How Your NBA Team Can Totally Exceed Expectations in 2015-16
The NBA offseason is a time for unbridled optimism—every player is in the best shape of his life, and every team has tremendous talent and chemistry—and we're ready to dream as big as anyone.
It's all on paper right now, but until reality dashes our hopes, why not fantasize about the ideal campaigns for all 30 clubs? We might be lucky to see one come to fruition, but realism in the basketball world doesn't need to start for at least another month.
Which players must leap forward in order to lift their clubs well above their current levels? What barricades have to be broken down to get these teams on the right track? What breaks do these franchises desperately need?
With our compasses in hand, we're mapping out the routes to lead your team to a dream season.
Atlanta Hawks
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The offseason departure of DeMarre Carroll will hurt the Atlanta Hawks. If nothing else, he fit their starting five like a glove. He locked up opposing wing scorers, provided a complementary perimeter punch and rarely overstepped his role.
There are two ways for the Hawks to fill that void. The first involves rounding out his potential replacements. That means coaxing reliable offense out of Thabo Sefolosha, Kent Bazemore or Justin Holiday, getting Tim Hardaway Jr. to compete defensively and/or inventing a time machine for 34-year-old Jason Richardson.
The second possibility has fewer avenues but arguably more talent. Rather than targeting someone at Carroll's wing position, the Hawks can play point guards Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder simultaneously.
"When those two guys play together, it gives you a second player that's very comfortable, very accustomed, to being in pick-and-rolls with the ball in their hands—trying to get in the paint, attacking the basket, collapsing the defense," Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer said back in mid-May, according to Paul Newberry of the Associated Press.
In order to build off last season's success, Atlanta will need to utilize both types of lineups. But if Teague and Schroder can make another leap—while All-Stars Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and Al Horford maintain their playing level—this group can battle its way back to and beyond the Eastern Conference Finals.
Boston Celtics
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On first glance, the Boston Celtics roster appears unbalanced. There's a glut of offensive-minded power forwards and an abundance of undersized guards.
But perhaps savvy head coach Brad Stevens can turn that configuration into a strength.
He should have a frontcourt scorer for every situation, getting interior buckets from David Lee, hustle out of Amir Johnson and spacing from Kelly Olynyk, Jonas Jerebko and Jared Sullinger. In the backcourt, the Celtics have dogged defenders in Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier, potential perimeter threats in R.J. Hunter and James Young, and a quick-strike scorer in Isaiah Thomas.
The Celtics need several breaks to take a significant step forward from last season's 40 wins. Smart needs to boost his field-goal percentage well north of 40 and lift his counting categories across the board. Lee must resemble his old All-Star form. Jae Crowder and Evan Turner have to monopolize the jack-of-all-trades markets. Johnson and Jordan Mickey must form a defensive backbone on the interior.
Boston has a ton of pieces, and Stevens seemingly has a gift for solving puzzles. The Celtics shocked the hoops world with a playoff berth last time around, and they could produce a second surprise if they hit on more prospects than not.
Brooklyn Nets
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Remember how good Brook Lopez looked down the stretch last season? The oft-injured center actually managed to stay healthy and proved how important that is with 19.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game after the All-Star break.
Now, picture even more production from the 7-footer. That's the first of several steps to lift the Brooklyn Nets into championship contention.
The Nets need Thaddeus Young to perform like an eight-figure player, since that's the rate they're paying him. He shot lights-out after landing in Brooklyn at the deadline (49.5 percent from the field, 38.0 from three), but the Nets need more than scoring from him. They also have to bring rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson up to speed quickly and squeeze more offense out of sophomore Bojan Bogdanovic.
But arguably nothing will have a greater impact on Brooklyn's success than its ability to effectively replace Deron Williams. For as much heat as the former All-Star point guard took, the Nets were significantly better with him (plus-0.1 points per 100 possessions) than without him (minus-6.7 points per 100 possessions) last season.
The Nets can only expect so much scoring out of Jarrett Jack, Shane Larkin, Donald Sloan and (assuming he sticks) Ryan Boatright. But they need their lead guards to be offensive generals. If the ball flows between Lopez, Young, Joe Johnson and this collection of support scorers, Brooklyn could sneak up on its opponents.
Charlotte Hornets
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You know what type of player the Charlotte Hornets could have used these past few seasons? A do-it-all, two-way swingman, someone like Nicolas Batum—when he's at his absolute best.
The 26-year-old struggled to shake a wrist injury last season, and it sabotaged his shooting rates (career lows of 40.0 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from deep). Charlotte has no use for that Batum. But the one who tallied 13.0 points (on .465/.361 shooting), 7.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in 2013-14 would be a massive asset, chipping in wherever Charlotte needs him.
Ideally, the Hornets aren't counting on Batum for consistent scoring. That would mean Al Jefferson goes back to his All-NBA 2013-14 level, Kemba Walker finds the efficiency that has eluded him thus far and Charlotte's aggressive offseason strategy fixes last season's worst three-point attack. It would also mean smooth transitions for Jeremy Lin, Frank Kaminsky, Jeremy Lamb and Spencer Hawes.
The Hornets' offensive-minded spending exploits this defense a bit, but (in a perfect world) Batum and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist can silence scorers of all sizes. There's a chance that Charlotte could struggle on both sides of the ball, but there are just enough pieces in place for this group to strike the two-way balance needed for a playoff run.
Chicago Bulls
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At some point last season, the Chicago Bulls simply dropped the "if healthy" asterisk. They've been surrounded by medical red flags for so long that injuries now feel like a piece of their identity.
But if they could ever ditch their health woes, they would still look like a force on paper. Just imagine last season's Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol teaming up with past iterations of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. How good does that team sound already? And it hasn't factored in the loaded supporting cast or innovative head coach Fred Hoiberg.
It isn't hard to envision Rose and Butler leaping up the backcourt ranks. The pair combined for 43.2 points and 9.7 assists per night during the postseason, and both should see their efficiency improve under Hoiberg's direction.
The Bulls already have one of the league's deepest frontcourt collections. There aren't many teams that could afford to bring Taj Gibson off the bench, and Chicago's sixth man has at least two capable players behind him in Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis.
So long as Rose's $20-plus million salary is on the books, the Bulls will likely follow his lead. If the former MVP looks like his old self, Chicago could once again battle LeBron James' team for Eastern Conference supremacy.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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Know what the Cleveland Cavaliers must do in order to return to the NBA Finals? If they show up to the games, everything else might take care of itself.
"It feels like we have to talk ourselves into the idea that the Cavs can be truly challenged by anyone in the East," wrote CBS Sports' Zach Harper. "It's a lot easier to argue they're for sure going to the Finals barring major injury."
OK, so maybe it's a little early for Cavs fans to start shopping for Finals tickets. But no team has a clearer path to that point. Last season was a feeling-out period for LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, and the trio still helped produce 53 victories, the East's best post-All-Star break efficiency rating and a berth in the championship round.
Year two could be even more fruitful. The Cavs will start the season with Timofey Mozgov, Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith. Former All-Star Mo Williams is back to help spark the second-team offense (and power the opening lineup for however long Irving is out). Love shouldn't face the same barrage of questions about his future after agreeing to a five-year pact over the offseason.
The Cavs were great last season. There's little reason to believe that changes this time around.
Dallas Mavericks
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The Dallas Mavericks may need to widen some of the doorways inside the American Airlines Center. The current openings might not accommodate the cinder blocks sitting on these players' shoulders.
Last season was supposed to be Chandler Parsons' breakout campaign. He wound up with fewer points, shots and assists than he'd posted alongside James Harden and Dwight Howard in Houston. Parsons has a colossal contract to live up to, and he'll have to do so while recovering from knee surgery.
The last sentence could be nearly copied and pasted for Wesley Matthews, only he's battling back from a torn Achilles. Deron Williams has a sea of doubters following him back home, along with a couple years' worth of bad taste left in his mouth. Dirk Nowitzki faces the constant threat posed by Father Time after celebrating his 37th birthday in June.
External expectations are low for Dallas, thanks in no small part to DeAndre Jordan's about-face in free agency. The "us against the world" mentality can be a powerful motivator, and Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle will surely use that rally cry early and often. If Williams and Nowitzki can dial back the clock while Parsons and Matthews elevate their ceilings, the Mavs could ride their multi-tiered offense to the last laugh.
Denver Nuggets
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The Denver Nuggets have tried skirting the rebuilding process since Carmelo Anthony forced his way out in 2011. They have fielded a few deep, versatile rosters since, but none has featured a legitimate star.
There's a chance—really a Hail Mary, but a chance nonetheless—that void gets filled this season. Two long-shot chances, actually: rookie Emmanuel Mudiay and veteran Danilo Gallinari.
Mudiay is a turbo-charged 6'5" point guard. He can see above a defense, explode through the heart of it and spot open shooters at any point. Gallinari is a gifted offensive player with great size (6'10", 225 lbs) and excellent scoring instincts. He's had some injury issues, but he can be a force when healthy: He posted 19.3 points on .456/.400/.894 shooting over his final 19 games last season.
Escaping the fully loaded Western Conference won't be easy, but Denver's way out starts with both Mudiay and Gallinari performing at an elite level. The Nuggets also need consistently strong play from Wilson Chandler, Kenneth Faried, Jusuf Nurkic and Randy Foye. That could get them into the playoff hunt, and a breakout from Gary Harris, Nikola Jokic and/or Will Barton might push them over the hump.
Detroit Pistons
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Andre Drummond just celebrated his 22nd birthday in August. Chances are his best basketball could be years down the line.
But his ceiling is high enough to at least be a potential centerpiece. Few players can match his 6'11", 279-pound frame, and even fewer can replicate his combination of size and athleticism.
Drummond is the present and future of the Detroit Pistons. It comes as no surprise, then, that a best-case scenario season for the Pistons starts with the most productive of his career. He's been an interior monster before—career highs in points (13.8), rebounds (13.5) and blocks (1.9) last season—but the Pistons still need more, particularly at the offensive end.
For Detroit to join the playoff picture, this must be a "leap" year for the majority of the roster. Reggie Jackson must match last season's output (17.6 points and 9.2 assists in 27 games with the Pistons) with even better quality. Ersan Ilyasova, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jodie Meeks must scratch Motown's itch for steady three-point shooting. And Stanley Johnson has to play his way into the Rookie of the Year race.
Golden State Warriors
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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr should have a simple, three-word mantra for the 2015-16 campaign: Don't change anything.
The Dubs didn't just heat up at the right time—they essentially enjoyed a wire-to-wire run as the NBA's best. The culmination of their effort was astounding: a franchise-record 67 wins, an absurdly dominant plus-10.1 point differential and the organization's first world title in 40 years.
"It was just a dream season," Kerr told reporters in mid-July. "Everything went our way. Everything just went perfectly."
The Dubs can't bank on following the same external road map from last season: the Oklahoma City Thunder losing Kevin Durant to injury, the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers waging war in the opening round, the Cavs missing three opening-night starters by the end of the Finals. That part of the dream is likely finished.
But internally, Golden State can still control its own destiny.
MVP Stephen Curry might be even better during his second season under Kerr's direction. Judging by their ages, Klay Thompson (25 years old), Draymond Green (25), Festus Ezeli (25) and Harrison Barnes (23) should all be climbing toward their respective peaks. And veterans Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut and Shaun Livingston should all be able to reprise their supporting roles.
Houston Rockets
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It's frightening to think what the Houston Rockets could do with a healthy roster.
Last season, they had just three players—and only two starters—clear the 72-game mark. Dwight Howard suited up a career-low 41 times. Terrence Jones made just 33 appearances. Patrick Beverley lost 26 regular-season games and the entire postseason to injury.
And yet, the Rockets reeled off 56 wins and advanced to the Western Conference Finals.
Houston has to stay healthy to build off that run, but promising medical reports aren't the only source of hope in the Space City. The Rockets also added Ty Lawson over the offseason, perhaps finding the key to curtailing their wild swings with and without MVP runner-up James Harden.
Lawson and Harden give Houston two lethal scoring and playmaking perimeter threats around Howard. Trevor Ariza's two-way play is a boon on the wings, and Jones might find his groove as an effective Swiss army knife. The Rockets could rank among the league's elites at both ends, which is something only true contenders are capable of.
Indiana Pacers
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The Indiana Pacers are only one season removed from an Eastern Conference Finals berth, but they only have two starters left from that team. However, one could easily argue they retained the two worth keeping.
The Pacers face an uphill climb back to that point, but their next expedition will be led by versatile two-time All-Star Paul George. The last time the swingman was fully healthy—he lost all but six games to a broken leg last season—he was an All-NBA (third team) and All-Defensive (first team) selection.
Resurrecting George's superstar status is the most critical step on Indiana's journey. But the 25-year-old will have substantially more offensive help than before. George Hill, the other remaining starter, set personal bests in points (16.1), assists (5.1) and player efficiency rating (21.5) last season. The Pacers also added Monta Ellis, one of only six players to average at least 18 points in each of the last eight seasons.
Indiana needs that trio to function as one of the league's premier Big Threes in order to leapfrog from the lottery to becoming a meaningful playoff threat again. It also needs rookies Myles Turner (the 11th overall pick) and Joseph Young (43rd) to play like two of the draft's biggest steals, along with career years from at least two of the following five: Rodney Stuckey, Jordan Hill, C.J. Miles, Solomon Hill and Chase Budinger.
Los Angeles Clippers
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Breakups are never fun and could have been catastrophic for the Los Angeles Clippers. But DeAndre Jordan's near-exit—and the dramatic response it triggered from his teammates—may energize a core that has struggled to turn its on-paper talent into playoff success.
The Clippers needed a lift following last season's disappointing end. They seemingly turned a corner in their triumphant seven-game slugfest with San Antonio but subsequently blew a 3-1 series lead against Houston in the second round.
The chemistry created by Jordan's return should only help L.A. moving forward, but the bigger boost will come from this summer's roster reinforcements. Doc Rivers scoured through the clearance section and found one experienced starter (Paul Pierce) and several serviceable reserves (Lance Stephenson, Josh Smith, Wesley Johnson, Cole Aldrich, Pablo Prigioni and Chuck Hayes).
With the proper support for the star-studded starting five, L.A. could embark on a Finals run by lightening the load on its starters and maintaining momentum when Rivers rolls out the reserves.
Los Angeles Lakers
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On the surface, the Los Angeles Lakers seem stuck between eras.
They still have Kobe Bryant for one more season (at least), and they've surrounded him with a handful of veterans such as Lou Williams, Roy Hibbert and Brandon Bass. But there's also a youth movement concurrently headlined by 2015 No. 2 pick D'Angelo Russell, 2014 No. 7 pick Julius Randle and 2014-15 All-Rookie first-teamer Jordan Clarkson.
Logic paints the Lakers as carrying two different motivations into the upcoming campaign: maximizing the present with whatever's left from Bryant's past and fortifying the future with a commitment to player development. The margin for error seems nonexistent with the former, but the latter includes those transitional missteps known as growing pains.
But in some parallel universe, all of this is good for the purple and gold. Bryant's maniacal drive makes him the ultimate teacher and fast-tracks the maturation of Russell, Randle and Clarkson. Their youthful energy sparks something in Bryant that—combined with a finally clean bill of health—allows him to turn back time and keep pace with today's statistical leaders.
A slimmed-down Hibbert controls the defensive interior, and Williams lights the lamp with regularity from the perimeter. The Lakers' role players fall in line, Anthony Brown emerges as this draft's biggest steal, and the franchise somehow follows its worst season with one of its most inspiring ones.
Memphis Grizzlies
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The Memphis Grizzlies can perform miracles. They've done exactly that in the recent past.
Memphis adopted Spanish center Marc Gasol as one of its own and transformed the formerly flabby big man into a brawny beast. The Grizzlies welcomed all of Zach Randolph's baggage and watched him become an All-Star, fan favorite and terrific teammate.
The Grizzlies are done with the dramatics—not because they're incapable of further change but because it's no longer needed. This team has won 60-plus percent of its games in each of the past four seasons, notching three playoff series wins over that stretch.
Memphis' winning formula hasn't changed: high-low mastery from Gasol and Randolph, expert point guard play from Mike Conley, suffocating defense from everyone. The Grizzlies need the Courtney Lee from last season's first half (58.8 true shooting percentage before the All-Star break) and the Jeff Green who can take over games as a scorer.
If Vince Carter finds his comfort zone and newcomers Brandan Wright and Matt Barnes get settled in, the Grizzlies could make that jump from really good to great.
Miami Heat
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Last summer, the Miami Heat lost LeBron James. This offseason, they retained all of their key pieces, added some helpful new ones and built something intriguing.
Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley thinks this could be a legitimate contender.
"I think this team has all of the elements of a championship team," Riley said on ESPN Radio, via Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. "...It's going to come down to this: health. It's going to come down to this: performance...And it's going to come down to: Can you make shots?"
Health is critical. Chris Bosh is returning from blood clots on his lung, Dwyane Wade hasn't made 70-plus appearances since 2010-11, and Luol Deng has had double-digit absences in three of the past four seasons. Performance is a wild card, since this projected starting lineup never played together last season and Hassan Whiteside has just 67 games (and only 32 starts) under his belt.
Shooting is big too. Miami finished 24th in three-point percentage last season (33.5) and needs Goran Dragic to rediscover his 2013-14 form (career-high 40.8) to radically improve that number.
The starters look good on paper, provided Whiteside picks up where he left off, everyone avoids serious injury and the team poses a big enough threat collectively from outside. Add in an improved bench—anchored by Justise Winslow, Amar'e Stoudemire and Gerald Green—and the Heat might have as good a chance as any Eastern Conference team of stopping the Cavs.
Milwaukee Bucks
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The Milwaukee Bucks don't have much shooting, but they might have enough of everything else to make it work.
Last season's group was dominant defensively. Only the champion Warriors surrendered fewer points per 100 possessions. That Milwaukee team lacked top-shelf scorers—especially after the deadline deal that shipped out Brandon Knight—but this one could have a few.
Free-agency addition Greg Monroe hasn't averaged fewer than 15.2 points per game since his rookie season of 2010-11. The Bucks didn't have anyone approach that number (Michael Carter-Williams led the way with 14.1), though Khris Middleton cleared it in the second half (16.8 after the All-Star break) and Jabari Parker may have had he avoided the torn ACL that prematurely ended his debut campaign.
The Bucks have a ton of youth, length and athleticism, all key ingredients in Golden State's title run. Milwaukee could be starved for spacing, but it has some potential snipers in Parker (35.8 percent in college), Giannis Antetokounmpo (34.7 as a rookie) and freshman Rashad Vaughn (38.3 at UNLV).
If the Bucks find some two-way balance, they could make their second significant jump in as many seasons.
Minnesota Timberwolves
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Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman listed Karl-Anthony Towns' best-case comparison as Al Horford, noting that the 19-year-old's ceiling is that of "a two-way, inside-out big man who can play with his back to the basket or face it and score."
That is, in essence, a player without weaknesses. Few teams have anything close to a luxury like that, but it's what the Minnesota Timberwolves would need to go from having the league's worst record to snapping their league-leading 11-year playoff drought.
To go even further, the Wolves would need Andrew Wiggins to cement himself among the league's top two-way wings. Zach LaVine would have to transform from a slam-dunk specialist to a prolific scorer with off-the-bus shooting range. It would require Ricky Rubio to find a shooting stroke, Shabazz Muhammad to find consistency and Anthony Bennett to find the potential that made him the top pick in 2013.
So long as we're dreaming, let's give Kevin Garnett some lift back in his legs, push Nikola Pekovic's Achilles problems behind him and help Kevin Martin find his old efficiency. We're not changing anything with Andre Miller, though. The Wolves need whatever superpowers exist in his old-man game.
New Orleans Pelicans
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Anthony Davis' NBA takeover has undoubtedly begun. The only question is whether it's already complete.
Last season, his third in the league, he ranked fourth in scoring (24.4 points per game), eighth in rebounding (10.2), first in blocks (2.9) and first in player efficiency rating (30.8). He also piloted the New Orleans Pelicans to their first playoff appearance since 2011 and finished fifth in the MVP voting.
Davis just turned 22 in March, so barring injury, his best days are still ahead of him. That being said, it's hard to find many players with a more productive present.
New Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry should tap further into Davis' astronomical potential. The offense should have better spacing—some provided by Davis himself—and the weapons around him might be better utilized. The perimeter trio of Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans should have better flow, and the frontcourt still has bulky bigs (Omer Asik, Alexis Ajinca) and a spacer (Ryan Anderson) to complement Davis.
The Brow made his playoff debut last season and torched the eventual champs for 31.5 points, 11.0 boards, 3.0 blocks, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals per night. There aren't many teams with a player capable of providing that type of all-around production.
New York Knicks
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Yes, the New York Knicks are coming off a franchise-worst 65 losses. And no, they couldn't attract any of the marquee names available in free agency.
But the 'Bockers are returning a healthy Carmelo Anthony. He might have his faults, but he's an eight-time All-Star with the 12th-highest career scoring average in NBA history (25.21 points per game).
And the Knicks have more than Melo to feel optimistic about. Their free-agent haul lacked sizzle, but it delivered sturdy veterans like Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo and Kevin Seraphin. Besides, draft night brought enough fireworks in 20-year-old stretch forward Kristaps Porzingis and 6'5" combo guard Jerian Grant.
The total package probably adds up to a group that fights for a low-level playoff berth. But what if Porzingis storms out of the gate as an above-the-rim, athletic version of Dirk Nowitzki? And Afflalo starts stuffing the stat sheet like his borderline All-Star 2013-14 campaign (18.2 points on .459/.427 shooting)? And Grant seizes control of the lead guard spot, while Lopez and Seraphin become a formidable center tandem?
With a healthy Anthony and bolstered bench mob in tow, maybe the Knicks can make the right kind of noise in the fluid Eastern Conference.
Oklahoma City Thunder
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are hiding in plain sight.
Injuries kept them off the radar for nearly the entire 2014-15 campaign. Kevin Durant played just 27 games and had three surgeries on his right foot. Both Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka missed at least 15 games. OKC limped to a 45-37 record, snapping a five-year playoff streak and posting its lowest winning percentage since 2008-09.
Healthy, deep as they've ever been and under the direction of new head coach Billy Donovan, the Thunder look ready to reclaim their spot on the short list of full-fledged contenders.
"We're under the radar, exactly where we want to be," Durant said during a recent interview in Spain, via Ruptly TV. "And yes, I'm still the best player in the world."
Since 2000-01, only nine players have logged at least 1,000 minutes and posted a player efficiency rating of 29-plus. Durant did during his MVP campaign of 2013-14. Westbrook did last season while finishing fourth in the MVP voting.
OKC's one-two punch packs tremendous knockout power. If Donovan brings the best out of that pair and gets enough role players to buy in, the Thunder could escape the Western Conference minefield.
Orlando Magic
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Patience has been a necessity for the post-Dwight Howard Orlando Magic.
Wins have been hard to find without Superman, but the trade-off is all the stockpiled young talent. The Magic have four lottery picks from the last three drafts, and that group doesn't include 23-year-old swingman Tobias Harris or 24-year-old center Nikola Vucevic, who will make a combined $27.25 million this season.
This roster runs shallow on experience, but it's brimming with potential. Elfrid Payton was an All-Rookie first-teamer last season, Victor Oladipo earned that distinction the year prior, and rookie Mario Hezonja has the ability to continue that trend. Aaron Gordon's new jumper might put him in the Most Improved Player race.
The skills are there, and Orlando tabbed veteran coach Scott Skiles to bring them all together. The new skipper must work his magic defensively, and this offense needs an instant surge from Hezonja and significant leaps from Gordon and Payton. In order to realize a dream season, the Magic probably need two All-Stars out of the Harris-Vucevic-Oladipo trio.
Gradual growth has been the norm in Orlando, but there's a small chance this is the year for rapid development.
Philadelphia 76ers
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The rebuilding Philadelphia 76ers don't seem to have the same objectives as everyone else. With both eyes locked on the draft, their dream season could be 82 close games, 82 losses and the best lottery odds that losing can buy.
But there's one thing the Sixers want more than high draft picks: championships. So they'd be willing to embrace the win column for our exercise if it nets them a Finals ticket.
They've been searching for transcendent talents, and that's precisely what they'd need to go from consecutive 60-loss seasons to title contention. But they'd have to find those elite players in-house, namely in the form of rookie Jahlil Okafor and sophomore Nerlens Noel.
The 19-year-old Okafor boasts interior scoring skills that many veterans don't have, and Noel has already flashed some elite defensive skill. Philly had the 12th-most efficient defense last season, and perhaps it builds a similarly effective offense around Okafor and fellow newcomer Nik Stauskas.
OK, the Sixers are almost certainly headed back to the lottery. But at least they'll be glad to be there.
Phoenix Suns
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The Phoenix Suns snagged the silver medal in the LaMarcus Aldridge sweepstakes, which, of course, includes no actual award. But the long look they received from the four-time All-Star shows there might be something special brewing in the desert.
Free-agency addition Tyson Chandler could be the missing link in their 17th-ranked defense. They need just as much work at the opposite end, but perhaps a full season for the Brandon Knight-Eric Bledsoe backcourt and the arrival of sharpshooting rookie Devin Booker make that happen.
The Suns had too many hands in the offensive pot last season, but their revamped roster should have players more willing to accept their roles. Head coach Jeff Hornacek orchestrated a potent attack as a rookie in 2013-14, and his creativity might be enough to bring all their moving pieces together.
Snagging a playoff spot won't be easy. Chandler has to find the form that made him Defensive Player of the Year in 2011-12. Both of their starting guards must enter the All-Star discussion, and at least one probably needs to get in. Alex Len, Archie Goodwin and T.J. Warren need to make simultaneous leaps, and the disgruntled Markieff Morris either has to buy in or be moved for someone who will.
Portland Trail Blazers
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How good is Damian Lillard? We know he can post All-Star numbers with a talented cast of characters around him, but the Portland Trail Blazers cut ties with nearly all of his proven teammates.
Once continuity was no longer an option, the Blazers built their summer plans around acquiring youth. Al-Farouq Aminu and Ed Davis landed in free agency, while the trade market delivered Noah Vonleh, Mason Plumlee, Maurice Harkless and Gerald Henderson.
The Blazers found some talent, but a lot of it is of the unpredictable upside variety. Portland holds a few scratch tickets of its own in third-year guard C.J. McCollum and fourth-year center Meyers Leonard, and it isn't hard to imagine good-to-great things happening if more of these gambles are hits than misses.
But Lillard is the only top-shelf certainty the Blazers have, and he must be nothing short of phenomenal for Portland to survive its mass exodus. If he can leap from All-Star to All-NBA, and a handful of these prospects can enter Most Improved Player talks, the Blazers just might come out of this rebuild stronger than they entered it.
Sacramento Kings
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There are a ton of different ways for disaster to strike the Sacramento Kings. The relationship between franchise face DeMarcus Cousins and head coach George Karl seems volatile at best. Rajon Rondo is coming off his least efficient season since his rookie year based on PER. This roster has a few intriguing pieces but still underwhelms on paper.
All of that being said, Sacramento has a certified superstar in its ranks. Cousins has been incredible these past two seasons, tallying 23.3 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals on a nightly basis. The 25-year-old is already doing his part to push the Kings into championship contention.
But he needs more help. Rudy Gay has great quantity on his stat sheet, but it needs more quality. Rondo must get back to being a proficient across-the-board contributor. Ben McLemore has to capture the consistency that's eluded him thus far. The Kings need Willie Cauley-Stein's athleticism and Kosta Koufos' skill to perfectly complement Cousins underneath.
The Kings should have better shooting and more depth than last season. But their ceiling is still tied to Cousins' ability to generate his own numbers and simplify the game for his teammates. If Karl can concoct a system that allows that—while also revitalizing Rondo and pushing Gay higher than ever before—Sacramento can steer itself out of the lottery and crash the postseason party.
San Antonio Spurs
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The San Antonio Spurs reeled off 55 victories last season. Their plus-6.2 point differential trailed only the Warriors and Clippers. An outdated playoff format—which has since been corrected—led to San Antonio's first-round exit, but this group had all the makings of a full-fledged contender.
And over the summer, the Spurs landed the only 2014-15 All-Star to swap jerseys: LaMarcus Aldridge, the league's lone player to average at least 20 points and eight rebounds during each of the past five seasons.
"You look at what San Antonio did getting Aldridge, I mean if they don't win the whole thing next year it's clearly the coach's fault," Warriors coach Steve Kerr quipped on NBA TV in July, via ProBasketballTalk's Kurt Helin. "I mean if Pop can't win the whole thing with that roster then he has no business coaching in this league."
Kerr might have only been having some fun with his old coach, but he's not joking about how stacked this roster is. The Spurs' starting five has no weaknesses—provided it stays healthy—and their bench features such luxuries as Manu Ginobili, Boris Diaw and newcomer David West.
Aldridge should slot perfectly into this offense, and the rapidly rising Kawhi Leonard should help ease the burden on the Spurs' older players. Health and Father Time are always threats in the Alamo City, but if the Spurs can dodge those bullets, they could book yet another trip to the Finals.
Toronto Raptors
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The Toronto Raptors spent their summer protecting themselves from the defensive leaks that sank them last season. Perimeter stopper DeMarre Carroll came north of the border on a $60 million deal, and defensive-minded point guard Cory Joseph and rim protector Bismack Biyombo followed shortly thereafter.
Credit the Raptors for recognizing the need for reinforcements, though it was difficult to overlook. They rode their third-ranked offense to 49 wins, but their title hopes always seemed flimsy due to their 23rd-ranked defense.
The challenge for head coach Dwane Casey is to shore up his team's defense without sacrificing its explosive attack. The Kyle Lowry-DeMar DeRozan backcourt should always put up points, but this offense needs Carroll to find his rhythm outside of the Hawks' system and Jonas Valanciunas to provide a safety valve in the post.
But even that probably isn't enough to surpass Cleveland. For that, the Raptors will need reliability from players that have never provided it (or, in some cases, never been asked to): Terrence Ross, James Johnson, Bruno Caboclo and Lucas Nogueira. If a few of them—or rookies Delon Wright and Norman Powell—bring consistency, a better balanced Toronto team could emerge out of the East.
Utah Jazz
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The Utah Jazz quietly fast-tracked their rebuilding project late last season. The trade deadline deal that sent Enes Kanter out and promoted Rudy Gobert to the starting lineup transformed this team into a defensive juggernaut overnight.
Before the All-Star break, the Jazz surrendered 106.1 points per 100 possessions (27th overall). After that hiatus, Utah yielded just 94.8 points per 100 possessions—a mark that led the league by nearly five full points. The team's record witnessed a similarly dramatic turnaround. The Jazz went 19-34 in the "first half" and rolled to a 19-10 finish after intermission.
Utah's title hopes rest in its frontcourt. Small forward Gordon Hayward helps in all facets and was one of only eight players to average at least 19 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal last season. Twin towers Gobert and Derrick Favors are a wildly effective defensive tandem. Together, they hauled down 17.7 boards and swatted 4.0 shots per game.
The Jazz don't have as much firepower on the perimeter, and the loss of Dante Exum (torn ACL) isn't going to help. But Alec Burks is back after missing 55 games following shoulder surgery last season, and Rodney Hood has momentum to carry over from a strong close to his rookie campaign.
If Utah can put a couple of frontcourt players in the All-Star Game and only misses Exum for the developmental time he lost, this could be a playoff team no one wants to face.
Washington Wizards
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John Wall is ready to lead the Washington Wizards into the promised land. The 25-year-old has entrenched himself among the league's premier point guards, brilliantly balancing his scoring and distributing duties.
Now, he just needs the rest of this roster to catch up.
Sharpshooter Bradley Beal isn't too far behind, but his field-goal percentage (42.7) and scoring average (15.3) both have room for growth. Otto Porter proved his value in the postseason, but he needs to make the same impact over the 82-game grind. Rookie Kelly Oubre is a bit of a project, but his development could be key in shattering Washington's second-round ceiling.
An ideal season for the Wizards includes All-Star selections for both Wall and Beal. Paul Pierce's vacated stretch 4 role gets filled by Porter, Jared Dudley and Drew Gooden. Nene and Marcin Gortat both show that interior size still matters, and head coach Randy Wittman displays more willingness to modernize his offense.
The Wizards are close to where they want to be. This could be the season where they reach their coveted destination.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com. Salary information obtained via Basketball Insiders.
