Just wanted to make my jopatmc prediction for the year. Both Jeremy Lin and James Harden will collide in the locker room, breaking their pinky toes, and will have to miss the entire season. It's Morey's master plan, the inadvertant tank. As a result, we'll have the 1st pick in the draft who we'll use on Nerlens Noel, the college player of the year, and then next year our nucleus will be set and three years from now we'll win the NBA Finals in 6 games over Lebron and a broken down old man DWade. You're welcome.
this team looks like the Pistons or the Nets (during the past couple years). One legit 2nd tier star player with potential to be a perennial all star. Several other solid players. Shaky bench (in this case very young). A lot of redundant, similar pieces. so, 5-10 pick range.
Assuming health... OKC, LAL, SAS, DEN, LAC, MEM are all easily better DAL, UTA, GS and MIN are a tad better We're even with POR, with the ability to pass up GS/MIN with their injury issues...so late lottery.
7-8 seed before the trade. 5-6 seed after. Harden likely improved the team by 5-10 games. Now you have a core of the youngest team in the league already competing in the playoffs, building chemistry, improving, until they come into their primes in 5 years, just as superteams like LA and Miami drop off. For those dumb enough to still be confused about the direction of the team, this is it. Enjoy the ride the next 3-5 years, and reap the rewards after that.
I think a 7-8 seed is within reach, especially with Dallas losing Dirk for a month, Love/Rubio out for a period, and Curry out. Also, this team will be crazy FAST with the addition of Harden. Yes, K-Mart can score, but he's a black hole on the offense, taking up space in the post. Harden meshes MUCH better with the style of offense they're running. He moves well OFF the ball, has superior passing to K-Mart, AND is very comfortable in the transition game, ISO's, and PnR. So, expect Harden to put up similar/better points to K-Mart, but more importantly, he'll help make everyone else on the team BETTER by NOT being a ball stopper. That he's a better defensive player than K-Mart, and is 23 with lots of upside (expect his Defense to improve even more under McHale), puts us in very good shape. Share the ball offense just got even more efficient with Harden vs. K-Mart. Not to mention, though they gave up Lamb, they DID get some very complementary pieces back. Aldritch is a real Center. He could provide a necessary back up to Asik. Cook is a knockdown 3 point shooter... instant offense. As for Lazar, honestly don't know. Not enough minutes to judge, but I can see him in the D-League if they don't waive him. Definite positive move for the Rockets.
7th-9th seed range. Same as last year. Except now, we have a young all-star who will be getting better and better. That's a big change and it's great for the future of the franchise. If Morey uses his max cap space wisely in the offseason, and Harden improves gradually, we should be in the top 4 or 5 seeds next year.
Just missing the playoffs again. The move would have been enough to get us there if done earlier in the training camp period, but Harden is going to have to learn to play with the team as the season goes along. Unless some of the other teams under perform or one of the other guys on the roster excels faster then predicted, the Western Conference playoffs will be out of reach for us but we are likely to be competing for it until the end of the season.
1. Lakers 2. Spurs 3. Thunder 4. Clippers 5. Mavericks (Dirk back by December) 6. Timberwolves (Love and Rubio back by December) -Rockets -Jazz -Suns -Blazers -Grizzlies -Mavericks -Timberwolves Definite lottery: -Hornets -Kings
