NBA Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands Heading into 2013-14 Season
The 2013-14 NBA season is mere hours from tipping off, making this an ideal time to take a look at the state of the league as a whole and power rank each and every team within that context.
Taking into account preseason production, offseason moves and last year’s performances, it’s somewhat feasible to get a picture of how the NBA will shake out over the coming months.
With that in mind, let us take a look at how these franchises stack up against one another in the first power rankings of the 2013-14 campaign.
30. Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are starting the tanking process early and recently stated that first-round pick Nerlens Noel is likely to miss the entirety of the upcoming season.
This group is chock-full of young talent that is years away from being competitive. The 76ers will likely add more future assets by dealing away whatever decent pieces are left to contribute to a contender by the deadline and look to nab a top pick in the 2014 draft.
29. Phoenix Suns
The Suns are going to challenge the 76ers for the best odds of the No. 1 pick in the lottery, as they recently flipped Marcin Gortat and three bench players to the Washington Wizards for injured Emeka Okafor and a top-12 protected pick in 2014.
Eric Bledsoe is one of the lone bright spots on this roster and will have to use this down year to work on his game. Hopefully the team brass can surround this emerging star with better talent next season.
28. Boston Celtics
Boston is going to flounder around until Rajon Rondo is back in the lineup, and even then it’s tough to see this group making much noise in 2013-14. The C’s are set up to rebuild quickly, however, as they possess a nice group of young—but not too raw—talent and a bevy of draft picks.
27. Orlando Magic
The Magic have some quality young pieces in place and could vault up these rankings over the next few weeks. While I’m doubtful that Orlando has what it takes to make a playoff run, this team has a chance to turn some heads this season and finish much better than projected.
26. Charlotte Bobcats
The Bobcats are finally poised to leave the league’s basement, adding Al Jefferson to star in their depleted frontcourt. The defense looked great during the preseason, and head coach Steve Clifford seems like he will last more than one season at the helm of this club. However, it’s hard to picture the ‘Cats in the postseason, and they will likely play the lottery once again in 2014.
25. Utah Jazz
Trey Burke’s injury will set the Jazz back at the start of the campaign, but they could hit their stride in a few months. With Derrick Favors locked in and Gordon Hayward working on an extension, this team has a lot of promise going forward.
24. Sacramento Kings
The Kings decided to roll the dice on DeMarcus Cousins, and it will be interesting to see if that gamble pays off. This team doesn’t have much talent surrounding him right now but is in position to jettison much of the riffraff on the roster and make a run in 2014-15.
23. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors made some under-the-radar changes that could surprise a number of onlookers this year. With Rudy Gay now the go-to star north of the border and a handful of decent role players surrounding him, Toronto could make things interesting in a run for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
22. Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant’s eventual return will make or break the Lakers this year. If the Black Mamba comes back at 100 percent and his teammates haven’t put L.A. in too big a hole during his absence, there is a chance the Purple and Gold gets back to the postseason. It’s a big if, but Kobe has shown that anything is possible, even at the age of 35.
21. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs are done with their rebuild and ready to make the next step by returning to the playoffs for the first time in the post-LeBron James era. If Andrew Bynum can return to his All-Star form in time to make an impact, Cleveland will be a tough team to beat.
20. Washington Wizards
The Wizards' aforementioned trade for Gortat has put them in a tight spot. They need to hope the big man is the missing piece for a playoff run, as anything less would be a disappointing end to a promising season.
19. Detroit Pistons
It remains to be seen if the Detroit brass did enough in the offseason to turn this roster into a contender. The frontcourt of Greg Monroe, Josh Smith and Andre Drummond is promising, but the team may not have enough firepower from the guard positions to serve as anything more than first-round fodder—if that—come spring.
18. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs whiffed on a starting center this summer and now go into the new season with journeyman Samuel Dalembert manning the 5 spot. They are going to get destroyed down low, and unless a midseason trade takes place, it is unlikely that this flawed Dallas team can contend.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves
If healthy, the T-Wolves are going to be an inside-out force that can hang with anyone in the league. Nikola Pekovic is playing with a new contract, Kevin Love is one of the game’s best all-around bigs and Ricky Rubio is a perfect point guard for this offense. It’s been 10 years since the 'Wolves made the playoffs, but they seem destined to this season, as long as the key contributors can stay on the court.
16. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are an interesting team that lost a number of key players from last year. Regardless, Ty Lawson is a bona fide stud and should be able to carry his squad through trying times and get the Nuggets to gel faster than expected.
15. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers are another playoff-bound team that should be able to hang with the West’s best. While injuries—such as rookie guard C.J. McCollum’s fractured foot—could take their toll, Rip City bolstered its bench and now has the personnel to contend.
14. Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is an underrated squad that features a number of top defenders and elite shooters. That is a recipe for winning in the modern NBA, but the sheer number of new faces and lack of rapport could make it difficult for this overhauled roster to make a deep run.
13. Atlanta Hawks
Don’t sleep on the Hawks. They may not be the flashiest team in the NBA, but they are efficient and have a rock-solid inside presence due to Al Horford and Paul Millsap. With guys like Kyle Korver banging threes from outside and rookie Dennis Schroeder emerging as a star reserve guard, it’s hard to see them missing the postseason in the Eastern Conference.
12. New Orleans Pelicans
Pencil in the Pelicans as a playoff contender, even in the loaded Western Conference. Anthony Davis made strides this offseason and will be a legit star in 2013-14, while the rest of the roster is improved around him. Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon form a solid supporting cast that will be fun to watch and certainly capable of winning against anyone on any given night.
11. New York Knicks
The Knicks are looking like the same up-and-down team that they have been for much of the Carmelo Anthony era. Injuries, age and depth are going to be a problem in the Big Apple, but the Knickerbockers should contend for a top-four seed in the East and win a series or two.
10. Houston Rockets
The Rockets have two of the NBA’s best players in James Harden and Dwight Howard, but need to forge an identity before they can be taken seriously. Expect general manager Daryl Morey to make a few more moves before the deadline in order to have his team primed for a deep run this spring.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC should vault up the list when Russell Westbrook returns, but for now it can’t be considered a top-five squad. The Thunder haven’t proved much without the superstar point guard in the lineup and will likely have a tough time dispatching the elite opponents until Westbrook is back on the floor. However, it would be a shock if this team didn’t make a run and fails to secure a top-three seed.
8. Memphis Grizzlies
The Griz dumped former head coach Lionel Hollins in order to get to the next level, but their lack of three-point shooting could be the reason why they don’t succeed. Mike Miller was brought in to add some range, but the aging veteran wasn’t capable of logging big minutes with the Miami Heat and likely won’t be able to in Memphis, either.
7. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets’ offseason was a wild one, with Jason Kidd brought back to the franchise as a head coach with zero experience and a trio of veteran champions acquired to bolster the roster. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry definitely add some much-needed experience and a defensive presence to the lineup, but their ages are a major concern.
6. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are in good position to make a run through the Western Conference after coming up well short with a first-round playoff exit this past spring. They are motivated, have a defensive-minded coach in Doc Rivers and added some role players to complement superstars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.
5. Golden State Warriors
The Dubs are once again primed to be one of the league’s most exciting teams and should fare even better during the regular season. They need Andrew Bogut and Stephen Curry to stay healthy—something that hasn’t been easy over the past few years—but will be able to weather any short-term absences with Andre Iguodala giving Golden State another star on the roster.
4. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers gave their all in 2012-13 but came up one game short in the Eastern Conference finals. That should be plenty of motivation for this extremely deep, tall and disciplined group. If Danny Granger can return in late-November with a clean bill of health, this could be the East’s most well-rounded team.
3. Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose is primed to make his regular-season return on Tuesday night against the Miami Heat. His presence should allow Chicago to become a real NBA Finals contender instead of a mere speed bump in the playoffs. If D-Rose is truly 100 percent healthy and ready to go, he will prove it against the hated Heat in South Beach in Game 1 of the 2013-14 campaign.
2. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs may be one year older, but they have all the key pieces in place to get back to the Finals at the conclusion of this season. While they may not win as many games—coach Gregg Popovich would be wise to put a minute cap on his veteran stars—they have a reason to be bitter about how the championship ended and will fight tooth and nail to get back and win one.
1. Miami Heat
What else can be said about this team? It has been to three straight NBA Finals and is aiming to make it four in a row at the conclusion of this campaign. It’s hard to picture any team in the league ousting a healthy Miami squad that is hell-bent on making a three-peat happen.
