Pre-FA Power Rankings
Dec 1, 2020 21:13:50 GMT -6
Portland TrailBlazers, Boston Celtics, and 3 more like this
Post by Phoenix Suns on Dec 1, 2020 21:13:50 GMT -6
Contenders
1. Oklahoma City Thunder - Rookie scales on Sabonis, Fox, and Siakam (all 40+ FPPG players) are powering this superteam featuring Kevin Durant, Middleton, Wiggins, Ibaka, and Millsap. The clear frontrunner for this season.
Open Cap: $28,000,000
2. Dallas Mavericks - The most valuable franchise in the league by far, with a war chest of picks and the most valuable player in the league on a rookie scale in Luka Doncic. Ditto Ja Morant and Brandon Ingram. Drummond, Gordon, Edwards, and Okongwu round this powerhouse out.
Open Cap: $19,000,000
3. Toronto Raptors - The AD trade boosted Raptors odds. Lowry, Barton, Valanciunas, Derozan, Wall, Kemba power this team, along with cheapo deals on Christian Wood and Thomas Bryant.
Open Cap: none
4. Denver Nuggets - After serious contention and a #1 seed last year, the Nuggets remain a legit contender again featuring Tatum, WCJ, Kawhi, LeBron, FVV, Gallinari, and possibly Boogie.
Open Cap: $6,000,000
5. Phoenix Suns - The Suns take a fall after rookie deals on Booker and DLo expired, along with the loss of Kawhi, Whiteside, Murray, and others. Still a contender, though, with Giannis, SGA, Devonte, Bertans, Rubio, and Hield.
Open Cap: $19,000,000
6. Portland Trailblazers - Injuries and bad luck stopped last year's breakout, but Trae Young, MPJ, Mitch Rob, Lauri, Lonzo, Bagley, Vuce, LMA, LeVert, Fultz, Huerter and possibly Blake make Portland a serious threat once again. Expect improved health, rookie progress, and upward regression to give the Blazers a good shot at the title.
Open Cap: none
7. New Orleans Pelicans - The perennial contender franchise, Bam, JJJ, Embiid and Beal continue to power this fantastic team to the playoffs, with a solid chance to win every year. Bogdan, TJ Warren, and oodles of cap space should make the Pels a menace once again.
Open Cap: $21,000,000
8. Minnesota Timberwolves - Wolves continues to build and contend at the same time, with KAT and Donovan Mitchell as the prizes, ahead of veteran superproducers Lillard, Butler, and Holiday.
Open Cap: $7,000,000
Dark Horses
9. Boston Celtics - Boston has made some nice improvements adding Herro, Divincenzo, and Coby White, while retaining Gobert and Irving as big-time producers, along with Randle, Hayward, Barnes, and the legend Jae Crowder (not available). A dark horse who I predict will make the playoffs as the 8th seed ahead of whichever contender falls to injuries or bad schedule luck.
Open Cap: $16,000,000
10. LA Clippers - Another good team that will make a serious playoff push are the Clips, powered by dynasty centrepiece Ben Simmons, and big-time stars Steph Curry and Russell Westbrook, along with CJ McCollum, Draymond, and Kevin Love.
Open Cap: $5,000,000
11. Chicago Bulls - After an awesome draft last year, the Bulls did so well they're a dark horse despite trying to tank! Absolutely disgusting. Jokic, Brown, Wiseman, Haliburton, Reddish, Hayes, Murray, Washington, Clarke, Achiuwa, Kennard, Garland, and Hunter make up this promising young core.
Open Cap: $32,000,000
Tankers
12. LA Lakers - Lakers are rebuilding around superstar Zion, all-star Jamal Murray, and promising rookies RJ Barrett, Patrick Williams, and Aaron Nesmith, along with pieces to flip to contenders like Steven Adams, Dennis Schroder, Whiteside, Clarkson and Harris.
Open Cap: $14,000,000
13. Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks are rebooting with promising studs like Lamelo, Lavine, Kira lewis, both Bridges, Okoro, Walker, Culver, Bamba, and Zhaire, while looking to flip Paul George and Eric Bledsoe, two valuable star pieces, to a contender during the season.
Open Cap: $15,000,000
14. Sacramento Kings - The Kings will look to turn the franchise around with the apt picks of Cole Anthony, Jaden McDaniels, and Theo Maledon, while looking to move fantasy superstar James Harden for a haul. Nice pieces such as Norman Powell, Nurkic, and Josh Richardson also have value as the draft savvy GM fishes for rookies in FA (I recommend Xavier Tillman)
Open Cap: $18,000,000
15. Washington Wizards - Darius. Bazley. 'Nuff said.
Open Cap: $25,000,000
16. Philadelphia 76ers - With Ayton, Collins, Sexton, Hayes, Hachimura, Toppin, Porter, Avdija, and the god Poku, along with a ton of picks, the Sixers are in prime position to emerge as the next Portland Trailblazers, a supertanker that turns into a superteam overnight.
Open Cap: $29,000,000
1. Oklahoma City Thunder - Rookie scales on Sabonis, Fox, and Siakam (all 40+ FPPG players) are powering this superteam featuring Kevin Durant, Middleton, Wiggins, Ibaka, and Millsap. The clear frontrunner for this season.
Open Cap: $28,000,000
2. Dallas Mavericks - The most valuable franchise in the league by far, with a war chest of picks and the most valuable player in the league on a rookie scale in Luka Doncic. Ditto Ja Morant and Brandon Ingram. Drummond, Gordon, Edwards, and Okongwu round this powerhouse out.
Open Cap: $19,000,000
3. Toronto Raptors - The AD trade boosted Raptors odds. Lowry, Barton, Valanciunas, Derozan, Wall, Kemba power this team, along with cheapo deals on Christian Wood and Thomas Bryant.
Open Cap: none
4. Denver Nuggets - After serious contention and a #1 seed last year, the Nuggets remain a legit contender again featuring Tatum, WCJ, Kawhi, LeBron, FVV, Gallinari, and possibly Boogie.
Open Cap: $6,000,000
5. Phoenix Suns - The Suns take a fall after rookie deals on Booker and DLo expired, along with the loss of Kawhi, Whiteside, Murray, and others. Still a contender, though, with Giannis, SGA, Devonte, Bertans, Rubio, and Hield.
Open Cap: $19,000,000
6. Portland Trailblazers - Injuries and bad luck stopped last year's breakout, but Trae Young, MPJ, Mitch Rob, Lauri, Lonzo, Bagley, Vuce, LMA, LeVert, Fultz, Huerter and possibly Blake make Portland a serious threat once again. Expect improved health, rookie progress, and upward regression to give the Blazers a good shot at the title.
Open Cap: none
7. New Orleans Pelicans - The perennial contender franchise, Bam, JJJ, Embiid and Beal continue to power this fantastic team to the playoffs, with a solid chance to win every year. Bogdan, TJ Warren, and oodles of cap space should make the Pels a menace once again.
Open Cap: $21,000,000
8. Minnesota Timberwolves - Wolves continues to build and contend at the same time, with KAT and Donovan Mitchell as the prizes, ahead of veteran superproducers Lillard, Butler, and Holiday.
Open Cap: $7,000,000
Dark Horses
9. Boston Celtics - Boston has made some nice improvements adding Herro, Divincenzo, and Coby White, while retaining Gobert and Irving as big-time producers, along with Randle, Hayward, Barnes, and the legend Jae Crowder (not available). A dark horse who I predict will make the playoffs as the 8th seed ahead of whichever contender falls to injuries or bad schedule luck.
Open Cap: $16,000,000
10. LA Clippers - Another good team that will make a serious playoff push are the Clips, powered by dynasty centrepiece Ben Simmons, and big-time stars Steph Curry and Russell Westbrook, along with CJ McCollum, Draymond, and Kevin Love.
Open Cap: $5,000,000
11. Chicago Bulls - After an awesome draft last year, the Bulls did so well they're a dark horse despite trying to tank! Absolutely disgusting. Jokic, Brown, Wiseman, Haliburton, Reddish, Hayes, Murray, Washington, Clarke, Achiuwa, Kennard, Garland, and Hunter make up this promising young core.
Open Cap: $32,000,000
Tankers
12. LA Lakers - Lakers are rebuilding around superstar Zion, all-star Jamal Murray, and promising rookies RJ Barrett, Patrick Williams, and Aaron Nesmith, along with pieces to flip to contenders like Steven Adams, Dennis Schroder, Whiteside, Clarkson and Harris.
Open Cap: $14,000,000
13. Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks are rebooting with promising studs like Lamelo, Lavine, Kira lewis, both Bridges, Okoro, Walker, Culver, Bamba, and Zhaire, while looking to flip Paul George and Eric Bledsoe, two valuable star pieces, to a contender during the season.
Open Cap: $15,000,000
14. Sacramento Kings - The Kings will look to turn the franchise around with the apt picks of Cole Anthony, Jaden McDaniels, and Theo Maledon, while looking to move fantasy superstar James Harden for a haul. Nice pieces such as Norman Powell, Nurkic, and Josh Richardson also have value as the draft savvy GM fishes for rookies in FA (I recommend Xavier Tillman)
Open Cap: $18,000,000
15. Washington Wizards - Darius. Bazley. 'Nuff said.
Open Cap: $25,000,000
16. Philadelphia 76ers - With Ayton, Collins, Sexton, Hayes, Hachimura, Toppin, Porter, Avdija, and the god Poku, along with a ton of picks, the Sixers are in prime position to emerge as the next Portland Trailblazers, a supertanker that turns into a superteam overnight.
Open Cap: $29,000,000