1. Oklahoma City Thunder
The reigning MVP has two superstars to help carry the load.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
An influx of talent has been added with the likes of Towns and Wiggins.
3. Portland Trail Blazers
A full season with Nurkic at center will be interesting to see.
4. Denver Nuggets
This will be a sneaky good team with the emergence of Nikola Jokic.
5. Utah Jazz
Losing Gordon Hayward will hurt, but Utah should remain competitive. Continue reading
1. San Antonio Spurs
There wasn’t any splashy moves, but their depth is what will help them stay as contenders.
2. Houston Rockets
Getting Chris Paul could put them into the top tier of the conference.
3. New Orleans Pelicans
A full season with Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins should have them in the hunt for a playoff spot.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
The conference has gotten tougher for them to sneak into a low playoff seed.
5. Dallas Mavericks
There is some excitement surrounding their lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. and what the future holds for this franchise. Continue reading
1. Washington Wizards
The talented roster remains intact for a chance to claim a top-3 spot in the conference.
2. Charlotte Hornets
Their depth is the envy of the division.
3. Miami Heat
It’s a young roster with a lot of room for improvement.
4. Orlando Magic
This could be the year they sneak up and claim a low playoff seed.
5. Atlanta Hawks
They are rebuilding in a very deliberate way and preparing for a rough year. Continue reading
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
With just a few tweaks, they’re poised to make another title run.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
Time for them to make their move in the wide open Eastern Conference.
3. Detroit Pistons
At best they’ll clinch a low seed in the playoffs.
4. Indiana Pacers
They’re starting over with Paul George gone, but they are in better shape than most thought they would be.
5. Chicago Bulls
It’s been a while since the Bulls were in a rebuilding mode. Continue reading
1. Boston Celtics
Adding Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving puts them in the same class with Cleveland.
2. Toronto Raptors
It’s business as usual for the lone Canadian franchise.
3. Philadelphia 76ers
Time to see all their top tier talent make a playoff appearance.
4. New York Knicks
The era of Kristaps Porzingis has begun.
5. Brooklyn Nets
It’s a better roster, but it will be another transition year in Brooklyn. Continue reading
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