5 Sleeper Teams For The 2010 NBA Season

The Miami Heat captured all the headlines this offseason in free agency and rightfully so.  How often does the MVP of the league changes teams and join two other all stars in their prime?  The newly formed trio of talent has unlimited potential and star power written all over it.  Miami was not the only winner this offseason however.  Several other teams made moves that didn't provide the splash of the Miami Heat, but will make them contenders very quickly.  I present to you my list of the top 5 sleeper teams next season.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Mike Dunleavy era is officially over and the Clippers are poised to make a fresh start with their franchise player Blake "The Barbarian" Griffin.  Blake's been flying under the radar since breaking his knee cap in the final preseason game of last year and is chomping at the bit to get back on the court.  The addition of Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes will help take some of the pressure off of Griffin and make the transition into the NBA easier.  When you factor in Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon, and a happy Baron Davis, the Clippers have a nice nucleus and will be much improved.  I'm not saying they will make the playoffs out West where 50 wins barely gets you an 8 seed, but they will be at least 15 games better.

My prediction:  44-38

Washington Wizards

Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee both finished off last season strong and if they continue to improve the Wizards will have a formidable frontcourt.  The addition of Kirk Hinrich gives them leadership and versatility in the backcourt.  Agent Zero is coming off of an embarrassing year and has a lot to prove.  Let us not forget that when healthy and focused Gilbert Arenas is capable of averaging 30 a game.  Rookie of the year candidate John Wall will display flashes of brilliance and Josh Howard (if healthy) will provide a nice 3rd option for the Wizards.  The playoffs is unlikely, but look for Washington to be 12-15 wins better.

My prediction:  38-44

New Jersey Nets

New Jersey had a solid draft picking up Derrick Favors and Damion James to go along with Brook Lopez and Devin Harris.  Terrence Williams ended the season on a high note and looks ready to turn the corner in his sophomore season.  Adding Jordan Farmar gives them depth at point guard and Troy Murphy has more left in the tank than people think.  Mikhail Prokhorov is willing to spend money and is impatient for a winner so don't be surprised if this turnaround happens sooner than later.  Free agents like Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony are intrigued about the possibilities of playing in Brooklyn and hanging out with Jay-Z.  No playoffs, but the Nets will be vastly improved.

My prediction:  30-52

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls will make the jump from first round and out to Eastern conference finalist this season.  The frontline of Boozer, Deng, and Noah is as good as it gets in the East.  Tom Thibodeau, the architect of the Celtics suffocating defense, will bring those same principles to Chicago and change the mindset of the Bulls.  Add Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, and an up and coming Taj Gibson and suddenly you have a team ready to hurt some people's feelings come playoff time.  They are the 2nd best team in the Eastern conference right now.

My prediction:  54-28

Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis was able to keep their star in the making Rudy Gay while signing defensive specialist Tony Allen from the Celtics.  Marc Gasol is quietly one of the best centers in the NBA and OJ Mayo plays the role of versatile 3rd option guy to perfection.  As long as you can keep Zach Randolph out of trouble you can practically write down 20 and 10 before the game even starts.  Hasheem Thabeet is probably a bust, but may still have some trade value.  The chemistry on this team is very good and as long as everyone stays within themselves the Grizzlies have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs.

My prediction:  50-32