Updated Odds to Win 2013 NBA Title, Free Agency Edition

Needless to say, constructing the proper odds or power rankings is a difficult task to complete during free agency.

There are moves and rumors being made at all times. In fact, I had to backtrack because of the Ryan Anderson trade that occurred out of nowhere Sunday afternoon. It's just another unpredictable element to what has been an insane first week of free agency.

All of these guarantees you hear of are simply verbal agreements between the player and organization. Official signings aren't allowed until July 11th, which is when you will begin to see players introduced to their new teams, as well as signings becoming more rampant.

The first week of just talking to different teams essentially allows you to have a clear idea of where you want to play when going into the signing period.

Today, we'll play oddsmakers with championship chances this upcoming season, taking all the free-agency guarantees and trades thus far into account. You will notice that some of the odds don't exactly line up well with what Las Vegas creates, and that is because I am not a gambling man and am not entirely on the up-and-up when it comes to odds.

Every team's chances will be weighed by addressing their free agency moves and determining whether or not they are championship ready.

Atlanta Hawks

Key Additions: Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson, Johan Petro, Jordan Williams and Devin Harris

Key Losses: Marvin Williams and Joe Johnson

The idea of an "untradeable contract" is dead.

Gilbert Arenas' outlandish contract was moved once, Rashard Lewis' contract moved on two occasions before finally being bought out by the New Orleans Hornets, and now Joe Johnson and the $90 million he is set to make will be taking their talents to the Brooklyn Nets.

How tough do you think that was for the Atlanta Hawks' front office? Two years ago, they threw $120 million at a borderline All-Star with a great jump shot. Two years later, they elected to trade him away for four role players, three of whom aren't likely to receive any playing time.

Still, the Hawks no longer have to pay Johnson, and that's a tremendous burden off of their backs. Johnson's contract kept them from making any moves, which was a huge requirement for a team that was good enough to make it to the second round, but not nearly good enough to make it to the conference finals.

They also unloaded Marvin Williams for Devin Harris. Another huge step in the right direction for the Hawks, who have been attempting to move Williams for the past few years. Not only did they drop him, but they add on a former All-Star in the process.

The Hawks can look forward to a healthy Al Horford playing alongside Josh Smith next year, but there are still quite a few moves to make—they need a center badly—before we can even begin to think they're ready to compete with teams like the Miami Heat or Chicago Bulls.

Odds: 105:1

Boston Celtics

Key Additions: Jason Terry, Fab Melo, Jared Sullinger and Kris Joseph

Key Losses: Ray Allen 

I'm not sure why Boston Celtics fans are angry at Ray Allen; their team signed a player (Terry) who will be performing the same exact duties.

Ray Allen was supposed to receive significant playing time with Jason Terry and Avery Bradley? There's only 48 minutes in a regulation basketball game, so someone please explain to me how these three players would've received an equal amount of playing time. They always need Rajon Rondo on the floor, and none of those players can run the 3.

With or without Allen, the Celtics are stacked. They retained Kevin Garnett, signed an excellent three-point threat and possibly picked up two steals in the draft by selecting center Fab Melo and forward Jared Sullinger.

They'll also look forward to having Jeff Green back after the forward fully recovered from heart surgery performed prior to the start of the 2011-12 season.

However, Boston will continue to be without Avery Bradley, who will miss action at the start of the season for shoulder surgery.

Odds: 12:1

Brooklyn Nets

Key Additions: Joe Johnson, Tyshawn Taylor and Reggie Evans

Key Losses: Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson, Johan Petro, Jordan Farmar and Jordan Williams

They aren't exactly contending for a championship yet, but the Brooklyn Nets have made the necessary moves to become relevant and recognized as playoff contenders.

It is absolutely essential for a team that's changing locations to be a relevant team heading into their new city. There has to be a reason for fan interest in the new city, even in a place like Brooklyn where basketball is flowing through the veins of just about every inhabitant of the New York borough.

If the team is bad in one city and not generating fan support, the chances are likely that that trend will remain consistent upon entering a new location.

Luckily for the Nets, they convinced Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace to re-sign and traded for Joe Johnson.

Those three, as well as the offensively-gifted Brook Lopez, together in a lineup should be intriguing to watch, especially come postseason time.

Odds: 40:1

Charlotte Bobcats

Key Additions: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Jeffery Taylor and Ben Gordon

Key Losses: Corey Maggette

There won't be a championship in Charlotte this year.

Sorry to break the devastating news, but the Bobcats just don't have what it takes to compete with the best. Not even that 7-59 record from last year can provide enough motivation to propel the Bobcats back into the playoffs, let alone to a winning record.

There is still plenty of work to be done within this organization.

The Bobcats utilized their two draft picks to select two outstanding defenders and athletes in Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Vanderbilt's Jeffery Taylor.

They can also say good riddance to the Corey Maggette experiment. The Bobcats put an end to that after trading him to the Detroit Pistons for perimeter specialist Ben Gordon.

Ben Gordon and Kemba Walker? Should be fun.

Odds: 500:1

Chicago Bulls

Key Additions: Kirk Hinrich and Marquis Teague

Key Losses: Omer Asik?

If the Chicago Bulls don't match the Houston Rockets' offer for Omer Asik, they're not going to stand a chance against the Miami Heat if they end up meeting deep in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Bulls need Asik. He's a huge body and is one of the league's better defensive centers. He also has an ability to stay out of foul trouble despite that he seemingly gets away with aggravated assault on defense. Chicago needs a player like that to limit the drives of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.

While he'll end up coming at a heavy price, it should be worth it to a Bulls team that prides itself on how physical its defense is.

Speaking of defense, the Bulls also recently signed Kirk Hinrich, a former lottery pick of theirs. Hinrich will come in handy against the Heat, as he notoriously became one of Dwyane Wade's sworn enemies during his time in Chicago.

Unfortunately for the Bulls, they'll be without Derrick Rose for the first half of the season as he continues to recover from a torn ACL.

It's tough to make a call on Rose at this point, but Chicago must hope that the injury won't linger and end up effecting Rose's primary game of slicing through defenses and finishing around the rim.

Odds: 20:1

Cleveland Cavaliers

Key Additions: Dion Waiters, Tyler Zeller and Kelenna Azubuike

Key Losses: Anthony Parker and Manny Harris

The Cleveland Cavaliers shocked a few of us when selecting Dion Waiters with the No. 4 pick in the draft.

It's not a bad pick—it's actually perfect for the Cavs as it fills in a huge need at the 2—but it's just surprising how high Waiters jumped after mostly being thought as a late lottery pick in the weeks leading up to the draft.

Either way, it's going to be a delight to see Waiters in the same backcourt as Kyrie Irving. However, the thought of a frontcourt with Tyler Zeller and Anderson Varejao is what's really enticing me to start watching Cavaliers basketball.

The Cavs aren't nearly done with their free-agency moves and should become more active once signings are actually allowed on July 11th.

Odds: 300:1

Dallas Mavericks

Key Additions: Jared Cunningham, Bernard James, Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder

Key Losses: Jason Terry and Jason Kidd

So, the Dallas Mavericks aren't looking too good suddenly.

The Mavs put all of their eggs in one basket with the hope of acquiring Deron Williams as a free agent this year. They allowed Tyson Chandler, J.J. Barea and Caron Butler to walk during their free-agency period in order to open up cap space, and it's now backfired with Williams' plans to re-sign with the Nets.

Guess the whole hometown pitch wasn't enough.

The Mavericks will also be without longtime sharpshooter and 2011 NBA Finals hero Jason Terry after he left for Boston, as well as Jason Kidd, who departed for the New York Knicks.

Dallas' roster is now a shell of the one that won a championship only a year ago, with Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion being the lone key remnants of those better days.

Odds: 110:1

Denver Nuggets

Key Additions: Evan Fournier and Quincy Miller

Key Losses: Rudy Fernandez

As if the Denver Nuggets bench couldn't get any deeper, they went out and drafted French swingman Evan Fournier and forward Quincy Miller.

They'll replace Rudy Fernandez, who had had enough of the NBA and departed to play professional basketball in his native Spain.

The Nuggets will be perfectly fine without Fernandez. The team is stacked with talent at just about every position and with guys like Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Jordan Hamilton, Quincy Miller and Julyan Stone fighting for those minutes at the 3.

As far as championship aspirations go, the Nuggets will have to continue waiting until a star player emerges from their team or the organization goes out and gets one—preferably one who can pass as well as score.

Odds: 90:1

Detroit Pistons

Key Additions: Andre Drummond, Khris Middleton, Kim English and Corey Maggette

Key Losses: Ben Gordon

Don't look now, but this Detroit Pistons team is starting to look relevant after taking a few years to wallow in obscurity.

After building up their team through the draft in previous season, the Pistons went at it again by drafting a huge paint presence in Andre Drummond, a shooter in Khris Middleton and an excellent floor general in Kim English.

Those three will join a roster that's already composed of other young, talented players such as Brandon Knight and Greg Monroe.

The Pistons even found a way to rid themselves of Ben Gordon and his contract. They had to receive Corey Maggette as punishment, but the main element is that they rid themselves of the funk that Gordon left after several underachieving seasons with the Pistons.

Odds: 275:1

Golden State Warriors

Key Additions: Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green

Key Losses: None

The Golden State Warriors ended up having the most successful draft with their strategic use of three draft picks.

They started off by drafting Harrison Barnes, who will most likely become a starter at the 3 and will add some versatility as a slasher and shooter. The Warriors would then select an excellent defensive presence in Festus Ezeli and a solid scorer and rebounder in Draymond Green.

The Warriors went for size this year, and they got plenty of it. Their frontcourt now looks a bit more daunting, with those three set to play alongside Andrew Bogut, who was brought over the in the deal that sent Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown to Milwaukee.

Golden State still has a few holes to fill, especially at the 2, in order to actually be considered a team that could make the postseason.

Odds: 300:1

Houston Rockets

Key Additions: Jeremy Lamb, Royce White, Terrence Jones, Jon Brockman, Jon Leuer, Shaun Livingston and possibly Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin

Key Losses: Samuel Dalembert, Kyle Lowry, Chase Budinger, Goran Dragic and possibly Marcus Camby

Man, the Houston Rockets really don't look so good anymore.

That's what tends to happen when you give up your two point guards and potentially both of your centers.

Though the Rockets can still look to Kevin Martin and Luis Scola, you have to wonder where any sort of defensive resistance or playmaking ability comes from. Even if the team ends up signing Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin, that only means the Rockets are going to invest a lot of money into a center with no offensive repertoire and a point guard who had a great three-week stretch of basketball.

It would not surprise me in the slightest if the Rockets end up taking the New Orleans Hornets' spot at the bottom of the Southwest Division this year.

That's tough, especially for a team that just barely missed out on the postseason the past two years.

Jeremy Lamb, Royce White and Terrence Jones were all solid pickups, but it honestly appears as if Houston is set to enter rebuilding mode.

Odds: 275:1

Indiana Pacers

Key Additions: Miles Plumlee and Orlando Johnson

Key Losses: Possibly Roy Hibbert

Who would have guessed the Indiana Pacers would balk at the idea of matching the Portland Trail Blazers' offer for Roy Hibbert?

With such little help as it is at the center position, you would think re-signing the 7'2" Hibbert would be priority number one for the Pacers. Instead, they're not leaning too far in either direction at the prospect of matching the four-year, $58 million contract that Portland extended.

It seems the Pacers aren't ready to give nearly $15 million per season to their starting center. It's tough to blame them; Hibbert hardly made his presence felt against the Miami Heat in the Pacers semifinals matchup, despite Chris Bosh playing only the first half in Game 1 in the entire series.

It may appear the Pacers are ready to move on.

However, Hibbert is 25 years old and has improved yearly over his four-year career. He's still a heavy asset that gives the Pacers a considerable advantage on both ends of the floor because of his height and length.

If the Pacers pick up Hibbert and sign a scorer to come off the bench, they could possibly become legitimate championship contenders because of their overall size and depth.

Odds: 45:1

Los Angeles Clippers

Key Additions: Furkan Aldemir, Jamal Crawford and Lamar Odom

Key Losses: Nick Young, Mo Williams and Reggie Evans

Trading for Lamar Odom was an interesting move for the Los Angeles Clippers. It may end up paying off far more than anyone expects.

Odom was extremely unhappy in Dallas, and there's no denying that. On top of feeling jaded by the Los Angeles Lakers and being involved in a car accident that took the life of someone in the other car, Odom was simply having a tough year; the move to Dallas happened at the worst possible time.

Now that Odom is back in Los Angeles, we may just see him turn things around. Don't forget that this guy was the Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago; there is still plenty in the tank of the 32-year-old who can play multiple positions.

The Clippers also acquired Jamal Crawford through free agency. Crawford is coming off a tough year in Portland and should fit right into the void left behind by Nick Young, which was throwing up insane shots that somehow manage to go in.

If Blake Griffin develops a jumper and becomes a stretch-4, I'll say the Clippers are championship contenders. Until then, they're a team that will most likely end up as second-round fodder again.

Odds: 50:1

Los Angeles Lakers

Key Additions: Steve Nash and Robert Sacre 

Key Losses: None

Well, this just got a little scary.

Since Kobe Bryant has been winning championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, there has never been a traditional point guard by his side. His usual backcourt teammate was Derek Fisher, who was mostly utilized as a perimeter option who could hit timely shots. He could handle the ball, but never averaged more than five assists per game in his time with the Lakers.

Seeing how Fisher was treated in his years with the Lakers makes you wonder how well the team will react to having Steve Nash in the starting lineup. Nash absolutely needs the ball in his hands in order to make things work. He sets up plays for himself and mostly for his teammates, which probably explains why he's led the league in assists five times.

Kobe Bryant will need to play significant minutes off the ball in order for this to work. He and Nash can't have the ball at the same time, so it's going to be up to Kobe to make some adjustments in his game.

As much as Kobe likes to take over, he's probably ecstatic that he no longer has to work as hard as he did last year. With Nash controlling the ball-handling duties and responsibilities, Bryant will just sit back and allow his teammate to do the facilitating from now on.

If Nash and Bryant combine to form a perfect storm, then the Lakers could easily become the Western Conference championship favorites over the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Odds: 9:1

Memphis Grizzlies

Key Additions: Tony Wroten

Key Losses: None

It's been a quiet offseason thus far for the Memphis Grizzlies.

They're looking to re-sign Darrell Arthur and Marreese Speights to keep their strong frontcourt, as well as continuing to find a potential suitor to take O.J. Mayo in a potential sign-and-trade situation.

Mayo is an unrestricted free agent this year. The Grizzlies have been looking to move Mayo for the past two years and have come close on many occasions, but they have failed to pull the trigger in time to unload the former No. 3 overall pick.

It would be a considerable surprise to see Mayo in a Grizzlies uniform next year considering how adamant the team has been over attempting to move the sixth man.

Memphis unfortunately ran into a Los Angeles Clippers team that would not be denied an entrance to the second round last year in the playoffs. The Grizzlies still have the players to create some noise in the postseason and will be ecstatic to have Darrell Arthur back after he missed the entire 2011-12 season.

They're not quite championship-ready, but they could surprise us much like how they did in 2011.

Odds: 65:1

Miami Heat

Key Additions: Ray Allen and Justin Hamilton

Key Losses: None

This talk about loyalty has got to be some of the most ignorant thinking I've ever encountered in my writing days.

What is loyalty? Is it benching your aging shooting guard in favor of the young and athletic talent? Is it attempting to trade away that same aging shooting guard for a younger replacement? Is it signing his replacement a few days into free agency?

The Celtics made Ray Allen feel unwanted during his final two years with the team. Don't start bringing up talk of loyalty featuring a free agent wanting to move to a different team when his former organization benched, replaced and attempted to trade him in his final two seasons with the team.

Sorry, but loyalty doesn't exist in sports anymore. This is a business, and both parties—the players and the teams they play for—recognize this, which is why you have the Celtics attempting to trade Ray Allen for O.J. Mayo and Allen leaving for the Miami Heat only a few months later.

Either way, the Heat now have the greatest three-point shooter to ever walk the planet, and he'll be playing alongside the reigning regular-season and NBA Finals MVP and arguably the league's top shooting big man.

The open looks Allen will receive on account of the attention James, Wade and Bosh receive will render this team nearly unstoppable. How else do you stop a team with two of the league's top drivers, one of the top mid-range shooters and the best three-point shooter to ever play the game?

Ray Allen might end up shooting 60 percent from beyond the arc next year if he stays healthy.

Odds: 5:2

Milwaukee Bucks

Key Additions: John Henson, Doron Lamb and Samuel Dalembert

Key Losses: Jon Leuer, Shaun Livingston and Jon Brockman

Are the Milwaukee Bucks attempting to rewrite the dictionary so that they can become the definition of "mediocre"?

While I certainly won't argue the team will have its exciting moments with Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis in the same backcourt, it just seems that this team isn't striving for success as they much as they should.

From the looks of it, the Bucks are going to finish in the Nos. 9-11 range in playoff seeding by the end of the year.

Alright, maybe I'm being a little too harsh here. After all, signings don't even begin until the 11th, and plenty could happen at that point. Perhaps the Bucks will actually go out and sign some role players that are actually worth signing.

Re-signing Ersan Ilyasova certainly helps the idea of this team no longer being mediocre. The 25-year-old forward out of Turkey showcased a stellar inside and outside game while also showing off his ability to rebound last year.

The Bucks utilized their two draft picks to select shot-blocking center John Henson and guard Doron Lamb. Solid pickups, but pickups that aren't exactly going to switch up the look of your franchise, either.

Odds: 200:1

Minnesota Timberwolves

Key Addition: Robbie Hummel, Brandon Roy, Chase Budinger and possibly Nicolas Batum 

Key Losses: Michael Beasley

I'm not one to start making hasty predictions, but the Minnesota Timberwolves would be a serious team if Nicolas Batum ends up signing with them.

Although Batum would like to join the Timberwolves, it does appear as if the Portland Trail Blazers will most likely match the Wolves offer and retain the small forward.

Nevertheless, the Timberwolves would have a formidable roster without him. The team looked like a legitimate playoff contender before Ricky Rubio's season came to an unfortunate end. Once his creativity was taken out of the offense, the Timberwolves couldn't find much offensive support outside of Kevin Love.

Rubio will be back for the start of next season, which should be met with great fanfare after the Spanish sensation stunned the NBA community with his passing ability at such a young age.

The Wolves will be without Michael Beasley, who left for Phoenix, which means more playing time for last year's lottery pick, Derrick Williams.

Minnesota has a solid, young roster in front of them, and it's essential that they start building now while they're still fresh. While they're not yet contenders, they have the potential to become one if they make the correct moves.

Odds: 100:1

New Orleans Hornets

Key Additions: Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, Austin Rivers and Darius Miller 

Key Losses: Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza and Gustavo Ayon

So let me get this straight: Eric Gordon would rather play with Michael Beasley and Marcin Gortat in Phoenix than Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers in New Orleans, and he is also unhappy that the Hornets haven't truly reached out to him despite offering him $58 million?

Maybe the Hornets should let Gordon walk. I'm not sure what to make of someone thinking that way. This is Dwight Howard-lite.

Gordon played all of nine games with the Hornets last year and they're throwing him a max deal, yet he finds it more suitable to play with a shot-jacker in Michael Beasley than a possible defensive cornerstone in Davis.

The Hornets will most likely match the offer given by the Suns, because Gordon is actually that good and will have to play for the team that's going to give him $60 million.

Besides Gordon, the Hornets can also look forward to seeing how well their No. 1 pick adjusts to the fast pace of the NBA, as well as a potential new point guard in Austin Rivers.

New Orleans also filled a huge void by trading for small forward Ryan Anderson.

If Chris Kaman re-signs, the Hornets have a starting lineup with Jarrett Jack, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson, Anthony Davis and Kaman. Not championship-worthy, but a good start for a team that was nearly out of New Orleans on several occasions.

Odds: 120:1

New York Knicks

Key Additions: Jason Kidd

Key Losses: Landry Fields and possibly Jeremy Lin

It would be painful to see the New York Knicks match the $30 million qualifying offer the Houston Rockets gave to Jeremy Lin. Financially speaking, it would be a train wreck if the Knicks end up giving him that money when they're already giving an insane amount to Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler.

Between those three players alone, nearly $60 million is being taken up. Why give another $5 million to a player who had a great three weeks of basketball and then proved he couldn't handle the pressure of intense defenses?

Lin's a great player and all, but that's a commitment the Knicks cannot afford to make at this time.

While the Knicks may end up losing Lin, they did pick up Jason Kidd from Dallas. Kidd's play has deteriorated over the past few seasons, but he is still a solid point guard that knows how to play the game just as well as any other player in the league.

Perhaps he could add some rhyme or reason to this hodgepodge of a Knicks team. Top to bottom, they have one of the best rosters in the league. They just need to gel in certain areas and have several key players make adjustments and sacrifices in order to make this whole thing work.

Odds: 75:1

Oklahoma City Thunder

Key Additions: Perry Jones III and Hasheem Thabeet

Key Losses: None

That's the look of an individual who just lost the biggest series of his life. Kevin Durant was an offensive juggernaut in the Oklahoma City Thunder's NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, but he failed to provide much on the boards.

The fact that Russell Westbrook was the only teammate who decided to show up didn't help, as Sixth Man of the Year James Harden was a no-show. Because of the lack of help from guys like Harden, Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins, the Thunder ended up losing their series 4-1, including four consecutive losses to end the series.

The Thunder don't have much to improve on. They'll get deeper off the bench with Eric Maynor set to return. They could even have the possible steal of the draft after Perry Jones III dropped in the draft due to being medically red-flagged. It was a risk the Thunder could afford to take, since the reward could be huge.

Oklahoma City will only continue to grow, and with the experience they garnered from losing the 2012 NBA Finals, they should come back a better team physically and mentally next season.

Odds: 7:1

Orlando Magic

Key Additions: Andrew Nicholson, Gustavo Ayon and Kyle O'Quinn

Key Losses: Ryan Anderson

If Gustavo Ayon doesn't convince Dwight Howard that he doesn't currently reside in title-town, then nothing will.

I'm pretty sure that each and every last one of us has grown sick of the whole Dwight Howard situation. We're absolutely tired of the flip-flopping, the rumors, the speculation and the embarrassment of a franchise the Orlando Magic has become because they allowed their immature franchise player to overhaul the entire front office.

Firing former general manager Otis Smith is one thing, but Stan Van Gundy? He led the team to the NBA Finals in 2009, so how it is his fault that the roster hasn't improved in the slightest since then? It simply came out of frustration from Howard to place the blame on Van Gundy, and the Magic ownership only made it worse by buying into his demands.

The Magic are probably going to be stuck with Howard for another year until he becomes a free agent next summer.

Until then, we can all look forward to seeing how well Howard thrives alongside his new frontcourt buddy in Gustavo Ayon, who looked solid in his short time with the Hornets last year.

Odds: 75:1

Philadelphia 76ers

Key Additions: Maurice Harkless, Arnett Moultrie and Nick Young

Key Losses: Louis Williams and Elton Brand

Hey, at least they're attempting to improve.

Utilizing the amnesty clause on Elton Brand was a huge step in the right direction for the Philadelphia 76ers. They freed up some cap space and allowed time for the younger players to get in some playing time.

Losing Brand means more playing time for the likes of Thaddeus Young, Lavoy Allen and Nikola Vucevic. It was obvious that Elton wasn't working out, nor was he living up to that $80 million deal the Sixers gave to him while probably under the influence of bath salts. After finally coming down, Sixers management made the right move by letting him become a free agent.

The Sixers will also replace Lou Williams with Nick Young.

Philadelphia can also look forward to two solid athletes in forwards Maurice Harkless and Arnett Moultrie.

However, they can also look forward to two more years of Spencer Hawes. Sorry for bringing that up, but someone had to be the bearer of bad news.

Odds: 175:1

Phoenix Suns

Key Additions: Goran Dragic, Michael Beasley and Kendall Marshall

Key Losses: Steve Nash

It was pretty much a known fact that without Steve Nash facilitating the offense, the Phoenix Suns are essentially horrible.

However, I'm not jumping to that conclusion yet. After giving up Nash in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Suns are expected to sign former Sun and Steve Nash protege Goran Dragic. The Slovenian spent three seasons playing under Nash's tutelage and showcased great awareness on the court. He also impressed last year as Kyle Lowry's backup in Houston.

The Suns also picked up arguably the best point guard in the draft by selecting Kendall Marshall, a Tar Heel guard who averaged nine assists per game in his final season at North Carolina.

Although Nash is now on the Lakers, the fun will continue with Michael Beasley set to join the Suns.

While he has mostly been criticized his entire career for various reasons, Beasley has the potential to become a player that can consistently average 20 points per game. He's a solid mid-range threat and an excellent slasher, but his reliance on the jump shot hampers him.

If Beasley can smarten up, the Suns could become a decent team. However, that's probably not going to happen, so the Suns will go about missing the postseason for a few years until the next Steve Nash or Amar'e Stoudemire or Shawn Marion arrives.

Odds: 325:1

Portland Trail Blazers

Key Additions: Damian Lillard, Will Barton, Meyers Leonard and possibly Roy Hibbert

Key Losses: Hasheem Thabeet and Jamal Crawford

I'm not going to say LaMarcus Aldridge and Roy Hibbert could end up as one of the league's top frontcourt duos, but they totally could if the Indiana Pacers decide not to retain Hibbert.

Suddenly, the Portland Trail Blazers don't look all that bad. Only a few months after Brandon Roy retired, Greg Oden was waived, Gerald Wallace was traded and coach Nate McMillan was fired, the grey skies are already parting for the Trail Blazers, a franchise that doesn't know the meaning of catching a lucky break.

The starting lineup for the Blazers looks outstanding. If Hibbert joins Portland, he'll be surrounded by Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and Raymond Felton.

The bench is thin, but with the highest-drafted point guard of the draft in Damian Lillard and the best offensive center in the draft in Meyers Leonard joining the team, it gives a little hope for the future of this downtrodden franchise.

Odds: 140:1

Sacramento Kings

Key Additions: Thomas Robinson

Key Losses: None

Not many of us noticed last year, but DeMarcus Cousins is actually really good. The only problem is that he allows his immaturity and emotions to play too large a part in his game for anyone to notice how truly talented he is. That, and the fact he cannot stay out of foul trouble.

The Sacramento Kings caught a huge break on draft day with power forward Thomas Robinson falling to the No. 5. A product out of Kansas, Robinson is a huge body that knows how to rebound, score around the rim and use his size.

T-Rob alongside Cousins is going to allow the Kings to cause havoc around the rim.

The Kings are chock-full of talent. Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton and Isaiah Thomas fill out an extremely talented backcourt. However, they have yet to take the next step in becoming a team as smart mentally as they are talented physically.

With Robinson on the team, the Kings continue to make the necessary steps to becoming a relevant team that could potentially make a playoff push.

Odds: 150:1

San Antonio Spurs

Key Additions: None

Key Losses: None

It's been a quiet offseason thus far for the San Antonio Spurs.

What other possible moves are there to make? They run a rotation that goes 10 players deep, possess three future Hall of Famers at their core and have the reigning Coach of the Year. They had a 20-game winning streak heading into Game 3 of the Western Conference finals and would have made the NBA Finals had the Oklahoma City Thunder not gone berserk in the final four games of their series.

There isn't much improving the Spurs need to do. They're a team that relies heavily on chemistry and finding players that can fill in specific niches, and they have that. There's no reason to think of free agents who could possibly replace Danny Green or Gary Neal; the Spurs have young parts surrounding the aging core, and they are essential to the success of this team.

The Spurs won't be making any defining moves this offseason. Perhaps they'll sign some role players who can make the rotation even deeper, but it would come as a surprise if they made any instrumental moves to greatly affect the team.

And yes, they are absolutely legitimate championship contenders. It's time to stop doubting this team, because they're going to somehow find a way to prove us wrong over and over again.

Odds: 15:1

Toronto Raptors

Key Additions: Terrence Ross, Quincy Acy, Jonas Valanciunas, Landry Fields and Kyle Lowry

Key Losses: None

The Toronto Raptors couldn't land Steve Nash in a very Raptors-like manner.

However, they can at least consider themselves fortunate for bringing in Kyle Lowry without having to give up any part of their roster, although the latter may have been the better alternative.

Lowry has quietly risen up the ranks since taking Aaron Brooks' job with the Houston Rockets as the starting point guard. Lowry had a career year last season with the Rockets and should fit in well with a Rockets team that will allow him to do whatever he pleases.

He'll be joined by three rookies in Terrence Ross, Quincy Acy and Jonas Valanciunas, a center who was taken by the Raptors with the fifth pick last year and is expected to join the team this season.

Also joining the team will be Landry Fields. You're probably wondering why the Raptors gave Fields $20 million, right? Well, I'll tell you why: The Raptors didn't want the New York Knicks trading for Nash, so they took away one of their few trade chips.

If the Raptors weren't getting him, they sure weren't about to let a division rival take him.

The Raptors still have a long way to go before they are anything near championship contenders, unless Andrea Bargnani suddenly becomes Charles Barkley.

Odds: 250:1

Utah Jazz

Key Additions: Mo Williams, Kevin Murphy and Marvin Williams

Key Losses: Devin Harris

At long last, the Utah Jazz have a formidable perimeter threat after signing Mo Williams.

It was a tragedy how horrific the Jazz backcourt was last season. C.J. Miles regressed in a depressing manner, and Devin Harris can't seem to get out of this funk he's been in since making his first and only All-Star Game in 2008. The Jazz traded Harris to the Atlanta Hawks for another perimeter threat in Marvin Williams.

Let's not forget about Kevin Murphy out of Tennessee Tech, either. He converted 2.4 three-pointers per game on 42 percent shooting from deep in his senior season with the Golden Eagles.

Impressive stuff by the Jazz thus far. They picked up three top-notch perimeter threats and only had to give up an underachieving point guard in return.

Not too bad. Adding those perimeter threats will stretch the floor and give more room for Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors to work with down low.

They're not quite contenders, but they're on the right track and showing great resilience since losing Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan.

Odds: 115:1

Washington Wizards

Key Additions: Bradley Beal, Tomas Satoransky, Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor

Key Losses: Rashard Lewis

The first thing that crossed my mind on draft day? "Please let the Washington Wizards pick up Bradley Beal."

C'mon, you weren't thinking the same thing? You're not falling in love with the idea of a backcourt composed of the top shooting guard in the NCAA and John Wall, one of the league's most dynamic and athletic point guards? There's an unlimited amount of potential between those two, and it's a shame that it has to be wasted with the Wizards.

Wait a minute. The Wizards are getting their act together? Impossible!

Well, now that you look at it, the Wizards do actually have a pretty good roster. A starting lineup that will most likely feature Wall, Beal, Trevor Ariza, Nene and Emeka Okafor and a bench with Trevor Booker, Kevin Seraphin and Jordan Crawford is an actual team.

Not a team that's going to be making a championship anytime soon, but a team nevertheless, and that's all the Wizards could ask for at this point.

Odds: 200:1