Comments on: Top Five NBA Teams of the Future http://fanspeak.com/steveospeak/2010/03/13/754/ FanSpeak weblog Looking to Start the Discussion Thu, 24 May 2012 12:29:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Steve Shoup http://fanspeak.com/steveospeak/2010/03/13/754/comment-page-1/#comment-346 Steve Shoup Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:58:52 +0000 http://fanspeak.com/steveospeak/?p=754#comment-346 I would def. switch Minnesota and Golden State, since I'm not to sold on Ellis. I think his numbers are inflated due to the system and the lack of other scorers around him. I would actually add the Wolves into the category of a championship ceiling team. I really like Flynn and Love. Even if the do move Jefferson they can get a pretty good return for him. Also I'm a big believer in Rubio, either as a player or as trade bait I think he will really help Minnesota take it to the next level. I also think they can have a tremendous draft if they end up getting the Bobcats pick. Even if they miss out on Wall, grabbing Evan Turner could be huge for this team. Then with the Bobcats pick they could add another big man to help Love and Jefferson. I do agree with the Utah comparison for Memphis. Gasol has taken his game up to the next level, but Mayo still hasn't reached his full potential and Conley is so inconsistent. If those players really improve their game then I think they can be contenders, otherwise I think they will fight for the 7th or 8th spot in the West for the next few years. The good news for Memphis is they could really turn the corner in the next year or two (though they need to sign Rudy Gay long term). They are a playoff caliber team this season, basically without their two first round picks. Carroll has been ok off the bench, but Thabeet hasn't really done anything to help this team. If they both even become good rotational players, Memphis has a bright future. Also, they have another 3 first round picks this year, if they play their cards right they could have an extremely deep, young and cheap team next season. I know most people say late 1st round picks have little value, but if you draft well you can find very good players. I think the Pacers and Clippers should be next on the list. The Clippers can afford a max FA (if they open up their check book) and Davis and Kamen are two good veterans to go along with Gordon and Griffin. Not to mention they will have a pretty solid lottery pick to add to their team. As for the Pacers I love Granger and Hibbert, but until they know what Hansbourgh can bring to the table their is still a question mark there. If he can develop then they should be pretty solid with a lottery pick on the way. Unfortunately they won't have cap space this year to fill that PG need. As for the Kings I agree Evans is a stud, and I love Landry and am really starting to like Cassipi. But i'm not sold on the rest of that team. Thompson, and Udrih are nice players but to me are more complimentary bench players than starters. To me the issue with the Kings is the lack of development of Hawes (who I really thought was gonna be a very good center in the NBA). Without a dominate big man I see trouble for the Kings. I think for these lottery teams it will all rely on who they can get in the draft. If these teams can walk away with Wall, Cousins or Turner then I think they will be on the fast track (Cousins I'm a bit worried about). Outside of that I think it will likely be a very deep and talented draft class, but not one with immediate difference makers. I would def. switch Minnesota and Golden State, since I’m not to sold on Ellis. I think his numbers are inflated due to the system and the lack of other scorers around him. I would actually add the Wolves into the category of a championship ceiling team. I really like Flynn and Love. Even if the do move Jefferson they can get a pretty good return for him. Also I’m a big believer in Rubio, either as a player or as trade bait I think he will really help Minnesota take it to the next level. I also think they can have a tremendous draft if they end up getting the Bobcats pick. Even if they miss out on Wall, grabbing Evan Turner could be huge for this team. Then with the Bobcats pick they could add another big man to help Love and Jefferson.

I do agree with the Utah comparison for Memphis. Gasol has taken his game up to the next level, but Mayo still hasn’t reached his full potential and Conley is so inconsistent. If those players really improve their game then I think they can be contenders, otherwise I think they will fight for the 7th or 8th spot in the West for the next few years. The good news for Memphis is they could really turn the corner in the next year or two (though they need to sign Rudy Gay long term). They are a playoff caliber team this season, basically without their two first round picks. Carroll has been ok off the bench, but Thabeet hasn’t really done anything to help this team. If they both even become good rotational players, Memphis has a bright future. Also, they have another 3 first round picks this year, if they play their cards right they could have an extremely deep, young and cheap team next season. I know most people say late 1st round picks have little value, but if you draft well you can find very good players.

I think the Pacers and Clippers should be next on the list. The Clippers can afford a max FA (if they open up their check book) and Davis and Kamen are two good veterans to go along with Gordon and Griffin. Not to mention they will have a pretty solid lottery pick to add to their team. As for the Pacers I love Granger and Hibbert, but until they know what Hansbourgh can bring to the table their is still a question mark there. If he can develop then they should be pretty solid with a lottery pick on the way. Unfortunately they won’t have cap space this year to fill that PG need. As for the Kings I agree Evans is a stud, and I love Landry and am really starting to like Cassipi. But i’m not sold on the rest of that team. Thompson, and Udrih are nice players but to me are more complimentary bench players than starters. To me the issue with the Kings is the lack of development of Hawes (who I really thought was gonna be a very good center in the NBA). Without a dominate big man I see trouble for the Kings.

I think for these lottery teams it will all rely on who they can get in the draft. If these teams can walk away with Wall, Cousins or Turner then I think they will be on the fast track (Cousins I’m a bit worried about). Outside of that I think it will likely be a very deep and talented draft class, but not one with immediate difference makers.

]]> By: Teach http://fanspeak.com/steveospeak/2010/03/13/754/comment-page-1/#comment-345 Teach Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:48:30 +0000 http://fanspeak.com/steveospeak/?p=754#comment-345 I guess with each of these teams you probably want to discuss where their ceiling is. Because of where they're located, all will have trouble landing your marquee free agents. Looking at their core group of players, only two of these teams look like future championship material: the Thunder and maybe Portland. Memphis will probably turn into what the Jazz have been the last couple of years: solid and commendable but not special. The Warriors have Ellis and Curry, but unless they land some stud in the low post they'll have to part with one of them. I don't think you can go deep in the postseason with your two starting guards being that undersized, now or in the future. After seeing you included the Warriors and the Wolves, I'm surprised you didn't throw in the Kings and Pacers. Tyreke Evans looks to be pretty special, and the Pacers are a point guard away from being a legit force in the East. The Clips might have deserved some consideration also. I guess with each of these teams you probably want to discuss where their ceiling is. Because of where they’re located, all will have trouble landing your marquee free agents. Looking at their core group of players, only two of these teams look like future championship material: the Thunder and maybe Portland. Memphis will probably turn into what the Jazz have been the last couple of years: solid and commendable but not special. The Warriors have Ellis and Curry, but unless they land some stud in the low post they’ll have to part with one of them. I don’t think you can go deep in the postseason with your two starting guards being that undersized, now or in the future. After seeing you included the Warriors and the Wolves, I’m surprised you didn’t throw in the Kings and Pacers. Tyreke Evans looks to be pretty special, and the Pacers are a point guard away from being a legit force in the East. The Clips might have deserved some consideration also.

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