On the 8's

I will post monthly power rankings on the 8th of every month. This month is the preseason rankings!

30. Sacramento Kings

• Almost every team improved, including Sacramento. But that’s the problem for the Kings. Marvin Bagley’s ceiling is off the charts but he’s a high risk, high reward player. Not having their 2019 pick is devastating to a team which needs one more core piece next to Bagley and DeAaron Fox. They won’t try to lose games but it is going to be awfully difficult in a division (yes those are still a thing) full of playoff competitors and a much improved Phoenix. Sorry Kings fans :(

29. Brooklyn Nets

• While Brooklyn hasn’t improved due to their lack of draft picks, they keep adding and experimenting with pieces. Kenny Atkinson is a top tier coach and should be able to keep this team on the upward trajectory. Getting a draft pick in 2019 will be huge for a franchise which desperately needs something positive.

28. Atlanta Hawks

• The Hawks are difficult to gauge. If Trae Young puts up volume stats, the Hawks might win more games than they should expect to. This is a team still in the midst of a rebuild but continuing to improve. Trae plus John Collins should be a really fun combo to watch. Taurean Prince should continue to get better as well. Atlanta should be better but by how much is debatable.

27. New York Knicks

• Without Kristaps Porzingis out for most of the season, the Knicks won’t be very good. Kevin Knox is legit and should get lots of chances with KP out. But without complementary pieces, the Knicks will be feasted on by teams desperate to make the playoffs. If Porzingis returns healthy and Knox has proven he is the real deal then maybe New York can sneak into the playoffs. KD is their messiah.

Photo: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

26. Chicago Bulls

• The Bulls might not play any defense this year but they will score a lot of points. Kris Dunn is just average and only his defense keeps him from being a benchwarmer. This year is all about finding out which players will remain in the Bulls core next to Markkanen and Carter. With Markkanen out for the first 6–8 weeks of the season, the Bulls aren’t likely to win a lot of games but they will still be exciting and shoot a lot of 3's.

25. Orlando Magic

• Classic Orlando. They didn’t improve much at all and their rotations make no sense. No point guard and lots of centers. Aaron Gordon should continue getting better and maybe even grab an Eastern Conference All-Star spot. But this team won’t win many games and hopefully, they realize that getting a chance at RJ Barrett is their best option.

24. Phoenix Suns

• Phoenix improved the most out of the lottery teams and should make a nice jump. Devin Booker is ready to compete for an All-Star spot (but he won’t get it) and Ayton should compete for Rookie of the Year. Trevor Ariza will bring a stabilizing presence for the youthful wings and forwards who need help learning defense. If the core of Josh Jackson, DeAndre Ayton, and Devin Booker instantly gel, this team could have competed in the East. That doesn’t even include Mikal Bridges, who can contribute right away. It’s just too bad the West is stacked more than any conference maybe ever.

23. Dallas Mavericks

• Doncic for ROY. Lob City has moved to Dallas and this team should be a lot of fun to watch with their current roster. They will be better than last year, probably by a good margin. If Luka really is as ready as he seems to be, Dallas might be in the battle for the 8th seed. It will be interesting to see how Dennis Smith Jr. and Doncic share ball handling capabilities but Rick Carlisle won’t have time for any ego battles. It is likely that Doncic needs at least a year to learn the differences between EuroLeague and the NBA but he is the most experienced rookie in this year’s class.

22. Charlotte Hornets

• I don’t understand this team’s direction. They are capped out and have a roster with a bunch of average players who could have been more if injuries weren’t a thing. They are relying on a new coach to pull more out of this team than just a lottery spot. Kemba Walker will compete for another All-Star spot in a weakened East and maybe if Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Nicholas Batum can find some offense, the Hornets might be a fringe playoff team. Malik Monk has shooter’s blood in him but he wasn’t given much of a chance under Steve Clifford. It will be interesting to see how he progresses under new coaching. They need to keep Kemba happy or else this franchise will be in the dumps for a long time.

21. Cleveland Cavs

• It is very obvious that Cleveland will be worse this year, but how much is all anyone can talk about. Is Kevin Love ready to capture some of his Minnesota days? Just how good will Collin Sexton be? Is Tyronn Lue a top tier coach (he’s certainly good)? Without LeBron, the media will be less focused on Cleveland but the pressure to just be competitive is still on. I hope this team competes for a playoff spot, I really do.

20. Miami Heat

• Miami should be about the same as last year, just alright. They haven’t improved much or gotten worse and were a playoff team last year so I would expect about the same this year. Josh Richardson could take another leap and Justice Winslow could continue to shoot better. That might bump this team up a few spots during the year but the Heat are stuck in mediocrity for now.

19. Los Angeles Clippers

• The last parts of Lob City have left with DJ, Blake, and CP3 all on separate teams. The Clippers have done a good job of pivoting, building a roster that is just missing a superstar to be a contender. Tobias Harris is legit, and the two new guards (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson) will be solid pieces. Marcin Gortat is a nice replacement for DJ but he is on the wrong side of his career now. It seems unlikely that this team will grab one of the coveted Western playoff spots but they were right there last year and maybe they can make it happen. They would easily make it in the East.

18. Detroit Pistons

• Detroit should be able to make the playoffs in the East, anything less would be a disappointment. Dwayne Casey should be able to maximize the talents of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond. A healthy Reggie Jackson should be enough to run an offense which could be pretty good. The common thread is the word should. The pressure is on for a team that has been mediocre for a few years now and made a desperate move for Blake. They need to show positive movement and that starts with the playoffs.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves

• Pre-Jimmy Trade Request: I don’t know if Minnesota will be better this year, they are one of the toughest teams to gauge. The now public rift between Karl Anthony-Towns and Jimmy Butler could destroy this team from the inside. Or, they could come together and take the leap many expected in the past couple years.
• Post-Jimmy Trade Request: Yikes, well I guess that is over. It seems like neither side is willing to give in, causing the real turmoil. Whenever he does eventually get traded, it becomes entirely up to KAT and Wiggins to keep this team afloat. We could see historic seasons from them or the Wolves are falling back into the lottery. I’m not convinced yet.

16. Washington Wizards

• Washington should improve if they remain healthy. Bradley Beal and John Wall are still a fearsome duo and a top five backcourt. Moving off Gortat was probably the right move, but Wall is the cause of the chemistry issues. Throwing in Austin Rivers will help balance the backcourt and give the Wizards a chance to try out some three guard rotations. They will compete for the 4th/5th seed in the East and this is their time to make a big playoff run. The Wizards are on the hot seat to make a leap and if it doesn’t happen, the move-on from John Wall chatter will pick up more.

15. Denver Nuggets

• The Nuggets improved more than Minnesota and will hopefully get a fully healthy Paul Millsap for most of the year. Nikola Jokic is ready to take on the superstar role and the backcourt is full of talent. Denver is a revved-up Bulls team, putting up huge offensive stats while being porous on defense. This team needs to make the playoffs, even in a packed West. Anything less would be a disappointment.

14. Portland Trail Blazers

• Portland was absolutely destroyed by New Orleans in the 2018 playoffs. Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday completely shut down the Blazers and in the offseason, Portland didn’t make any noticeable improvements. They are relying on Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to take yet another leap and push Portland into the second tier of Western Conference teams. If things start off slowly in the season, they might try to break up the backcourt via a trade. It seems that the era of Dame Dolla and C3J are on their last legs.

13. Memphis Grizzlies

• Memphis fell apart without their stars, as could be expected. This may have turned into a blessing as they added Jaren Jackson Jr. through the draft. He should contribute immediately and play well alongside Marc Gasol. Both centers can space the floor and are effective defenders. Jackson could be the piece that pushes them back into contention but he is just a rookie. The Grizzlies should be able to compete for a playoff spot but if Marc and Mike Conley have health issues or decline, they will be right back in the lottery.

12. San Antonio Spurs

• Poor San Antonio. The Spurs made mistakes with Kawhi Leonard and let some things leak which ultimately hurt their stance but let’s not get too crazy. Kawhi went AWOL on the Spurs and no one in the public sphere really knows what he wants. They still won 47 games and stole a game from Golden State in the playoffs despite all that noise. Trading for DeMar DeRozan will at the least keep this team in the mix of a stacked West (did I mention that already?). The Spurs may not make a lot of threes but DeRozan and Aldridge should be able to put up almost 50 points between them. Dejounte Murray should continue his progress and be a nightmare on defense. The Spurs likely starting lineup wouldn’t seem like a contender but who knows what Pop can cook up in his final push for another title.

11. Milwaukee Bucks

• Giannis. Giannis. Giannis. It’s time for him to become an MVP. Their new coach Mike Budenholzer did incredible things in Atlanta and should be able to do the same for Milwaukee. The Bucks are loaded with talent but haven’t meshed together well. Moving on from Jabari proves Giannis is the future of the franchise and that everything they do will support his growth. The ceiling of this team is over 50 wins and competing in the East. They will probably fall somewhere more in the middle, looking at the 4th/5th seed. This ranking seems high but Giannis and Coach Bud could be enough to catapult them into the Finals.

alysha-tsuji/USA Today

10. New Orleans Pelicans

• No more Boogie, good or bad? The Pelicans looked really good without Cousins around but missing a top ten player will always hurt. Julius Randle will be motivated to be the right complement to Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday should continue his second coming out party (this time with defense!). Without Boogie, it is hard to know what the ceiling of this team is. Anthony Davis will compete for the MVP and maybe push to be the best player in the league. But it doesn’t seem like they can compete with GS and Houston, not without another star alongside Davis.

9. Indiana Pacers

• Is this the year of Myles Turner? Victor Oladipo made the superstar leap and Indiana only improved in the offseason. The complements to Oladipo supported him well and Indiana pushed the Cavs as hard as the Celtics. Adding spark plugs like Tyreke Evans gives them some scoring when Oladipo rests. The big question mark is Turner. He looks beefed up in offseason workouts and he has all the tools to be an All-Star in the East. If he makes a jump, Indiana will compete for the Eastern title. If not, then maybe they only improve a few wins. Indiana is all about the playoffs and moving past the first round. It seems likely this year.

8. Utah Jazz

• The Jazz were one of the better Western Conference teams, exceeding all expectations. Donovan Mitchell is special and loves Utah, something that hasn’t happened maybe ever? The players around Mitchell suit him perfectly, adding lots of complementary abilities. Rudy Gobert anchors a defense that suffocates teams. Joe Ingles played better than Paul George in their playoff series, and Ricky Rubio made Russell Westbrook so salty. If Mitchell continues to progress into superstardom, the Jazz could maybe keep pace with Houston or Golden State (not beat them quite yet).

7. Philadelphia 76ers

• The Sixers struck out on every superstar in the 2018 offseason but that’s alright. No one expected 50 wins from this team last year and people are questioning how much higher they can go. The health of Joel Embiid matters more than anything for Philly. Zhaire Smith is already injured, keeping up the Process curse. The second biggest piece is Markelle Fultz. I am a believer in his abilities, and as a homer of the 76ers, I am counting on him playing like a number one pick. Ben Simmons should continue being awesome and improve at the rate he needs to. The complementary pieces, such as JJ Redick and now Wilson Chandler, will give the young stars necessary rest without the offense dropping off a cliff. Many people see this as another holdover year and that Philly will add something new in 2019 but that’s a whole year away. The 76ers should push for a spot in the Eastern Conference finals and maybe the Finals itself.

6. Los Angeles Lakers

• Any team with LeBron is a top 10 and usually top 5 team. The Lakers young core grew a lot last year under Luke Walton and will continue being better learning from LeBron and the wave of vets they brought in. They are a contender but only by the virtue of LeBron. It is likely this year is just the feeling out for how LeBron can gel with a young core and then in the summer of 2019, they can continue pursuing stars. No matter what, the Lakers are set having LeBron for at least three years. They will always be in the contender’s conversation until LeBron is in a wheelchair.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder

• Addition by subtraction is one potential way for this team to get better. Getting rid of Melo and committing to their current roster is a good sign. This is a team that wants to contend and Paul George wants to prove all the doubters wrong for not going to the Lakers. They should have a fire that wasn’t really there last year. The role players will do their job and Steven Adams will continue being a beast on the glass. Adding Dennis Schroeder should give them a backup playmaker and someone who could close some games. Ultimately, it comes down to Russ. How much Russ does Russ things could sway the balance positively or negatively but sometimes that’s just what you get with the best players in the league.

4. Toronto Raptors

• This is simple. Healthy, MVP level Kawhi means title contender and competing for the top spot in the East. Moody, not healthy Kawhi could implode the Raptors and prevent Nick Nurse from being the awesome coach he should be. I absolutely hope for the former, a healthy Kawhi would be great for the league and one of the few positive storylines for a weak East.

3. Houston Rockets

• Houston didn’t improve and their roster has aged a year. The basketball gods really hated on Houston last year and only a historically bad shooting night kept them from likely winning the title. Trevor Ariza was so key defensively but they had to let him go. Clint Capela was upset about his contract negotiations and might lose some motivation with all the money he has now. Chris Paul will continue to decline, as will PJ Tucker. The wildcard is James Harden. We’ve seen what maximizing his talents does for an offense and he is clearly one of the best isolation scorers ever. Harden is in his prime and continually adding new tricks to a ridiculous arsenal. If Harden shoots a little better and keeps up his effort on defense, he might keep Houston on par with Golden State. We will wait and see.

2. Boston Celtics

• Boston is more ready than Toronto, plain and simple. The NBA hasn’t seen healthy Kawhi for a while so there is just no idea how good he can be. Boston was a LeBron classic away from the finals. It’s likely they would have lost to Golden State anyways but maybe they could have won a game or two at home. Not including Kyrie and Gordon Hayward, the Celtics could still compete for the top spot in the East. Jayson Tatum looks like the next great wing superstar and Jaylen Brown has continued to improve at a faster pace than Paul George did. They brought back Marcus Smart who was vital in the playoffs and still have Scary Terry Rozier and a bunch of other great role players. Lastly, Brad Stevens is one of the three best coaches in the league and a wizard. Now add a player who made arguably the most clutch shot in Finals history with Kyrie Irving and an All-Star who grew drastically every year in Gordon Hayward. The Celtics could compete with Golden State, I think that says enough.

1. Golden State Warriors

• Duh, this is the least exciting of the picks. Boo Warriors.