That was my reasoning too. They really felt like a top 4 team in the West and they don't anymore. If the Blazers had been on there I might have voted for them. Dallas hasn't had the greatest summer either. I think everybody is sleeping on the Jazz.
I voted Knicks because they will only win 10 games this season. Melo is just not "the man" type player and he doesn't make others better and the Knicks have officially destroyed his career he should have been traded for assets in a strong effort to rebuild this summer. But truly Portland went from making it to the second round last year to a legit lottery team this year, I see Sac and new Orleans, Dallas, Phoenix far ahead of them for the 7th and 8th seeds in the West for this season.
how can a lineup Calderon Afflalo Melo Porzingis Rolo Win only 10 games? In the east? In the atlantic division??? They did something this summer. Smart small moves and started a foundation of a properly built team. And overpaid NOONE. Everyteam in the league overpaid..but the Knicks. Think about that. Bizzaro world.
OK so maybe 10 games is a stretch but it wouldn't surprise me at all and maybe I'm a skeptic because I'm a New Yorker born in Houston raised in NY but Calderon and Afflalo don't exactly have me throwin confetti in Times Square. Robin Lopez won't have LA and DL to play off of, it's like havin Omer Asik without James Harden to run pick n roll with, useless. And who knows what the rookie has in store. Phil Jackson and Melo should be a big enough draw for free agents you would think right? Doesn't seem so, I highly doubt they get lucky in 2016 with Durant.
Clippers. The were a LEGIT NBA title contender to just a decent playoff team. Bitter pill to swallow!
Blazers easy lmao now theyre stuck with that inefficient chuker lillard hes about to get exposed hard
And honorable mention to the Blazers. They lost 4/5ths of their playoffs worthy starting lineup! Crazy! The Kings are a dumpster fire, and the Knicks & Lakers are losing out on their "get rich quick schemes" but they went from suck to suck, so meh.
I agree I think he will put up good numbers but sort of a Westbrook situation there. I think Portland has had the worst off season of any team in awhile.
If you think about where the Clipper were headed with a quarter remaining in game 6 of the playoffs against the Rockets, they went from genuinely being a challenger for the title to fighting to get into the playoffs. That's painful. It's not so hard to climb from bottom to middle, but to climb from middle to top is a mountain. They're going to have to do that again.
I don't think they'll be fighting to get in the playoffs, I think they're in. Maybe not 3rd place but with Blake Griffin and Chris Paul you are still a damn good team.
I don't think the Lakers are that bad, I mean if you consider the roster LAST YEAR and this year their team is significantly upgraded, last year their lone bright spot was Jeremy Lin (lol)...at least now they added a really good rook to roll with Randle and while Hibbert is MR. 0 pt 0 Rebs it wasn't that long ago that he was extremely productive for the Pacers. Anyway, the point is they're a bad team since last year and will probably remain bad (for picks). Sacramento is in a real bad spot with the Cousins drama but honestly if it doesn't work out they can still trade him for a high end pick and be done with it....Cousins for Townes straight up I don't think Minny turns that down hell worst case they can trade for Noels/Okafor+pick and just start from scratch. To me the worst team is the Clipps, they just went from one of the contenders to nobodies in just 1 season. CP pretty much cemented his rep as a choker, Blake looks like he's afraid of the pressure and their C up and left to join the mavs. Unlike the Lakers or Sac they have a clock with CP3, and unfortunately it doesn't seem like they can keep up with the rest of the Western conference. If I owned the Clipps I'd wise up and put an end to Lob City era and trade Cp3 for guys who will grow with Blake, but no way the Clips do this so I think they're pretty much screwed.
Well automatically GSW, Spurs, Rox, Grizz and OKC are better than them that's 5 teams who also have 1-2 punch yet have a complete roster compared to them adding Pierce and Stephenson but losing their center and lone defensive presence. That leaves them fighting for at best the 6th spot, and that's without future HOF MVP Anthony Davis breathing down their backs. The Clips are ridiculously mismanaged and it shows on their roster, they have tons of wing depth and their tallest player is Blake Griffin. Here's a good article talking about the Clipps' problems: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/7/3/8890583/the-clippers-are-screwed
apparently it wasn't. Good basketball when money is the same trumps good city (which btw is expensive and has crazy media). Don't be like the Fakers who want easy fast solutions and fall on their faces. Phill did an excellent job- this offseason. The last one was terrible. The problem is that Rolo is not a triangle center. But if Kris can show something they will make a fine frontcourt. Calderon's contract was almost untradeable without giving away a pick so roll out with him and when he has less years in his contracts maybe attach a second and give him to philly who look for pgs. If it wasn't for the triangle I think this lineup can do fairly well in the east. It's a good step. Gotta bring Hernangomez though and give him developmental time too.
Minny and Philly would say no. Cousins if he's not happy in sunny sacramento do you think he will be happy in tanking teams in Philly and in cold Minny? Plus there's the contracts. But you fail to take into consideration the cap rise. This will save the Clippers. Next year they will have max capspace and can go after a max player.
