I know it is early and I know the draft has not happened The Big Free Agent is Deron Williams and Dwight might force his way out of Orlando That Said . . . . I don't think any of those things will matter because I don't think Orlando has a shot and I don't see deron and dwight going to the same team and adding deron alone to a team won't make it a championship team nor adding dwight alone . . .or rather adding them to a non contender doesn't make them a contender alone Miami OKC Chicago - depends on D Rose but I don't think he comes back 100% Dallas, Celtics, Lakers, Spurs - Old Old Old they may not be OLD but they PLAY OLD But they are good. They 'catch fire' at the right time they could bump off the Thunder or the Heat but I would not count on it What other Teams do you think are in the conversations Even saying they 'have a good draft' New York - If they get dwight and deron maybe but won't happen. Dwight, Melo and Amari would not do it either Every other team . .. . I put them in the NO WAY IN HELL category Some will have good seasons . . maybe a playoff upset but . . .No! Phillie Milwaukee Detroit Toronto New Jersey Cleveland Washington Charlotte Indiana Atlanta Orlando _________________ Memphis Clippers Denver Utah Houston Pheonix Portland Minnesota Golden State Sacremento New Orleans Rocket River This is kind of what has the NBA sucking!!!
Legit shot at playoffs is easy. Legit shot at the title, though? Miami / OKC. Have to pick last season's EC / WC champs, no? Because these two teams won't change their roster, much; slight tweaking here and there, but the cores will remain intact. However, OKC has to find a way to keep both Harden and Ibaka. LA / SA / Bos. It'll depend on roster changes. Gasol getting traded? Garnett retiring? I think SA has the best shot to contend, out of these three teams. Chicago / Dallas. Bulls need to find another answer at SG; Hamilton just hasn't been as good for them as they wanted. As good as the Bulls are, they aren't getting past the Heat. Dallas should have kept Chandler. Those are the teams with a legit shot at the title, imo. Obviously, Miami should be favored.
Chicago will be there. Along with any team that manage to sign Howard. I do see Dallas signing Deron, which will make them a contender. add in the top 4 teams this year. That is 7/30 teams that have a legit chance to win it. The coming off season will be very interesting as there will be alot of moves especially with the amnesty law.
I think Memphis and clippers might have a chance. If Blake can develop a shot or post game + if billups comes back they will be good.
Heat OKC are clear favorites, but don't count out: Boston Chicago San Antonio (yes, they can still ball IMO).
Thunder Heat Pacers Spurs Chicago (depending on Rose) Clippers Lakers Grizzlies Sixers Nuggets Hawks Mavs Utah Houston Minny Blazers Warriors
Heat, Sonics, Spurs, Bulls, AND whoever gets Dwight Howard. Howard carried his team to the finals a few years ago with Rashard Lewis/Hedo as the 2nd best player and Rafer Alston running the PG. I know Dwight Howard gets a lot of **** on this board but he along with maybe only 4 or so other players are true game changers in this league. Wherever he goes his 2nd best player is going to be better than Rashard/Hedo even though they were pretty good in 2009 and he's going to have a better point guard than Rafer Alston. A team with Dwight always has a chance. He's THAT dominant.
Boston's getting ready to rebuild. Memphis is the Atlanta Hawks of the West. The Lakers are dumping salary. Dallas might be able to reload and make one last run. With no D Rose for at least a good chunk of the season, I don't see any moves the Bulls can make to take the next step. The Pacers and Clippers are question marks going into next year, hopefully they can both take the next step and make the league more interesting. The Spurs are also a huge question mark. The Heat and Thunder are obviously the favorites again next year.
I agree here. I think they've both clearly distinguished themselves from the rest of the pack. LA, Boston, and SA are only gonna be older next year and don't see them able to compete with OKC and Miami.
Bulls have no chance at all. They will dump players this summer and determine if Rose can return to form for the 2013/14 season. Don't be surprised if Rose doesn't play at all during 2012/13.
OKC needs to get a real center and a real coach. If they do those two things I think they win next year, but I don't think they will do either.
Actually a more mobile center The issue I worry about is . . . Without Perk can they get past Spurs, Lakers or Dallas Teams in the west have more traditional centers Miami does not which evidently nullified Perk Kind of how the Rocket Got Barkley to get past the Sonics but then could not get past Utah Traded one demon for another Rocket River
Despite what people think Durant isn't close to winning a championship. The thunder had the easiest road to the finals in recent memory this year. They played 3 old teams and beat 3 old teams. Durant is 23. It may take him another 5 years to actually win a finals. Had the thunder run into the grizzlies or the clippers they may not have made it to the finals at all. The only team with a shot at beating the heat is a team led by dwight howard. I just don't see any other team that can do it.
Because I don't think it matters What team do you think is a draft pick away? esp for the 2013 season? Unless someteam flips some picks for Deron and Dwight . . . . I don't see it happeneing Rocket River
