Sportandfashion-news Future NBA Power Rankings: 24.) - 20.)

by Adam Hatlak, edited by Charlie Tritschler.  

Late December/early January is generally when the NBA starts to heat up. For this NBA season, this is especially true. With all of the injuries to major stars and one of the most anticipated draft classes in recent memory coming up, the landscape of the NBA is in store for a major shakeup. Due to all the changes, now is a good time to look at what the NBA will look like for the next 3-5 years. These Power Rankings were made from a fan’s perspective including many different variables: probability of future success, likeability of organization, trust in front office, and ability to acquire/retain quality players. All of the criteria are applied for the next 3-5 years, as anything further into the future is increasingly more difficult to predict.  

24.) New York Knicks
Key Assets: Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, Iman Shumpert, Tim Hardaway Jr.

Reason for Hope: Despite questions about his leadership ability, and chances to ever win a title, Anthony is still a major player in the NBA. Along with a player of Anthony’s stature, comes the ability to get hot at the right time, and have a player take over at the end of games. Additionally, if the Knicks ever get salary cap flexibility, Anthony and the New York market, will be able to attract free agents. If Chandler can stay healthy, he still can be a defensive anchor and rebounding machine. Shumpert and Hardaway are nice young wing players, especially if the team is able to limit their roles.

Reason for Concern: Melo can be a free agent, and seems like the type of player who might be willing to jump ship to a new situation. Amar'e Stoudemire unfortunately never seems like he is going to get back to the player he once was. Chandler continues to get older, and as one of the players who came straight to the league out of high school, he has more miles on his legs than his age may indicate. Shumpert and Hardaway seem to be the only young players that have a future with the Knicks, and both seem likely to be traded for immediate help. To top it all off, the Knicks have given away so many of their draft picks; they will not be able to take advantage of their own potential lottery situations.

Key Decision Looming: Does Melo stay? There have been rumors that the Knicks are interested in trading Anthony, as well as reports that Anthony would be interested signing elsewhere as a free agent such as Chicago or Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony tried so hard to get sent to New York while he was in Denver, but it seems that the partnership is near its end. The Knicks need him to resign with the team even with questions about his ability to win a championship since he is their best chance at getting there with so few assets of value for the future. The Knicks would be wise to either trade him for a superstar or sign him to a max contract again.

23.) Los Angeles Lakers
Key Assets: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash.

Reason for Hope: While the end of his career is near, any team with Kobe Bryant is not out of the race; his sheer competitiveness and ability to take over a game needs to be respected until he retires. If Bryant is willing to be a sidekick to either a new superstar, or a young player developing, the Lakers could rise in the standings. Despite all the trades they made to put together a super team, Lakers have their draft pick this season therefore they will be able to get a stud if they place high in the lottery. If Gasol is able to improve his game slightly over the next few weeks, he could bring a decent haul of future assets, or prove capable of being a leader at a reduced cost in the future. Although the key free agents might not be available this year for the Lakers, the cap situation in L.A. is clean enough that they will be ready to get a few key free agents in the next couple of years to propel the next great Lakers team.

Reason for Concern: Bryant is old and injured, Gasol is old, and likely on his way out, and Nash is old and injured, but other than that, the veterans on the Lakers are in good shape. It is no surprise to anyone that follows the league that Los Angeles are in trouble moving forward. There are valid concerns Bryant will ever be able to get back to the player that was able to carry a team to the playoffs, much less go far in those playoffs, and Lakers have an uphill climb to find players to surround him enough to support him. Bryant’s salary is also huge, and he, Nash, and Robert Sacre are the few players that are signed long-term. Gasol has been unhappy the past few seasons in Los Angeles, and likely could find a contender that would utilize him in an offense he is happier with, a fact that could potentially cause Gasol to move on.

Key Decision Looming: When does Gasol leave? It has been years since the Lakers first tried to trade Gasol, and since then the team has been littered with rumors about him going to another team. This season has been no different, as he was rumored to potentially leave town for the right to waive Andrew Bynum’s contract. Gasol's performance slightly dwindled  as he has aged and played in a system he is not comfortable in. If the Lakers can move him at the deadline, they should, but he might not bring back any value. It is likely Gasol will leave town as a free agent, and we can only hope that he does not resign with the Lakers creating all sorts of new rumors for the rest of his career.

22.) Memphis Grizzlies
Key Assets: Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Ed Davis.

Reason for Hope: Defense is one of the most predictable aspects of basketball, and the team has plus defensive players at two very important positions, center and point guard. Conley appeared to take a step forward in last year’s playoffs, and has assumed a bigger role since the departure of Rudy Gay. Gasol gets a lot of credit for his defensive prowess, but he also has an underrated offensive game, possessing great court vision for a big man. The team’s front office placed a greater emphasis on analytics within the last year, a decision that may be able to add a few wins above what their talent level suggests they’re at right now.

Reason for Concern: This team got old very quickly, as it seems like just a few years ago, they were an under the radar contender. Randolph is still a beast in the post, but he is losing some of his ability to carry a team, something that is necessary when players like Gasol are lost. It was a wise move to get rid of Gay and his inefficient offensive game, but they have struggled to replace the wing scoring with the likes of Mike Miller and Tayshaun Prince. Quincy Pondexter’s injury did nobody any favors, and the team seems very thin now. Potentially the biggest issue is that this team seems destined for dreaded NBA purgatory, not bad enough to win the lottery, not a big enough market to attract a star free agent, not enough cap space to over pay a star, and not enough talent to sneak into the conference finals. After a few fun years of playoff basketball, Memphis is in trouble.

Key Decision Looming: When is it time to let go? The Grizzlies rise to being a contender was fun to watch, they played good defense, they had a fun identity, but they were still underdogs. Unfortunately time and the salary cap has caught up with them. Rudy Gay was already traded from the team, and it seems that Randolph’s remaining time is limited. Do the Grizzlies continue trying to add to this season and next, hoping to recapture what they had or chose instead to invest in the future, hoping to make a run in a few years. It might be smarter to play for the future, as Gasol and Conley could conceivably be veteran leaders for a future Grizzlies team. 

21.) Utah Jazz 
Key Assets: Derrick Favors, Trey Burke, Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, Enes Kanter, 2 first round picks in 2014.

Reason for Hope: Thankfully for the Jazz, they are no longer stuck in the middle of the Western Conference. With Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, this was a team that was having issues getting a high lottery pick, as they would contend for the eighth seed in the playoffs. Luckily they will have a high pick this season. Favors appears to be a potential defensive anchor in the middle, and Hayward and Burks still have some potential if not the main option on offense. Burke has a lot of potential, and could be a very capable leading point guard in the future. There is still a lot of young potential in Utah, they need one star in order to fulfill it, and that player may be coming this draft.

Reason for Concern: Two years ago, this team would have been much higher on this list, and losing Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson is not what knocks them down, they were expected to leave. Millsap and Jefferson were allowed to leave so that Favors and Enes Kanter could finally get the opportunity to play more minutes, ideally developing into legit building blocks. Favors has fared better than Kanter, but both have failed to exceed expectations, as the team is off to a slow start. Burks and Hayward seem to be slow to develop as well, a troubling sign for such a young team. The team may look to move on from Ty Corbin soon, as he has underwhelmed as coach, and the team lacks development.

Key Decision Looming: Who do they draft in the 2014 NBA Draft? Utah currently projects to pick in the first three of the upcoming draft. Who they select will determine the future of this franchise. There are bound to be some busts in this draft, but selecting high should help the Jazz avoid that. Ideally, they would be able to select Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker, since they desperately need a star on the wing rather than help at point guard or center.

20.) Washington Wizards
Key Assets: John Wall, Bradley Beal, Nene.

Reason for Hope: The Wizards have played well this season, and that gives fans a lot of hope. They have one of the most promising young backcourts, with Wall and Beal providing a solid one-two punch. If both can continue to improve, and even rise to stardom, this team can go far in a weak Eastern Conference. Nene brought a toughness to the Wizards, and when he is on his game, he proves to be one of the better inside presences in the conference. Depending on the matchup, the Wizards might be able to make it to the second round of the playoffs, something that many fans would not have considered an option before the Martin Gortat trade.

Reason for Concern: Wall has been better this season, but still brings doubts as to whether he can be the face of a contending franchise, and is now being paid like he should be. Both he and Beal form a potentially dominant backcourt, but both have had some issues with injuries. Speaking of injuries, Nene is one of their best players, but injuries have troubled him throughout his career, making it tough to see him anchoring the post for this team long term. The Wizards gave up their next first round pick in order to get Marcin Gortat, who can leave after this season, if they are unable to resign him to a reasonable deal, the trade could end up a huge waste.

Key Decision Looming: How do they acquire one more sidekick for Wall? Nene, Beal, and Wall is not enough to truly contend, regardless if the young guys improve, but Washington is going to face some difficulties acquiring players necessary to take the next step. Free agency seems like the best option now that they are without their first round pick this year, since it was used to acquire Gortat. If they can upgrade at small forward, this team may take a leap, but finding someone is the true question.