1. Miami Heat | Future Power Rating: 707 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 387 (1st) 174 (3rd) 46 (29th) 99 (1st) 1 (30th) Despite a middling 2009-10 regular season, Miami ranked No. 4 in the previous edition of the Future Power Rankings. Now you know why. For those of you who spent July spelunking in Borneo, the Heat pulled off one of the great coups in NBA history, inking LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join forces with Dwyane Wade and then surrounding them with a decent crop of role players. Miami's management also jumps nine spots to the No. 3 position, as Pat Riley showed he can still make the decisive big-picture moves to steer a franchise the right way. (On smaller moves, the track record remains mixed -- witness Joel Anthony's five-year, $18 million deal.) Money now looms as an issue for the Heat, who were No. 2 in the category last time, and they will have to rely on the midlevel exception to build out a somewhat limited roster in future seasons. Additionally, ownership has been reluctant to pay the luxury tax in the past, although that may change with the arrival of the Miami Thrice cash cow. Despite those concerns, the Heat are an easy choice for the No. 1 spot. They have the best market -- a tax-free, warm-weather city with a vibrant night life and three superstars. They have the best players, with James, Wade and Bosh. And for the three seasons that run from 2011 to 2014, they have the best outlook. (Previous rank: 4) 2. Los Angeles Lakers | Future Power Rating: 697 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 346 (2nd) 176 (2nd) 70 (25th) 96 (2nd) 9 (28th) The Lakers were No. 2 the last time we did this and remain there this time around. But in two important respects, L.A.'s outlook has changed. First, their market is no longer rated as the most desirable -- Miami surpassed the Lakers with their additions this summer, although Los Angeles remains a close second because of its great weather, rabid fan base and superior cachet. The Lakers also moved up three spots to No. 2 in our management ranking. GM Mitch Kupchak has made a series of shrewd moves -- the de facto swap of Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest last offseason and the trade for Shannon Brown the year before -- that have kept L.A. a step ahead of the league. And he's done it all from the shadows while managing several outsized egos. Owner Jerry Buss, meanwhile, has figured out how to spend for quality while paring down excess costs, preventing the salary bloat that has hamstrung other large-market teams through the years (cough, New York, cough). On the court, the Lakers also have to worry about the knees of Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, and whether Phil Jackson will be game for yet another go-round after the upcoming season. Nonetheless, a Kobe-Pau Gasol-Bynum combo looks more formidable than any other roster in the West. (Previous rank: 2) 3. Oklahoma City Thunder | Future Power Rating: 679 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 316 (3rd) 159 (5th) 135 (6th) 35 (24th) 34 (20th) The Thunder have fallen from their perch atop the Future Power Rankings to third, even though they've done little wrong. But they didn't have the offseason Miami did, obviously, and the Lakers slid past them too as a result of their continued success putting the right pieces around their core. Can the Thunder do the same? Kevin Durant is an MVP candidate, and having him under contract for five more seasons should make Oklahoma City a much more desirable destination for other players -- at least for those not angling for good weather or a bustling night life. While the Thunder have plenty of good young players around Durant, it remains to be seen whether any will join him on the journey to stardom. To match up against the likes of L.A. or Miami, they'll need somebody like Russell Westbrook, James Harden or Serge Ibaka to become an elite-level player. (Previous rank: 1) 4. Chicago Bulls | Future Power Rating: 606 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 288 (5th) 102 (14th) 101 (14th) 68 (6th) 47 (16th) The Bulls didn't get LeBron, Wade or Bosh, but they still made a major move up our rankings. Some of their rise comes from our belief that young players Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah will continue to blossom in Chicago. But a lot of it has to do with three pieces they added this summer: Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer. Boozer especially looks to be a terrific fit for Chicago. The Bulls have desperately needed a low-post scorer since trading away Elton Brand nine years ago, and Boozer should command a double-team in the paint. Korver is also a godsend, as he joins a team with almost no other outside shooting. Chicago gets a slight bump in its management rating, too, for hiring new coach Tom Thibodeau. While it's too early to project what sort of success he'll have as a head coach, Thibodeau, a former Boston assistant, was a critical part of the Celtics' success the past few years and is widely regarded as the best defensive coach in the league. Vinny Del Negro was a better coach than he got credit for, but Thibodeau brings a lot to the table that Del Negro just didn't have. On the downside, the Bulls had to give up Tyrus Thomas, Kirk Hinrich and the No. 17 pick in the draft to get all of that cap space this summer. Thomas, a recent lottery pick, showed enormous potential but was inconsistent and never won the confidence of his coaches. Hinrich, on the other hand, was a veteran anchor who will be missed. (Previous rank: 9) 5. Houston Rockets | Future Power Rating: 605 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 214 (10th) 157 (6th) 96 (16th) 60 (11th) 78 (6th) Houston has a lot of assets thanks to a trade-deadline fleecing of the Knicks that could give the team high draft picks in both 2011 and 2012. But the Rockets rank in the top five in our rankings because the cast already on hand looks strong. Yao Ming's health is obviously a concern, but Aaron Brooks, Kevin Martin, Kyle Lowry, Trevor Ariza, Shane Battier, Chase Budinger, Luis Scola, Jordan Hill and Patrick Patterson give Houston a nice foundation. If Yao comes back reasonably healthy (the odds of which we disagreed about), the Rockets could be very good, indeed. Additionally, the Rockets rate fairly well in the money category despite being well into the luxury tax. Most of the contracts on the books are short, and ownership has shown a willingness to spend money, both with contracts and paying for draft picks. Houston has shown strong management, as well, mixing GM Daryl Morey's analytics focus with solid scouting, as evidenced by a string of successful drafts. (Previous rank: 10) 6. Portland Trail Blazers | Future Power Rating: 593 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 278 (6th) 142 (10th) 81 (22nd) 58 (12th) 34 (21st) Portland's management dropped from No. 4 to No. 10 in this survey based almost entirely on its ham-handed handling of general manager Kevin Pritchard's dismissal. We may never know the real story that led to his ouster, but we do know that one of the league's best talent evaluators was bizarrely shown the door on the day of the draft, and the team allowed itself to limp through a crucial free-agency period with nobody at the tiller. The Blazers righted themselves with the hiring of Rich Cho, but the shadowy "Vulcans" working under Paul Allen in Seattle remain a concern. The other concern for the Blazers is that three key starters, Brandon Roy, Greg Oden and Nicolas Batum, all had serious injuries last season. That trio plus LaMarcus Aldridge is the core of what should be a perennial Western Conference contender. But there are enough question marks in Portland that despite the Blazers' highly rated personnel department, several clubs now outrank them. (Previous rank: 5) 7. Orlando Magic | Future Power Rating: 591 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 316 (4th) 129 (12th) 53 (28th) 75 (4th) 18 (26th) We liked Orlando's roster the best in March, but now the Magic don't even have best roster in Florida. Plus, we're focused down the line, past this coming season, and that hurts the outlook for four of the five Magic starters. Nonetheless, this team looks stacked for the long term with Dwight Howard at center and a constellation of minor stars surrounding him. Additionally, keep an eye on young forward Ryan Anderson, who could become a better version of Troy Murphy. Orlando's market looms as another big factor in its favor. With a new arena, a balmy climate and a dominant big man, it's already near the top of Chris Paul's short list of future destinations and could pop up on other players', too. The only major concern is the serious money the team is taking on. Orlando is a small market, but the team is well into the luxury tax and probably will remain that way for a while unless ownership demands a budget slashing. For now, it hasn't, and with that, solid personnel moves under GM Otis Smith and the exacting coaching of Stan Van Gundy, the Magic get good marks for management. (Previous rank: 3) 8. Utah Jazz | Future Power Rating: 578 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 262 (7th) 161 (4th) 84 (21st) 44 (18th) 17 (27th) The Jazz remain under the radar but consistently impressive. In fact, in our rankings, they managed to move up in four of the five categories. However, Utah, no longer armed with the Knicks' first-round pick, slid 17 spots in our draft ranking and, as a result, fell from No. 6 to No. 8 overall. Despite multiple setbacks this summer, Utah's future continues to look bright. In particular, Deron Williams shines at point guard and Paul Millsap is a young, tenacious power forward. In the short run, losing Carlos Boozer and Wesley Matthews will hurt, but Al Jefferson should fill Boozer's shoes as an interior scorer and rookie Gordon Hayward brings a lot to the table as well. The Jazz also have a very interesting trading chip in Andrei Kirilenko. Although he has an expiring contract, he's also a valuable player whom a contender might target. If the Jazz are willing to take back a longer deal, they could add even more firepower by the trade deadline. (Previous rank: 6) 9. Denver Nuggets | Future Power Rating: 567 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 254 (8th) 142 (9th) 85 (19th) 53 (13th) 33 (23rd) Denver has a lot to be worried about. Carmelo Anthony can be a free agent after the season, and Nene and J.R. Smith also can depart. Chauncey Billups isn't getting any younger, the front office is in flux with execs Mark Warkentien and Rex Chapman heading out the door, and although it's a very pleasant city, it's not exactly a free-agent magnet. That said, the Nuggets have a lot of positives. The most important is that their cash crunch will ease when Kenyon Martin's $17 million deal comes off the books after the season, finally allowing the Nuggets to go on the market without one hand tied behind their back. Additionally, they already have a superstar in place -- a major advantage compared to the competition. As long as Melo and Nene stay on the roster, the Nuggets should keep a high ranking for the foreseeable future. (Previous rank: 7) 10. San Antonio Spurs | Future Power Rating: 555 PLAYERS MANAGEMENT MONEY MARKET DRAFT 194 (17th) 183 (1st) 80 (23rd) 64 (7th) 34 (22nd) The Spurs have been the league's model franchise of the past decade. Although they've shown signs of slippage on the court, we continue to have faith that the top front office in the league will help them remain a winning team for the foreseeable future. Injuries and age have taken their toll in San Antonio, particularly with Tim Duncan (age 34) and Manu Ginobili (33), but the Spurs also have some young legs: Tony Parker (28) remains in his prime, and George Hill (24) and DeJuan Blair (21) appear to have bright futures. If Tiago Splitter, their long-awaited import, can fulfill expectations, the Spurs could be a lot more formidable going forward than most realize. Given the brainpower and spending power of the Spurs' stellar management, we think they'll continue to find ways to stay in contention. (Previous rank: 12)
It says they're #1 because of "a tax-free, warm-weather city with a vibrant night life and three superstars."
I understand why they ranked them number 1 - I just don't agree with them. I think that Boston, New York, Chicago and LA have better markets for a professional basketball team and will continue to have better markets in the future. If you were to place Lebron, Wade and Bosh on all of those teams simultaneously (cloning them if you will) which teams would sell the most jerseys? The Heat??
They've sold out of season tickets well in advance. No state income tax. It's Miami. Every player wants to play there now (also part of the "Market" valuation, if you read).
My comment was actually referring to one of the ESPN chats (I think it was Bill Simmons'), where Miami fans were crying foul over being called "bandwagoners". In their defense, the fan said something like "it's only reasonable to not show up for games when the team isn't winning , but that doesn't make us bandwagoners!!!" Even Dan Le Batard of the Miami Herald admitted that Miami has way too many fair weather fans. But winning changes everything, no? And that'd include the market attractiveness.
