Consolidating the Franchises: What the NBA Would Look Like with Less Teams
Sixty minutes of high-energy, high-quality basketball. In the unlikely event of an NBA contraction, players would flock to the nearest teams. Arenas would be relocated, and the maximum roster space would probably increase. Quarter lengths would extend and the salary cap would skyrocket. If an NBA fan's dreams came true, players would find themselves forming alliances with the most unlikely of players.
The 3 Corners (Suns, Jazz, Nuggets)
1 of 9
Rotation:
PG: Steve Nash, Raymond Felton, Ty Lawson, Devin Harris
SG: Aaron Afflalo, J.R. Smith, C.J. Miles,
SF: Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Jared Dudley
PF: Kenyon Martin, Paul Milsap, Al Harrington
C: Al Jefferson, Nene, Channing Frye
Roster: 16 players
Head Coach: George Karl (Denver Nuggets)
Assistant Coach: Alvin Gentry (Phoenix Suns)
Arena: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
Strengths: The three corners have the deepest, most assorted set of point guards in the league. Headed by Steve Nash, they spread the court with their variety of different three-point shooters. Nash's ability to keep the game at his tempo will be vital to their success, as he can help get the ball to Al Jefferson, a dominant inside scorer.
Weaknesses: Lacking a certified slasher, the three corners may begin to rely on the three ball too much. Any team with a fast defense will be able to pick them apart in each game.
Texas Gunslingers (Spurs, Rockets, Mavericks)
2 of 9
Rotation:
PG: Tony Parker, Jason Kidd, J.J. Barea, Rodrigue Beaubois
SG: Kevin Martin, Manu Ginobili, Jason Terry, Gary Neal, George Hill
SF: Caron Butler, Richard Jefferson, Shawn Marion, Terrence Williams
PF: Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan
C: Tyson Chandler, Yao Ming
Roster: 17 players
Head Coach: Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs)
Assistant Coach: Rick Carlisle (Dallas Mavericks)
Arena: The Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX
Strengths: Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki: Two veteran power forwards who know how to win games. Tony Parker and Jason Kidd: Two veteran point guards who play at different paces and have different styles. Tyson Chandler is a dominant, defensive big man, and Martin, Ginobili, Terry, and Neal can rain threes from anywhere on the floor.
Weaknesses: Nowitzki, Duncan, and Kidd will retire soon. Yao Ming is an injury magnet, and Ginobili and Terry are in their 30s. If the Gunslingers catch a string of bad luck with injuries, the team could have literally nothing to work with.
The Midwest Plains (Bulls, Pacers, Bucks, Pistons, & Cavaliers)
3 of 9
Rotation:
PG: Derrick Rose, Rodney Stuckey, Brandon Jennings, Darren Collison
SG: Kyle Korver, Ben Gordon, Michael Redd
SF: Danny Granger, Luol Deng, Tayshaun Prince, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
PF: Carlos Boozer, Tyler Hansbrough, Antaawn Jamison, J.J. Hickson
C: Joakim Noah, Roy Hibbert
Roster: 17 players
Head Coach: Tom Thibodeau (Chicago Bulls)
Assistant Coach: Frank Vogel (Indiana Pacers)
Arena: United Center, Chicago, IL
Strengths: A team focused around Derrick Rose and Rodney Stuckey, the Midwest Plains will have one of the more electrifying back courts in the league. Granger is a shooter than can get hot in an instant, and Boozer and Noah provide stability in the paint. Korver, Gordon, Prince, and a healthy Michael Redd will help the team spread the floor and knock down threes.
Weaknesses: If Rose fails to put up 30 points each night, the Plains will lose. Boozer and Noah on the inside don't have the scoring power of a Gasol and Randolph, and the team is very weak at the shooting guard position. The health of Michael Redd is also in question.
Georgia Flames (Hornets, Bobcats, Grizzlies, Hawks)
4 of 9
Rotation:
PG: Chris Paul, Mike Conley, Kirk Hinrich
SG: Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford, Stephen Jackson, Tony Allen, O.J. Mayo
SF: Josh Smith, Rudy Gay, Trevor Ariza
PF: Zach Randolph, Al Horford, David West, Carl Landry
C: Marc Gasol, Joel Przybilla, Emeka Okafor
Roster: 18 players
Head Coach: Lionel Hollins (Memphis Grizzlies)
Assistant Coach: Larry Drew (Atlanta Hawks)
Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
Strengths: A ridiculously strong core allows Horford and Smith to play their natural positions. The team has a variety of guards, each of whom fill a certain role and do different things. Chris Paul, arguably the best point guard in the NBA, is an incredible shooter and slasher, who will thrive with the pieces put around him.
Weaknesses: Georgia lacks a three-point specialist, like a Ray Allen or a Kyle Korver. Przybilla's health has been in question his entire career, and Okafor is not a threat on the offensive end.
Portland Trail Blazers (Trail Blazers, Thunder, T'Wolves, & Raptors)
5 of 9
*I had to preserve the name of my favorite team!
Rotation:
PG: Russell Westbrook, Andre Miller, Jonny Flynn
SG: Wesley Matthews, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Thabo Sefolosha,
SF: Kevin Durant, Gerald Wallace, Nicolas Batum,
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Serge Ibaka
C: Kendrick Perkins, Greg Oden, Marcus Camby
Roster: 17 players
Head Coach: Scott Brooks
(Oklahoma City Thunder)
Assistant Coach: Nate McMillan
(Portland Trail Blazers)
Arena: The Rose Garden, Portland, OR
Strengths: The most versatile team in the new-look NBA, the Portland Trail Blazers combine defense with electricity. Kevin Durant, a seven-foot scorer; Gerald Wallace, a versatile, athletic, defensive specialist; and LaMarcus Aldridge, a dominant post presence and mid-range shooter, make up the backbone of the team. Westbrook and Miller push the game at two separate tempos, and Matthews, Harden, and Love are spot up shooters. And if Greg Oden can get healthy, the team's got three defensive stoppers at the center position. Aldridge, Love, and Camby will dominate the glass.
Weaknesses: As mentioned earlier, Oden's health is a giant question mark. And with Camby approaching retirement and Perkins' injuries last season, Portland could lack a defensive presence in the paint. Ibaka cannot play all game long, and neither Aldridge nor Kevin Love are defensive stoppers.
The Atlantic Ocean (Nets, Knicks, Celtics, 76ers, and Wizards)
6 of 9
Rotation:
PG: Deron WiIlliams, Rajon Rondo, Chauncey Billups, John Wall
SG: Andre Iguodala, Ray Allen, Landry Fields, Nick Young
SF: Carmelo Anthony, Paul Pierce, Thaddeus Young
PF: Amare Stoudemire, Kevin Garnett, Kris Humphries
C: Brook Lopez, Shaquille O'Neal
Roster: 16 Players
Head Coach: Doc Rivers (Boston Celtics)
Assistant Coach: Anyone but Mike D'Antoni (≠ New York Knicks)
Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Strengths: Impeccable point guard play with three All-Star point guards in Williams, Rondo, and Billups. The team is full of scorers who can all put points on the board in different ways. Combined with the veteran wisdom of Allen, Pierce, and Garnett, and the locker room and sideline of Shaquille O'Neal, these players could take the new-look NBA by storm.
Weaknesses: Especially in this situation, players will need time to work some kinks out. Stoudemire and Garnett have an unfriendly history with each other, which could be the center of the destruction of the team. But if the team can become a strong unit, they can see championships for a long time to come.
South Beach Superstars (Magic & Heat)
7 of 9
Rotation:
PG: Jameer Nelson, Gilbert Arenas, Mario Chalmers, Eddie House
SG: Dwyane Wade, Jason Richardson, Mike Miller, J.J. Redick
SF: LeBron James, Hedo Turkoglu,James Jones
PF: Chris Bosh, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson
C: Dwight Howard, Zydrunas Ilgauskus
Roster: 16 players
Head Coach: Pat Riley (Owner of Miami Heat)
Assistant Coach: Stan Van Gundy (Orlando Magic)
Arena: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
Strengths: Everyone's bringing their talents to South Beach now. Easily the most exciting, high-flying, eye-popping team to watch, the Florida Gators would get the biggest fan base of all the teams. With high fliers like Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Jason Richardson, and Dwight Howard paired with Jameer Nelson and Gilbert Arenas, the team could beat opponents off of straight athletic ability. With Big Z and Ryan Anderson, Florida could have a shooter at every position, which would spread the court and allow a player like Wade to drive and kick.
Weaknesses: Ilgauskus will be retiring soon and Gilbert Arenas has yet to prove that he's still got some juice left in the carton. An upgrade at the backup point guard and center positions are necessary.
The Hollywood Cast (Lakers, Clippers, Kings, and Warriors)
8 of 9
Starters:
PG: Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, Mo Williams
SG: Monta Ellis, Marcus Thornton, Eric Gordon, Shannon Brown
SF: Kobe Bryant, Dorell Wright
PF: Blake Griffin, Lamar Odom, David Lee, Jason Thompson
C: Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Chris Kaman, DeAndre Jordan
Roster: 17 players
Head Coach: Phil Jackson (Los Angeles Lakers)
Assistant Coach: Paul Westphal (Sacramento Kings)
Arena: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Strengths: With an All-Star caliber player at each starting position, the Hollywood Cast would easily be the most dominant, feared team in the NBA. Led by Kobe Bryant, the West Coast would roll over any teams that cross their path. Their seven-foot big men make it easy to go small or big, and Odom's versatility to run at almost any position compliments their size. The team is very deep and could go hot for an entire game. The young guards in Monta Ellis, Marcus Thornton, and Stephen Curry will inherit the team once the Mamba's time has passes, and they will continue to push the team towards dominance.
Weaknesses: Lacking a pure point guard, ball distribution could become an issue. Gasol and Bynum could become frustrated with the team's inability to play inside-out and may eventually request a trade. But with the exceptional guard play that the team possesses, and with the shining star in Blake Griffin, the Hollywood Cast will be a force for years to come.
Who's Your Pick?
9 of 9
Comment! Like! Reply!
Who would your pick in this fantasy league be? The odds of a phenomenon like this actually happening is probably 347,200,581,354 to one, but let your mind wander a bit. It won't do you any harm.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
