The Los Angeles Lakers recently won the LeBron James Sweepstakes after they acquired the Hall-of-Fame-bound forward in free agency. With one stroke of the pen, the biggest free-agent signing in Lakers history since Shaquille O’Neal in 1996, elevated L.A. to the ranks of championship contenders before James even dribbled once at the Staples Center.
Much has been said about how good the Lakers are with the addition of the four-time Most Valuable Player. Las Vegas has them tied for second place with the Boston Celtics in terms of championship odds next season. That’s a huge jump from last season when they didn’t even make the playoffs.
It’s a testament to how good James is even at 33 years old. He had one of his best seasons in the 2017-18 season averaging 27.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Adding him to a very young lineup that features up-and-comers Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma has heightened expectations in La-La Land. The question now is how good they really are. Is Vegas right in thinking that they are championship contenders right at this moment?
The Lakers were 21st in league standings last season. If Vegas is right about its prediction, then they will have jumped 18 to 19 spots in 2018-19.
Let’s take a look at the Lakers lineup as they are presently constructed including their potential starting lineup:
Starters
Center – JaVale McGee
Power Forward – Kyle Kuzma
Small Forward – LeBron James
Shooting Guard – Brandon Ingram
Point Guard – Lonzo Ball
Reserves:
PG – Josh Hart, Rajon Rondo
SG – Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Isaac Bonga
SG/SF – Lance Stephenson
SF – Luol Deng, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
PF – Moritz Wagner
C – Ivica Zubac
This lineup doesn’t look like a championship contender on paper but James has a habit of bringing out the best in his teams.
Here’s my ranking of the NBA teams as of this moment:
30. Atlanta Hawks
At the 2018 NBA Draft, the Hawks traded one potential superstar for another one with a bit more questions as to whether he can truly carry a team. Trae Young was the talk of college basketball early on before he and the Oklahoma Sooners fizzled out eventually. Can he avoid that fate in the NBA?
I doubt it and so he and the Hawks should stay at or near the bottom of the league next season.
Notable Players: Trae Young, Dennis Schroder, Taurean Prince, Kent Bazemore, Kevin Huerter, John Collins
29. Orlando Magic
Can Mohamed Bamba help the Magic get back to the playoffs? His defensive presence is what sets him apart from the rest of the other top picks. He will need the best of Aaron Gordon to do so but they will fall short again. Maybe next season?
Notable Players: Evan Fournier, Jonathon Simmons, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic, Mohamed Bamba
28. Brooklyn Nets
Kenny Atkinson can coach in this league and he has proven it with a respectable 28-54 record considering the fact that the Nets have no stars in its lineup. Without a superstar player, the Nets fought tooth-and-nail for an advantage and they will do so again this season. It may not result in more wins this time around, though.
Notable Players: D'Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Allen Crabbe, DeMarre Carroll, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Kenneth Faried
27. New York Knicks
If only Kristaps Porzingis can come back sooner. The Knicks need to be relevant again but they can’t until they get their All-Star center back. For the meantime, 2018 first-round pick Kevin Knox will be taking over for him. If his Summer League performance is any indication, he seems up to the task.
Just don’t expect the Knicks to make it to the playoffs this season, though. The 2019-2020 season can’t come soon enough for Knicks fans.
Notable Players: Trey Burke, Frank Ntilikina, Tim Hardaway Jr., Kevin Knox, Kristaps Porzingis, Enes Kanter
26. Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are hoping that lottery pick Miles Bridges turns out to be better than expected. If he teams up with Kemba Walker to bring a sense of stability to this team, then they will have a foundation for a team that needs one more All-Star to make them playoff contenders again. The addition of veteran point guard Tony Parker is a nice move by the front office but he’s not taking them anywhere.
Notable Players: Kemba Walker, Tony Parker, Malik Monk, Nicolas Batum, Miles Bridges, Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller
25. Cleveland Cavaliers
Without number 23 on the floor, the Cavs may be good for 30 wins, this time with All-Star Kevin Love leading the way and rookie Collin Sexton as the team’s future star.
Don’t sleep on Larry Nance Jr. and Ante Zizic as well, as these two could be part of the Cavs youth movement moving forward. GM Koby Altman says they won’t be tanking, of course, but that doesn’t mean they won’t experiment with young players getting more playing time than the veterans.
Coach Tyronn Lue’s tactical skills will be tested to the hilt.
Notable Players: Collin Sexton, George Hill, Kyle Korver, Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr., Tristan Thompson, Ante Zizic
24. Memphis Grizzlies
Finally! Grizzlies fans have something to look forward to when they watch their team every night this coming year. Jaren Jackson Jr. will soon take over this team and he’ll have plenty of veterans to learn from in this team such as Mike Conley Jr. and Marc Gasol. That won’t amount to much winning, but they are at least more exciting to watch this time.
Notable Players: Mike Conley Jr., Kyle Anderson, JaMychal Green, Jaren Jackson Jr., Marc Gasol
23. L.A. Clippers
The Clippers are rebuilding for the first time since Blake Griffin and Chris Paul started their annual run to the playoffs but they aren’t going to be tanking this season. They have a couple of really good young players from the draft in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson. They’re cornerstones for the Clips to build on in the coming years.
That means, they won’t be as fighting for a playoff spot anytime soon. They might be in the lottery again, but if that happens, it may be for the last time in a long while.
Notable players: Patrick Beverley, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Avery Bradley, Jerome Robinson, Lou Williams, Tobias Harris
22. Miami Heat
There is not much to look forward to, it seems, if you’re a Heat fan. Miami didn’t have a single first- or second-round draft pick last June and they are contemplating getting rid of Hassan Whiteside.
No one even knows for sure if Dwyane Wade will return next season. If everything from this team is almost the same as last season, don’t be surprised to see them out of the playoffs despite the steady play of All-Star Goran Dragic and the emergence of Josh Richardson.
Notable players: Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, Dion Waiters, Dwyane Wade, Josh Richardson, Kelly Olynyk, Hassan Whiteside
21. Chicago Bulls
Jabari Parker is now with the Bulls. Along with 2018 first-rounder Wendell Carter Jr., Chicago now has a great collection of young talent. The only question is how these parts will fit together. They need veterans at this point and the front office has to decide which of these players they really want to keep and who to let go of because it’s hard to see a team that’s so young make an impact next season.
Because of their youth and inexperience, I don’t see the Bulls having a breakout year even with sensational rookie Lauri Markkanen having a year under his belt.
Notable Players: Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, Jabari Parker, Lauri Markkanen, Bobby Portis, Wendell Carter Jr.
20. Sacramento Kings
De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic will have a couple of new young teammates alongside them in Marvin Bagley and Harry Giles. That’s a pretty good core of kids to build on. Zach Randolph is really going to feel his age with this group as their mentor.
But until they can get their defense in order (28th in the league last season), the Kings won’t get anywhere despite the talent on their roster.
These youngsters have an opportunity to grow together which means a lot of growing pains. The Kings will have to wait a season or two before they can get back on the playoff track.
Notable Players: De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Harry Giles, Marvin Bagley, Zach Randolph, Willie Cauley-Stein
19. Dallas Mavericks
For the first time in years, the Mavericks may be knocking on the door of the playoffs if not barging in entirely. The acquisition of DeAndre Jordan and drafting potential superstar Luka Doncic makes this a summer worth remembering for the Mavs. If they can translate potential to reality then Dirk Nowkitzki can retire in peace knowing that his mentorship is finally over.
Notable Players: Dennis Smith Jr., Luka Doncic, Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki, DeAndre Jordan
18. Detroit Pistons
With the departure of coach Stan Van Gundy, and an entire training camp with Blake Griffin, the Pistons should do better in 2018-19 than last season’s 39-43 record.
If Griffin stays healthy long enough, he and Andre Drummond will rebound from the inconsistent performances that the team showed since the trade for Griffin.
Notable Players: Ish Smith, Reggie Jackson, Reggie Bullock, Luke Kennard, Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond
17. Phoenix Suns
The future is brighter than the Suns can ever hope for with rookie center DeAndre Ayton showing that he’s the real deal in Summer Camp. Joined by fellow rookie Mikal Bridges and the team’s young core headed by superstar-in-the-making Devin Booker, look for Phoenix to show an improvement of at least 10 games from last season.
Notable Players: Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, Mikal Bridges, Trevor Ariza, T.J. Warren, Marquesse Chriss, DeAndre Ayton
16. Minnesota Timberwolves
As much as the Timberwolves took the next step in becoming a championship contender last season after making the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season, it’s unclear whether they will continue that upward trend. Rumors of team chemistry issues between All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns as well with coach Tom Thibodeau and the front office could cause this team to implode.
If they are all just rumors, the Timberwolves should be slightly better than last year. If they are true, this team will be taking two steps backward with a trade possibly happening before the trade deadline.
Notable Players: Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose, Josh Okogie, Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins, Keita Bates-Diop, Taj Gibson, Karl-Anthony Towns
15. Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard is still a Blazer and unless they do anything drastic to the roster, the team will stay competitive but may not get very far.
The Blazers are close to mediocrity but they make the regular season competitive enough to raise fans’ hopes up before they falter in the playoffs. Expect the Blazers to come up short and lose in the first round again this coming season.
Notable Players: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Anfernee Simons, Evan Turner, Al-Farouq Aminu, Jusuf Nurkic
14. Milwaukee Bucks
From among the teams that made the playoffs, the Bucks are the most unpredictable team of the upcoming season. They were mostly average for much of the regular season but then they nearly defeated the Celtics in the first round of the postseason.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will be much better this time around and there’s a lot to be excited about if you’re a Bucks fan especially with the development of Khris Middleton as Antetokounmpo’s second-in-command. Their future is one to look forward to.
Notable Players: Eric Bledsoe, Donte DiVincenzo, Malcolm Brogdon, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez
13. Oklahoma City Thunder
Their Big Three experiment failed last season but this year, don’t expect Carmelo Anthony to be back. The Thunder could benefit from this addition by subtraction since Melo never truly gelled with the team at all. With the offense focused on Russell Westbrook and Paul George, the jury is still out on what OKC can really do.
They will be competitive every night against most teams because of their two superstars but that’s it.
Notable Players: Russell Westbrook, Raymond Felton, Andre Roberson, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony (for now), Jerami Grant, Steven Adams
12. Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic is the real deal and so are the Nuggets. Missing the playoffs by a hair, there is a lot to like about this team especially with Gary Harris, Jamal Murray and Will Burton leading the team aside from Jokic. If rookie Michael Porter Jr. turns out better than expected, they could vault three notches higher on this list.
They also added Isaiah Thomas for bench depth on a very friendly veteran deal.
Notable Players: Gary Harris, Isaiah Thomas, Jamal Murray, Will Burton, Michael Porter Jr., Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokic
11. Washington Wizards
The Wizards traded starting center Marcin Gortat for Austin Rivers to add guard depth to one of the league’s best backcourts with John Wall and Bradley Beal. With Dwight Howard and Jeff Green signing with the Wizards, they vaulted ahead of four other teams on this list. The Wizards showed how good they were when Wall was out and they won games with regularity. Coach Scott Brooks brings out the best in this squad, making them one of the best teams in the East.
Notable Players: John Wall, Tomas Satoransky, Bradley Beal, Austin Rivers, Otto Porter Jr., Jeff Green, Markieff Morris, Dwight Howard
10. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans will be facing the new season with a different team from the one that started last season. Gone are Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins who went to different teams at the beginning of free agency. In their place stands the Lakers’ Julius Randle at the power forward spot which gives the team a different look compared to Cousins. Rather than improve, however, New Orleans has downgraded, and unless Davis can carry this team for an entire season, they won’t be able to replicate last season’s success.
Notable players: Jrue Holiday, Elfrid Payton, E’Twaun Moore, Nikola Mirotic, Julius Randle, Anthony Davis
9. Indiana Pacers
For a fifth seed in the East, the Pacers showed the swagger and toughness of a third seed. They nearly took down James and the Cavs in the first round of the playoffs, giving Indiana fans something great to look forward to next season. The Pacers look ready for primetime and it won’t be a surprise to me if they play beyond everyone’s expectations. Victor Oladipo has shown to be a capable leader, one who can carry a team to greater heights.
Notable players: Darren Collison, Victor Oladipo, Bojan Bogdanovic, Thaddeus Young, Myles Turner
8. Utah Jazz
Everyone thought that the loss of Gordon Hayward was going to end the Jazz and see them spiraling down to the bottom of the standings. Instead, they played even better with sensational rookie Donovan Mitchell leading the charge offensively and 2017-18 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert leading the way on defense.
Expect better things from the Jazz this season.
Notable players: Ricky Rubio, Dante Exum, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Derek Favors, Rudy Gobert
7. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are wondering what their lineup will look like next season after losing Tony Parker to the Charlotte Hornets, Kyle Anderson to the Memphis Grizzlies and Kawhi Leonard to whichever L.A. team (or another team) he wants to play for.
No matter who’s left on the roster, however, San Antonio will still be one of the best teams in the league. That’s how good coach Gregg Popovich is. Unfortunately, Pop can’t weave a magic spell that will make his team championship caliber.
Notable players: Dejounte Murray, Danny Green, Manu Ginobili, Lonnie Walker IV, Kawhi Leonard (for now), Pau Gasol, Rudy Gay, LaMarcus Aldridge
6. Toronto Raptors
With their tormentor gone to the West, the Raptors can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Toronto ranked in the top five in offensive and defensive rating last season and if they continue that trend, they will surprise us again perhaps with another top seed finish in the Eastern Conference. The Kyle Lowry-DeMar DeRozan era in Toronto is not done yet.
Notable players: Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, DeMar DeRozan, CJ Miles, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, Serge Ibaka, Jonas Valanciunas
5. Philadelphia 76ers
The Process is complete. The ring is the next goal for the young superstars of the Sixers. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are going to be All-Stars for years to come and next season is the next step in their journey towards becoming relevant again. With more experience and maturity, Philly is a very dangerous team. I see them in the Eastern Conference Finals next year.
Notable players: Markelle Fultz, Ben Simmons, J.J. Redick, Robert Covington, Zhaire Smith, Dario Saric, Joel Embiid
4. Houston Rockets
Re-signing Chris Paul was supposed to be the most talked about move from the Rockets but instead, they are left with questions about their ability to remain competitive in the West. They have already lost Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah Moute to free agency but the other member of Houston’s Big Three is still unsigned.
Clint Capella was phenomenal for the Rockets last season and he should continue to be the anchor to their defense if they can keep him. Unless they shore up their depleted roster, the Rockets could slide to as far down as number six in these rankings.
Notable players: Chris Paul, James Harden, Eric Gordon, Gerald Green, Ryan Anderson, Nene Hilario
3. L.A. Lakers
The Lakers are a very good team when you consider how much better Ball, Hart, Ingram and Kuzma will be this coming season. Add James, Rondo, and the rest of the free agent signings and this team has the makings of a team that could challenge the Warriors…eventually.
They’re not at the elite level yet until they can show us that their defense can handle the Warriors and the Celtics. But unlike James’ Cavs from a year ago, this team is better defensively both as individuals and as a team. The mystery man for this team is Luol Deng who not too long ago was one of the best defenders in the league and could score a little bit, too. The problem is, he hasn’t played for so long that no one knows how good, or bad, he is.
Notable Players: LeBron James, Rajon Rondo, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Lance Stephenson, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee
2. Boston Celtics
There are few NBA teams with as bright a future as the Celtics. They have arguably the best combination of young, up-and-coming stars and All-Star veterans in their roster that it’s hard to imagine them not winning the East next season.
Despite questions about Kyrie Irving’s future and whether he will be traded to another team prior to the season opener or not, the Celtics are formidable enough to beat any team in their conference regardless.
Notable Players: Kyrie Irving, Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Morris, Al Horford, Robert Williams
1. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are the defending champions and until anyone can beat them four times out of seven, they will continue to be champs especially next season when they have DeMarcus Cousins as their fifth All-Star in the lineup. The only way to beat them is for teams to play great individual defense and also hope they beat themselves.
Notable players: Stephen Curry, Shaun Livingston, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, DeMarcus Cousins, Jordan Bell
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