The future potential of 2020's projected playoff teams from worst to best:

[tlance]

The Hornets have a roster with decent talent, but little to no upside because they have little star potential.

And the fact that your “rankings” have changed as much as they have over the last 2 months shows what a joke they were.

 

[msgkings322]

Oh god, dickhead is back

He disappeared right when Kobe went down, thought he was grieving

 

[buckalis]

A revision after the trade deadline:

The Miami Heat Clearly added aging veterans in order to push for immediate success, but this affects their future potential negatively and therefore must be moved lower.

The Detroit Pistons: Moved young in age All Star center Andre Drummond and this decision of theirs should delay them for their rebuild and therefore should also loose ground.

The Minnesota Timberwolves: added young All-Star Deangelo Russell next to K.A.Towns and this should increase their future potential significantly.

The Golden State Warriors: Got off all the financial trouble they were in which is a good thing, but lost D.A. Russell in order to achieve it and although added Wiggins in their roster and added picks, the loss of Russell should be judged slightly to the negative side. Their future will much depend on how well they will draft during the draft night.

The Atlanta Hawks: Are surely among the winners of the trade deadline.

The Houston Rockets: Seem confused into settling themselves on a clear path and therefore future gets even more cloudy for them.

The Philadelphia 76ers: Added talented and effective players on decent age and therefore future gets more optimistic.


Therefore the NBA future power rankings should now look like this:

1. The Boston Celtics: (Future potential:Bright)

2.The Milwaukee Bucks: (Future potential:Bright)

3. Memphis Grizzlies: (Future potential: Bright)

4. New Orleans Pelicans: (Future potential: Bright)

5. Miami Heat: (Future potential: Bright)

6. Charlotte Hornets: (Future potential: Bright)

7. Dallas Mavericks: (Future potential: Great)

8. Utah Jazz: (Future potential: Great)

9. OKC Thunder: (Future potential: Great)

10. Minnesota Timberwolves: (Future potential: Good)

11. Detroit Pistons: (Future potential: Good)

12. The Los Angeles Clippers: (Future potential: Good)

13. The Toronto Raptors: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)

14. The Washington Wizards: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)

15. Golden State Warriors: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)

16. The Indiana Pacers: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)

17. Brooklyn Nets: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)

18. The Chicago Bulls: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)

19. Atlanta Hawks: (Future potential: Uncertain but possible to be good)

20. The Orlando Magic: (Future potential: Uncertain)

21. The Denver Nuggets: (Future potential: Uncertain)

22. Cleveland Cavaliers: (Future potential: Uncertain)

23. Sacramento Kings: (Future potential: Uncertain)

24. Philadelphia 76ers: (Future potential: Poor)

25. The Los Angeles Lakers: (Future potential: Poor)

26. Phoenix Suns: (Future potential: Cloudy):

27. New York Knicks: (Future potential: Cloudy)

28. The Houston Rockets: (Future potential: Cloudy)

29. The Portland Trail Blazers: (Future potential:Bad)

30. San Antonio Spurs: (Future potential:Bad)

 

[YourFriendGannon]

Charlotte ahead of Dallas?

 

[buckalis]

Charlotte ahead of Dallas?

Well... it's of course debatable, but it really comes down to one's P.O.V...

IMO, the Hornets have three potential All'Stars in their starting roster on Devonte Graham, Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington (the three that will be on the "Potential stars" All-Star game in a few weeks) and also have very talented and very young players to supplement them and rotate them.

Their financials are absolutely state of the art and their roster the youngest in the league... Given that they will be drafting a lottery pick again this season and that they are in a position to be a playoff team by the next season, I believe their future potential is higher even than what the Mavs future is.

In a bit longer term perhaps, but not that much longer and again, it is my opinion.

 

[YourFriendGannon]

Well... it's of course debatable, but it really comes down to one's P.O.V...

IMO, the Hornets have three potential All'Stars in their starting roster on Devonte Graham, Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington (the three that will be on the "Potential stars" All-Star game in a few weeks) and also have very talented and very young players to supplement them and rotate them.

Their financials are absolutely state of the art and their roster the youngest in the league... Given that they will be drafting a lottery pick again this season and that they are in a position to be a playoff team by the next season, I believe their future potential is higher even than what the Mavs future is.

In a bit longer term perhaps, but not that much longer and again, it is my opinion.

Would you say Charlotte is in a better place now than they were in 2014? For the sake of that question, assume you had a crystal ball at the time in '14 for only one player that let you know Kemba Walker (who was a year older than Graham is now) would take a quantum leap of improvement in 2015. It seems to me they had 3 potential all stars at the time with him, MKG, and Cody Zeller who used to draw Lamarcus Aldridge comparisons.

 

[buckalis]

Would you say Charlotte is in a better place now than they were in 2014? For the sake of that question, assume you had a crystal ball at the time in '14 for only one player that let you know Kemba Walker (who was a year older than Graham is now) would take a quantum leap of improvement in 2015. It seems to me they had 3 potential all stars at the time with him, MKG, and Cody Zeller who used to draw Lamarcus Aldridge comparisons.

Put it like this... Back in 2014, I never thought that MKG and Zeller had All Star potential (I thought of them as only good and useful players - which I believe they still are), therefore it was only Kemba attracting my attention.

Therefore yes, I believe they are in much better position now.

 

[buckalis]

A further examination of the Trade deadline, reveals that there is perhaps misjudgment on placing the Atlanta Hawks with the "uncertain but possible to be good" in the future power rankings among teams, because the Hawks, other than showing determination to improve the team further by adding more young talent before the deadline, unlike the other teams that have been valued with the same "uncertainty" factor exactly because they luck a team leader, have already an established a leader on Trae Young who only in his sophomore season, is showing potential only comparable with the top players that exist in the league. Therefore a further advancement of the Atlanta Hawks is required.

Additionally, because of the determination the Clippers have into chasing the ability to contend with respect to the rest of the league, I think the Los Angeles Clippers should be above the Pistons in the future power rankings.

I also think that by naming the evaluation as "promising" instead of "Uncertain but possible to be good" for some of the teams, makes more sense.

Therefore the NBA future power rankings should now look like this:

1. The Boston Celtics: (Future potential:Bright)

2.The Milwaukee Bucks: (Future potential:Bright)

3. Memphis Grizzlies: (Future potential: Bright)

4. New Orleans Pelicans: (Future potential: Bright)

5. Miami Heat: (Future potential: Bright)

6. Charlotte Hornets: (Future potential: Bright)

7. Dallas Mavericks: (Future potential: Great)

8. Utah Jazz: (Future potential: Great)

9. OKC Thunder: (Future potential: Great)

10. Minnesota Timberwolves: (Future potential: Good)

11. Atlanta Hawks: (Future potential: Good)

12. The Los Angeles Clippers: (Future potential: Good)

13. Detroit Pistons: (Future potential: Promising)

14. The Toronto Raptors: (Future potential: Promising)

15. The Washington Wizards: (Future potential: Promising)

16. Golden State Warriors: (Future potential: Promising)

17. The Indiana Pacers: (Future potential: Promising)

18. Brooklyn Nets: (Future potential: Promising)

19. The Chicago Bulls: (Future potential: Uncertain)

20. The Orlando Magic: (Future potential: Uncertain)

21. The Denver Nuggets: (Future potential: Uncertain)

22. Cleveland Cavaliers: (Future potential: Uncertain)

23. Sacramento Kings: (Future potential: Uncertain)

24. Philadelphia 76ers: (Future potential: Poor)

25. The Los Angeles Lakers: (Future potential: Poor)

26. Phoenix Suns: (Future potential: Cloudy):

27. New York Knicks: (Future potential: Cloudy)

28. The Houston Rockets: (Future potential: Cloudy)

29. The Portland Trail Blazers: (Future potential:Bad)

30. San Antonio Spurs: (Future potential:Bad)

 

[buckalis]

I believe after the trade deadline passed and with the regular season at its final stage before the playoffs, the picture for the next decade power ranking of teams in now more clear and therefore the ranking should be backed up with reasoning under a new perspective.

1. The Boston Celtics: (Future potential:Bright) The Celtics have one of the most talented and future promising rosters in the entire league on Walker, Brown and Tatum, as well as an exceptional quality player on Smart to back them up. Hayward has never be back to his pre-injury status and this results on his contract being acting against the team's future potential, but surely the talent is still there and his contribution and leadership to the team is still valuable.

Wisely, the Celtics have stayed put during the trade deadline, obviously looking to put the final touches during the draft night and the following summer, where they'll be primarily looking to add a center that makes justice to the rest of the starting roster, but to improve the team's roster depth too.

2.The Milwaukee Bucks: (Future potential:Bright) The Bucks came as a surprise during the previous season, but only to the ones that are ignorant on the game.

Having the best basketball player in the world on Giannis in their roster and the perfect top-20 piece to back him up on Middleton, the Bucks retired Brogdon's contract during the past off-season, in order to built further on their depth and on future talent.

By having invested on Donte Divincenzo to be the 3rd All-Star in the near future and Brogdon's replacement on the roster, the Bucks also have two clutch PGs on Bledsoe and Hill as well as another two clutch Centers on the Lopez twins and even more depth on veterans Korver, Matthews and Ilyasova as well as youth on Connaughton, Brown, Wilson and Bender to both contend for the title now, as well as continue to develop the future title contenders.

Very wisely, the Bucks decided to stay put during the trade deadline, in order to use the picks and cap space they have saved for the upcoming summer and add the 5th piece on the Giannis, Middleton, Divincenzo and Bender quartet they count upon for their future, as well as significantly improve further.

3. Memphis Grizzlies: (Future potential: Bright)
Clearly the "Bucks of the West" in their approach of building a team to last, the Grizzlies have traded and added more talented youth on Winslow next to their already existing extremely talented and young roster and with great financials, they even added a valuable "salary filler" on Dieng's contract, who with his contract value can help them add even more "extreme talent" next to to the already great they have.

Already a playoff team in the West, their future potential has nowhere to go but up, given the young stars they have and the depth of the roster.

4. New Orleans Pelicans: (Future potential: Bright)

Already a playoff caliper team in the West, AD's departure brought them back extremely talented and young return and God added Zion, great financials and picks next to the talented veterans they already had in stock...

If there is a team in the West that can rival the Grizzlies future chances, it's the Pelicans!

5. Miami Heat: (Future potential: Bright) Run by what is arguably the best F.O. in the league and having exceptional communication between their F.O. and technical support, the Heat have also an ownership that is willing to risk and spend.

Added a top-10 player on Butler during the summer and don't hesitate to trade talented youth for having immediate success. Still with enough young talent in their core despite dealing future promising players, they are expected to continue "pushing" and follow the same policy in the long term future, despite the culture being the opposite to the one of the Bucks or the Celtics.

6. Charlotte Hornets: (Future potential: Bright) The Hornets are the team with the most (three) future stars in the upcoming USA vs. World "young stars" game and additionally have very talented depth to surround their starts and great financials to improve further.

Stepping up for each and every season that follows is guaranteed and will easily be a playoff caliper team by next season looking to take the next step and contend thereafter.

7. Dallas Mavericks: (Future potential: Great)

Two young All-Stars in their roster, among which one is MVP contender and widely considered to be a TOP-5 caliper player. The Mavs are looking to take advantage of their (temporarily) good financials and at the next stage challenge the best in the league.

Long term success, will highly depend on how well they'll do the following season.

8. Utah Jazz: (Future potential: Great)

Already a contender, the Jazz have little to add in their very well balanced roster to take another step forward for the future and good financials allow them to continue stepping up.

9. OKC Thunder: (Future potential: Great)

After having corrected their financials and having collected an "army of picks" and added extremely promising future talent on S.G. Alexander, the Thunder did the obvious and stayed put for the rest of this season.

Already a playoff team in the West, they are expected to resign and keep the core of veterans they already have and use the picks to take the next step during the next summer and there after.

10. Minnesota Timberwolves: (Future potential: Good)

The Wolves added the best they could on Russell next to K.A.T. and are looking to move ahead.

Still a lot needed to be done, but are now back on track and have the ambitious leadership and management that is willing to spend and push in order to accelerate things.

11. Atlanta Hawks: (Future potential: Good)

Added Capella next to Trae Young and have now collected a talented and young roster with enough depth during the later two seasons but there is still work and decisions to be be done in order to achieve results. Chemistry seems to suffer a bit and causes confusion to the technical stuff on what causes it.

Never the less, they surely can't go down and there is surely talent in the core to ensure a better future as long as they settle on a certain direction.

12. The Los Angeles Clippers: (Future potential: Good) Very similat to the Heat before, the Clippers are following a similar policy to ensure contending, but it has caused them to sell talented pieces on which a team that looks to secure its future would rather keep and invest upon.

Clearly among the favorites to be in the finals this season, have secured the key roster for the following seasons and even pushed harder before the trade deadline, they are expected to follow the same policy for all the following decade.

13. Detroit Pistons: (Future potential: Promising) Investing on Griffin never worked for them and his insane contract caused a late reaction. Now under the leadership of one of the best coaches in the world in order to have young talent developed, they drafted extremely well and have an extremely talented and promising core on Kennard, Doumbouya and Wood surrounded by secured for next season proven veterans.

Although the couldn't keep (still young) Drummond from losing his patience and asking out, they are looking to be back in shape soon by adding more talent this summer taking advantage of their excellent financials and ignore Griffin from their future plans under the correct thinking "if he works, he works, if he doesn't, "what the hey", we proceed with radical changes anyway".

14. The Toronto Raptors: (Future potential: Promising) The surprise for the title winners last season, was that they were able and overcome Kwahi's departure and stay into contending.

They have many expiring key players for next season and most of them aging too, but they seem to have great relationships with their veterans ant the last season's title helps additionally to have them all back and then on new team friendly contracts.

They will look to continue from there, although aging causes future concerns.

15. The Washington Wizards: (Future potential: Promising)

The Wizards have spended the entire of the previous season to correct their financials and have drafted very well as well as have added promising young pieces on the roster. They have resigned and kept Beal and are expecting Wall back soon. There is therefore some light at the end of the tunnel.

16. Golden State Warriors: (Future potential: Promising)

GSW has spend the entire of this season to correct their financials and it's expecting most of their core back for the next season as well as have worked on their biggest flaw during the past, which was the luck of depth.

Their way back will much depend on how well they draft this season with the lottery picks they've collected.

17. The Indiana Pacers: (Future potential: Promising)

Not much for one to guess with the Pacers, their future success will highly depend on if Olandipo can be back to be "Olandipo". The future policy for the rest of the roster is expected to be the same as before for the future: "Add bit by bit, take small steps ahead"...

Always an opposing force the other teams are watching, they were never counted to be able and really contend, but then, who knows?

18. Brooklyn Nets: (Future potential: Promising)

The Nets are an "open book" for one to read. They are going into the lux tax for the next three seasons and will be unable to improve on the roster forced to spend in order to keep it.

Either K.D works or not, with the more odds being against.

19. The Chicago Bulls: (Future potential: Uncertain):

Still looking for a leader to place ahead of Vucevic, unless they can find one, future is uncertain.

20. The Orlando Magic: (Future potential: Uncertain)

Still looking for a leader, unless they can find one, future is uncertain.

21. The Denver Nuggets: (Future potential: Uncertain)

Jockic is smart, has good IQ, but Jockic is "heavy", is "slow" and is neither A.D or Giannis... It doesn't look possible to improve significantly either and therefore future remains uncertain.

22. Cleveland Cavaliers: (Future potential: Uncertain)

Drummond is there temporarily for a month. Rebuilt is slow and no future leader in the horizon.

23. Sacramento Kings: (Future potential: Uncertain)

Very good and deep roster, but no leader and financials get worst all the team and only enough to retain, not to improve.

24. Philadelphia 76ers: (Future potential: Poor)

Threatening financials for a contending team that is expected to be eliminated early in the postseason.

The "Butler deal" has caused a lot of outcome, for no results and the consequences are here.


25. The Los Angeles Lakers: (Future potential: Poor)

This season is their "only season" Coach, GM and captain of the team is aging Lebron, after that there is nothing for the future. The Pels have ripped them off in order to pass them A.D. who is all that remains, if remains!

26. Phoenix Suns: (Future potential: Cloudy):

Still rebuilding, they were wrong to pick Ayton over Doncic and an opportunity like that can't be blown...

27. New York Knicks: (Future potential: Cloudy)

The car is on a road full of turns and the driver is tired to keep going.

28. The Houston Rockets: (Future potential: Cloudy)

The masters on alchemist experiments... A circus!

29. The Portland Trail Blazers: (Future potential:Bad)

The car was crashed and the financials aren't good enough to repair it, or replace it.

30. San Antonio Spurs: (Future potential:Bad)

Rebuilt has been late to start, it should have started a couple of seasons ago for a team that was dangerous but able to go nowhere more than the bottom of the playoffs.

 

[buckalis]

by mistake I typed what is to the Bulls on the Magic and vise versa.

 

[flyerhawk]

This continues to be some high quality entertainment.

Hornets the 6th most promising team in the NBA? LMFAO! That's fantastic.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

by mistake I typed what is to the Bulls on the Magic and vise versa.

You make mistakes?

 

[tlance]

This continues to be some high quality entertainment.

Hornets the 6th most promising team in the NBA? LMFAO! That's fantastic.

And the Wizards ranked above the Warriors, Lakers, and a bunch of other teams they have no business being ranked ahead of.

 

[buckalis]

This continues to be some high quality entertainment.

Hornets the 6th most promising team in the NBA? LMFAO! That's fantastic.

Does it?

...Please enlighten us, because as far as I know, they are the only team in the NBA that have 3 players in the "Young stars" USA vs. World game... OKC has one on S.G. Alexander, Hawks have one on Young, but the Hornets have three!

...and then have another rookie with highly promising potential on Monk and solid (and still young) pieces on Rosier and the "bigs" to supplement them... and additionally lots of cap space and more picks of course...

 

[flyerhawk]

Does it?

...Please enlighten us, because as far as I know, they are the only team in the NBA that have 3 players in the "Young stars" USA vs. World game... OKC has one on S.G. Alexander, Hawks have one on Young, but the Hornets have three!

...and then have another rookie with highly promising potential on Monk and solid (and still young) pieces on Rosier and the "bigs" to supplement them... and additionally lots of cap space and more picks of course...

Malik Monk is a rookie? Interesting.

 

[CitySushi]

Cap space is only valuable if you have the ability to attract free agents. That is all.

 

[buckalis]

Malik Monk is a rookie? Interesting.

is that your only problem? if it is, I'm sure you have many more mental ones... Was you "covered" by answer or not?

By the way, why you "bring" your 2nd account "with you" all the time? You think it makes you look "smart" talking with yourself to yourself, ...don't you T-Lance?

 

[fordman84]

Does it?

...Please enlighten us, because as far as I know, they are the only team in the NBA that have 3 players in the "Young stars" USA vs. World game... OKC has one on S.G. Alexander, Hawks have one on Young, but the Hornets have three!

...and then have another rookie with highly promising potential on Monk and solid (and still young) pieces on Rosier and the "bigs" to supplement them... and additionally lots of cap space and more picks of course...

How many teams have a player in the Rising Stars game and starting on the actual All Star team? Too bad that team doesn't have a bright future.

 

[fordman84]

is that your only problem? if it is, I'm sure you have many more mental ones... Was you "covered" by answer or not?

By the way, why you "bring" your 2nd account "with you" all the time? You think it makes you look "smart" talking with yourself to yourself, ...don't you T-Lance?

lel. tlance and flyer the same person? good stuff.

 

[flyerhawk]

lel. tlance and flyer the same person? good stuff.

It's the deep con.