07-08-2024, 02:04 PM
(07-06-2024, 01:00 PM)Jason Terry Wrote: Lauri to the Warriors would be a nice move to compliment the good offseason for the mavs
Tier 1 - Favorite
OKC - minus weak link Giddy. Added Caruso and Hartenstein. They will be the main problem for years to come. If we were going to build a team to beat someone else, it should be OKC
Tier 2 - Real Contenders
Mavs
Nuggets - lose Brown, J Green, KCP for nothing
Wolves - all in with their draft moves. Only real option with the 2nd apron penalties looming
Tier 3 - Competitive teams
Suns - screwed long term and short term
Pelicans - interesting if they can get a legit big
Kings - Derozan would help but they’re going nowhere
Grizzlies - who knows what to expect
Spurs - they will be a problem soon
Warriors - they are done even with Lauri
Clippers - lose PG but i like their moves
Lakers - one 20 game injury away from Hawks having their high lotto pick
Rockets - no top end talent
Tier 4 - Tank Teams
Blazers
Jazz
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The tier 3 teams with the most hope going forward are the ones with their own picks. Pelicans, Grizzlies, Spurs and Kings
The interesting teams in the west are the tier 3 teams who don’t have their picks. Suns, Clippers, Lakers, Rockets. The Suns and Lakers are really in a bad spot
The Warriors are at a crossroads. It looks like the pressure to compete now is too great and they will do something big. It’s a great thing for us long term that these top west organizations are in such a bad way. I take it as warning too that we shouldn’t be too aggressive on single player transactions. That’s what did these teams in
Love this exercise! You make good points. But I would nit-pick the top. Denver took big steps backwards after finishing 4th in the west. (Ok, tied with OK for 3rd.) Minny basically stood pat after a near sweep in the conf finals. Thunder improved at the edges but remain soft in the middle. (Call them Al.)
Your Western Conference Champs, meanwhile, added a star! My rankings:
Mavs
Thunder
Wolves
Nuggets
Warriors
Clippers
Suns
Rockets
Griz
Pelicans
Kings
Spurs
Lakers
Pessimism doesn’t make you smart, just pessimistic.