Pairing the Perfect Emoji to Represent Every NBA Team's 2015 Offseason
This NBA offseason has not only given us new faces for several teams, but a new way to perceive the league as a whole.
Weeks back, DeMarcus Cousins shared his take on the George Karl situation in just emojis. This past week, the DeAndre Jordan fiasco led to an entire war packed with them.
In light of the recent events, we felt it was only right to grant each NBA team its most fitting emoji. If it seems hard to understand, click through—we promise things will become more clear.
Atlanta Hawks
1 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
The Hawks are a supremely well-rounded team, but ever since Mike Budenholzer has been in charge, the three-ball has been their bread and butter. They let it fly, and they do it well. Straight cash, as Randy Moss would say.
Boston Celtics
2 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
Fairly self explanatory here. Boston planned a rebuild, but it's far more ahead of schedule than they expected. The Celtics made the playoffs last season when they were expected to finish high in the lottery—David Lee will help, but they're still a year away.
Be warned, though: It's only a matter of time.
Brooklyn Nets
3 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
Remember when Billy King mortgaged the team's future to acquire the aging veterans—Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry—from Boston, in the name of winning now?
T'was a hell of a dice roll, and they came up snake eyes. No player from that trade is left on either side, and Boston is in much better shape than Brooklyn is.
.png?w=256)
Charlotte Hornets
4 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
We went through this last year. As an up-and-coming favorite for the playoffs, the Hornets are a trendy selection to make some noise in the East. Steve Clifford is able, but we still question their offensive capability.
They'll have a shot at the playoffs, but if we've learned anything from recent history, it's that they should be cautious.
Chicago Bulls
5 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
There's a new era in Chicago under Fred Hoiberg, but much of the personnel remains the same. With Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol all injury risks, the Bulls will need all of them to get to the finish line healthy in order to compete.
Cleveland Cavaliers
6 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
With LeBron James on board, Dan Gilbert has committed more salary to winning than ever before. Time will tell if it all pans out.
Dallas Mavericks
7 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
They thought they had their man—they even had a verbal commitment from him. But the Clippers were able to lure DeAndre Jordan back to Los Angeles, leaving Dallas not only heartbroken, but a potential lottery team.
Denver Nuggets
8 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
It wasn't long ago that the Denver Nuggets were frequently competing deep into the postseason with the West's heavyweights. But after moving on from George Karl and Brian Shaw, Michael Malone has some work to do before he can groom these Nuggets into contenders.
Detroit Pistons
9 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
It's been a long time since the NBA has taken the Detroit Pistons seriously. But with Stan Van Gundy at the helm, and a clear vision in mind, the clouds could finally be clearing.
Golden State Warriors
10 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
Need we say more? Until further notice, Golden State is the reigning champ. With much of the roster returning, there's not much reason to doubt the Warriors for this coming year, either.
Houston Rockets
11 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
James Harden is barely entering the prime of his career. But after fighting off injuries for most of the last few seasons, Dwight Howard could be exiting elite territory—leaving Harden as Houston's single star.
Indiana Pacers
12 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
With Paul George out for most of last season, the Pacers faced a rough patch. But after the departures of Roy Hibbert and David West, the team seems to be embracing a more progressive mentality. It could take a while, but Indy's new identity, under PG, will likely pay off.
Los Angeles Clippers
13 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
Have you ever seen the couple that breaks up then eventually starts flirting again, and then it's only a matter of time before everything is back to normal? Meet DeAndre Jordan and the Clips, who are trying to move on from this summer and propose a toast to a more fruitful future.
Los Angeles Lakers
14 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
The Lakers had an encouraging offseason, but as long as he's healthy, Kobe Bryant will be the only identity of his team. It's the only way the Black Mamba will allow it to be.
Memphis Grizzlies
15 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
This one was easy. Marc Gasol back? Zach Randolph hanging around the paint still? This team has one mentality for now, and they call it Grit and Grind.
Miami Heat
16 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
It may not be what Miami fans want to hear, but no matter how well this season turns out, Pat Riley's focus should be on 2017.
They're strapped with decent depth and a newly re-signed Goran Dragic, but most of Riley's moves—short-term deals like Dwyane Wade's one-year pact—are being made with next summer's cap space in mind. So while they'll have a shot at competing this season, it'll be important for Heat fans not to get too high or too low.
Milwaukee Bucks
17 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks established themselves as one of the East's more consistent teams. With a healthy Jabari Parker, a newly signed Greg Monroe and Jason Kidd developing further as a coach, the team will look to continue its journey in 2016.
Minnesota Timberwolves
18 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
It's always fun to watch the young pups grow, and that's the case with the Minnesota Timberwolves. With the last three years' No. 1 picks, and cap flexibility upcoming, it'll be entertaining to watch this team grow over the near future.
New Orleans Pelicans
19 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
Last offseason, it was a debate. This season, it's a certainty. Outside of LeBron James and possibly Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis is one of the brightest shining stars in the league.
New York Knicks
20 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
Let's clarify: The Knicks had an encouraging offseason. They have NBA players on their roster once again. But until they accomplish more than last year's 17 wins, they should be embarrassed.
Oklahoma City Thunder
21 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
They were in a battle for the playoffs last season, but if all went well, they would've been in a battle for the finals. With (hopefully) a healthy Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka over a full season, OKC deserves a redo.
Orlando Magic
22 of 30
Emoji Pairing:
There's so much talent on this roster. But with no identity or direction, they've floundered in a major way over the last few years. We'll be watching them closely before making further judgement.
Philadelphia 76ers
23 of 30
Emoji pairing:
Sam Hinkie's plan may eventually work out. It may not. Either way, for this season, Philly gets a major handicap.
Phoenix Suns
24 of 30
Emoji pairing:
Things might get a little overcast this season. Tyson Chandler is a great addition, plus Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight compose a talented backcourt.
But the team shed young assets to make cap space for LaMarcus Aldridge—who eventually went to San Antonio—leaving their roster fairly barren.
Portland Trail Blazers
25 of 30
Emoji pairing:
Yeah, that'll be Damian Lillard's reaction for much of this season. He's the only member of last year's starting five returning. And as of now, the upcoming campaign is shaping up to be a rough one for Portland.
San Antonio Spurs
26 of 30
Emoji pairing:
Seldom do we see the San Antonio Spurs active in free agency. But with their current corps on their way out in the near future, they needed to be. And LaMarcus Aldridge could be their golden key to one last title while this outfit is still around.
Sacramento Kings
27 of 30
Emoji pairing:
The NBA has been littered with comical franchises for years, but it seems as if the Sacramento Kings have officially joined the bunch. Under Vivek Ranadive's ownership reign, the team has seemed more infatuated with grabbing headlines than securing wins—making for some very questionable decisions.
Toronto Raptors
28 of 30
Emoji pairing:
Going into last season, there were questions as to whether the Raptors, with a largely similar roster to the previous year, could bring the same fire. That bulb went out about halfway through the season, but with some new blood this year, "We The North" could find its way into mainstream NBA slang once again.
Utah Jazz
29 of 30
Emoji pairing:
There wasn't much talk surrounding them, but the Utah Jazz finished relatively close to the lottery cutoff line last season. There's a ton of youth on that roster, and under Quin Snyder, the team could see itself competing sooner rather than later.
Washington Wizards
30 of 30
Emoji pairing:
For the first time in a long time, the Washington Wizards are competing. But no matter how much talent is on the roster, you can't help but feel that they're being weighed down with Randy Wittman running the show.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Moves for Every Team 👉")