The Last Leg: Western Conference

When I was in middle school I became obsessed with Led Zeppelin. They were the cock of the walk, the bee’s knees and the hands down best band of all time. I started buying their albums, I created a really shitty clay sculpture of them (I’m talking really shitty), I read the book, “Stairway to Heaven: Uncensored” (which I probably shouldn’t have read because there was juts a ton of drug and sex references littered throughout the book) and ultimately, through my obsessions with Zeppelin, I found out “How the West was won.”

40 years later in the NBA, we have no clue who is going to win the West, but there are a couple things I have been thinking about the hotly contested conference. Let’ talk final quarter people, and if you missed my final quarter thoughts on the Eastern Conference, click here.

1. KD and Russ.
I put this topic first, so before you get worn out from reading anything else I put in the body of this post, I want you to realize that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will be fine. They actually need each other.

Thunder dropped their first three games after Westbrook’s return, one of the games coming against Cleveland, and people just started flying off the handle. “He takes away from Durant”, “Doesn’t know his place”, “Stupid gunner” yada, yada, yada. Let us remember a few things about the NBA:

1. For Finals Contenders, regular season losses rarely matter. The season is a grind. It is six months long, and packed with 82 games before the playoffs start. Every once in a while a bad loss happens. Thunder lost three straight games, and it did not change the fact they are still indeed the one seed. However, in those three games, what happened? They let Russell work out his kinks, and they won the following three games. Let us not get hung up on February losses, thanks.

2. Kevin Durant didn’t get “worse” since Russell has gotten back. I have seen waaaayyyy too many people talking about how Russell takes away from Durant. And that ladies and gentleman, is bullshit. Let’s take a look a Kevin’s season averages and then compare them to the last 6 games since Russell has been back:

	PPG	RPG	APG	Shot Attempts
Season Averages	31.6	7.7	6.7	19.2
Averages from last 6 gms w/ Russ	34.1	7.0	6.1	22.6

So what do you see there? I see a dude that has shot and scored more, while keeping his distributing and rebounding numbers constant, since his teammate and top 10 player, Westbrook has been back. Also, in the six games, Durant scored 42 points twice and 37 points another time. His offensive numbers have not taken a “hit”. 

To me, the explanation is simple, an athlete as dynamic as Russell does nothing but take pressure off everyone else on offense. Durant got more shots, and more easy shots, since the return of his buddy Russ. Defenses can’t just 100% key in on KD anymore, because the athletic prowess of Westbrook will torch them if they turn a blind eye. A balance that is crucial for their playoff success, as documented last year when they were easily disposed by Memphis Grizzlies. Russ makes KD better. I don’t care what anyone says otherwise.

3. Take a gander back up at Durant’s stats up there. They are beautiful. To this point, they are his career’s masterpiece, and because of Durant, Thunder are the one seed. However, with the return of Russell, and the closing of the season, I would suggest Durant takes a passenger’s seat to Westbrook for the closing month and a half. Durant proved to be unstoppable this season. We all know this, and as of now, he is locked neck-and-neck in a heated MVP race. TO me though, I think it is time to choose whether he wants the MVP or playoff success.

Thunder will need Russell Westbrook to be rolling on all cylinders come May. He only played in a month or so worth of games this year and his shot is already a streaky one. At this point, while he seems to be getting acclimated just fine, I don’t think it would hurt to give him more of the reigns and really start to feel himself going into the playoffs with knowledge that Kevin Durant needs no warm up.

Westbrook was a little shaky in the first few games back, but in the last three, has looked more like himself. He averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game, over the last three and managed to post a triple-double in his last effort. They will still win games with this strategy, albeit giving Russ the main stage would easily derail Durant’s MVP campaign.

Whatever the matter, people just need to stop hating on Russell. KD and him get along, and I think with that duo healthy, this is your Western Conference team to beat.

2. Hot in Houston
Rockets are probably the league’s hottest team right now, and on Tuesday night, beat Miami Heat en route to the their 12th victory in 14 tries. 

“Yeah, ahh, Houston, we have lift off.”

Before they beat Miami on Tuesday, I had compiled stats from the previous last 13 games and what I found was a very efficient Dwight Howard. The man has been a monster, and seems to have found his old ways. In the aforementioned stretch, he scored 22.2 points per game, pulled down 12.1 rebounds per game as well as swatting an average of two shots as well.

The 22.3 points is three above his season average of 19.0, and his muscular shoulders don’t appear to be getting weaker. To help aid him, has been who else, but the Beard also known as James Harden.

And take it from me, beards are in.

Harden has been a monster in that same stretch, and last week, he took home Western Conference Player of the Week. Over the last 14 games he averaged 27.1 points to go along with 5.9 assists per game and shot 40% from downtown. He also has shot 113 free throws, and made 99 of them.

Behind Harden and Howard, the Rockets are now the West’s three seed, and in the last month, they have beaten the Spurs, Suns, Mavericks, Wizards, and now Heat over the course of their last 14 games. They are rolling, and if Patrick Beverly and Jeremy Lin can somehow not completely fall apart in the playoffs, this could be a team that is competing into June.

3. Blinded by the Light!!
What a story in Phoenix. Before the season, the media labeled this team as a rebuilding project, a team that would not compete for years. Instead, the Suns are extremely efficient, pick-n-rolling, offensive masters. It has been fun to watch.

First credit has to be given to Jeff Hornacek, for coming into a challenging role as a rookie head coach, and getting his talent in situations where they can succeed. The Morris twins had been all but written off, but this year they have been fantastic hustle players. Same goes to Channing Frye and PJ Tucker, neither are incredible individual players, but they are specialists (Frye 3-point, Tucker hustle), and Hornacek used them that way.

Gerald Green has literally flown back on to the radar. Getting his first opportunity to start ever, and Green impressed in a major way. Averaging 15 points per game and shooting a steady 38% from downtown, Green fought his way off the bench. He had never started more then 28 games in his career, and this year he already started 42. It has been a long and rocky road for Green. So to see him achieve success serves as a great reminder that if you stick around and keep working hard, good things happen.

However, the main difference in the Desert has been the additions of Eric Bledsoe, and the emergence of Goran Dragic. Bledsoe, unfortunately had a meniscus injury and missed significant time, but the rumor is he has been practicing a little and could be something like two weeks away from a return. We should learn not to rush these guys, but I will be keeping an eye on this situation moving forward. For the season, he averaged 18 points 5.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. With long arms and being as athletic as he is, he quickly became a matchup problem for his NBA foes. Hopefully he can bounce back quickly.

Meanwhile, Dragic has been an absolute monster. Averaging 20.6 points per contest, while shooting 51% and doling over six assists to boot. He has been the battery pack for the Suns, and it seems everything he is setting a new career high in something. He also expanded his three point shooting, and for the season is hitting from range at a 41% clip. Easily a career high, and the first time he has topped 40% from deep. He has been a real firecracker.

What is funny is before the season, Phoenix prepared for a very long season. And had been stock-piling draft picks for the upcoming draft. Aside from their own picks, they also have Minnesota, Washington, and Indiana’s first round pick. As well as, the Lakers 2015 first round pick.

While a lot of the picks are protected, so they might not get them this year, all of them will be filtered to Phoenix at some point in time. The Lakers one is particularly hilarious because they are a team that needs all the help they can get, and they gave away three first round picks to get Steve Nash’s old body.

Basically, Suns are a competitive team, with a lot of draft day assets, and a good coach. Moving forward, this is a team worth watching.

4. The Unfair West.
In the Eastern Conference blog, I talked a little bit on tanking, and why it is a problem. Something needs to be changed, we know that, and Bill Simmons just posted a column that goes a little more in-depth if you are interested. Today, I have another suggestion that could make the NBA a better product.

Looking at the standings, it is an understatement in saying that the Western Conference is just superior to the East. The West is a fucking war zone compared to the East, aka “The Land of Patty Cakes”.

Only Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat would be good enough record wise to make the playoffs in the vaunted Western Conference. Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls would both be in the hunt for the post season, but they also would also be on the outside looking in.

Take a look at the current NBA standing by Conference. 

Eastern Conference

1. Indiana Pacers 46-15
2. Miami Heat 43-15
3. Toronto Raptors 33-26
4. Chicago Bulls 34-27
5. Washington Wizards 32-29
6. Brooklyn Nets 30-29
7. Charlotte Bobcats 28-33
8. Atlanta Hawks 26-33
9. Detroit Pistons 24-37
10. Cleveland Cavaliers 24-38
Absolute Shambles: New York Knicks 

Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 45-15
2. San Antonio Spurs 44-16
3. Houston Rockets 42-19
4. Portland Trail Blazers 42-19
5. Los Angeles Clippers 42-20
6. Golden State Warriors 38-24
7. Phoenix Suns 35-24
8. Dallas Mavericks 36-26
9. Memphis Grizzlies 34-26
10. Minnesota Timberwolves 30-30
11. Denver Nuggets 26-34
12. New Orleans 24-37

As you can see basically the entire Western Conference would be in the hunt for an Eastern Conference playoff seed. Meanwhile, teams like Minnesota and Memphis would be three to six seeds in the East are regulated to 82-game seasons, while the Heat pounds a weak franchise like the Charlotte Bobcats in the post season.

So what can be done? Logistically, only one move really makes since, and that would be moving a team like…gulp… Milwaukee, to Seattle, allowing them join the West, while simultaneously letting at least one of the eastern Western Conference teams (Minnesota, Memphis or New Orleans) move into the Eastern Conference.

Unfortunately, that moves really only satisfies one franchise, and devastates all Milwaukee Bucks fans. So my other suggestion would be, why not play out the regular season, but just take the best 16 teams record wise for the playoffs, instead of the best eight from each conference and set up an NCAA tournament style seeding and bracket.

Using this system the playoff seedings would end up looking like this:

1. Oklahoma City 46-15
2. Indiana 46-15
3. Miami 43-15
4. San Antonio 44-16
5. Houston 42-19
6. Portland 42-19
7. LA Clippers 40-20
8. Golden State 38-24
9. Phoenix 35-25
10. Dallas 36-26
11. Memphis 34-26
12. Toronto 33-26
13. Chicago 34-27
14. Washington 32-29
15. Brooklyn 30-29
16. Minnesota 30-30

With this format, just eliminated slums like Atlanta and Charlotte from the playoffs. Added good teams like Memphis and Minnesota, and created the possibility for entertaining cross conference playoff rivalries.

Houston could be battling Miami in an unprecedented second round match up. We could watch a first round coaching battle of Pop vs Thibs. In future years, you could possibly watch the Heat play the Pacers in the finals or Harden going back to OKC to try and beat his old cronies for the title.

I think that this format could be fun. And who says no to simply letting all the best regular season teams (instead of just some of them) get a chance to play for a championship? This is something that needs to be thought about in great depth, because I don’t really feel like watching the Hawks vs. Pacers first round matchup, and honestly, I would love for K Love to finally get in the playoffs.

He deserves to get in there once during his time in Minnesota.

You reach, I teach,

~Andrew 

Roundball Wrap-Up: January 15th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
DeMarcus Cousins - BOOOOGIE! I swear I hear Jalen Rose's voice every time I talk or hear Cousins name but the guy is flat out ballin' right now. The last time Cousins did not achieve a double-double was December 20th against Miami. That's nearly a month ago. He is playing his ass off, and deserving of an All-Star spot. In half of his January games, Boogie has 30 points or more and on an incredible run right now. Sacramento is 10 games under .500 and the second-worst team in Western Conference yet the future I feel like is better than ever before. I know they have Rudy Gay whom seems to wreck teams, but Cousins is a top five young interior player without question.

Carmelo Anthony - Sure they lost to Charlotte in a back-to-back last night, but Melo is playing pretty well in this recent stretch for the Knicks where they have won six of their last eight games. People rag on Melo that he cannot be a leader and all of his narrative bullshit yet Anthony has looked inspired this month. I have no idea what clicked for him and the team, but it is entirely different than what we saw in the first two months. The numbers might not show he deserves a POW honor, but the fact he helped rally this Knicks a bit is a significant development for them. Also this is a fantastic post-game interview from him. Vine via @netw3rk



'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
LeBron James - I have a hard time reading into James' comments about Kevin Durant. He told ESPN's Tom Haberstoh about how he is 'jealous of Durant's shot attempts', and I am completely dumbfounded. He had this in Cleveland where he could shoot 30 times a game if he wanted to and left for a super team that delivered him two championships. If James want to jack 35 shots, will anyone freak out? Oh shit, that's right people freak out if LeBron gets mayo on his sub instead of mustard so of course people would lose their collective minds.

Team of the Week
Toronto Raptors - SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT RUDY GAY... Toronto has won 10 of their last 13 games including eight of their last ten games. Also since Gay has been traded, this team found new life and now sits in third spot of the Eastern Conference with an alive fanbase. This team was supposed to tank this season. The plan started when they traded Gay, and then this team starting winning games. DeMar DeRozen is playing great basketball along with Kyle Lowery and Jonas Valanciunas the three seed in the Eastern Conference. Is this team legit?  Absolutely. They are saying all the right things as well as taking care of business against the weak Eastern Conference. Do I expect the Atlantic Division to get sneaky good by the end of the year with Toronto, New York and Brooklyn going at it? Yup I do in a weird way.

Team of the Weak
Los Angeles Lakers - HERE COMES THE SPIRAL. I hate to give into our writer Mitch's conspracies but it is really setting up perfectly right now. For those wondering, Mitch believes the Lakers will miss the playoffs and end up getting the top pick in the draft. Imagine this team with Kobe Bryant and Joel Embiid?  Los Angeles has lost five straight, and the last nine of ten have been losses for them. They now embark on a seven game road trip due to The Grammy's and come home to Indiana after it. While they play Eastern Conference foes after Phoenix, I would not expect much from Los Angeles in this road trip. I would be shocked if Los Angeles is not picking from the top five next year.

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Eric Bledsoe - Probably my least favorite injury of the year. While all of them are horrible, you hate to see this from an emerging Suns team having sort of a dream season. Bledsoe might be able to return after the All-Star Break as he is battling knee issues. If Bledsoe's meniscus removed, it could drastically change what happens with Bledsoe and his contract in the upcoming summer. It also affects how talented of a player he can be in the future.

This Week in GIFs, Vines, Tweets, Instagrams, Videos, Links, Pictures and anything else 
For whatever reason, GIFs are not working today so I have Lance Stephenson channeling his inner Skip To My Lou and Marc Gasol with a happy ass slap.  

Charlie.  

Trade Value By Position: Point Guards

Being that I love the NBA, I'm going to break down, position by position, the players with the most trade value at this point in time.

The point guard position is probably the most dominant position in the NBA right now. There is a ton of talent across the league at this position as the NBA has become a smaller and smaller league overall. 

You look at guys like Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose and Chris Paul and you see that they are extremely important to their teams but how do they rank against each other in trade value around the league?
These are the point guards who would get the most in return for their team.

(Note: this piece takes injuries and injury history into consideration.)

Index:
PER: Player Efficiency Rating - Overall production per minute, league average is 15.
TS%: True Shooting percentage - Takes into account all types the shots (2s, 3s and free throws)
AST%: Assist percentage - Amount of teammates' field goals he's assisted.

1. Chris Paul, 28 years old, Los Angeles Clippers - Contract: (First year) 5 years, $107 million  -

I understand that he's injured and won't be back for a while but this guy is the quintessential point guard. Not only does he make the teammates around him so much better (had a 54 percent assist percentage before hurting his shoulder) but he can also knock down just about any shot you give him. There's a reason he's the highest paid point guard. He's got a huge contract to live up to but CP3 is in his prime and considering the way his team is set up around him, that shouldn't be a problem.

2. Tony Parker, 31 years old, San Antonio Spurs - Contract: (Third year) 4 years, $50 million -

In typical Spurs fashion, Parker is that point guard that is underpaid and underrated around the league but not here. He's not going to sneak under my radar. Parker has led the Spurs (along with Tim Duncan) to three NBA titles including one in his rookie year. The scary thing about Tony Parker is that it seems like he's gotten even better the last few years. He's so quick and can finish around the rim with the best of them. He's already drawn 37 "And-1s" so far this year, according to Basketball-Reference and has a TS% of 57 percent.



3. Russell Westbrook, 25 years old, Oklahoma City Thunder - Contract: (Second year) 5 years, $78.5 million -

Russy is also hurt but is apparently off his crutches after undergoing his third knee operation since April and could return pretty soon. OKC better hope Westbrook gets back soon as they haven't been the same in his absence. Sure, they're still 28-10 overall but they're only 5-4 in Westbrook's absence and the offense has struggled. Westbrook doesn't shoot the greatest percentage but the threat of him getting to the hole at will opens up shots for shot-maker Kevin Durant. Westbrook only being 25 helps his value here.

4. Eric Bledsoe, 24 years old, Phoenix Suns - Contract: (Final year of rookie deal) -

Bledsoe with the Suns.

As you could have guessed by the theme here, Bledsoe is also currently injured but I don't think his trade value has taken a hit whatsoever. I'm really trying not to overvalue Bledsoe because he's only 24 but youth obviously benefits The Bledshow here. Many basketball minds wondered how Bledsoe would fair in an expanded role with Phoenix and also how he would fair alongside another point guard in Goran Dragic but those questions have been answered. Bledsoe was averaging 18 ppg and 6 assists per game with a PER of -20 before going down "indefinitely" with a knee injury. "Mini-LeBron" is certain to sign a huge offer sheet and Phoenix will be forced to match. The Bucks had to be pretty close to getting him as he was traded to Phoenix in the three team deal between Phoenix, LA Clippers and Milwaukee. It still haunts me that they couldn't land him and probably always will.

5. Derrick Rose, 25 years old, Chicago Bulls - Contract: (Second year) 5 years, $93 million -

The fact that Rose hasn't really played in what will be two full NBA seasons hurts his value here. Honestly, had that first knee injury never happened, he'd probably be number one on this list. So before you charge my place of residence with torches, understand that I'm aware of the All-World Derrick Rose possesses. I'd at least listen probably any trade presented to the Bucks for him, despite the injuries. You really don't need advanced stats to see the impact D-Rose has on a basketball game. He's just so fast and is too big and strong to be defended by guys his own size. He's learned how to shoot over time as well. Hopefully (or maybe not), Rose gets healthy and can get back to where he was. Rose will probably still be a matchup nightmare when he gets back, despite blowing out both knees over the past two years.

6. Steph Curry, 25 years old, Golden State Warriors - Contract: (First year) 4 years, $44 million -

Curry probably cost himself a better contract by being fairly injury prone over his first two or three seasons but the Warriors handed Curry the extension based on what he could/would become. He really broke out last year when we started 78 games for the Dubs and shot 45.3 percent from beyond the arc. This year he's shooting 44. 5 percent of his shots from three but his TS% is 57 percent. While his three point shooting numbers a down a bit (still better than the league average) his overall shooting has gotten better. Curry also passes the eye test, at least for me. Just like his jumper, his passing is so smooth and pretty. He really makes a lot of hard shots look easy, as seen below:



7. Damian Lillard, 23 years old, Portland TrailBlazers - Contract: (second year of rookie deal) -

The difficulty of trying to justify putting Lillard seventh just exemplifies the talent at the point guard position in the NBA right now. Lillard won the rookie of the year last year and has taken that next step. The Blazers are making me eat crow this year after I accused them of being stuck in the mediocrity treadmill. Well, Lillard and forward LaMarcus Aldridge and their supporting cast have jumped out to a 28-9 start and are in second place in the Western Conference. The way he's projecting, talk to me in a calendar year and Lillard is probably easily in the top 5 of this list. He's raised his TS% from 54.6 percent last year to 58.3 percent thus far this season. This rising star's stock continues to rise by the day.

8. Kyrie Irving, 21 years old, Cleveland Cavaliers - Contract: (Third year of rookie deal) -

The number one overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft hasn't entirely disappointed but I think many fans and pundits expected more out of Irving and the Cavs this season. Irving's numbers pretty much across the board are down from his first two seasons. Still, Irving is very young and is a building block for Cleveland going forward. The whispers of LeBron going back to Cleveland after this season are going to get louder and louder (just speculation) as the season nears the end. I think Irving with LeBron is a great one-two punch and would compete for a championship right away.

9. John Wall, 23 years old, Washington Wizards - Contract: (Final year of rookie deal; entering 5 year, $80 million max contract next year) -

Wall is also former number one overall pick and he's been pretty solid. His youth benefits his trade value over some of the guys I might put behind him. People really took note of John Wall's impact last year when the Wizards went 5-28 to start the year without Wall and then played around .500 ball with him to finish the year with 29 wins. This year, he's averaging 19.6 points per game and 8.6 assists per game but his team has been rather inconsistent this year. However, when you think about it, Wall's supporting cast hasn't been the greatest. Nene is always hurt and Marcin Gortat's numbers are a bit down. Bradley Beal has been a little banged up but is having a pretty nice year but hasn't been efficient. Wall's teammates will have to stay healthy for the Wiz to end up better than the eighth seed in the weak East.

10. Goran Dragic, 27 years old, Phoenix Suns - Contract: (Second year) 4 years, $30 million - 

Dragic sneaks into the list by the skin of his teeth. However, if you combine his great play and his reasonable contract, it's not that far-fetched. Let's be honest, the Suns were supposed to be bottom feeders (putting it lightly) this year and Dragic is a big reason why they're playing above their heads. His pick and roll game is top-notch. His advanced stats are up across the board, notably, TS% up to 59.2 percent from 54 percent last year. Also, his turnover percentage is down to 14.1 per 100 possesions from nearly 17 percent per 100 last year. Taking care of the ball is job number one for a point guard. The Suns had two point guards make the list so it'll be interesting to see if they try to move one of them (most likely Dragic) before the deadline or in the offseason. It's a nice problem to have.

Let me know what you think by commenting below or tweeting me @MR_Pratt.

Sportandfashion-news NBA Future Power Rankings: 14.) - 10.)

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.

Teams ranked from 30.) - 25.) 
Teams ranked from 24) - 20.)
Teams ranked from 19.) -15.) 

14.) New Orleans Pelicans
Key Assets: Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Eric Gordon.

Reason for Hope: This team is going to go as far as Davis can take them. The second-year player was able to get off to a hot start this season, and it seems like he has MVP potential. If this is the case, Pelicans will be a force to be reckoned with, as they have what could be an above average wing rotation to be Davis’ sidekick. Gordon, Holiday and Evans can all potentially be solid rotation contributors in the right situation, but also could be shopped to another team desperate for a young wing, a resolution that might benefit the Pelicans more than having all of them on the court. Ryan Anderson served as a solid fit for the Pelicans system as well adding spacing to the team that will allow Davis to work inside.

Reason for Concern: The biggest issue around this team’s future is that they will likely be in the lottery this season, but do not own their own pick, as it was traded to Philadelphia 76ers in the Holiday deal. That pick could have been used to acquire one last young asset to help build around Davis, losing it hurts. Although they have a solid, young, wing rotation, there are too many question marks surrounding the players to truly see them developing into a dominant franchise with these players. Evans comes with a large price tag, and is likely best served as a sixth man, plus has not been associated with a winning franchise. Gordon likely has the highest ceiling of the three, but since his breakout, has been unable to stay healthy, or live up to his contract. Losing a high draft pick on Austin Rivers also affects the ceiling of this franchise.

Key Decision Looming: How does the Gordon experiment end? Although he was the centerpiece of the Chris Paul trade, the acquisitions of Holiday and Evans made it seem like Gordon became expendable in the long-term Pelicans’ plans. The issue with that is that Gordon does not have a lot of trade value; so ideally, the Pelicans would like him to get healthy to be the number two option behind Davis. If he can do that, this team can contend. The likely conclusion is Gordon is moved when he is close to an expiring contract, whether he brings back a valuable player or not will be the question.

13.) Chicago Bulls
Key Assets: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Tom Thibodeau.

Reason for Hope: The road map to success for this team is very easy to see; Rose gets healthy and returns to form next year, Boozer comes back, Noah works out his minor injury issues, Butler develops to fully takeover Luol Deng’s role and Thibodeau has this team playing its usual style of defense. Now that Rose is hurt, Bulls can move on from some of their older assets and hopefully add to the future. Boozer can either be amnestied, or moved for a minor piece for the future, as Deng has already been moved for Andrew Bynum’s expiring deal and heavily protected draft picks. Both were always likely to move on from the Bulls in the near future, but losing a season of Rose facilitates these types of moves.

Reason for Concern: This team has probably dropped the furthest over the course of this season. Rose’s second injury officially casts doubt on him as a long-term MVP candidate. He may be able to return to 100% of the player he was, but he also may be riddled with injuries for the rest of his career. Rose’s injuries also wasted some high-priced years of Deng and Boozer, as neither is capable of being a number one option, but both are exceptional role players. Butler and Gibson will be able to replace Deng and Boozer, but their promotions will weaken the depth of the team. Noah battled injuries of his own, and may not be able to put together a dominant season at the same time as Rose again. Bulls’ ownership has shown an unwillingness to spend unnecessary money despite being in a huge market. The biggest issue may lie within a potential rift between Thibodeau and management. If he leaves, the team’s defense will suffer and potentially fall to a league average level, something their average offense will not be able to compensate for whatsoever.

Key Decision Looming: Do they amnesty Boozer? Since the amnesty clause has been an option, there have been rumors that the Bulls will use it on Boozer. Chicago is notorious for wanting to avoid the luxury tax, and Boozer does not deliver the type of value in Chicago that his contract suggests. The Deng trade makes it seem like Boozer is destined to be amnestied, but there is still a slight chance he gets traded instead, either way, don’t expect to see Boozer in Chicago at the end of the season.

12.) Dallas Mavericks
Key Assets: Dirk Nowitzki, Monta Ellis, Mark Cuban, Rick Carlisle.

Reason for Hope: Carlisle is easily one of the best coaches in the NBA, although he does not get the credit he deserves among the casual fans. He’s been able to make Ellis an efficient player this year in Dallas and has also kept aging veterans Shawn Marion and Vince Carter as effective role players. Nowitzki is an example of what every General Manager hopes for in an aging superstar; someone who wants to stay with the organization, continue trying to win a championship, but take a reduced salary in order to bring in additional talent around them. If Dallas can bring in more studs, Nowitzki’s team first attitude will pay off. Although Cuban was a pain during his first few seasons as the Mavericks’ owner, he’s transformed into a very solid owner with him hoping to spend his money wisely to get the best product on the floor. This desire to get top level talent has not been the most successful lately, but will potentially pay off in the near future as expiring contracts come off the books.

Reason for Concern: Nowitzki is unfortunately on the downside of a prolific career. He will not be able to carry the team anymore like he used to, and it does not appear Dallas has anyone in place to take over for him. Surprisingly enough, they have struck out on numerous free agents the past few seasons, despite having the cap room to sign someone. Along with Nowitzki, much of this team is aging as Carter, Marion and Jose Calderon all get tons of minutes. The biggest problem with the age on this team comes from having no star in waiting to take control of this team. Ellis has been playing well, but should not be the number one option on Dallas or any team in the league.

Key Decision Looming: Who is the next face of the franchise? Of all the aging stars, Nowitzki seems most willing to pass the torch to another player, but he also seems to have the least deserving candidates for that throne. Dallas is a team gets pegged as a good free agency destination, but they have not found another superstar to confirm that assumption. It seems like Nowizki will take a smaller deal, and hope to find one more star in the way of free agency, or a trade. If Nowitzki cannot pass the torch to someone before he retires, Dallas could be for a tough stretch.

11.) Atlanta Hawks
Key Assets: Al Horford, Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap, Louis Williams, Danny Ferry.

Reason for Hope: The Hawks seem to be one of the more stable franchises in the league. Despite not really lowering their status in the Eastern Conference, Hawks have retooled what they look like on the court. Any team that can get assets for Joe Johnson’s contract and be confident enough to let Josh Smith walk in free agency, but yet stay in the same spot in the standings deserves an optimistic future. The team has a lot of players that would be quality starters on a good team. Hopefully they can add one more star, and with the ability to swap picks with Brooklyn Nets, they may be able to do so in the upcoming draft.

Reason for Concern: This team is a model of consistency even if the consistency might prove incredibly frustrating for their fan base. Every season, it feels like the Hawks will finish somewhere between the three and six seeds in the East, and either lose in the first or second round, depending on their opponent. This can be great in years where it feels like the Hawks will have a down year, but when the team seems to be at its peak, it just cannot break the ceiling. Horford would likely need to be a second or third option on a dominant team, but his current injury, and injury history makes it tough to trust him as a number one option. The Hawks seem to have missed their best chance to bring in a star free agent after missing out on Chris Paul and Dwight Howard this past offseason.

Key Decision Looming: Who do they draft in the 2014 NBA Draft? This team is the biggest wildcard in this year’s draft due to their ability to switch picks with the Nets. They could potentially have a very high pick and have the most flexible roster. They do not have any holes they absolutely must fill, and have no players that would block any young guys from developing. If they are able to land one of the best players in the draft, this team could become a threat quickly.

10. Phoenix Suns
Key Assets: Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic, Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris, two first round picks in 2014 and 2015.

Reason for Hope: This team is far ahead of where everyone expected them to be in the rebuilding process, something that is always beneficial to an organization. Bledsoe seems to be the real deal and is a definite building block moving forward. Many of their young players have stepped up this year, and shown they can hang around as role players once the team improves. Acquiring one or two star players will allow everyone else on this team to take on a reduced role, ideally increasing everyone’s efficiency. Dragic is a surprisingly decent backcourt mate for Bledsoe, and will be an attractive trade chip in the next year and a half for teams that might want a relatively inexpensive point guard.

Reason for Concern: Despite the Suns’ surprising start this season, the reason for their high potential lies within what they are able to do with young players and future draft picks, two things that are at times difficult to predict. Bledsoe has been great, but will be a restricted free agent in the coming offseason, which will remove the benefit of having a young player on a cheap contract. There are some legitimate questions if Bledsoe will be able to live up to contract he is sure to get, but Suns have little choice but to pay Bledsoe. Phoenix will have to surround Bledsoe and Dragic with quality young players with numerous draft picks in the next few years, something the organization has struggled with in recent years.

Key Decision Looming: Does Dragic fit in long term? The Suns are on record saying that they want to resign Bledsoe long term regardless of the cost. When Bledsoe was acquired, there were concerns if he and Dragic would play well together. So far this season, they have fit decently in the backcourt, but perhaps they are slightly redundant long-term. If there is a playoff contender who is looking for a veteran point guard to lead their team, or fill in for an injured player, the Suns should think about moving him. If not, he will provide good value to their team.