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buckalis
Trainer of Don Diego de la Vega
1. Brooklyn Nets: (Future potential: Bad (the worst among all playoff teams))
The Nets have the worst financials in the league after having signed KD and Kyrie this season, they are already into the lux tax for this and the following season and additionally, have their best shooter on Harris expiring this summer and key core players on Allen and Dinwiddie (who is expected to reject his P.O.) expiring a season later as well as many empty roster spots to fill...
Their potential to upgrade the roster further is practically non existing, but most probably they will have to trade two out of Dinnwidie, LeVert, Harris or Prince and certainly dump the salary out of at least one of them this season, in order to avoid the (coming) repeaters tax being over 100M on top of the lux tax they'll certainly have to pay...
Unless they can contend for the title by next season on a highly competitive environment, they'll find themselves in a similar situation to what OKC's position was last season... Having a team that costs some 300M to retain and go nowhere...
2. Philadelphia 76ers: (Future potential: Bad (almost as bad as the Nets))
The Sixers lost their surpshooter on Reddick, but lost their best player (for who they've payed heavily for) on Butler too... Like with the Nets, their ability to improve the roster through additions is practically zero and by signing (aging) Horford to an enormous contract, as well as extending Simmons and Harris to insane super max contracts, they have blocked their financial future even before Embiid's contract expires. Clearly lucking depth in their bench, they don't have the means to upgrade it.
Unless they can contend for the title this season on a highly competitive environment, the future looks much tougher in the seasons that will follow since they are expected not to be able to upgrade, while the competition will most certainly will...
3. The Houston Rockets (Future potential: Poor)
Very similar to the Lakers that follow, but albeit with less chances to contend, the Rockets have established a team that will be in the front court for the next two seasons, but can't be significantly upgraded or has established a long term future.
4. The Los Angeles Lakers: (Future potential: Mediocre)
The Lakers have expelled all their near future picks and assets but Kuzma during the past two seasons, in order to sign Lebron and add AD through a (forced) trade, but what above all blocked their future, is that they had to sign Green and KCP on contracts that have "trade blocking" provision and therefore, only have (low salary) Kuzma as an asset to use on a trade.
Clearly a contending team this season, they have Lebron on his (inevitable due to age) descent signed for another two seasons, but they have poor roster depth too... With no provision to make back for Lebron or add roster depth during the following seasons, this season looks to be their best (and only) shot.
5. The Toronto Raptors: (Future potential: Uncertain)
The Raptors almost have the entire roster expiring this season... Their future is a mystery even if they resign most of their free agents, among which the most valuable ones are aging.
6. The Orlando Magic: (Future potential: Uncertain)
There is talent on the Magic, but not enough to lift up from the lower playoff seeds, or contend anywhere in the near future... Fournier (their best scorer) is expiring this season and they don't have "hot" picks... Financials are not stellar either... The Magic seem able to retain what they've got, but unable to take the next step in the future.
7. The Portland Trail Blazers (instead of the Spurs that hold the playoff seed currently): (Future potential: Uncertain)
After having established a playoff seed team, the Blazers seem to be unable to follow the competition in taking the next step. Last year, on last year's (poorer) competition seems that it was their roof...
8. The Denver Nuggets: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)
Not enough talent to content and neither it looks like there is some light at the end of the tunnel that will help them to take the next step in the future...
9. The Indiana Pacers: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)
Victor Olandipo is expected back within the following month after a very serious injury, that makes his performance ability questionable... But even if Victor can be at the level he was, the Pacers will need more to add in order to take the next step and seriously contend for the title and that, doesn't look easy to achieve.
10. The OKC Thunder: (Future potential: Great)
The Thunder have get out of the financial trouble they had and still have a core to keep them in the playoffs, but by having collected an army of picks and having added the highly future promising S.G. Alexander, they look in a position to soon be back into contending.
11. The Utah Jazz: (Future potential: Great)
The Jazz have great financials and the Stars a contending team needs still not having reached their peak... They are carefully adding valuable depth to their roster at reasonable cost and look to have established great future potential... They are expected to be better for each and every season that follows.
12.The Milwaukee Bucks: (Future potential: As bright as the sun)
After a very difficult off-season, where they had to establish a long term and sustainable contending team, the Bucks have ended up better and more experienced than before, but with great financials and full of highly desirable in the market assets in what is admitted to be the "deepest roster in the league"... The Bucks have all they need to upgrade further and contend for the next decade...
The Bucks' only current concern is to extend Giannis' contract and they can only go up.
13. The Boston Celtics: (Future potential: As bright as the sun)
More than having secured building around an All-Star level young core, the Celtics have their financials well under control and are a desirable destination for players... They have very little to add in order to secure contending for the title for the next decade.
14. The Los Angeles Clippers: (Future potential: As bright as the sun)
Perhaps not as long future promising as the Mavs or the Jazz are in the West, the Clips have added in their roster two prime All Stars at the right age and have great financials to keep them and secure contending for the title in the long term.
15. The Dallas Mavericks: (Future potential: As bright as the sun)
By having achieved "the deal of the century" during the 1918 draft, which has allowed them to add one of the best talents that the game has ever seen, the Mavs have great financials and are carefully building around Luka... They look to be the longest lasting force in the West for the future.
The Nets have the worst financials in the league after having signed KD and Kyrie this season, they are already into the lux tax for this and the following season and additionally, have their best shooter on Harris expiring this summer and key core players on Allen and Dinwiddie (who is expected to reject his P.O.) expiring a season later as well as many empty roster spots to fill...
Their potential to upgrade the roster further is practically non existing, but most probably they will have to trade two out of Dinnwidie, LeVert, Harris or Prince and certainly dump the salary out of at least one of them this season, in order to avoid the (coming) repeaters tax being over 100M on top of the lux tax they'll certainly have to pay...
Unless they can contend for the title by next season on a highly competitive environment, they'll find themselves in a similar situation to what OKC's position was last season... Having a team that costs some 300M to retain and go nowhere...
2. Philadelphia 76ers: (Future potential: Bad (almost as bad as the Nets))
The Sixers lost their surpshooter on Reddick, but lost their best player (for who they've payed heavily for) on Butler too... Like with the Nets, their ability to improve the roster through additions is practically zero and by signing (aging) Horford to an enormous contract, as well as extending Simmons and Harris to insane super max contracts, they have blocked their financial future even before Embiid's contract expires. Clearly lucking depth in their bench, they don't have the means to upgrade it.
Unless they can contend for the title this season on a highly competitive environment, the future looks much tougher in the seasons that will follow since they are expected not to be able to upgrade, while the competition will most certainly will...
3. The Houston Rockets (Future potential: Poor)
Very similar to the Lakers that follow, but albeit with less chances to contend, the Rockets have established a team that will be in the front court for the next two seasons, but can't be significantly upgraded or has established a long term future.
4. The Los Angeles Lakers: (Future potential: Mediocre)
The Lakers have expelled all their near future picks and assets but Kuzma during the past two seasons, in order to sign Lebron and add AD through a (forced) trade, but what above all blocked their future, is that they had to sign Green and KCP on contracts that have "trade blocking" provision and therefore, only have (low salary) Kuzma as an asset to use on a trade.
Clearly a contending team this season, they have Lebron on his (inevitable due to age) descent signed for another two seasons, but they have poor roster depth too... With no provision to make back for Lebron or add roster depth during the following seasons, this season looks to be their best (and only) shot.
5. The Toronto Raptors: (Future potential: Uncertain)
The Raptors almost have the entire roster expiring this season... Their future is a mystery even if they resign most of their free agents, among which the most valuable ones are aging.
6. The Orlando Magic: (Future potential: Uncertain)
There is talent on the Magic, but not enough to lift up from the lower playoff seeds, or contend anywhere in the near future... Fournier (their best scorer) is expiring this season and they don't have "hot" picks... Financials are not stellar either... The Magic seem able to retain what they've got, but unable to take the next step in the future.
7. The Portland Trail Blazers (instead of the Spurs that hold the playoff seed currently): (Future potential: Uncertain)
After having established a playoff seed team, the Blazers seem to be unable to follow the competition in taking the next step. Last year, on last year's (poorer) competition seems that it was their roof...
8. The Denver Nuggets: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)
Not enough talent to content and neither it looks like there is some light at the end of the tunnel that will help them to take the next step in the future...
9. The Indiana Pacers: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)
Victor Olandipo is expected back within the following month after a very serious injury, that makes his performance ability questionable... But even if Victor can be at the level he was, the Pacers will need more to add in order to take the next step and seriously contend for the title and that, doesn't look easy to achieve.
10. The OKC Thunder: (Future potential: Great)
The Thunder have get out of the financial trouble they had and still have a core to keep them in the playoffs, but by having collected an army of picks and having added the highly future promising S.G. Alexander, they look in a position to soon be back into contending.
11. The Utah Jazz: (Future potential: Great)
The Jazz have great financials and the Stars a contending team needs still not having reached their peak... They are carefully adding valuable depth to their roster at reasonable cost and look to have established great future potential... They are expected to be better for each and every season that follows.
12.The Milwaukee Bucks: (Future potential: As bright as the sun)
After a very difficult off-season, where they had to establish a long term and sustainable contending team, the Bucks have ended up better and more experienced than before, but with great financials and full of highly desirable in the market assets in what is admitted to be the "deepest roster in the league"... The Bucks have all they need to upgrade further and contend for the next decade...
The Bucks' only current concern is to extend Giannis' contract and they can only go up.
13. The Boston Celtics: (Future potential: As bright as the sun)
More than having secured building around an All-Star level young core, the Celtics have their financials well under control and are a desirable destination for players... They have very little to add in order to secure contending for the title for the next decade.
14. The Los Angeles Clippers: (Future potential: As bright as the sun)
Perhaps not as long future promising as the Mavs or the Jazz are in the West, the Clips have added in their roster two prime All Stars at the right age and have great financials to keep them and secure contending for the title in the long term.
15. The Dallas Mavericks: (Future potential: As bright as the sun)
By having achieved "the deal of the century" during the 1918 draft, which has allowed them to add one of the best talents that the game has ever seen, the Mavs have great financials and are carefully building around Luka... They look to be the longest lasting force in the West for the future.
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