NBA top 40- Bill Simmons style

[xorbie]

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1. Dallas
2. Phoenix
3. SA
4. Houston
5. LA
6. Detroit
7. Toronto
8. Utah
9. Chicago
10. Cleveland
11. Miami
12. Orlando
13. Washington
14. Denver
15. Portland
16. New Orleans
17. Clippers
18. Milwuakee
19. Golden State
20. New York
21. New Jersey
22. Sacramento
23. Indiana
24. Atlanta
25. Boston
26. Minnesota
27. Charlotte
28. Seattle
29. Memphis
30. Philly

Note: I did not take Oden/Durant into consideration since we don't know who will get lucky in the lottery. Also I didn't give the Eastern teams any added points for playing in an easier conference.

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Don't like this list at all. A team like Philly that has 3 draft picks this year at least has a chance to get good fast. They have AI2, a decent (but overpaid) center and a good PG for a couple years. Carney has shown he can be good as well.

Charlotte is gonna be good soon. Okafor, Wallace and Felton is a really good, really young nucleus. Then add May who can at least give you minutes from a big man and an occasional monster game. Then add the fact that they are way under the salary cap and could pick up a really solid free agent soon as well as a good draft pick this year in a draft full of PF.

SA is very good now but once Duncan starts to fall that team is done, they don't really have much young talent besides Ginboli and Parker. Their best chance would be to trade Duncan when his market value far exceeds his actual value to the team, but that's unlikely to happen.

Houston also has a really good nucleus but has horrible injury problems and meanwhile TMac gets older. If they don't win a championship within a couple years with this squad it just isn't happening at all.

Utah should be higher. New Orleans should be right below them. Teams that have a star PG and two solid big men already (all young) are exactly where you want to be. Both just need to pick up some decent wing scorers and they will go far in the playoffs every year.

Detroit is also moving in the wrong direction. I like Prince and Flip, but once they lose Chauncy and Rash gets older they really don't have much besides Jason Maxiell to step up, and they won't likely get a monster draft pick or huge FA signing anytime soon.

Indiana and New Jersey both need to be lower. These are both teams solid enough to finish with 10-13 pick every year but never really do much in the playoffs. Not sure what you see in either of these teams that puts them above Charlotte, Boston or Atlanta.

[kidcolin]

Ha.. I came real close to editing out that "first pick" line, because I knew someone would take that stance. Read my last paragraph.

I suppose if you're lucky enough to get a top 3 pick, take Lebron, Wade, or Kobe, AND you get a top 10 pick in the second round (which would be a pretty unfair for a league wide redraft, but whatever), then there are some arguments for taking Shaq. You still better be damn careful about who else ends up on your team. See my last post for reasons. I think you can find safer, cheaper, more long lasting options and still build a championship contender.

[Green Kool Aid]

Xorbie and Assani,

It looks just like current day power rankings.

I think that would be a really interesting thread to do after the draft, when considering future draft picks, current team, expiring contracts, etc.

I like the idea A LOT though.

[Green Kool Aid]

FWIW It would obviously be a snake draft.

[capone0]

It could never be a non-snake draft. The NBA 2kX series has Fantasy Drafts like standard drafts and it's just retarded.

[kidcolin]

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Charlotte is gonna be good soon. Okafor, Wallace and Felton is a really good, really young nucleus.

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I was blown away while I watched them lose in OT to the Nets a few nights back. Not by their talent: nay. Simply by the fact that they had 4 white guys in a lineup (Carroll, Morrison, Hermann, and some big stiff).

[Green Kool Aid]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Charlotte is gonna be good soon. Okafor, Wallace and Felton is a really good, really young nucleus.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was blown away while I watched them lose in OT to the Nets a few nights back. Not by their talent: nay. Simply by the fact that they had 4 white guys in a lineup (Carroll, Morrison, Hermann, and some big stiff).

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David Stern needs to start fining the Celtics, Cats, and Bucks.

The tanking is really getting ridiculous.

The Allan Ray, Gerald Green, Leon Powe, Bassy Telfair lineups for the Celtics during crunchtime are pretty awesome too!

[Assani Fisher]

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Don't like this list at all. A team like Philly that has 3 draft picks this year at least has a chance to get good fast. They have AI2, a decent (but overpaid) center and a good PG for a couple years. Carney has shown he can be good as well.

Charlotte is gonna be good soon. Okafor, Wallace and Felton is a really good, really young nucleus. Then add May who can at least give you minutes from a big man and an occasional monster game. Then add the fact that they are way under the salary cap and could pick up a really solid free agent soon as well as a good draft pick this year in a draft full of PF.

SA is very good now but once Duncan starts to fall that team is done, they don't really have much young talent besides Ginboli and Parker. Their best chance would be to trade Duncan when his market value far exceeds his actual value to the team, but that's unlikely to happen.

Houston also has a really good nucleus but has horrible injury problems and meanwhile TMac gets older. If they don't win a championship within a couple years with this squad it just isn't happening at all.

Utah should be higher. New Orleans should be right below them. Teams that have a star PG and two solid big men already (all young) are exactly where you want to be. Both just need to pick up some decent wing scorers and they will go far in the playoffs every year.

Detroit is also moving in the wrong direction. I like Prince and Flip, but once they lose Chauncy and Rash gets older they really don't have much besides Jason Maxiell to step up, and they won't likely get a monster draft pick or huge FA signing anytime soon.

Indiana and New Jersey both need to be lower. These are both teams solid enough to finish with 10-13 pick every year but never really do much in the playoffs. Not sure what you see in either of these teams that puts them above Charlotte, Boston or Atlanta.

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I agree with you definitely about Indy and NJ. Those two teams should be lower. You're 100% right.

However, I think I'm simply lending more weight to teams that can contend now and you're lending more weight to potential. Young players don't always improve. Take a look at all star teams from years past and some of the "young studs" on them...very often these players never develop into true dominant superstars. I would much rather have a team that I'm sure will be a legit contender for the next 3 years than a team that looks to be good but not great for 10 years.

Charlotte is a great example. I don't like them much because I don't see any true superstar on their team. Unless you're the Pistons, you pretty much need a superstar to be a contender in the NBA. They also will probably suffer the same thing that happened to the Bulls: All their young players' contracts expire around the same time and they'll have to give up on some(Brand, Artest, Curry, Chandler) because you can't sign everyone.

[Green Kool Aid]

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Take a look at all star teams from years past and some of the "young studs" on them...very often these players never develop into true dominant superstars

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whaaaaat wally sczerbiak, jamaal magloire those guys are AWESOME!!!

[kidcolin]

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Young players don't always improve.

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More importantly, though, is old players always degrade. NJ is completely screwed right now.