Joe Willett: As I mentioned earlier, the Trail Blazers are going to make huge strides next season. Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden are going to be beastly. They should make it to the playoffs, and in about a year or two, they will be on their way to a finals appearance or, possibly, an NBA Championship. They have the pieces and will be a tough victory next year.
Chad Ridgeway: The Blazers are already a winning team in the West and have a fantastic young nucleus. Pencil them in for the playoffs next season. However, I love the Sonics future (outside of relocating cities). Sam Presti has a clear vision for his franchise and has loaded up on the cap room and picks. Their future is as bright as anyone’s.
Andrew Kneeland: How about the Utah Jazz? They are doing great this year, although struggling on the road. If you are asking what team will do better next year out of Portland and Seattle, the pick has got to be Portland. They lead Seattle by 21 games in the Northwest conference right now. It's hard to overcome that in one season.
Which team has the most to gain and lose from free agency this summer?
Andrew Ungvari: This one isn't even close. It's the Golden State Warriors.
They could potentially lose Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, Andres Biedrins, Mikael Pietrus, and Matt Barnes in free agency. While it's highly unlikely that all five will go elsewhere, Ellis poses the biggest concern.
If Davis opts out of his deal and the team gives him a max extension, then they might be hesitant to match the offer the Grizzlies plan to make to Ellis. He's from Jackson, Mississippi, a mere three-hour drive from Memphis. The Grizzlies will be hard-pressed to make a splash in free agency to appease their bitter fans over the Gasol trade.
If they keep Davis and Ellis, Biedrins might bolt. Should they lose their only real big, they'll become even smaller and run the risk of being passed over by the Blazers. The other issue is whether or not Don Nelson decides to return next year or hand the reins over to Keith Smart. Nellie turns 68 in May. He might decide it's time to retire and move full-time to his crib in Hawaii.
Joe Willett: The team that has the most to gain is the Seattle Supersonics. I've been tough on them, saying that they have some expiring contracts and will have plenty of cap space to build around Kevin Durant.
Some players will go to them just for the chance to be with a developing young player, and they could capitalize on that, although nothing is for sure. As for the team that has the most to lose, the Suns are going to have a hard time.
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