Post by Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec 6, 2007 10:01:55 GMT -5
Obviously, these are subjective and this is how I feel the teams are ranked. If you have an objections, you are more than welcome to make your own. Good healthy discussion is welcome.
2007-08 Pre-Season Power Rankings:
1. New Orleans Hornets - The defending champions are back and better than ever. With a great starting 5 that consists of: CP3, Ginobli, Gerald Wallace, Tim Duncan, & Big Ben Wallace. The duo of Ben Wallace and Duncan has to be the best front court defenses anywhere. Last season this team won 20 something games in a row in the regular season and I expect much of the same this season. This is the obvious choice when it comes to picking a pre-season champion.
2. Phoenix Suns - After falling a little short last year in the west finals, the Suns GM made a trade that might get him over the top. The already formidable lineup of Amare, Marion, & Nash just got a whole lot better with the addition of Richard Jefferson. That quartet should dominate teams into submission this season. The run and gun style will have this team scoring 110 points every night out. The only real question is their bench. With the recent signing of Mikki Moore, the Suns GM answered those questions. Championship contender in all means.
3. Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks GM made 1 big move that, in the end, might win him a championship. After falling short in the East Finals last year, the GM traded T-Mac & Starbury for J-Kidd & Ron Artest among others involved in the deal. This deal improves their already great defense. These 2 defensive studs join Emeka Okafor to make the best defensive trio in the league. Also, doesn't hurt to have an emerging young star in Kevin Martin at SG and one of the best centers in Yao Ming. Simply a phenomenal starting 5.
4. Detroit Pistons - The new GM has been pretty busy in his short time here. He has acquired Andre Iguodala in a deal that makes their starting 5 fierce. Also, signed free agents Desmond Mason and Kelenna Azubuike. Expect the Pistons to compete with the Bucks for the Eastern Conference championship yet again.
5. Los Angeles Lakers - The Lakers GM has been wheeling and dealing this off-season. They only have 3 returning players form their roster last year. A complete new look brings in new expectations. With a trio of Kobe, Shaq, and A.I this team is expected to contend for a title this season. The bench, on the other hand, is going to be this teams greatest weakness or greatest strength. We will see.
6. Utah Jazz - The new GM that took over right after the season ended is really bring back excitement back to the city of Utah. This team is loaded with the perfect combination of youth and experience. Utah is really going to be helped by the rating changes. D-Will jumps from a 79 to an 85 and Boozer jumps from a 84 to an 86. Throw in Jason Terry, Marvin Williams, Paul Milsap, Brad Miller, & 2 1st round picks to the mix and you got yourself a great roster. Jazz will make a lot of noise this season. Expect them to be a top 4 seed in the very top heavy west.
7. Orlando Magic - The mad scientist has definitely lived up to his nickname this off-season. After sweating out a deadline signing of Vince Carter he turns around and trades Nene, Battier, and a host of others for Jamison, Stevenson & Picks. The only real hole that the Magic really have is that they don't have a true center. As of right now the Magic plan to play Elton Brand at center. He's capable, but there are always better options. Who knows what the starting 5 will look like when the season comes around. This is one GM that eats, sleeps, & drinks trades. Hence the nickname. ;D
8. New Jersey Nets - The New Jersey GM has made quite a few trades this off-season and has transformed his roster completely. The starting 5 can compete with almost anyone in the league. The problem for this team will be the bench. Can they score enough to help balance the attack? We will see. The recent free agent signings of Murray, McKie, & Atkins should pay off in the end because of the veteran leadership they bring in. All in all they should be better than last year and it wouldn't surprise me if they made a long run into the playoffs.
9. Dallas Mavericks - Dallas has a great 1-2 punch with T-Mac & Dirk. The Mavericks GM has assembled 2 of the best scoring sim players in the league. They have an issue at Center and at SF. Diop and Dampier should compete in camp to see who will start and it looks to me that Devean George will start at SF for them this season. PG position is all locked up with the young and promising Devin Harris. Expect the Mavs to be a top 10 team all year.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves - Has 2 of the best young big men in the entire league. And if you didn't know by now, big men is what wins sim leagues. Should benefit a lot from the rating changes. Curry & Jefferson both jump up to 80's. Also, had 3 1st round draft picks to improve his already playoff team from last season. Should only be better this season.
11. Toronto Raptors - Toronto GM has a plan and that plan is in full effect. They have upgraded at PG & SF this off-season after acquiring Kirk Hinrich and Corey Maggette. Also, the resigning of Mo Pete and free agent signing of Kapono makes this team extremely deep at GF. This is another team that is benefited big form the rating changes. Calderon jumps to a 74 and Bargnani jumps to a 77. All in all the roster is good enough to be a top 5 seed in the east.
12. Chicago Bulls - Even though the Bulls traded away BG, they should still be a playoff team this season. In the deal the Bulls acquired a lot of young depth with Marcus Williams, Antoine Wright, & Devin Brown. I don't know who will start at PG yet, its between Williams and Chris Duhon, but the team is still going to be very good. A starting 5 that consists of Williams/Duhon, Ray Allen, Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas, & Tyson Chandler is outstanding. They also have an up and coming player in Kyle Lowery. Don't be surprised if he wins the most improved player award this season.
13. Denver Nuggets - Dwight Howard & Carmelo Anthony. Enough said. Actually, there is more to say. This team should be more of a force this season than they were last season. With Jameer Nelson and J.R. Smith in the backcourt, the team has a smooth look to it. This is another one of those teams that will score a ton of points this year. Throw in a healthy K-Mart and this team is definitly for real. Should be a playoff team.
14. Philadelphia 76'ers - Acquiring KG has made this team an automatic playoff team. KG is joined by Josh Smith & Mike Miller to make a pretty good trio. Pretty good for a team that owned the 3rd overall pick in the previous draft. The Philly GM has made some real nice moves so far. The only real whole is at PG. Rumors coming out of the Philly camp is that Hakim Warrick will be traded soon for a PG since he is not very comfortable with Damon Stoudamire starting.
15. Washington Wizards - The Wiz GM has been quietly making minor moves to improve his team in the long run. Trading Jamison in his free agent year was huge. Not to mention the quality of players he got in return (Nene & Battier). Also, made a deal to improve at center. Traded away Dooling & Etan Thomas for Samuel Dalembert. Also, drafted Acie Law IV in this years rookie draft. Like I mentioned before, this team is quietly improving little by little.
16. Memphis Grizzlies - Health was the main reason this team struggled last year. Everyone is back this season and they are all healthy. The combination of Joe Johnson and Pau Gasol is almost the perfect inside-outside combo. This is one of the deepest teams in the league when it comes to benches. They can almost field a starting 5 rated in the 70's of their bench. Expect a playoff push from this team.
17. Cleveland Cavaliers - This main reason franchise was hurt was due to not having stability in the GM seat. They have had 2 GM's resign in the past month due to personal problems. They also lost Varejao & Pavlovic in free agency. One bright spot - THE KING
18. Indiana Pacers - The Indiana GM hasn't made too many moves since he took over mid-season last year. One minor move he made this off-season was acquire Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson. Should deepen the bench a little. The problem with the Pacers is they have a lot of overpaid players. Makes it extremely hard for a GM to deal with them. Hopefully, the Pacers GM will find the right deal soon so that he can improve form last year.
19. Golden State Warriors - Losing Pietrus, Barnes, & Azubuike to free agency is going to hurt a little bit. IMO, they will be on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs. A Paul Pierce and Baron Davis 1-2 punch is one of the best in the league, but I don't know if it will be enough. The recent signing of P.J. Brown brings them some leadership off the bench, which was needed. All in all, the starting 5 is good enough to make the playoffs, but is the bench capable of doing anything? We will find out.
20. Miami Heat - Not having an active GM really cost this franchise. They lost 5 players rated in the 70's to free agency. Completely depleting the bench. The new GM will have some talent to work with. The team brings back superstar D-Wade and his running mate Peja. They also have a few young pieces in Frye and Dorrell Wright. But, this team was the #2 seed in the east last year and IMO they will drop way down this season.
21. Portland Trailblazers - The Portland GM has been saying for awhile now that he is looking to make a huge splash, but nothing has been done to this date. Drafting Young out of Georgia Tech is going to be a help as he brings a lot to the table. I think they are one big move way from being a playoff team.
22. San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs have talent. Only question is, do they have enough? With a starting 5 that consists of Mike Bibby, Bonzi Wells, Corey Brewer, Shareef, & Camby you would think its good enough to get in the post season. I just don't see it. They were also hurt a little bit, when they couldnt re-sign Desmond Mason. That took away a lot of options. This team is either hit or miss. They can be very good or very bad. My guess is the latter.
23. Seattle Supersonics - Ahh Seattle. What can you really say about Seattle? Acquiring AK-47 will help there fortunes a little bit, but they are a ways away, still. Greg Oden falling to the #2 spot was also a blessing and they are expecting big things from the young 7 footer. All in all, the roster itself doesn't look like a bottom 7 team, but I just dont see them scoring enough points to compete with the best.
24. Charlotte Bobcats - The Charlotte GM has made a record amount of trades this off-season. Hes trying to get the perfect balance with his roster and I think he is getting close to that. Signing Grant Hill also doesn't hurt when trying to get a balanced roster. At one point this off-season, the Bobcats owned (at different times obviously) KG, Iggy, Raja Bell, Dalembert, & Richard Jefferson. He has traded away 1 player for 2 in numerous trades and his roster his starting to look like an NBA roster. Should still struggle a little bit, but should be a lot better than last year.
25. Boston Celtics - The new Celtics GM has been really active in his pursuit of a good roster. The previous GM left him with KG and AI, and only KG and AI. The roster is now much deeper and can actually compete in the league. Acquiring Lamar Odom was the best thing that could have happened for this franchise. Odom is the most under rated ism player in league history. he puts up numbers that are very comparable to LG and Duncan. Look out For the Odom and Durant combo down the road. Should be a dangerous one.
26. Los Angeles Clippers - Has one of the best young rosters in the league. This GM made a commitment to rebuilding last season when he traded away Brand and Maggette last season and we might see the 1st positive results from that this season. Don't get me wrong. The team will still struggle to win 35 games this season, but at least they will be learning on the job. With a roster that consists of Andrew Bogut, Brandan Wright, Mike Conley, Rudy Fernandez, Jared Dudley, Shaun Livingston, & Brandon Bass they should at least be fun to watch.
27. Sacramento Kings - The Kings have one of the worst rosters in the league, but its not the new GM's fault. Being stuck with Antoine Walker and Nazr Mohhamed contracts is just plain awful. The only bright spot is they have a serviceable starting 5 with key components David West and Jason Richardson. 3 1st round picks also should help this roster become more youthful and attractive. Should be a bad year for the Kings, though.
28. Houston Rockets - The new GM takes over with a pretty bad roster left to his disposal. He has made a few deals since he has gotten here, but nothing that will turn his fortunes around. Acquiring T.J. Ford from Toronto should stabilize the PG position for years to come. Also, drafted Rodney Stuckey in the 1st round this year. Overall, struggles are ahead.
29. New York Knicks - Doing the Shaq deal made so much sense for the New Knicks GM. The trade helped in many different ways. It cleared up a lot of cap room & the trade brought in possibly the best prospect (potential wise) in the NBA. They also have 3 1st round picks in the up coming draft and should be a player in any big free agents next season. The only reason they aren't last is Michael Redd.
30. Atlanta Hawks - The new GM has made it very clear on how he is going to return to glory. He has completely stripped down the franchise and plans to build a young and up and coming team. Expect this team to struggle this season, but all the hard work will pay off in the future. Doesn't hurt to have Horford & Yi when trying to rebuild.
2007-08 Pre-Season Power Rankings:
1. New Orleans Hornets - The defending champions are back and better than ever. With a great starting 5 that consists of: CP3, Ginobli, Gerald Wallace, Tim Duncan, & Big Ben Wallace. The duo of Ben Wallace and Duncan has to be the best front court defenses anywhere. Last season this team won 20 something games in a row in the regular season and I expect much of the same this season. This is the obvious choice when it comes to picking a pre-season champion. 2. Phoenix Suns - After falling a little short last year in the west finals, the Suns GM made a trade that might get him over the top. The already formidable lineup of Amare, Marion, & Nash just got a whole lot better with the addition of Richard Jefferson. That quartet should dominate teams into submission this season. The run and gun style will have this team scoring 110 points every night out. The only real question is their bench. With the recent signing of Mikki Moore, the Suns GM answered those questions. Championship contender in all means. 3. Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks GM made 1 big move that, in the end, might win him a championship. After falling short in the East Finals last year, the GM traded T-Mac & Starbury for J-Kidd & Ron Artest among others involved in the deal. This deal improves their already great defense. These 2 defensive studs join Emeka Okafor to make the best defensive trio in the league. Also, doesn't hurt to have an emerging young star in Kevin Martin at SG and one of the best centers in Yao Ming. Simply a phenomenal starting 5. 4. Detroit Pistons - The new GM has been pretty busy in his short time here. He has acquired Andre Iguodala in a deal that makes their starting 5 fierce. Also, signed free agents Desmond Mason and Kelenna Azubuike. Expect the Pistons to compete with the Bucks for the Eastern Conference championship yet again. 5. Los Angeles Lakers - The Lakers GM has been wheeling and dealing this off-season. They only have 3 returning players form their roster last year. A complete new look brings in new expectations. With a trio of Kobe, Shaq, and A.I this team is expected to contend for a title this season. The bench, on the other hand, is going to be this teams greatest weakness or greatest strength. We will see. 6. Utah Jazz - The new GM that took over right after the season ended is really bring back excitement back to the city of Utah. This team is loaded with the perfect combination of youth and experience. Utah is really going to be helped by the rating changes. D-Will jumps from a 79 to an 85 and Boozer jumps from a 84 to an 86. Throw in Jason Terry, Marvin Williams, Paul Milsap, Brad Miller, & 2 1st round picks to the mix and you got yourself a great roster. Jazz will make a lot of noise this season. Expect them to be a top 4 seed in the very top heavy west. 7. Orlando Magic - The mad scientist has definitely lived up to his nickname this off-season. After sweating out a deadline signing of Vince Carter he turns around and trades Nene, Battier, and a host of others for Jamison, Stevenson & Picks. The only real hole that the Magic really have is that they don't have a true center. As of right now the Magic plan to play Elton Brand at center. He's capable, but there are always better options. Who knows what the starting 5 will look like when the season comes around. This is one GM that eats, sleeps, & drinks trades. Hence the nickname. ;D 8. New Jersey Nets - The New Jersey GM has made quite a few trades this off-season and has transformed his roster completely. The starting 5 can compete with almost anyone in the league. The problem for this team will be the bench. Can they score enough to help balance the attack? We will see. The recent free agent signings of Murray, McKie, & Atkins should pay off in the end because of the veteran leadership they bring in. All in all they should be better than last year and it wouldn't surprise me if they made a long run into the playoffs. 9. Dallas Mavericks - Dallas has a great 1-2 punch with T-Mac & Dirk. The Mavericks GM has assembled 2 of the best scoring sim players in the league. They have an issue at Center and at SF. Diop and Dampier should compete in camp to see who will start and it looks to me that Devean George will start at SF for them this season. PG position is all locked up with the young and promising Devin Harris. Expect the Mavs to be a top 10 team all year. 10. Minnesota Timberwolves - Has 2 of the best young big men in the entire league. And if you didn't know by now, big men is what wins sim leagues. Should benefit a lot from the rating changes. Curry & Jefferson both jump up to 80's. Also, had 3 1st round draft picks to improve his already playoff team from last season. Should only be better this season. 11. Toronto Raptors - Toronto GM has a plan and that plan is in full effect. They have upgraded at PG & SF this off-season after acquiring Kirk Hinrich and Corey Maggette. Also, the resigning of Mo Pete and free agent signing of Kapono makes this team extremely deep at GF. This is another team that is benefited big form the rating changes. Calderon jumps to a 74 and Bargnani jumps to a 77. All in all the roster is good enough to be a top 5 seed in the east. 12. Chicago Bulls - Even though the Bulls traded away BG, they should still be a playoff team this season. In the deal the Bulls acquired a lot of young depth with Marcus Williams, Antoine Wright, & Devin Brown. I don't know who will start at PG yet, its between Williams and Chris Duhon, but the team is still going to be very good. A starting 5 that consists of Williams/Duhon, Ray Allen, Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas, & Tyson Chandler is outstanding. They also have an up and coming player in Kyle Lowery. Don't be surprised if he wins the most improved player award this season. 13. Denver Nuggets - Dwight Howard & Carmelo Anthony. Enough said. Actually, there is more to say. This team should be more of a force this season than they were last season. With Jameer Nelson and J.R. Smith in the backcourt, the team has a smooth look to it. This is another one of those teams that will score a ton of points this year. Throw in a healthy K-Mart and this team is definitly for real. Should be a playoff team. 14. Philadelphia 76'ers - Acquiring KG has made this team an automatic playoff team. KG is joined by Josh Smith & Mike Miller to make a pretty good trio. Pretty good for a team that owned the 3rd overall pick in the previous draft. The Philly GM has made some real nice moves so far. The only real whole is at PG. Rumors coming out of the Philly camp is that Hakim Warrick will be traded soon for a PG since he is not very comfortable with Damon Stoudamire starting. 15. Washington Wizards - The Wiz GM has been quietly making minor moves to improve his team in the long run. Trading Jamison in his free agent year was huge. Not to mention the quality of players he got in return (Nene & Battier). Also, made a deal to improve at center. Traded away Dooling & Etan Thomas for Samuel Dalembert. Also, drafted Acie Law IV in this years rookie draft. Like I mentioned before, this team is quietly improving little by little. 16. Memphis Grizzlies - Health was the main reason this team struggled last year. Everyone is back this season and they are all healthy. The combination of Joe Johnson and Pau Gasol is almost the perfect inside-outside combo. This is one of the deepest teams in the league when it comes to benches. They can almost field a starting 5 rated in the 70's of their bench. Expect a playoff push from this team. 17. Cleveland Cavaliers - This main reason franchise was hurt was due to not having stability in the GM seat. They have had 2 GM's resign in the past month due to personal problems. They also lost Varejao & Pavlovic in free agency. One bright spot - THE KING 18. Indiana Pacers - The Indiana GM hasn't made too many moves since he took over mid-season last year. One minor move he made this off-season was acquire Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson. Should deepen the bench a little. The problem with the Pacers is they have a lot of overpaid players. Makes it extremely hard for a GM to deal with them. Hopefully, the Pacers GM will find the right deal soon so that he can improve form last year. 19. Golden State Warriors - Losing Pietrus, Barnes, & Azubuike to free agency is going to hurt a little bit. IMO, they will be on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs. A Paul Pierce and Baron Davis 1-2 punch is one of the best in the league, but I don't know if it will be enough. The recent signing of P.J. Brown brings them some leadership off the bench, which was needed. All in all, the starting 5 is good enough to make the playoffs, but is the bench capable of doing anything? We will find out. 20. Miami Heat - Not having an active GM really cost this franchise. They lost 5 players rated in the 70's to free agency. Completely depleting the bench. The new GM will have some talent to work with. The team brings back superstar D-Wade and his running mate Peja. They also have a few young pieces in Frye and Dorrell Wright. But, this team was the #2 seed in the east last year and IMO they will drop way down this season. 21. Portland Trailblazers - The Portland GM has been saying for awhile now that he is looking to make a huge splash, but nothing has been done to this date. Drafting Young out of Georgia Tech is going to be a help as he brings a lot to the table. I think they are one big move way from being a playoff team. 22. San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs have talent. Only question is, do they have enough? With a starting 5 that consists of Mike Bibby, Bonzi Wells, Corey Brewer, Shareef, & Camby you would think its good enough to get in the post season. I just don't see it. They were also hurt a little bit, when they couldnt re-sign Desmond Mason. That took away a lot of options. This team is either hit or miss. They can be very good or very bad. My guess is the latter. 23. Seattle Supersonics - Ahh Seattle. What can you really say about Seattle? Acquiring AK-47 will help there fortunes a little bit, but they are a ways away, still. Greg Oden falling to the #2 spot was also a blessing and they are expecting big things from the young 7 footer. All in all, the roster itself doesn't look like a bottom 7 team, but I just dont see them scoring enough points to compete with the best. 24. Charlotte Bobcats - The Charlotte GM has made a record amount of trades this off-season. Hes trying to get the perfect balance with his roster and I think he is getting close to that. Signing Grant Hill also doesn't hurt when trying to get a balanced roster. At one point this off-season, the Bobcats owned (at different times obviously) KG, Iggy, Raja Bell, Dalembert, & Richard Jefferson. He has traded away 1 player for 2 in numerous trades and his roster his starting to look like an NBA roster. Should still struggle a little bit, but should be a lot better than last year. 25. Boston Celtics - The new Celtics GM has been really active in his pursuit of a good roster. The previous GM left him with KG and AI, and only KG and AI. The roster is now much deeper and can actually compete in the league. Acquiring Lamar Odom was the best thing that could have happened for this franchise. Odom is the most under rated ism player in league history. he puts up numbers that are very comparable to LG and Duncan. Look out For the Odom and Durant combo down the road. Should be a dangerous one. 26. Los Angeles Clippers - Has one of the best young rosters in the league. This GM made a commitment to rebuilding last season when he traded away Brand and Maggette last season and we might see the 1st positive results from that this season. Don't get me wrong. The team will still struggle to win 35 games this season, but at least they will be learning on the job. With a roster that consists of Andrew Bogut, Brandan Wright, Mike Conley, Rudy Fernandez, Jared Dudley, Shaun Livingston, & Brandon Bass they should at least be fun to watch. 27. Sacramento Kings - The Kings have one of the worst rosters in the league, but its not the new GM's fault. Being stuck with Antoine Walker and Nazr Mohhamed contracts is just plain awful. The only bright spot is they have a serviceable starting 5 with key components David West and Jason Richardson. 3 1st round picks also should help this roster become more youthful and attractive. Should be a bad year for the Kings, though. 28. Houston Rockets - The new GM takes over with a pretty bad roster left to his disposal. He has made a few deals since he has gotten here, but nothing that will turn his fortunes around. Acquiring T.J. Ford from Toronto should stabilize the PG position for years to come. Also, drafted Rodney Stuckey in the 1st round this year. Overall, struggles are ahead. 29. New York Knicks - Doing the Shaq deal made so much sense for the New Knicks GM. The trade helped in many different ways. It cleared up a lot of cap room & the trade brought in possibly the best prospect (potential wise) in the NBA. They also have 3 1st round picks in the up coming draft and should be a player in any big free agents next season. The only reason they aren't last is Michael Redd. 30. Atlanta Hawks - The new GM has made it very clear on how he is going to return to glory. He has completely stripped down the franchise and plans to build a young and up and coming team. Expect this team to struggle this season, but all the hard work will pay off in the future. Doesn't hurt to have Horford & Yi when trying to rebuild.
