untradeable because of their contracts, which will have the Magic in the luxury tax until at least 2013.

That they can do this in such a small market is testament to the ownership of the DeVos family, and that they can win so consistently with only one superstar points to the quality of coach Stan Van Gundy. But one wonders when the spending stops and, in particular, if Jason Richardson's free agency this summer is precisely that point. Even with the current payroll, the Magic look like fringe contenders, and despite Howard's dominance it's hard to see their lot improving in future seasons.

(Previous rank: 6)

12. New Jersey Nets | Future Power Rating: 538

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
180 (18th) 80 (18th) 169 (2nd) 55 (10th) 54 (14th)

The Nets may have pulled off the coup of the trade deadline with a deal that snagged them All-Star point guard Deron Williams for a package that included Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and draft picks. But there's a big asterisk here. New Jersey traded for Williams without any assurances that he'd sign a contract extension with the team before he can hit free agency in 2012. If he bolts, the Nets appear to have made a catastrophic deal. If he signs for the long haul, they should continue to move up the rankings.

For the moment, we decided to split the difference, giving the Nets a small bump for the trade but remaining in wait-and-see mode until we figure out whether they have a good chance of keeping Williams.

The key to whether Williams will stay probably comes down to how the Nets spend their roughly $18 million in salary cap space this summer. If they can land another important player (preferably at the 4) to put on the floor with Williams and big man Brook Lopez, the Nets will start to look pretty formidable. But the Nets have yet to show that they can lure a big-time player via free agency. That may change when the Nets finally move to Brooklyn in 2012, but for now players are not beating a path to Newark.

(Previous rank: 12)

13. Dallas Mavericks | Future Power Rating: 535

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
206 (15th) 154 (6th) 78 (23rd) 69 (6th) 28 (25th)

As discussed in previous editions, the Mavericks remain one of the best teams in the league, but the future is cloudy. With an older core, a payroll over the salary cap and players heading into free agency, the Mavs will be hard-pressed to keep playing at such a high level.

Several key players -- Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and Brendan Haywood -- are moving past their career primes and are likely to provide diminishing returns in the future. Two other impact players -- Caron Butler and Tyson Chandler -- will be free agents this summer, and their futures with the team are still very much up in the air.

The Mavs' list of up-and-coming players consists of one guy, 23-year-old point guard Rodrigue Beaubois. He hasn't played much this season, or especially well, because of injury, but he should be a significant contributor in future seasons. Whether he is truly a cornerstone player remains to be seen.

The good news for Mavs fans is that owner Mark Cuban is creative and has found ways to keep the Mavs relevant. So while it's hard to see the Mavs maintaining their incredible streak of consecutive seasons with 50 or more wins for each of the next three seasons, it's hard to count them out, too.

(Previous rank: 9)

14. Utah Jazz | Future Power Rating: 526

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
163 (20th) 145 (7th) 95 (16th) 32 (23rd) 91 (2nd)

The Jazz took the greatest fall of any team in our rankings. Not only did Utah lose its best player, All-Star point guard Deron Williams, in a February trade, but it also lost the soul of the team when Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan decided he'd rather deal with John Deere.

In December, the Jazz were No. 5 in our rankings, but they are down to No. 13 now. While we didn't expect such a steep decline, of course, or the sudden departure of Williams and Sloan, the slide eventually might have been worse if general manager Kevin O'Connor had waited and watched Williams walk out the door.

With Williams grumbling and a growing belief in Utah that he wouldn't re-sign with the team, O'Connor shocked everyone, including Williams, by dealing him to the Nets for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two first-round draft picks.

The move killed any thoughts the Jazz had about being playoff contenders this year but set the team up for the future. Favors, a big, athletic power forward, was the No. 3 pick in the 2010 draft. Harris, while no D-Will, was an All-Star two years ago and still has a lot to offer.

They join Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson as the core of a team, which hopes rookies Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans are keepers, too. Add a pair of 2011 lottery picks, including the Nets' pick, and the Jazz should be able to rebuild while remaining reasonably competitive.

One big question mark is at the coaching position, at which Sloan's abrupt resignation left a gaping hole. While Tyrone Corbin has come in and is doing what he can to pick up the pieces, the Jazz's long-term plans are up in the air.

(Previous rank: 5)

15. Denver Nuggets | Future Power Rating: 513

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
200 (16th) 88 (17th) 136 (6th) 45 (17th) 44 (17th)

After all the Melo drama, it's shocking to see how well the Nuggets have come out of it. Denver squeezed the Knicks for so many assets in the Carmelo Anthony trade that we've actually moved the Nuggets up two spots in this batch of rankings, with the money category being the key. Denver was capped out and into the tax before the trade, but by including Chauncey Billups in the deal the Nuggets have plenty of leeway to re-sign star center Nene Hilario, shooting guard Arron Afflalo and new arrival Wilson Chandler.

Once they take care of business in the coming offseason, the Nuggets will be poised to be major players in the free agent market of 2012, especially if they can move Al Harrington or Chris Andersen prior to that. In the meantime, their crop of young talent is impressive enough to rank in the middle of the NBA pack even without Anthony. Nene, Ty Lawson, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Chandler and Afflalo are solid players now and young enough to make major contributions over the next three seasons.

The Nuggets also removed another piece of uncertainty by re-upping George Karl to a three-year extension, keeping one of the game's top coaches in tow.

Denver's draft rating is middling because its picks the next three years are likely to be in the middle of the first round, but we should note that two assets the Nuggets own -- a 2014 first-rounder from New York and the right to switch picks with the Knicks in 2016 -- could be put to use earlier in the form of trades for draft picks, players and inducement to take Harrington and Andersen off their hands.

(Previous rank: 17)
Click to expand...

16. Houston Rockets | Future Power Rating: 508

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
147 (22nd) 138 (10th) 112 (9th) 52 (11th) 59 (10th)

The Rockets find themselves caught in the NBA's version of purgatory -- good enough to win a bunch of regular-season games, but not good enough to get into the playoffs. While Houston has several good players -- Kyle Lowry, Kevin Martin, Chase Budinger, Luis Scola, Patrick Patterson, Courtney Lee and Goran Dragic all are keepers -- the Rockets lack a great one now that Yao Ming's career is in jeopardy, and they have thus far failed in their efforts to procure one.

Houston's management score took a slight hit due to uncertainty over Rick Adelman's future, as well as a puzzling midseason trade of a future first-round pick for New Jersey bust Terrence Williams. As for the draft, the Rockets' well-executed trade with New York that gave them the right to switch picks with the Knicks in 2011 and NY's first-rounder in 2012 now looks like less of a jackpot given the Knicks' recent success.

Nonetheless, the Rockets should at the very least keep their heads above water. They have a strong salary cap situation going forward, plus an owner who is willing to spend money to buy draft picks and/or pay luxury tax. They have an alluring market where many players make their offseason homes, one with no state income tax. And while they owe a future first-rounder to New Jersey for the Williams trade, they got one from Phoenix in the Dragic deal and still have the 2012 Knicks pick.

All of that should allow the Rockets to be a decent team; becoming any more than that will require some clever wheeling and dealing from GM Daryl Morey to convert his many red chips into one or two blue ones.

(Previous rank: 10)

17. Washington Wizards | Future Power Rating: 474

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
158 (21st) 56 (23rd) 137 (5th) 40 (19th) 83 (3rd)

The Wizards are terrible right now, but they have a decent situation going forward. Thanks to Mike Bibby's decision to forgo the $6 million he's owed next year and become a free agent, Washington hit the jackpot at the trade deadline -- moving the $9 million owed Kirk Hinrich next season while effectively getting two first-round picks from the Hawks. One of them, Jordan Crawford, was Atlanta's 2010 first-rounder and has hardly played, while the second is likely to be around 20th in the draft. Nonetheless, it allows the rebuilding Wizards to keep accumulating assets.

Washington also has a few nice pieces on its roster. John Wall looks like a future star if his knees don't become an issue, while JaVale McGee is a shot-blocking and finishing force. Andray Blatche could provide a third building block, but his poor conditioning and lack of professionalism stand in the way right now -- Washington might regret the extension it inked him to last year.

The Wizards also rated low for management. New owner Ted Leonsis is promising, but general manager Ernie Grunfeld and coach Flip Saunders have done little to inspire confidence. The Hinrich trade was a move in the right direction, however, and late first-round draft pick Trevor Booker looks like a keeper. With more steps like that and fewer like the baffling Josh Howard signing, the combination of Wall, future cap space and a tempting market could have the Wizards back to respectability soon.

(Previous rank: 19)

18. Sacramento Kings | Future Power Rating: 471

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
141 (23rd) 35 (28th) 165 (3rd) 48 (14th) 82 (4th)

We're not crazy about their players and we think the Kings are one of the worst-run teams in sports, but they moved up two spots to 18th in our latest rankings because of one big issue: relocation.

Anaheim may not be L.A., but it's a heck of a lot closer than Sacramento, and it should be a significant draw for future players. In the last edition, we ranked Sacramento 28th in the Market category; in this edition, we assumed the Kings would be moving to Anaheim and bumped the team up to 14th.

This is not an idle consideration given the trove of salary cap space on which the Kings sit. They were barely at the league's minimum salary this season and will get another $15 million in space when the deals of Samuel Dalembert and Marquis Daniels expire, which should give them room to sign two max free agents this summer if they so desire. (Of course, all such considerations are subject to the new collective bargaining agreement, when we have one.)

Of course, they're likely to take it slower than that -- there are few good free agents this summer and the Kings' owners are thought to be in pretty tight financial straits. Nonetheless, the appeal of Anaheim for free agents in 2012 -- say, a Deron Williams-Dwight Howard package deal, for those living in fantasy land -- can't be ignored.

Whether they have the organization to pull off something like that is very much an open question. The Kings rated 28th for management given the team's shaky direction under Geoff Petrie, who assembled a great team at the start of the decade but has presided over one lousy season after another in recent years. And despite two great talents in Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins, we rated the Kings' players 23rd, as we're not sure either has the maturity to achieve the stardom at which their talents hint.

(Previous rank: 20)

19. Atlanta Hawks | Future Power Rating: 455

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
235 (11th) 92 (16th) 56 (27th) 42 (18th) 30 (24th)

After an uneven season that has seen Atlanta take its first step back after improving for five straight seasons, the Hawks have fallen three spots in the rankings.

While Al Horford, Josh Smith and Joe Johnson form a very solid nucleus, we doubt the Hawks will be able to surround them with much talent. Atlanta traded its 2010 and 2011 first-round picks to Washington for Kirk Hinrich and have gotten little this season from Marvin Williams, who was supposed to be another core piece of the foundation (and is paid like it). Jeff Teague, a 2009 first-rounder, showed plenty of promise when inserted into the starting lineup in Saturday's win over Portland but had accomplished little prior to that. Meanwhile, the likely free agent defection of Jamal Crawford, a glaring lack of quality depth and a relatively weak financial situation mean the Hawks may be stuck in neutral for a while longer.

As a result, Atlanta dropped from seventh to 11th in the Players category, which has always been its strongest spot in these rankings. If Williams and Teague can't turn the corner, the Hawks' three stars may not get them beyond the first round of the playoffs over the coming three seasons.

(Previous rank: 16)

20. Philadelphia 76ers | Future Power Rating: 447

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
208 (13) 79 (19) 76 (24th) 39 (20th) 45 (16th)

While the 76ers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA during the second half of the season, our Future Power Rankings system doesn't seem to be all that impressed. Yes, they've jumped four spots in our latest standings to No. 20, but the future doesn't appear as bright as Philly fans hope.

Doug Collins has done a great job getting the most out of Elton Brand and bringing discipline to the team, but we still have reservations about how far the Sixers can go.

If the team exceeds our expectations, it will be because of its young talent. Andre Iguodala has been as solid as ever. Jrue Holiday has been good and, at 20 years old, should only get better. Thaddeus Young is having another productive season, as is Lou Williams. And No. 2 pick Evan Turner, after a brutal start, has turned things around a bit since the All-Star break.

But there are still structural problems with the team that we can't ignore, particularly in terms of salary commitments, present and future. Brand has played better this season, but he's on a terrible contract that doesn't end until 2013. Iguodala's contract is huge, and Andres Nocioni is grossly overpaid. Young hits the free agent market this summer, with no guarantee the Sixers can bring him back.

With no true stars, no size in the middle, little money to spend and middling draft picks in future drafts, the Sixers' ceiling may be much lower than it appears to be.

(Previous rank: 24)

21. Golden State Warriors | Future Power Rating: 441

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
172 (19th) 68 (20th) 105 (103rd) 50 (13th) 46 (15th)

The Warriors have new owners, but so far there's very little evidence that anything has changed.

Golden State has the same general manager, the same all-flash, no-substance game between the lines and another team on track for about 35 wins.

The Warriors have talented players, particularly Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry and David Lee. Dorell Wright has been a nice pickup, and Reggie Williams was a great find.

But the team still has little in the way of a winning culture, a defensive ethic or a long-term strategy. For one thing, it's hard to see how the Warriors can advance very far with Curry and Ellis together in the backcourt. While they complement each other offensively, often in spectacular fashion, they can't guard anyone, and they don't have defensive stoppers behind them, either.

Financially, the Warriors have a little flexibility, but not as much as they would like. So while there are reasons to be hopeful, the Warriors at No. 21 feels just about right.

(Previous rank: 22)

22. Memphis Grizzlies | Future Power Rating:432

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
240 (9th) 55 (24th) 75 (25th) 20 (29th) 42 (18th)

We like Memphis' current roster a lot, and it's not hard to see why. With talented young players such as Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, Sam Young, O.J. Mayo, Darrell Arthur and Marc Gasol and in-their-prime veterans such as Zach Randolph and Tony Allen along with prospects such as Xavier Henry and Greivis Vasquez in the pipeline, few doubt Memphis has the pieces in place to stay in the West's top eight for the next three years.

It's the other stuff that has us worried. We dropped Memphis from No. 7 to No. 25 in the money category because we suspect that, with this year's success, the Griz will keep free agents Randolph and Gasol. That would be good for the talent base but put the Grizzlies in an unfavorable financial situation going forward. It would likely preclude future dips into the free-agent pool and, for a low-revenue team that's unlikely to pay luxury tax, probably cost them the services of Mayo, and perhaps Young, when those players become free agents.

Thus, the Grizzlies would be left to depend on internal improvement and strong management, and the latter hasn't been their strong suit in recent seasons. Owner Michael Heisley's interference with general manager Chris Wallace, along with the sometimes-bizarre decisions by coach Lionel Hollins, such as ignoring Allen for a good chunk of the season while starting a clearly unready Henry, have left observers scratching their heads.

Finally, as a smaller city with limited allure for out-of-town free agents (although Tennessee's lack of income tax could help), Memphis is the 29th-rated market, meaning it may have trouble drawing additional pieces to the franchise, even if the Grizzlies decide to spend.

Overall, it's a mixed bag, with significant upside and significant concerns.

(Previous rank: 21)

23. New Orleans Hornets | Future Power Rating: 426

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
185 (17th) 95 (15th) 80 (22nd) 29 (25th) 37 (20th)

The Hornets' present isn't bad, but their future is very much up in the air. The team became a ward of the state (the NBA, that is) since the last time we did this exercise, and nobody is sure how the league will dispose of its new asset -- via relocation, via contraction or via the long-shot hope of local ownership riding in to save the day.

On the court, there's equal uncertainty. Everyone talks about Chris Paul's impending free agency in 2012, while ignoring that David West can walk this summer. The high-scoring forward has no incentive to sign an extension to his current below-market contract. The best and the worst parts are that he's tight with CP3. If West goes, Paul is almost certainly next. If the Hornets can somehow keep West, it should increase the chances Paul would re-up, too.

In the meantime, new general manager Dell Demps is pulling out all the stops, bringing in more help (and some West insurance) in the form of Carl Landry at the trade deadline. All this has the Hornets barely hanging on to a playoff spot, even with Paul playing at his usual high level.

If Paul stays, the future still isn't a bed of roses. The Hornets have little young talent in the pipeline, having traded promising guard Marcus Thornton for Landry and swapping their first-round pick to Portland to acquire Jerryd Bayless (since traded to Toronto). Additionally, Paul's bothersome knee may render his window of dominance at the point small.

All this explains why the Hornets are just 23rd in the rankings, even though they are a playoff team at the moment. They're doing all they can to stay relevant in the West, but it's not clear they can find their way back to the upper crust.

(Previous rank: 23)

24. Milwaukee Bucks | Future Power Rating: 419

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
130 (24th) 103 (14th) 98 (15th) 30 (24th) 58 (12th)

The Bucks' sudden rise and precipitous fall have been well-documented by our rankings over the last 16 months. In our first edition, we ranked the Bucks 29th, next to last. Less than a year later, the team was ranked 18th after a draft steal of Brandon Jennings and a surprise playoff run. But this season has been a major struggle, and they've dipped back down to No. 24 in our rankings.

Last year, John Hammond was the league's executive of the year, as virtually everything he touched turned to gold. This year? Not so much.

Andrew Bogut continues to battle pain from a major injury to his right arm last season. Jennings is talented, but he hasn't improved as much as expected. John Salmons, who signed to a big contract last summer, is having an off year. So is Corey Maggette, and Drew Gooden has played just 25 games this season.

Moving forward, there are serious questions about how the Bucks get better. Salmons, Maggette and Gooden are overpaid and underperforming. The Bucks badly need a return to form for those players, a return to full health for Bogut and rapid development by Jennings.

(Previous rank: 18)

25. Toronto Raptors | Future Power Rating: 384

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
90 (28th) 67 (21st) 110 (11th) 36 (22nd) 81 (5th)

The Raptors are struggling mightily in the post-Chris Bosh era. Sadly for Raptors fans, our long-term prognosis for the team remains extremely pessimistic.

The team has some young talent, including Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan, Ed Davis and Amir Johnson. Bargnani scores 22.1 a night; DeRozan is coming on in his sophomore season; Davis has showed promise at the 4 in his rookie season; and Johnson, who seems to have been in the NBA forever, is having the best overall season at 23 years old. Unfortunately, we aren't convinced any of them will blossom into the kind of star performer that would propel the Raptors back into contention. Thus, we've ranked them 27th in the players category. The addition of James Johnson at the trade deadline did nothing to really bump the needle.

We remain pessimistic about the management of the team, as we struggle to see GM Bryan Colangelo's long-term plan. While the team has some offensive talent, the Raptors remain a mess on defense. And after a complete overhaul of the roster, they are still stuck in neutral near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

(Previous rank: 28)
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26. Phoenix Suns | Future Power Rating: 377

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
104 (26th) 65 (22nd) 94 (17th) 51 (12th) 63 (9th)

The new-look Suns aren't that much different than the old-look Suns. Steve Nash continues to orchestrate the offense like the maestro he is, and he's surrounded by a number of athletic wings that excel in the open court.

The problem for the Suns continues to be one of diminishing returns. Without Amare Stoudemire, they lack a significant low-post presence. Their wings -- Vince Carter, Grant Hill and Mickael Pietrus -- all contribute, but don't have a long-term future with the team because of age or contracts.

Their second-best player might be big man Marcin Gortat, who barely played in Orlando, while their other center, Robin Lopez, has failed to fulfill his promise. Free-agent pickup Josh Childress has been a disappointment. Hakim Warrick can score but doesn't provide much else at the power forward position. The Suns did grab last season's Most Improved Player award winner, Aaron Brooks, at the trade deadline, but the diminutive Brooks, who was supposed to give the Suns some of what Leandro Barbosa used to, has struggled all season.

Given that Nash (who turned 37 in February) can't do this forever, the long-term prospects in Phoenix continue to be pretty bleak. The Suns should have a little money to play with this summer once Carter comes off the books, but it won't be enough to land a major impact player, thanks to the senseless contracts owner Robert Sarver gave Warrick and Childress last summer. By the time the Suns do have real cap space, Nash will be slowing down. Most likely, the team will explore trading him this summer. If they can get back significant assets, their future should brighten. But for now our outlook remains decidedly pessimistic.

(Previous rank: 26)

27. Minnesota Timberwolves | Future Power Rating: 359

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
120 (25th) 12 (30th) 141 (4th) 16 (30th) 70 (8th)

Our opinion of Minnesota has soured considerably since last time, which is surprising given how low they rated before. While the Wolves remain 27th in the rankings, they're 42 points lower in their rating -- and the biggest reason is the Players category.

Ricky Rubio's rough season in Europe has us wondering if he'll even be a good NBA player, and the specter of a lockout means -- despite the Wolves' protestations to the contrary -- that he's unlikely to join their roster until 2012 at the earliest.

Minnesota has some intriguing young talent -- Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph could be stars if they get their heads on straight, and Kevin Love is a double-double machine at power forward. But general manager David Kahn's draft forays have been miserable -- Jonny Flynn, Wayne Ellington and Lazar Hayward have been awful, Wesley Johnson is merely passable, and it remains a mystery why they traded a first-round pick to Portland for Martell Webster. There are other draft follies we could discuss, but you get the picture.

The Wolves also sit on a time bomb inherited from the equally incompetent regime of former general manager Kevin McHale, who included a first-round pick in the disastrous Sam Cassell-Marko Jaric trade that could go to the Clippers -- completely unprotected -- in 2012.

All of that, obviously, points back at owner Glen Taylor's inability to surround himself with decent management. He's willing to spend and will have some cap money to do so, but otherwise it's perhaps the NBA's worst front office -- and that free-agent money may not do much good in a frigid city that's the NBA's least desirable market. (We know, we know -- the summers are great. But players aren't there in summer.)

(Previous rank: 27)

28. Detroit Pistons | Future Power Rating: 341

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
95 (27th) 49 (26th) 91 (19th) 28 (26th) 78 (6th)

The Pistons continue their freefall in the Future Power Rankings. In December the team slid from the middle of the pack down to No. 22, and this time they take another big drop to No. 28 overall. With uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the franchise, their veteran players in open rebellion and some really bad contracts on the book, things may stay ugly for a while in Detroit.

In just about every category, the Pistons are struggling. Most importantly, they rank just No. 26 in the Players category, even after the addition of several free agents and top-15 draft picks.

Among the veterans, there are almost no happy stories: Richard Hamilton has been benched, Tayshaun Prince becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer and looks poised to move on, Ben Gordon is still due $37.2 million over the next three years, Charlie Villanueva won't defend anyone and is still owed a whopping $24 million, and Ben Wallace and Tracy McGrady don't have a lot left to offer.

The two bright spots have been Rodney Stuckey, who is having the best year of his career, and rookie Greg Monroe, who is improving rapidly and showing he should have been a top-five pick. Second-year forward Austin Daye has also shown signs of progress since the All-Star break.

The team has also taken a big hit in the Management category, as the ownership situation has remained in flux and tied team president Joe Dumars' hands, preventing him from recovering from moves that haven't worked out. And with the team and the city struggling, the Market category is also a weak spot for the Pistons -- Detroit's economy is in a shambles and the once-rocking Palace is pretty quiet these days.

(Previous rank: 25)

29. Cleveland Cavaliers | Future Power Rating: 327

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
40 (29th) 51 (51st) 109 (12th) 27 (27th) 100 (1st)

It's well-known that no team has suffered a greater reversal of fortune than the Cavs. So let's focus on the bright spots.

Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert has repeatedly proved that he can and will spend money, and lately he's been using his buying power to grab draft picks.

The team picked up a second lottery pick at the trade deadline by being willing to take on Baron Davis' contract. Meanwhile, Davis seems motivated to play well -- probably so that some team will come in and rescue him from Cleveland. If that happens, the Cavs will rid themselves of an onerous contract.

With the two lottery picks (theirs and the Clippers'), and a number of other future draft picks, Cleveland now ranks No. 1 in the Draft category. The Cavs also have the best shot at the No. 1 pick (presumably they would take Duke's Kyrie Irving).

With no stars and apparently no future All-Stars in Cavs colors yet, unless J.J. Hickson can accelerate his recent improvement, the Cavs will have to make do for a while and hope they can continue to use their financial strength and some of their remaining roster pieces to pick up draft picks and prospects.

Eventually their cache of draft picks should pay off in an improved talent base and some wins. The next three seasons don't look great -- hence the low ranking. But for the long haul, the Cavs are starting to move in the right direction again.

(Previous rank: 29)

30. Charlotte Bobcats | Future Power Rating: 240

PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT
25 (30th) 26 (26th) 93 (18th) 25 (28th) 71 (7th)

Though Charlotte somehow remains in the pathetic Eastern Conference playoff race, the Bobcats' future is still bleak.

While the Bobcats are in last place in our rankings once again, the glass-half-full view is that they're not quite as far down as they were the last time we did this exercise. Trading Gerald Wallace and Nazr Mohammed managed to clear up a very messy cap situation and brought in some youth.

On the court, the Bobcats have a bit more hope, too. Youngsters D.J. Augustin, Tyrus Thomas and Gerald Henderson look like at least long-term rotation players now, making the league's emptiest cupboard look slightly less barren. Additionally, Charlotte should benefit from high draft picks, and the first-rounder the Cats owe Chicago has sufficient lottery protection that it may not head Chicago's way for a while.

Nonetheless, the questions massively outweigh the answers. Michael Jordan may be an improvement over Robert Johnson as an owner, but the same two guys (Jordan and GM Rod Higgins) are making personnel calls and their track record has been spotty at best. In particular, the decisions to offload Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton this past offseason seem misguided in the wake of breakout seasons by each; amazingly, the Chandler trade didn't even save the team money.

Charlotte could have cap room in two years, but which players want to go to that franchise, and can Jordan afford them anyway? Charlotte has little to differentiate it as a city, and it sports a low-profile, fairly miserable team on the court and an owner whose pockets appear relatively shallow. Put it all together and the next three years are likely to be extremely challenging for Mike's Cats.

(Previous rank: 30)
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