2010-11 NBA Predictions: 3 NBA Teams That Should Just Start From Scratch
With the 2010-2011 NBA season quickly approaching, the excitement is at an all time high. We have multiple teams who are contending for a championship and will give the respective eastern and western conference champions (Celtics and Lakers) a lot to think about come playoff time.
I thought the Eastern Conference got significantly better after free agency, with a couple of big names changing coasts. Miami was the talk of the summer but with Chicago landing Boozer, and the Celtics adding new pieces, the East will be a dogfight this year. Also, put Orlando in the mix (As stated by Chris Bosh), and the Eastern conference playoffs will actually be competitive in each round not just the semi or finals.
Western conference will always be tough but with the Lakers improving their roster, it seems hopeless for teams like Dallas, OKC, Jazz who hope to stop the defending champions reign on top.
As there is good, the bad will always exist. There are lot of teams who are either in transition (another word for bad) or are just plain horrible. Lack of talent isn't always the reason for why teams are bad (Look at the 2009 Nets, who had less talent then the Sixers yet Philly won more games).
If you're a fan of an awful team, you just gotta hope the front office has a realistic rebuilding plan but more times than not, organizations won't fully commit to starting all over. Rebuilding a team takes time, but owners are so impatient nowadays. That's why you see certain teams and think that they'll never rise up from the ashes.
I listed three teams who should just start from scratch.
Denver Nuggets
1 of 3
Carmelo Anthony wants out. That statement alone is enough to start over unless you have a potential superstar lurking somewhere on your bench. Unfortunately for Denver, they don't have such a player.
Besides Melo, this roster consists of average role players and veterans. There isn't anyone on this roster besides maybe Ty Lawson who excites you. This team is going no where, with or without Melo.
The Nuggets second best player is Billiups, who happens to be on the wrong side of his 30's. I understand Billiups is still effective, but everyone is waiting for him to hit that wall. Even if Billiups stays consistent, I don't see this team going far in the playoffs.
Their front line is weak, especially with Kenyon Martin missing huge chunks due to knee issues. Even Martin is questioning this team's direction. J.R Smith was on the trading block for this team and is a headache for the Nuggets. Nene is decent, but he can't carry your team on the block. Al Harrington would be a nice pickup for their bench if they were a contending team but the Nuggets are not, therefore making this pickup pointless. Harrington is a scorer, an inefficient one at that, and nothing more.
With Melo's departure all but certain, the Nuggets should start from scratch. Have a fire sale excluding Ty Lawson and maybe Nene, and stockpile draft picks.
Philadelphia 76ers
2 of 3
Philly fans shouldn't panic about Evan Turner's play in summer league and thus far in the preseason. He won't have a fantastic first half of the season, but if the Sixers decide to blow this team up by mid season, Turner will have full control.
The Sixers have talent, they just can't bring it together on a consistent basis. Their best player, Andre Iguodala, isn't a superstar or even a all star, yet his contract pays him like one. There will be a lot of teams interested in AI's services but will have to stomach his huge contract.
Other talents like Lou Williams, T. Young, and Speights, will probably be on their way out if AI is traded. Philly might keep Young and Speights but Lou Williams will soon be on his way out. He has a very friendly contract and has already proved that he can start in this league.
If Philly can get anything for Brand, they'll pull the trigger but no one wants that contract. Brand has been a huge disappointment and getting rid of that colossal mistake, will be a huge step in the right direction.
The problem with Evan Turner and AI on the same team, is that they both dominate the ball. AI wants to be your point forward and while he is somewhat successful in that role, he isn't a great outside shooter. He is known more as a slasher. While Evan Turner also dominates the ball, his mid range game is far more polished than AI's. Turner's game resembles that of Brandon Roy and if the front office intends to build around the Ohio State product, then why not start now by trading AI?
A starting back-court consisting of the young but talented Holliday and second overall pick, Evan Turner won't turn heads at first but they could eventually turn into a dangerous pair.
Philly should just make everyone on the roster available besides Holliday, Speights, and Evan Turner. Building around these three will put Philly on the right path to success.
Detroit Pistons
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What ever happened to the tough, defensive oriented Pistons? Joe Dumars is a respected GM in this league and he'll be the first to tell you that he made a mistake when the Pistons signed Ben Gordon and Charlie V to long term contracts. Both players will give you instant offense but are horrible defenders who don't fit the defensive philosophy this organization has stood for.
On top of signing these guys, Dumars kept both Prince and Hamilton, two key cogs of the 2004 championship team. When Dumars traded Billiups to Denver, and Allen Iverson didn't work out, I assumed the the Pistons would just start over. For some reason, Dumars believed that pairing his two new signings would put the Pistons back into relevancy but as expected, it didn't turn out for the best.
This Pistons team has no direction nor an identity. Stuckey is a nice talent but he isn't a point guard and can't shoot from the perimeter. I loved their draft, when they selected Terrico White and big man Greg Monroe. I predict that they'll both be starting by mid-season. Prince and Hamilton have horrible contracts that the rebuilding Pistons can't hold on to.
They should hang onto their 2010 draft picks, Daye, Stuckey, and lastly Jerebko. Everyone else should be made available by the Pistons. What makes me laugh, is the signing of Tracy McGrady. I understand that McGrady still has something left in the tank, but he won't carry a team, like he did previously in his career. Even if McGrady has a breakout year, do you think he's gonna stay with the Pistons?
The Pistons will not be competitive with this roster, and the longer they think that, the longer we'll see them in the bottom of the standings.
