The 2015-16 NBA preview is in preparation for the 2015-16 season, which is just a few hours away. With the season starting soon it also brings some excitement and anticipation for fans all over the country.
This season, we’ll be taking a look at the different NBA teams and ranking them in tiers. There will be five tiers in total, coupled with the teams projected starting lineup, record and finish in the conference.
This tier is featuring teams that have some big aspirations going into the 2015-16 season. They’re either right on the cusp to contend for a championship or just missing something, for one reason or another, holding them back from reaching that title goal. These following teams have what it takes and if everything breaks right, they could be contending for an NBA title next June.
12. New Orleans Pelicans
Projected Starting lineup: Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Dante Cunningham, Anthony Davis, Omer Asik
Key bench players: Eric Gordon, Alexis Ajinca, Ryan Anderson, Norris Cole, Quincy Pondexter
Record last year: 45-37 Western Conference finish last year: 8th
Projected Record: 48-34 Projected Western conference finish: 7th
As ‘Grantland’ writer Zach Lowe put it, Anthony Davis is limitless. That’s as true of a fact as any but everyone else around him is very expendable and often injured. Going into their first game with the Golden State Warriors, the Pelicans are going to have limited performances from Jrue Holiday and Omer Asik along with Norris Cole, Tyreke Evans and Alexis Ajinca all possibly missing the opener due to injuries of their own. If the Pelicans can field a healthy squad, with off-ball shooters in Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson and Norris Cole, guys who can make their own plays in Holiday and Evans along with defensive versatility from Quincy Pondexter and Dante Cunningham and rim protection in Asik and Ajinca, the Pelicans can make some noise in the Western Conference. Their only issue is, they’re usually never healthy. If things start to spiral out of control early, with Davis under a new contract, don’t be surprised if some of their more movable contracts – like Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, Omer Asik, Alexis Ajinca – get moved for younger pieces or picks. Davis is locked up for the next five years so it might be time to build a team that he can play with and not hope will take the floor with him every night.
11. Toronto Raptors
Projected Starting lineup: Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, DeMarre Carroll, Patrick Patterson, Jonas Valanciunas
Key bench players: Cory Joseph, Terrence Ross, Luis Scola, Bismack Biyombo
Record last year: 49-33 Eastern Conference finish last year: 4th
Projected Record: 47-35 Projected Eastern conference finish: 5th
The Toronto Raptors made one of the best, sneaky moves of the offseason. Out of nowhere, as soon as free agency started, they signed DeMarre Carroll. Carroll’s talents on the first place Atlanta Hawks were put on full display last season. He defended every teams best perimeter player, he spaced the floor to shoot or drive to the basket and he did all of the dirty work that other players wouldn’t do. He’s going to help the Raptors immensely in those areas, considering they haven’t had a lockdown, ‘three and D’ perimeter player in this current era of the team. Toronto is looking to also play him at the four and it might be needed because the Raptors frontline is weak. They lost Amir Johnson, a rim protecting rebounding big man, to the Boston Celtics and they didn’t bring anyone in that could replace his production, unless you count Bismack Biyombo. Jonas Valanciunas was re-signed to a long-term deal this summer and he could be a focal point of the offense on the interior but he’s yet to prove that he is a threat to average 20 points, 10 rebounds. This team will go as far as a slimmer Kyle Lowry and DeMar Derozan will take them. DeMar has incentive to turn out this season considering he is in a contract year along with Terrence Ross but will those two perimeter power dunkers be able to show more versatility in their game to make the Raptors a serious threat?
10. Chicago Bulls
Projected Starting lineup: Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Tony Snell, Nikola Mirotic, Pau Gasol
Key bench players: Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott
Record last year: 50-32 Eastern Conference finish last year: 3rd
Projected Record: 50-32 Projected Eastern conference finish: 4th
Chicago is a team that has a lot of repeating parts, so, why not have their record repeat from last year? As expected, Derrick Rose is entering the season with an injury, reportedly Jimmy Butler has a problem with Rose and Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson are on the trading block. Just another day in Chicago. This team is missing something but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. They have legit interior defense with Noah and Gibson, Gasol and Mirotic are two offensively gifted forwards and the backcourt of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler, when healthy, is one of the best in the league. They’re just a team who’s been doing it with the same core of guys for so long so eventually there has to be a breaking point. With a new coach in Chicago, this might be the time for the Bulls to make sure everyone knows it is Jimmy Butler’s team or they might go down fighting to keep this roster intact.
9. Memphis Grizzlies
Projected Starting lineup: Mike Conley, Courtney Lee, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol
Key bench players: Jeff Green, Brandan Wright, Matt Barnes, Beno Udrih
Record last year: 55-27 Western Conference finish last year: 5th
Projected Record: 52-30 Projected Western conference finish: 6th
For the last few years, the knock on the Memphis Grizzlies was their perimeter shooting. They didn’t do much in the offseason to address that need, possibly due to the fact that they still have Courtney Lee and Jeff Green on the roster. They aren’t knockdown three-point shooters but they can hit an open shot when the defense is focused on the interior. Marc Gasol is locked with a new big money, long-term deal but Mike Conley is a free agent in 2016 and he is one of the most, if not the most coveted, guard on the impending free agency market. That could play a part in the progression of Conley into All-Star status and beyond, considering he’s way overdue to take that next step. How will Matt Barnes help the Grizzlies? Well, he’ll just be a better overall version of Tony Allen, a great perimeter defender who can hit some open shots and won’t be as much of a liability on the offensive end. The most intimidating frontline in the NBA of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph paired with Conley is always going to do some sort of damage but unfortunately for them, they’re in the Western Conference slaughterhouse.
8. Miami Heat
Projected Starting lineup: Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, Hassan Whiteside
Key bench players: Gerald Green, Mario Chalmers, Amar’e Stoudemire, Justise Winslow
Record last year: 37-45 Eastern Conference finish last year: 10th
Projected Record: 52-30 Projected Eastern conference finish: 3rd
The Miami Heat, along with the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder, are poised to make a big jump in wins and get back into the playoffs with a returning star. Chris Bosh missed the second half of last season due to his battle with blood clots in his lungs and the Heat did all they could to try to stay in some sort of contention for a playoff spot. Once it was clear they weren’t going to make any noise, they focused on developing the chemistry between Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside in preperation for Bosh’s return. What they didn’t expect was the additions of rookie Justise Winslow and veteran scorers Gerald Green and Amar’e Stoudemire on really cheap contracts. The Heat have one of the deepest teams in the league and they could make a serious run at the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. If their biggest concern is the possible decline of Hassan Whiteside, then that should be the least of the Heat’s worries. Chris Bosh can always bump down to center, put Whiteside on the bench and allow either Stoudemire or Josh McRoberts to play alongside Bosh, which wouldn’t be a bad option. Miami will be fine and if healthy, they should be one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference with one of the best backcourts in the NBA.
7. Washington Wizards
Projected Starting lineup: John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, Nene, Marcin Gortat
Key bench players: Kris Humphries, Kelly Oubre Jr, Jared Dudley, Gary Neal
Record last year: 46-36 Eastern Conference finish last year: 5th
Projected Record: 53-29 Projected Eastern conference finish: 2nd
I know, I know. The Wizards, second in the Eastern Conference? Over 50 wins for the first time since their last NBA finals appearance in the 1970’s? Who did they add? Well, it’s not about who they added more about what their future might look like. The writing is one the Wall, literally, in Washington. They’re going to chase Kevin Durant in 2016 so this team and their long-term assets need to perform to convince KD to come to DC. John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter and Kelly Oubre Jr are all young, skilled players that may be around next year if Durant decides to come to DC. John Wall appears to be poised to take the next step and contend for the MVP this season after his stellar and underrated season in 2014-15 when he averaged 17 points per game and 10 assists per game. Since 1980, there’s only been one MVP who averaged less than 20 points per game and Steve Nash did in back-to-back MVP seasons. If John Wall leads this team to 53 wins and the second seed in the Eastern Conference, don’t be surprised if John Wall is being considered one of the best in the league. He’s that damn good. For the Wizards as a team, it appears they’re going to be embracing the fast-paced style that was successful for them in the playoffs. They lost Paul Pierce but according to all reports, the team learned a ton from him in his lone season in the National’s capital. They supplemented his loss by adding Jared Dudley in free agency and Oubre in a draft day trade and that should be enough to repeat his output. The Wizards have the best backcourt in the Eastern Conference right now and with Bradley Beal in a contract year of his own, this might be the year Washington makes that next step.
