2015 NBA Power Rankings
Posted By: Brian Bayless Last Updated: September, 6, 2015
- Philadelphia 76ers: The 76ers will be beastly in a year from now as they have 4 2016 first round picks. Right now the 76ers are a doormat team in the NBA.
- Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets have a guy in point guard Emmanuel Mudiay that will blossom over time. Until Denver builds around Mudiay, there team is garbage.
- Portland Trailblazers: The Trail Blazers were the best mediocre team in the league as Jesse pointed out. Losing 4 starters including Aldridge and Lopez on the front court makes them a bottom five team. Lillard needs better players around him. I think Portland regresses.
- New York Knicks Carmelo quit on this team last season. I lost all respect for him because of that because I loved how he played dating back to Syracuse. That being said, I like the addition of Robin Lopez. If Jerian Grant starts right away this could be a playoff team in a year from now.
- Utah Jazz: Utah does not have a quality center. The Jazz don't have a sixth man behind Trey Burke.
- Orlando Magic: The Magic need a point guard that can average at least 10 points per game. Elfrid Payton needs to be replaced.
- Boston Celtics: The Celtics aren't playing any of their highly touted 2015 draft picks. The Celtics are going to struggle in 2015.
- Phoenix Suns: Phoenix looked like a team that would make the Western Conference Semifinals at midseason. They don't have a big at center, and replacing Goran Dragic with Brandon Knight seemed foolish since it affected the team chemistry.
- Dallas Mavericks: Dallas lost Monta Ellis at shooting guard. With Dirk getting up there in age something tells me the Mavericks end up being a bottom 10 team in 2015.
- Indiana Pacers: The Pacers lost Roy Hibbert. Myles Turner was very lackluster against Kentucky which is why I think parting ways with Hibbert hurt the Pacers more than it helped them.
- Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies are gonna have a lot of players in contract years next season. Something tells me the Grizzlies will implode or get rid of some of their players and rebuild similar to what Portland has to do after this season by finding other starters to compliment Marc Gasol when Mike Conley Jr., Courtney Lee, and Jeff Green become Free Agents.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Greg Monroe should be playing the 4 instead of the 5 and Parker should be playing the 3 instead of the 4. The Buck stops here as Milwaukee fails to make the 2016 NBA Playoffs.
- New Orleans Pelicans: The Pelicans have 4 quality starters along with the NBA's highest paid athlete in Anthony Davis. If the Pelicans can get a center that averages 10 points per game then they could win a series and make a playoff run.
- Brooklyn Nets: After last season the Nets can’t be happy about hour the current season is starting to unfold. Brooklyn could compete for an 8 seed or 7 seed. The Nets' need upgrades at both guard positions before they win a playoff series.
- Sacramento Kings: I got Sacramento surprising a lot of people getting the 8 seed in the Western Conference. The Kings have an awesome starting five and it's time for them to put everything together.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Minnesota has a legit startring five and quality depth players at the guard position. This team could realistically make the Western Conference Semifinals in a year from now if they had enough common sense to part ways with Flip Saunders.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Jordan Clarkson, Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, Julius Randle, Roy Hibbert. That's just the starting five. You also got quality bench players in D'Angelo Russell as a sixth man at point guard, Lou Williams who averaged 15.5 points per game last season along with former Boston Celtic Brandon Baas who will compliment Randle well as a backup power forward while being a guy who can step in if Randle gets injured again. I like the Lakers, and I think they can push the Clippers to 6 or 7 games if Kobe is healthy. That's the big if though because many realize that the Lakers are no longer the best NBA Team in Los Angeles.
- Detroit Pistons: The Pistons got a steal in Stanley Johnson. I don't like the power forward they got to replace Greg Monroe, but he averaged 10 points per game.
- Charlotte Hornets: For some reason, like the Pistons, I have this gut feeling the Hornets will be a sleeper in the East. If Frank Kaminsky ends up starting, I think a Eastern Conference Semifinals appearance may be in the cards. Upgrades at shooting guard and power forward are still needed though.
- Miami Heat: The Heat have a starting five and quality backups. If everyone stays healthy, they could play Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals. Ranking them that high at this point seems premature though.
- Toronto Raptors: The Raptors should win their division again. I'm not sure the Raptors will win a playoff series though.
- Washington Wizards: The Wizards are a top 5 Eastern Conference Team. Making the Eastern Conference Semifinals the last two years has certainly helped them out. I got the Wizards losing in the opening round this time around.
- Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks lost their starting small forward. There's no way they dominate in the regular season like they did last year.
- Houston Rockets: Houston is one of those teams with quality starters and backups at every position. The Rockets could win the Western Conference. If the Rockets did win the West, they'd probably lose to the Cavaliers or Bulls in the 2016 NBA Finals.
- Chicago Bulls: The Chicago Bulls can be lethal when healthy. This team dealt with a ton of injuries last season. Realistically, I think the Bulls are the only team that can push Cleveland to seven games in the Eastern Conference at this point.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder will be much more disciplined defensively under Billy Donovan. Having Russell Westbrook, Jeremy Lamb, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka, and Enes Kanter in your starting five when healthy combined with Donovan's defensive game plan makes this a top 5 team in the NBA. I still don't think Durant has enough skill players to beat LeBron in the NBA Finals should they have a rematch for the first time since 2012.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs will win the Eastern Conference with ease. Despite this there are 3 teams in the Western Conference that would beat them in a best of 7 series.
- San Antonio Spurs: San Antonio has good starting five for the next two seasons. The addition of LaMarcus Aldridge was huge. San Antonio has Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Tim Duncan in their starting five. The Spurs are a team that I think could end up in the Western Conference Finals. Still they have to get by the two teams ranked ahead of them.
- Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers have premium starters and backups on every position in their lineup. This team has more talent than the 2008 Celtics team. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul need to put their acting skills in commercials aside and help the Clippers win a championship here. THere's too much talent for the Clippers not to reach the Western Conference Finals with all the talent they brought in.
- Golden State Warriors: I think the Warriors will repeat and start a dynasty in the NBA. All of the Warriors' starters from the 2015 NBA Finals team that won it all are returning. If Golden State fails to go all the way, then the Spurs or Clippers will be your new NBA Champions in 2016.